Nobody Likes A Tattle Tail

[sassyrn333]

I am wishing that (seeing as we are all educated professionals and adults) more people would approach the individual they have an issue with, rather than running to the manager for every little indiscretion they find. IMHO, the manager should not be bothered with petty BS. Unless someone dies, is injured, is given a wrong med, or a nurse is diverting drugs, the manager shouldn't be bothered. Speak with the individual, or go to the charge nurse. We are all grown ups and we ALL make mistakes--even you tattle tails out there!

Maybe its because nursing is predominantly a female profession, because I NEVER encountered this problem in the military. Tattle tailing was seriously frowned upon by everyone, including high leadership (I believe you might get your ass kicked for tattling in some military circles). It deteriorates team cohesion and morale. It also shows your superiors that you are too incompetent to handle your team's problems internally.

One could even go as far as saying that tattling creates a hostile work environment....

[nurse32]

My issue is at the other end. I was harassed by coworkers, but bit my lip and moved on.

I guess that I'm not the only one that was harassed, and someone must have reported to the supervisor.

Instead of realizing that her actions are causing a hostile environment, and working on her character, she was busy trying to figure out who the culprit was.

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

i too was in the military and it surprises the heck outta me to see the amount of "adults" who run crying to the manager every time something happens that they don't like. i'm used to a culture of not airing you"dirty laundry" and speaking to the person that screwed up. *sigh* i miss it so....

this is another reason why i prefer military life too! i also cannot stand the gossiping (i have even heard trash whispered about me while i was within ear shot!!!!!!!!!!!), the backstabbing, and the manipulation, which to me are also forms of tattling!!! within military people like the people we work with would be spanked for acting like this on a daily basis. such behaviors interfere with unit cohesion and are not tolerated by the individuals within the unit! i love the military! i am in the process of returning as soon as i graduate with my bsn!!

studying hard... 10.5 months to go!

[Guest233447]

I'm only in nursing school, but trust me - the backstabbing and brown-nosing happening here are enough to make me wonder how I'm going to deal with it all in the "real world".

In a perfect world, you'd have a Manager that would stop the tattle-tail "mid-tattle" and ask if they've addressed their concerns with the person involved... and if not, send them packing.

With what I've had to deal with so far, it hasn't been fun. But I'm making it a point to not even listen to other women "vent" about the ones that have ****** them off because somehow I end up implicated. Maybe not all nurses are women, but far too many women are malicious, insecure gossips. IMO. :)

[PMRNLOCO]

i thought we were all taught in nursing school to first go to the person we have the problem with and then if it can't be resolved, follow the chain of command, but not before trying to resolve it ourselves

[caliotter3]

i thought we were all taught in nursing school to first go to the person we have the problem with and then if it can't be resolved, follow the chain of command, but not before trying to resolve it ourselves

Nursing school is not the only institution where this is taught.

[hearts895, RN BSN]

I agree. Unless the circumstances are extenuating, I hate being around a known snitch.

People need to learn to address their issues using the proper chain of command. In other words, if you've got a problem with a coworker, the emotionally intelligent thing to do is to handle the problem with that person while using the utmost tact. Running to management for piddling bull crap is nothing short of childish.

I too was in the military and it surprises the heck outta me to see the amount of "adults" who run crying to the manager every time something happens that they don't like. I'm used to a culture of not airing you"dirty laundry" and speaking to the person that screwed up. *sigh* I miss it so....

Totally agree with both of you. I was raised to believe that being a snitch was pretty much unforgivable. I've been shocked to find many girls in school etc. don't follow that code. Unless something is really serious, being a tattle tell is the most obnoxious thing you can do. JMHO

[greenbeanio]

If something could be so easily resolved by simply talking with the person involved, everybody would do it. Obviously it doesn't always work, sometimes because of the defensiveness or vengefulness of the person in question. This is when management needs to be utilized. Team building and conflict-resolution is the job of management - let them do what they are supposed to be skilled at doing.

Also, if I were a manager, I would want to know what's going on, instead of having coverups and silencing happening by a work-culture that discourages disclosure and encourages bullies. The use of terms like "tattle-tail", "rat" and "snitch" indicate that kind of a work-culture.

[Katie5]

The reason there are snitches in the nursing profession and will continue to be snitches is because NM or higher authorities condone it.

If you don't codone a thing or there are no rewards and benefits to the snitch, the habit of snitching will almost become non-existent.

If managers or higher authorities would sit the snitch and the snitched upon to get to the bottom of the matter, it would create a better atmosphere. Let the snitched upon have a chance to defend him or herself.

And also it would create a more cohesive group as one would be quick to have a rethink before snitching.As far as I'm concerned, having a positive confrontation is a good thing, otherwise be afraid, be very afraid.

[emt123277]

Stop snitching!

That being said, I spent numerous night shifts talking out mistakes that many of us have covered for this one nurse here in the ICU. In the end, she went to management complaing how everyon is turning on her and making a hostile work environment by bringing up all her mistakes. Those other nurses and myself were then pulled into the mngr's office and spoken with like we were the slackers. Stop snitching, but don't cover others mistakes either.

[JessicRN]

I too was in the military and it surprises the heck outta me to see the amount of "adults" who run crying to the manager every time something happens that they don't like. I'm used to a culture of not airing you"dirty laundry" and speaking to the person that screwed up. *sigh* I miss it so....

Oh how I agree it was a total culture shock when I left the military and came to work as a civilian. It seems civilian nurses make tattling a science. I personally believe if you have to tattletail for every little thing then you need a life.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

Have any of the "stop snitching" types worked in an environment where talking to the other party is useless at best, dangerous at worst? Sometimes "snitching" is necessary. Don't start none, won't be none.

[cjcsoon2bnp, MSN, RN, NP]

I think that there is a huge difference between being a "snitch" and reporting something unsafe that a nurse does to a manager (making a med. error, diverting meds. harming a patient etc.) Obviously we weren't there so we don't know both sides to the story but personally I would not have wasted the time going to the manager about the EKG leads not being changed in this particular instance. What I would have done as the other nurse was change the EKG leads and not waste my time trying to make a big deal of it. With that being said, if as the other nurse I noticed that you have forgotten to change the EKG leads on your patients multiple times I might come to you and just gently remind you that it is policy to change the EKG leads every 24 hours (or whatever the policy is.) If you got really defensive or angry then I would wait and see if it occurs again, if it did then I would consider talking to the manager about the issue but see if management could somehow remind the staff overall of the importance in changing EKG leads (or whatever the issue is.) I think the important thing when confronting a coworker about any sort of problem is to be respectful, professional and try not to come off with a condescending attitude.

!Chris