Need true stories for article

catz · Oct 4, 2003

Originally posted by redshiloh
We have a chief of a service who is a bully. The type of abuse is verbal. We never know what is going to set him off...the only exception is when the moon is full you can bank on bad behavior. Upper management is well aware of the situation, but does nothing. He freely screams at personell and patients alike. I am not the type who has the huevos to confront him, I CAME out of an abusive marriage. We all take his abuse and excuse him 'well that's just the way he is' In many ways, his relationship with the staff is like that of a domestic abuse situation...I mean, how helpless we feel.
I would like some REAL help. Not just that old "well you should be more assertive".

wow...thats exactly wat my manager is like. we can tell as soon as she walks in the door if we are going to have a bad day with her. she doesnt care who she screams at, or where she does it. patients, rns, students, doctors, consultants whoever. and the more people within hearing the better. yet she gets away with it time n time again. students frequently report her, i have reported her. she pushed me too far one day and i have been off work since. management knew i was having problems with her bullying me specifically, they no she is renouned for being a bully. but she gets away with it. patients are too relieved to be going home n cant be bothered to report her. staff working for her are too scared to report her because they still have to work with her. in the 21/2 years i have worked their 5 people have left because of her and only two admitted to her being the reason.

i even investigated taking it further, but since is my word against hers and she is the senior(has more power) i have been advised by my union that it is pointless because i wont win. bullying and harrasment policy clearly is ineffective. she has since sed that obviously it was my illness that made me think she was picking on me. senior management seem to be going along the same assumption. they have been no support watsoever and are not interested in trying to resolve ny of the issues i raised in regards to her. the people who would back me up and admit to her having been the reason they left nolonger work within that hospital and are therefore not suitable evidence aparently. the fact that the university frequently has problems from students she has belittled and reduced to tears has no bearing since "they are only students".

because i made a fuss and stood up for myself i have been branded a troublemaker in that hospital, they dont want me back.

she wins again. it stinks.

catz · Oct 4, 2003

Originally posted by redshiloh
We have a chief of a service who is a bully. The type of abuse is verbal. We never know what is going to set him off...the only exception is when the moon is full you can bank on bad behavior. Upper management is well aware of the situation, but does nothing. He freely screams at personell and patients alike. I am not the type who has the huevos to confront him, I CAME out of an abusive marriage. We all take his abuse and excuse him 'well that's just the way he is' In many ways, his relationship with the staff is like that of a domestic abuse situation...I mean, how helpless we feel.
I would like some REAL help. Not just that old "well you should be more assertive".

wow...thats exactly wat my manager is like. we can tell as soon as she walks in the door if we are going to have a bad day with her. she doesnt care who she screams at, or where she does it. patients, rns, students, doctors, consultants whoever. and the more people within hearing the better. yet she gets away with it time n time again. students frequently report her, i have reported her. she pushed me too far one day and i have been off work since. management knew i was having problems with her bullying me specifically, they no she is renouned for being a bully. but she gets away with it. patients are too relieved to be going home n cant be bothered to report her. staff working for her are too scared to report her because they still have to work with her. in the 21/2 years i have worked their 5 people have left because of her and only two admitted to her being the reason.

i even investigated taking it further, but since is my word against hers and she is the senior(has more power) i have been advised by my union that it is pointless because i wont win. bullying and harrasment policy clearly is ineffective. she has since sed that obviously it was my illness that made me think she was picking on me. senior management seem to be going along the same assumption. they have been no support watsoever and are not interested in trying to resolve ny of the issues i raised in regards to her. the people who would back me up and admit to her having been the reason they left nolonger work within that hospital and are therefore not suitable evidence aparently. the fact that the university frequently has problems from students she has belittled and reduced to tears has no bearing since "they are only students".

because i made a fuss and stood up for myself i have been branded a troublemaker in that hospital, they dont want me back.

she wins again. it stinks.

NeilRN · Oct 4, 2003

The whole state of Pennsylvania abuses Nurses. First it's an "At will" employment state. No contract. While Administrators have to follow there own policies, they don't need a reason to get rid of you. I worked for a while in a residential facility that had 2 staff at night for 20 patients. The law staes you have to have 1 staff for each 16 sleeping residents. No mention of what happens if 2 or 3 trouble makers get up. I complained, the state came in, walked around the INPATIENT unit and left. So did I, personna non grata.

The horror stories are there and they are real. If Nurses as a whole were not so fragmented we could make a big difference for ourselves and our patients.

PS I want to know what state that survey was taken in on the PA web site Karen RN

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Oct 4, 2003

Had a patient die from surgical complications. Could not get surgeon to return calls. Thank goodness consulting MD was available. He did all he could do and more for patient and his family. I was called on the carpet for "not informing" surgeon of patients condition. This MD went to bat for me. I still remember surgeon's face when he was talking about how he was not aware of patient's condition and consulting MD stated "you would have been aware if you had answered her pages or MINE!" This surgeon is still in practice. I no longer work for the facility. Last I knew the consulting MD will not take a referral from this particular surgeon.

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Oct 4, 2003

P.S. forgot to mention this is a 230+ bed facility in a large town that prides itself on it's "patient care and caring physician's".