Bossy Unit Clerks

[NancyRN]

Does anyone else here have a problem with bossy Unit Clerks?

The unit clerks at my telemetry unit seem to add to the already unbearable stress levels. I don't know how to deal with them because they do have a job to do but they don't seem to understand that I have priorities.

Yesterday when I came on duty I was told that a patient would be transferring to another hospital. I assessed her, talked to her about the surgery and her fears, then began assessing my other FIVE patients. It seemed I was running into some big problems because I had a lady with chest pain and one with dyspnea, and one with BS of over 500. Every time I passed the nurses station this unit clerk would crab at me about getting the first patient transferred. I was on the phone with a doctor and she SLAMMED the papers down in front of me and said "they're downstairs waiting!"

Figuring the ambulance was downstairs waiting, I went ahead and filled out the 15 pages of paperwork and handed it to her. She them said "Good, now I can call for an ambulance!" I said "What do you mean? I thought they were downstairs waiting?"

"I meant ER had another patient waiting for the room" was her reply.

I'm generally meek but I have gotten courage from this forum! I asked, "Is there ANY reason that patient in ER who is stable could not have waited until I assess all my patients this morning?" Another nurse then piped up, "Your patients are all FINE! I had them YESTERDAY!" So as you can see I had no support here and the unit clerks continue to harrass the nurses.

How do the rest of you handle this kind of thing?

[knapejc]

One of my jobs in staff development was to work with unit secretaries/clerks and their education needs. A universal concern they had was that nursing was not aware of the multiple inputs clerks have to deal with, often without information that would make prioritizing those tasks easier. (For example, which patient is more stable? Why is assessment a priority ahead of a transfer that others are pressing forward? Which tests should be ordered before other orders are taken off? When to deal with a patient request versus calling a tech or the nurse? ) We seldom provide all the information necessary, yet we expect the individuals who fill these roles to fly by the seat of their pants, usually with a much lower educational level than our own. We have a bad habit of forgetting what they do not know.

I would agree that this particular clerk was wrong. And for that matter, so was the other RN. And standing up for yourself is always correct. But conflict management skills here are critical if this isn't to be a repeat event. Ask the clerk to help you sort out why the problem occurred. . . they may have insight to a future solution. This also gives you an opportunity to educate about the importance of patient assessment in the kind of environment you describe. Otherwise you may only get short term defensiveness and continued bossiness in the long run.:kiss

[ERNurse752, RN]

quote

"Your patients are all FINE! I had them YESTERDAY!"

Just because a pt was fine yesterday doesn't mean they can't crash and die today...that's what *assessments* are for!

[mattsmom81]

yup. They're all fine...that's why they're in the hospital

[NancyRN]

yup. They're all fine...that's why they're in the hospital

Hahaha! Gonna USE this line....

[NancyRN]

Ok...got up my courage and called my Nurse Manager and asked for a meeting. She said ok can you come in 15 mins early tomorrow? I have some concerns anyway. Then she proceeded to blindside me with the story of a patient I had a MONTH ago, the nurse following me didn't like it that I left him with work that needed to be done...this, after she's been hounding all of us to leave ON TIME because, as she puts it, "you have to realize there's another shift coming on and you can't do it all."

I'm crying. I feel betrayed here! Not one word has ever been said to me about work left undone, and I've been feeling pretty good about getting out on time most days. So much for my valuable input. I guess I've just learned to keep my mouth shut and keep my resume up to date.

[nursejws]

I hate managers like that. :angryfire I'm a student, but I've had managers in other jobs that were the same way. Somedays you feel like what's the point?!?! It doesn't help if you're new either.

Why do managers, ALL managers, always blast employees for what they do WRONG? Where's the morale in that? I don't mind being told I'm doing something wrong, or could handle something differently, but let me leave the room knowing what I need to improve on, and something positive as dessert.

Just like my last job. The manager beat me down and made me paranoid. I was semi-good friends with the supervisor, which later bit me in the ass, and she would tell me that the manager liked me and the way I worked, and a few other good things. I was like, then why can't HE tell me these things??? Ugh, I'm so glad I don't work there anymore.

[nell]

Originally posted by NancyRN

Another nurse then piped up, "Your patients are all FINE! I had them YESTERDAY!"

I also wanna know why this nurse didn't have her assignment back. Are you sure you didn't get a difficult group dumped on you?

Also, I'd be looking for another job - either at another facility or on another unit with a Nurse Manager who could actually manage.

[Teshiee]

I was a unit clerk for 4 years while going to nursing school and I understand what clerks have to contend with. In L&D there were some RN's who thought their feces had a rosey aroma and felt it was beneath them to do paperwork. I had to tolerate condescending nurses who thought it was my career to be a gopher for nurses but when I spoke their language they stopped it. I know their was some overbearing clerks but if you allowed them to do you that way they will continue. I always felt that if they were busy I wouldn't put more than they can bare and do what I can. In the end they are willing to help you and work with you much easier. I know some nurses think I am traitor but I have walked in their shoes so it is easier to comment on this. Just because their job doesn't require a specialized degree doesn't make them inferior and I know some nurses are guilty in doing that. My personality the way it is didn't tolerate any crap. I respect you and you respect me. Simple. I had a mid wife yell at me because one of the doctors wanted her assistance when I cussed her out she never talked like that to me again. I don't come to work with a chip on my shoulder I treat people the way they treat me I don't care what title you carry. Respect is a two way street.

If their behavior is unwarranted let them know. Don't tolerate nasty behavior ever.

[hapeewendy]

I could go on and on in great detail about this as it is a subject that I face EVERY DAY at work....

but I will keep it short and sweet.... what everyone has posted has validity....

I find that with the overbearing/obnoxious person I have to deal with daily, the recipe for success is to minimize the amount of conversing you need to do, its true we need to work together but I did an awful lot of nice talking to her before I realized she was nothing but a bitter unhappy woman whose goal it was to spread her misery.

so now its jus work related/task talk for the two of us and it suits me fine.

Nurses have had trouble with her before but she is a vindictive little soul who makes it so that if you try to approach her and hash out your problems its even worse for you, so no one tries.

she really used to upset me, but as a wise person told me, consider the source and rise above it

this is one of those cases where you need to be the better person.

In my case it certainly isnt a case of nurses having holier than thou superiority complexes its about a woman , who instead of just coming to work and trying to do the best job she can, comes to work and pizzes and moans for 7.5 hrs (the .5 hr she is on break I dont hear her moaning so I wont count that)

there is no pleasing some ppl and its just her misguided coping mechanism to project everything onto others

cheers best of luck!

[thisnurse]

wow your unit clerks sound like a dream compared to one of ours.

"if you dont put your admission orders right here (they were not RIGHT in front of her) i am not putting in your orders."

if you dont do this...if you dont do that ....im not putting in your orders

one day she came into the conference room during report and SCREAMED AT ME ...i was just GETTING report about a pt who was a surprise transfer...(you know the ones, you dont know they are being transferred until the ambulance gets there)

the ambulance driver was going to leave, he wasnt waiting ...blah blah blah...i better get out there RIGHT NOW...blah blah blah...and this unit secretary is red faced and screaming at me. meantime the nurse who was before me was already in the room taking out his IV.

i told her she needed to calm down and go take a look in that room before she went off...after report i found the manager standing beside the UC. so i started asking questions like ....why were you so upset? did the ambulance driver threaten you? ....queer questions that hinted to the manager we might have a clerk that used to work for postal service.

our secretaries run staggered shifts. one starts at 6am, one at 7...ect. i was getting ready to go into report and the doc was just writing orders for one of my pts. the secretary who started at 6 took the chart and said she would put the orders in. i came out of report and there was the clerk from he11 screaming at me because she thought i took those orders and set them on her desk for her to put in when she came in. (on nights we put our own orders in) the sane secretary had set the chart down and went to check something so all the crab saw was the chart sitting there and she just assumed i left them for her.

thing that irks me is that i dont take advantage of our secretaries. i put in my own orders when im not busy. i help them when im not busy and i ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS put in my own verbals no matter what. (i think the person who takes the verbal SHOULD be the person who puts the order in..cuts down on confusion)

on nurses day we got a candy bar. she was mad about this...'the nurses get everything. they get all the money. they get everything and we get nothing. and they are the first to complain how hard they work"

i burst out laffing. "how much do you think we make?"

she said...30 bucks an hour....this made me roar.

"where do YOU work?"

lol

i told her when i took over the world i would pay her 30 bucks an hour ...till then maybe she should just shut up...she said...lolololol...THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN...lololol(another one of my dreams shot to hell)

one very very busy day i had the nerve to go to the bathroom. i didnt know that i had to report this to her. i got out of the bathroom and she started yelling at me and telling me if i ever "disappear" again and she has to call around to find me she is reporting me. xray called for me and i couldnt be found and she KNOWS they are reporting me. this behavior almost makes me laff. ...i said...oh well...i just saw our manager here...where did she go? ill get this straightened out right now.

oh no she said...i have already taken care of it.

i thanked her...lmao

the funny thing is every time she tries to bully me it blows up in her face. EVERY time.

and its not that i dislike her...i like her very much...she just is a bully and i guess she is the very last to learn that i wont be bullied by anyone.

as for getting the same assignment...where i work the assignment generally is determined by shift. if i work 12 today i wont get the same pts if i work 8 tomorrow.

dont you hate the idiots that chime in when nobody is talking to them?

that was one of the most stupid things i have ever heard of a nurse saying.

no lie....i would have just looked at her and said emotionless...."thats mindboggling"

and given her no more attention.

dont let anyone push you around...if you start that you will quickly become the unit doormat.

[sbic56, BSN, RN]

It appears by this thread that we must be very fortunate to have the gem of a ward clerk that we do. I would surely hesitate to refer to her as merely ancillary staff. She is essential and the glue that holds the unit together day by day.:kiss for my ward clerk!!!

[alwaysthere]

Love our ward clerk! She used to be an Restorative Aide. ( A CNA with extra hours/training in P.T.) till some guy ran into her car.