New Grad Co-worker driving me NUTS!!!!

[dinah77, ADN]

Okay, full disclosure, I am still pretty much a new grad on the floor myself with a whole whopping seven months on the floor- I work in a very busy TCU, with a patient population that ranges from Total knee replacement A&O x3, to higher acutity with us to see if they need LTC services in the near future

Having said that, here is what I have learned on the floor thus far about being a new grad

1. Keep your eyes and ears open at all times

2. Ask questions all the time!

3. Be very honest about what do you do and don't know from the get go! which as a new grad is NOT MUCH

4. Addendum to #3, be humble

5. Obvioulsy follow all rules and company policy to keep management happy but first and foremost form good bonds with your co-workers, especially the more seasoned knowledgeable nurses- you need them more then you can ever know initially!

Having said that, one of my coworkers is driving me frickin' nuts, and is the EXACT OPPOSITE of eveything I wrote aboved

She's a new grad in her mid twenties, been on our floor two months- very OVERLY confident- refuses to admit she doesn't know something, in fact for the first two weeks she had managed to trick me- whenever we would explain a new procedure/tx on the floor with a patient in report she would say " Oh sure just like in the hospital!" which I thought meant she had worked in one until I found out SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT CLINICALS

anyhow, due to being a family friend of the one of the higher ups she got position as a shift supervisor after one month on the floor- ( the word on the street is that she plans to stick at our facility as a supervisor for a year so that she can go have her pick of hospital jobs) I told her straight up when she told me "You're crazy to take that job- I wouldn't have- it's stressful for nurses with 20 years on the job"

So basically she is overly nice Suzy sunshine , but really passive agressive too- yesterday was a hellish day at work for me- one of my patient's went into crisis, every annoying demanding family member that has someone on our floor all visited at once, several meds were missing resulting in more work phone calls for me to pharmacy, etc.

THen PM shift pulls a no call/no show, so after waiting for 1/2 an hour past my shift to go home little miss Suzy is gonna take the shift so I report off to her- I explain my hellish day, how all I wanna do is get the hell off the floor and she is all sympathetic-

so what does she do as we are counting narcs? a bottle of liquid oxycodone is a little OVER (thank god not under) the # of MLs in the book ( my theory pharm over filled it a little initially, they have done so in the past) She creates this big drama about how " I'm not signing off with you until this is resolved!" and gets managers from other floors who happen to be hanging around haivng just all completed a meeting on our floor- Most of the managers were just like " Just be happy it's not under, just waste the extra"

BUT OH NO!Suzy has gotta get an official stamp from the DON, calling her at home while she has taken the day off to visit her new grandbaby

I finally get out of there, and an hour later I get a VM from my actual manger sounding weary, stating "Suzy has found a few meds you forgot to sign out, you need to call us so we know what meds you didn't give" (okay, bad I know, but given my constant interruptions during med pass yesterday I'm surprised I got half of them signed out- we are old school, use carts, cards, and paper charting- and I ALWAYS give all of my meds, wanna know how you can know? MAYBE CHECK THE EMPTY BUBBLE NEXT TO THE DAY'S DATE)

This btw, in light of a conversation I had with Suzy where I made it clear that no one should call me at home for little things that can wait until the next day- correction, you can call me, but if it is petty, I will not call you bak on my own time, sorry.

In short, how do I work with this newbie without punching her in the Larynx?

If you read this far MANY THANKS

[netglow, ASN, RN]

She is probably already "learning" about meds from her various "the sky is falling" calls. I am sure she's been admonished -or- been told not to do it again.

About the comment about something done like in the hospital, if you see it/do it as a student, it counts. Warning, don't get petty. Experience is experience. How do you think we as nurses learn how to do stuff? Same with MDs. Doesn't matter where. Maybe she had excellent hosptital clinical experience, and you did not. Don't let your mind wander over there or you will sabotage yourself.

[Moogie]

I think you have the patience of a saint.

[leslie :-D]

ok, you asked, so here it is.

it sounds like you just don't like her.

that it's more of a personal aversion, than a professional one.

keep in mind, that many new grads are very literal...

and if count is off (even when it is over stated amt), count is off and it needs rectifying.

as a new grad, i would have never thought to waste the extra.

it is only time and experience, that makes a new nurse more adaptive, flexible, and resourceful.

finally, fwiw, i happen to think that some pts not getting their meds, is a big deal, and warrants a call to home.

i would suggest you just focus on your own job, and let this new nurse be.

i don't know if you're jealous, if it's a competitive thing...

but whatever it is, the story you've told doesn't warrant any concern on my part.

try to play nice...

and focus on growing into your role as a professional nurse.

the last thing your workplace needs, is drama and hostility.

seriously, hope it works out for you.

it's in your hands.:)

leslie

[dinah77, ADN]

She is probably already "learning" about meds from her various "the sky is falling" calls. I am sure she's been admonished -or- been told not to do it again.

About the comment about something done like in the hospital, if you see it/do it as a student, it counts. Warning, don't get petty. Experience is experience. How do you think we as nurses learn how to do stuff? Same with MDs. Doesn't matter where. Maybe she had excellent hosptital clinical experience, and you did not. Don't let your mind wander over there or you will sabotage yourself.

Sorry if I wasn't clear- I did not intend to debate the merit of her experience during clinicals, I meant it to demonstrate the way she presents herself- after the fourth of fifth time of her saying "just like in the hosptial!" a co-worker finally said, "Oh which hospital did you work at?"' during report, she mumbled rather sheepishly" Oh, um I haven't..I meant during clinicals"

If you saw it during clinicals, then SAY THAT- nothing wrong with being a new nurse dangit, we all gotta start somewhere

[mybrowneyedgirl, BSN, RN]

I agree, the med question was worth a call to you. They need to know which meds were missed. Also, if you missed those meds, I could see why she'd question why there were extra narcs. It can be a big deal too if people weren't being given their pain medications.

I hope you can work things out through time to make things more pleasant for both of you.

[Chin up]

I would leave her be. She did have a right to question the high narcotic count, and she also had the right to question unsigned meds. You don't have the right to make excuses for unsigned meds. Remember, if not signed, not given. Having said that, I understand your frustration. Some people rub us the wrong way and your perception of her may be valid. But she honestly did nothing wrong, maybe she is annoying, but there is no crime in that and nothing you can do about it. Tighten your own ship and leave nothing for her to complain about. I am not criticizing you, but we all have worked with folks we deem are difficult but in fact, just different from ourselves. Peace!

[dinah77, ADN]

ok, you asked, so here it is.

it sounds like you just don't like her.

that it's more of a personal aversion, than a professional one.

keep in mind, that many new grads are very literal...

and if count is off (even when it is over stated amt), count is off and it needs rectifying.

as a new grad, i would have never thought to waste the extra.

it is only time and experience, that makes a new nurse more adaptive, flexible, and resourceful.

finally, fwiw, i happen to think that some pts not getting their meds, is a big deal, and warrants a call to home.

i would suggest you just focus on your own job, and let this new nurse be.

i don't know if you're jealous, if it's a competitive thing...

but whatever it is, the story you've told doesn't warrant any concern on my part.

try to play nice...

and focus on growing into your role as a professional nurse.

the last thing your workplace needs, is drama and hostility.

seriously, hope it works out for you.

it's in your hands.:)

leslie

I appreciate your reply, but few things

1. As far as the meds not being signed out, whenever I encounter that I start by checking the bubble next to the date to see if the med was given and not signed out, or not given- big deal if it's not given, but maybe check first before making a call? Isn't that just part of being a good nurse, gathering all the info you need before calling someone, whether it be a physician or anyone?

2. Second I can assure you it is not jealously, LOL- I have zero interest in management, never had in any of my jobs- I intend to go straight to NP after several years of experience

3. She is verging on incompetent sometimes- once a patient who is alert and does not get insulin was almost given insulin by someone I THINK was her- I can't prove it, but he described her, just couldn't give her name- he said the nurse was very insistent about it, and only after about three refusals by him she did not give it never returned with an explanation or apology to him

Two weeks ago she reprimanded for not getting all of the paprwork on a new admit who came 10 minutes before the end of my shift, but the very next day an admit came on her shift while she was working the floor, and despite staying overtime, did not get any of the paperwork done???? I came in the next day knowing nothing about the new fella, and I was left to pick up the slack, despite the fact that his skin assessment not being within 8 hours means the facility owns any marks the patient may have- oh, and night shift reported off to me that she forgot lovenox shots for two patients and said all casually to the night shift nurse at midnight "Oh I forgot these, can you do them?" WHAT was she doing for ten hours?

finally I didn't mean to sound cavalier about narc being off, but she had the blessing of management to waste it with a witness, a call to the DON was needed?

[enchantmentdis, BSN, RN]

Sounds like you will be fired very soon.

[mehitabela]

I feel your pain...we actually have a new hire that sits and KNITS as the rest of us scurry around answering lights that she apparently does not hear! All of us started out new, overzealous and annoying to the more seasoned nurses. Bless the few nurses out there that have the patience ( outwardly at least) to bear with us till we calm down! Grit your teeth, be supportive, and keep your own business in order...the rest will take care of itself in time and with experience. (says the one year post grad!)

[mehitabela]

Sounds like you will be fired very soon.

Now was that truly necessary?

Pax

[dinah77, ADN]

Sounds like you will be fired very soon.

????????????

thanks for the support?