How do you deal with the rude nurses you encounter at the work place? Usually I am fine and I just shrug off the occasional snide comment or eye roll. Most of the time I take it as an opportunity to learn because I understand that not all feedback is "constructive." But, it is only one particular person on my unit who engages in this unprofessional behavior. And, what really gets me is no one says anything to her. She was very disrespectful to me in front of a few other nurses at the nurse's station today. If I too engaged in unprofessional behavior like hers I would have stuck up for myself. However, I just can't get myself to engage in that kind of drama at work because I would feel unprofessional and usually don't have time. Other nurses give me a sympathetic smile, but no one says anything. I am really beginning to resent her. Not only resent her, but I fear giving shift report to her because I know she is going to have some rude comment about some aspect of my care (the IV fluids are less than ½ full, the chart is not in the pull down, I didn't choose her first to give report to so now she is waiting for me while I give report to someone else etc.) For example, today my patient died 5 minutes before change of shift. I got orders to release the body, called the family, fixed the pt up in bed and started the post-mortum paperwork. I am new and another nurse was helping me fill out the paper work. I did not call the donor line as change of shift was starting as I was doing the other tasks that needed to get done. I asked the nurse (who was helping me with the paperwork) if this was appropriate and let the charge know how far I had gotten on the paper work so she could alter assignments accordingly. I passed this pt off to the nurse as it was going to be one of her patients. It was not an extra pt for her. She had the same number as all others on the floor. She flipped when I told her I had not called the donor line. Rolled her eyes, stomped her feet, grunted and flew over to the desk. I followed and asked if she would like me to stay after to fill out the paper work for her and she shouted, "Just leave." I keep replaying the incident wondering what I could have done differently. I want to be on good terms with all who I work with, but I don't want to stick around after my shift has ended because I am scared of one nurse's temper. I know she had one task to do on this pt, but that was ALL she had to do. No VS, no assessment, no medications, no procedures, no orders etc. The family planned on staying for at least 3-4 hours (so no new admit coming). And, the caregivers take the body down to the morgue. Would you approach her next time and ask how I could have acted differently in the situation? Or would you let it go? I doubt myself in these situations sometimes wondering if I acted appropriately. Do you think I was wrong to pass it off to her? Any feedback is appreciated.
