New RN with attitude...

[RN&mom]

So we have had this new nurse at my facility for a few months who doesn't take constructive feedback very well at all... Before everyone jumps on me and says I should look at how I'm communicating, I have witnesses to several of our interactions and it's not just me this nurse can't take suggestions from... This nurse was even put back on orientation recently and still would not listen to constructive feedback (I do most of the orienting at my facility and all the orienting on my unit and have never had a complaint/problem until now). I regularly get pulled into my DONs office for praise from orientees or coworkers. I'm not hard to get along with...

Has anyone had a situation like this and how have you turned it around? This Nurse is so defensive no matter what anyone says or how they say it, it will never be heard. I care about my patients and therefore need to find a way to communicate with this nurse. Thoughts?

Just a bit of perspective on personality, this nurse is rude to our med techs and CNA's and no matter how much time is available refuses to help with answering call bells, toileting pts, emoting urinals or anything else that is "CNA tasks" not my words!!! I've even seen this nurse look for CNA's to get a drink for a pt or clean up water! All of the above are huge no no's in my facility Everyone answers call bells and seriously clean up water, dump a urinal & get a drink at a minimum! It takes longer to find the CNA than do it yourself but I can't get through and neither can my DON.

Also numerous med errors which have been written up and terrible at time management and prioritization... This is why the nurse was put back on orientation but the attitude got so bad I told my DON I would no longer orient which I have never done before...

Sorry so long. Has anyone dealt with this? What do I do??

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Perhaps administration needs to reevaluate the benefit of keeping this nurse on staff. It sounds like not only attitude issues, return to orientation but also disciplinary write ups for errors it may be time for a final warning if not termination with ineligible for rehire.

Refusing to do "CNA" tasks or answer call bells will be detrimental to staff morale.

It sounds like all attempts at remediation have been rebuked and honestly termination may be the only option at this point. I'm sure there are other applicants with a better attitude and work ethic that will be a better fit.

Good luck

[Chris81]

This may be one of those rarely seen" probationary period" Do Not Hire situations. She sounds like she really doesn't want to be working there,despite many efforts to address real concerns. OR-give her enough rope.....

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Sometimes it's better to cut your losses early. I had one new nurse...new grad...she had a BSN which in her mind made her the queen and the rest of the staff stupid. She told me she refused to be oriented by any LPNs because SHE was an RN. I told her she needed a serious attitude adjustment. Some of those LPN have been nurses for 20 years and knew way more than she did...or probably ever would. She wouldn't help the CNAs and screamed at them in the halls for the slightest infraction. She decided it wasn't a good fit and off she went. We all heaved a collective sigh of relief and the next new grad a hired was a peach and is working out very well.