My co-workers are complaining constantly. I'm sick of it.
I work at a nice little hospital where we actually get a lot more down time than most places. I've worked another hospital where you busted your buns the whole shift, and usually needed to stay over to complete your charting. Some of my co-workers have no idea about the real, big bad world of nursing.
The visiting that goes on at our nurses station is unreal and extremely distracting. The high school dramatics and constant whining about our manager is unreal. The gossip and complaining is getting extemely old.
I work a combination of evenings, nights, and then some 12 hour shifts. The main problem is with the evening shift. Ugh! Anyone else have this problem???
If you don't like it ignore it. Go walk around the unit. Engross yourself in your chart. Do anything but stay there and listen. Those nurses may just need to vent, but if it really bothers you, then stay away from it. It really isn't that hard to do. I don't hang at our nursing station and for breaks usually go to the cafeteria with coworkers I like to be with.
I second that!!!!
I ignore it.
Remember the mantra, " There are many things that we cannot change, but we can certainly change how we deal with them."
I could swear that you are talking about my dept. but I guess not since you are in washington. I guess it happens everywhere. It has been so bad where I am we (a few of the nurses) have started a committee to be cheerleaders for the dept and try to help the complainers not to complain so much or to at least guide their complaints in the right direction.
We are starting to see a lot of nurse turnover and I think the complaining doesn't help. Our boss is starting to say at staff meetings that people need to come to work to work and not to gossip and complain about their personal lives or things they can't control.
A nurse I work with came up with a great saying to avoid the gossip,favortism and complaining.
It is amazing how negativity can spread like wild fire. I found myself getting very negative about a year ago at work. I then made a conscious effort to become positive again. Believe it or not, it took about a month and then we all became positive again.
We all seemed to have gotten into that rut and didn't realize it. Once I made the effort, it was surprising how many people followed. I am not blowing my own horn, I am just saying all it really takes is a person or two to become positive and happy and a lot will follow.
The following is an article that I typed up for a newsletter that I put out on my med/surg unit. Seems very appropriate for this thread.
Negativity in the workplace. It can be spread faster than the common cold. Even if only one person is affected, s/he can spread it to others without even realizing it. As we all know, stress is ever present in the hospital setting. And when typical "seasons" come about (i.e. flu, trauma), the stress level tends to increase leading to more negativity which leads to more stress. It is a vicious circle and it is up to all team members to do their part in breaking the cycle.
We sometimes expect others to make our workplace better. Or see certain team members as the root cause of the problems. However, change starts within each of us. There are several things that each team member can do to help alleviate the stress by eliminating the negativity.
1. Don't add fuel to the fire. Like a wildfire, negativity can spread quickly. If you find someone talking negatively, simply walk away. If you want to be really brave, tell your co-workers why you are leaving.
2. Go on a "negativity fast". When you come into work, announce to everyone that you are going to be positive. And respectfully request that your peers do not engage in negativity while in your presence.
3. The "negative mongers". We all know whom the people that thrive on the negative aspect of our job. Make a point to be extra positive. Try doing something special for that person (i.e. bake a cake, buy them a coke).
4. Practice random acts of kindness. If a person is given something unexpectedly that is positive, chances are they will be more positive that day.
5. Tell your co-workers that you appreciate them. If someone gives you one of those random acts of kindness, let them know that you appreciate it.
6. Look for the positive. As human beings, it is very easy to focus on the negative instead of the positive. Make a concerted effort to do just the opposite.
7. Take the time to listen to others. Be caring and understanding of what is going on in your co-workers lives. Try to help them see their cup as half full instead of half empty.
8. Avoid talking behind other's backs. Nothing will increase the amount of cynicism in the workplace than the typical "back stabbing".
9. As you are driving to work, make a conscious choice to be positive.
10. Embrace change. Our world is ever changing. Sometimes for the good, sometimes not. But we won't know if it is a good change or a bad change unless we are flexible and give the change a chance to work.
SOMETIMES IT IS THE INSUBURDINATE THAT GETS TO GET TO FIRED IF THEY COMPLAIN TOO MUCH ABOUT THEIR SUPERVISORS!
IT JUST SHOWS SOMETIMES THAT THE INSUBURDINATE IS NOT DOING HIS/HER JOB OR IS COMPLAINING TOO MUCH AND BEFORE THE LITIGATIONS ARE DONE THEY MIGHT BE ALREADY FIRED OR RELEASE FROM THEIR WORK!
THE BEST BET FOR YOU PERHAPS IS TO OPEN YOUR OWN HOME BASE BUSINESS AND BE YOUR OWN BOSS!
BUT IF YOU ARE NOT THE TRIBE OF JUDAH AND LEVITES ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE NOT THE HOST THEN YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO SUPPORT THE 222 WHICH WILL BECOME 555 THEN 999 THEN 1313! THIS IS THE ONE STEP AT A TIME FOR THE 666 BEFOR 777!
YOU WILL NEED TO DO BUILD YOUR OWN GROUPS AND NEED A DIRECTORS AND ADVISORS AND ALSO ADMINISTRATORS!
YOU NEED TO HAVE A LOT OF IMAGINATIONS THEN MAKE SURE THEY ARE WORKING AND LEARNING AND GOING TO CHURCH AND SOME WORDLY BUT MAKE SURE THEIR WORDLINESS IS NICE NOT TOO MUCH DUE TO THEY WILL BE USE AS THE SKELETON OR BODIES FROM THEIR YOUR 1 JOHN 4:4!
I THINK THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE 222 IS $0.35 CENTS PER DOLLAR AND SOME $0.10 PER DOLLAR@
SO ANYWAY WATCH OUT FOR UNFORGIVEABLE ADULTERY!
AND TELL THIS GOOD NEWS!
BUT PRAY TO GOD FOR GUIDANCE DUE TO HE KNOWS BEST! GET IT?
I, for one, really resent the cheerleading that we are constantly subjected to by administration who wants us to buy into the idea that they really care about us. If they are talking about caring if we show for work or not, okay, but really, they don't care beyond that. That goes for breaks, dinner breaks, and as far as more than one of us at lunch (if that even happens) to have a simple conversation, forget it. We don't have a water fountain inside our locked unit, but can't have even bottled water where we can easily get to it.
I dearly love my manager, but she is between a rock and a very hard place. I know she has to pass along what she's been told to pass along, but it's pretty hollow in truth.
Lately, our staff meetings have become mandatory: you're allowed to miss 10% of them (1.2 meetings if you're counting). So what if the staff meeting is held when you are out of town, or when you're already running your fanny up and down the halls. In addition to that, we now are have 1-2 mandatory classes a month. So that's 3 mandatory things we have to attend in 30 days, not counting work days. Many people live 45 minutes away, so that's a lot of driving for short classes. The classes are not scheduled so that it's convenient for the night shift people. Oh, and they want very badly to NOT pay us for them. (That's when I'll just not go.) You can't even sign up for the classes from your email at home; only from the in-house system. Yet they boast about how cutting edge they have become. Give me a serious break!
Add in the cheerleading and all the various types of silly things they do to try to raise the morale and it's no wonder people whine and complain. And I'm lucky in that I work per diem and have finally limited myself to 2 shifts a week and Just Say No policy to last minute calls because those get me no extra pay. They'll pay anybody else either OT or agency wages for that but expect me to go in for straight pay. It is written in the contract that way, but there are ways around it. I do work on the negotiating team and we work constantly to try and change this.
Many of my co-workers come to me with contract issues. I do not consider these examples of whining. Some are good ideas and some are grievance issues. Those who do whine and don't or won't or are afraid to make any waves irritate me.
My main goal when I walk in the door has been and will continue to be to leave on time.
SOMETIMES IT IS THE INSUBURDINATE THAT GETS TO GET TO FIRED IF THEY COMPLAIN TOO MUCH ABOUT THEIR SUPERVISORS!
IT JUST SHOWS SOMETIMES THAT THE INSUBURDINATE IS NOT DOING HIS/HER JOB OR IS COMPLAINING TOO MUCH AND BEFORE THE LITIGATIONS ARE DONE THEY MIGHT BE ALREADY FIRED OR RELEASE FROM THEIR WORK!
THE BEST BET FOR YOU PERHAPS IS TO OPEN YOUR OWN HOME BASE BUSINESS AND BE YOUR OWN BOSS!
BUT IF YOU ARE NOT THE TRIBE OF JUDAH AND LEVITES ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE NOT THE HOST THEN YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO SUPPORT THE 222 WHICH WILL BECOME 555 THEN 999 THEN 1313! THIS IS THE ONE STEP AT A TIME FOR THE 666 BEFOR 777!
YOU WILL NEED TO DO BUILD YOUR OWN GROUPS AND NEED A DIRECTORS AND ADVISORS AND ALSO ADMINISTRATORS!
YOU NEED TO HAVE A LOT OF IMAGINATIONS THEN MAKE SURE THEY ARE WORKING AND LEARNING AND GOING TO CHURCH AND SOME WORDLY BUT MAKE SURE THEIR WORDLINESS IS NICE NOT TOO MUCH DUE TO THEY WILL BE USE AS THE SKELETON OR BODIES FROM THEIR YOUR 1 JOHN 4:4!
I THINK THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE 222 IS $0.35 CENTS PER DOLLAR AND SOME $0.10 PER DOLLAR@
SO ANYWAY WATCH OUT FOR UNFORGIVEABLE ADULTERY!
AND TELL THIS GOOD NEWS!
BUT PRAY TO GOD FOR GUIDANCE DUE TO HE KNOWS BEST! GET IT?
MABUHAY!
KATHY
KPOP
Not trying to be rude here just looking for suggestions on handling these situations as a nurse in the future but, what the heck does this post mean? Did I miss something regarding this post? Seriously, maybe too much hair dye but I don't get what point this is trying to make and would really love to know.
I agree that the manager sets the tone for the department as a whole. Positivity breeds positivity unless you are just a negative person and there are those types that we have to deal with on a daily basis. It is so much easier to be positive than negative and it really comes across in the care that is delivered to the patient IMO. This has been a motto of mine for a long time................"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade" (unknown author). Or the Serenity prayer. If you are going to complain offer suggestions as to how to fix the problem and if you put your 2 cents in that's all you can do and rest comfortably knowing you did what you could to change things.
I personally prefer to hang out with positive people and if in the company of complainers I usually just walk away when I get my fill of listening to the same ol same ol........I also don't gossip or back stab so don't include me as a woman in that category. I think it is the person not the "sex" of the person that determines that. I figure if you have enough time to complain, back stab, gossip your patients must be getting the short end of the stick of your care. That could be time learning more about your patients and their needs, strictly MO!!
I also have seen this kind of behavior at my nursing station! Gossiping and airing of complaints about all sorts of things; not only is it distracting to someone who is charting, (I take my charts to a tiny little room, out of the way, to avoid this!), but it also leaves a very poor impression on the "Public", who often witnesses this behavior, as well! Sometimes the noise is so loud at the Nursing station from everyone talking, you can't even hear someone on the phone.
I've learned that some people are just complainers. I know a nurse who can't get through the day without complaining about something. On a good day, it's just one complaint... on a bad day, many complaints. This is just how she is. The other nurses and I just try to ignore it because we know it'll drag us down and put us in a bad mood. Sometimes we end up complaining to each other about her! So, it goes to show that everyone has something to complain about.
What's with that anyway??? A few months ago someone posted a really negative thread about crappy docs, asking people to post their stories which naturally turned into a ***** fest about doctors. I replied back that I disliked negative threads like that because they sucked the life out of people and made us dwell on the negatives. People replied AND RIPPED ME TO SHREDS!! The same people that are ranting at work I bet!
At work I give people 60 secs to get something off their chest, then I look them in the eye and, "OH MY GOD! GET OVER IT!" Or, "Pick your battles kiddo, it's just a schedule/shift/break/meeting/policy etc.." It usually snaps them back to reality...now I'm the one people are *****ing about, I guess.
Oh well!
My co-workers are complaining constantly. I'm sick of it.
I work at a nice little hospital where we actually get a lot more down time than most places. I've worked another hospital where you busted your buns the whole shift, and usually needed to stay over to complete your charting. Some of my co-workers have no idea about the real, big bad world of nursing.
The visiting that goes on at our nurses station is unreal and extremely distracting. The high school dramatics and constant whining about our manager is unreal. The gossip and complaining is getting extemely old.
I work a combination of evenings, nights, and then some 12 hour shifts. The main problem is with the evening shift. Ugh! Anyone else have this problem???
caroladybelle, BSN, RN
5,486 Posts
I second that!!!!
I ignore it.
Remember the mantra, " There are many things that we cannot change, but we can certainly change how we deal with them."