I don't want to sound mean, but I am at the end of my rope. I also realize that I am no Saint but...
Co-worker # 1: Always calls out sick and frequently has to go home for a wide variety of reasons. Was scheduled 7p-3A. I as charge nurse told her she'd have to change assignments at 11 p.m. because of the type of staff coming on. I gave her the choice of two assignments. First she started crying and told me she could not would not take L/D triage. Ok well I'll look at the schedule again. Then I come back. Then she tells me she was not scheduled 11p-3A, only 7p-11p. THE SCHEDULE SAYS SHE IS. Oh she cries some more. She's sick. She can't stay. So, I who was only scheduled 7p-11p has to stay. Next day, i work and find out she was c/o'ing the night before to another co-worker that she was working the night in question until 3am!!
Co-worker #2: She must have off every Sunday if at all possible, so she puts herself down to be off if census is low on the Sundays she is scheduled. Often census is low on Sunday, so this person gets off on many Sundays and c/o's if it is busy and she is called back in. She really needs off EVERY SUNDAY, IT'S the SABBATH. hmmm What religion does she think the rest of us belong to? She makes sure she gets to the list first to be off. What an advertisement for Christianity!!!
Co-worker #3: RUDE is the word for this person. Likes to be in the nursery. Often makes lots of noise while you are doing a hearing test if she is not. Puts feet and legs all over the desk and reclines while reading a book. Recently told a patient that a bird did not fly over and put her call light on by accident. Pt. was 40-something lady w/ gyne surgery having abdomial pain. How dare she roll on that call light by accident? This person likes to tell everyone else what to do, yet always "needs help" to do her work and "doesn't know how to do a variety of difficult or unpleasant tasks" when they are assigned to HER, but comes over to tell you what to do if they are assigned to YOU.
I am so sick of these three. Is it me? Do I let them get to me too much? I try to be subtle, but I am ready to take their heads off. Management tells us that we need to settle interpersonal issues amongst ourselves. I hate to report or get anyone into trouble, but I try to behave responsibly at work and I am really sick of these tree wanna-be queens. Any opinions. HELP!!!
well the "church lady" had a showdown this weekend when someone else claimed they had asked off first this past sunday. so now my manager will be forced to deal w/ her. what a super crock full of "you know what" this gal is. it is too bad because she is a pretty good nurse in many ways when she is not on the phone to her family. (another c/o others have had about her in the 6 short months she's been w/ us). i just wonder sometimes what goes on in people's heads that causes them to arrive at the conclusion that they are entitled to all sorts of special priviledges.
i also have noticed that when one of these types recalls their experiences as a patient, they are usually very unsatisfied w/ the nursing care. wow maybe their nurse was on the phone and couldn't answer their call bell! yes mark, strangulation has also crossed my mind on a number of occasions w/ these three.
This sounds very familliar. I used to work with several people like that. I started to notice that I was LETTING them get to me, and then it seemed like every little thing they did got me even more upset. So, I decided that I would just not let it bother me anymore. Here is an example of how I would have handled your co-workers
#1 The chronic complainer. I would not volunteer to cover her shift for her. If she continued to complain, I would simply say to her "if you don't feel like you can work then maybe you should start calling people to work for you."
#2 All Sunday's Off Girl. Where I worked and where I currently work, we always give low census by turn. We keep a log and write down when nurses are on call. If we are low census, we look at the list and whoever had low census the longest time ago gets it! This makes it fair for everyone. If it were my turn and she were asking for it, I would simply say "No, I really would like to go to church today." and leave it at that.
#3 The "I Am Too Busy To Do My Work" nurse- (I know her well!!!!) I would polietly say to her "I'm sorry, I am really busy with my own patients right now so I don't have time to do that for you." If she goes to someone else to do it, so be it, at least YOU didn't end up having to do her dirty work. When she does rude things like making noise while doing hearing tests, I would stop what I was doing and, again, politely say "I'm sorry, am I interupting your (noise making activity) by doing this hearing test? Because I could do it later if you would like."
Just don't let them get to you. The more you do, the more they will take advantage. If you always cover night shifts for the nurse that doesn't want to work them, work Sundays for the nurse that wants them off, do another nurses dirty work and let her sit around, then they will always think that they can get you to do it and then you get more frustrated with them and no one is happy!
thanks again for all of the responses. i think pms had the best of me when i put this up. i was just at my wits' end w/ all three of these chicks and their excrement hitting me at once. #1 gal pulled her crap at about 10 p.m. and i was in charge 7p-11p, so i had no choice but to stay as no one else wanted to work.
ah well, i have decided that i just won't ever trade to accomodate her or the church lady. they get enough special scheduling needs fulfilled by their current game-playing. i will never stick my neck out so they can have a day off. i have to share a funny bit of news from last evening. #3, the charm school grad herself was bellowing when she arrived at 10:40 p.m., that no one made coffee for the night shift. she hunted me down at the nurses's station to tell me this in front of several other staff. so i just told her like it was... "well...it's a good thing you get here so early, so you have plenty of time to make it yourself. we've just been fooling around here w/ a delivery and a transport. you know how i love to waste time when i'm in charge." i got a dirty look, a grunt response. and then she stormed off w/ a red face. hahahaha!
We have similar problems with personalities and such with our group at work. I like sanacruz approach, too. That's kind of like using visualization during labor to block out how much the reality of the situation stinks!! But, we can't all do it so effectively for sure!
We are fortunate in that the nurse that makes the schedule is very aware of the problems that exist and she tries very hard not to schedule the same people together too often...kind of a "share the wealth" approach. At least I know I'm going to get a break now and then! (And vice versa!)
Sure would be nice if they would just GROW the heck UP and take responsibilty seriously huh ? I've told a few co-workers "I'm not Yo Mama"...maybe not the most professional response, but geezzzz you do get fed up sometimes.
Is there a nurse manager anywhere in this picture? Sounds horrible...And, from what you've described, I think you MUST be a Saint...Any remark of the nature you mentioned that person making to a patient, whatever the diagnosis, would have resulted in immediate suspension at my facility, and rightfully so imho.....How are these people permitted to get away with their inappropriate and unprofessional behavior? That is what truly intrigues me.....
Wonderful book entitled, "Don't let the Jerks Get the Best of You", by Paul Meier.... and on Amazon.com, I notice, it's packaged up with another one with a title that I like (but haven't read), "Since Strangling isn't an Option")
All these people share 1 common flaw ... they are lazy
Lazy people are easy to controll, they always take the path of least resistance aka the easy way out.
all you have to do to get them to do what you want is present things so that it sounds like what you want them to do will be the easiest.
ie..
"Oh ok if you don't want to stay until 3 am ill stay but then you'll have to take my shift tomarow"
For the girl who always tries to get out of unpleseant tasks you can use her pride to controll her.
"I'll do it for you and you can watch that way you will know how next time" of course she will insist she knows how and then you just inocently say "oh Id really like to see how you do that"
Just make sure you always say things in a nice calm voice and don't allow your fellings to get in the way.
mabey Im a bit pasive agressive but I find it best to use peoples lazyness/pride against them when they are being selfish. works really well too and if they figure out what you are doing what are they going to do??? you have been nice to them so they can't really be mad.
i am having a good chuckle as i put this up awhile ago. it seems so long ago. i tried to be a little more positive about things and a little less sensitive. the place where i work is very easy in some ways: low risk pt's (mostly), low volume, lots of down-time (allows for gossip).
we have major morale problems on our unit right now. there is a committe to tackle this, but it seems to be going nowhere fast. i must say the very stubborn , abrupt woman is not the sneaky vicious gossip that some of my co-workers are. the two schedule manipulators have approached me several times for favours and i have just simply told them NO! i figure they pull enough crap w/ the schedule that they don't need me allowing them to enjoy any more special priviledges. i took last weekend off, even though the "sick" woman was counting on having the weekend off to go out of town.she never got someone to cover the weekend for her (as she is required to) and then got mad when i told her i had asked someone to cover for me (that's the person she had planned to ask, but she forgot! i still wonder if she's for real or what). i had a lovely, guilt free time. i am trying to stay out of the loop as far as the morale problems right now. i can really only take care of myself. i refuse to get all entangled in these problems that have a lot to do w/ physician favouritism and friendships outside of work.
i will do what i can to protect my pt's from any verbal abuse from the "abrupt woman" and myself from the "schedule hogs". as rotten as some aspects of this place are, i do enjoy the pt's, proximity to home, the pace and variety (working l/d, nursery, gyn, and occasional nicu and pacu stuff), and the pay is pretty good for this area (except we need a w/e diff please!). i still wonder if some of my co-workers are adults or simply 10 year olds in adult costumes.
trying to just keep smiling!
imenid37
1,804 Posts
well the "church lady" had a showdown this weekend when someone else claimed they had asked off first this past sunday. so now my manager will be forced to deal w/ her. what a super crock full of "you know what" this gal is. it is too bad because she is a pretty good nurse in many ways when she is not on the phone to her family. (another c/o others have had about her in the 6 short months she's been w/ us). i just wonder sometimes what goes on in people's heads that causes them to arrive at the conclusion that they are entitled to all sorts of special priviledges.
i also have noticed that when one of these types recalls their experiences as a patient, they are usually very unsatisfied w/ the nursing care. wow maybe their nurse was on the phone and couldn't answer their call bell! yes mark, strangulation has also crossed my mind on a number of occasions w/ these three.