Hi! I currently work in critical care, on this unit since last fall. There is a lot to learn.
I worked last night. There is an aide who has worked there for 30 or so years. He is very set in his ways, and for example, starts his day at 0630 (no one does that anymore) and punches out at 1500. Takes his lunch at 1100, NO MATTER WHAT. Will get frustrated if you bring fresh towels in the room for a clean up "Why are you doing that, there are towels in the drawer" (in the room)). I know several of the longer term staff roll their eyes when speaking of him. They say he used to really be crabby until an accident about a year ago. But I always respected his longevity, and got along, and was always really nice to him.
I worked overnight last night. I had tried raising the head of a patients bed and noticed a crunching sound, it was an O2 tank wedged in the foot pillows of a Kinair bed. I took it out and propped by the wall. I was changing lines. My patient decided very suddenly at 0630 to drop his sats, while on a vent, to 73, and raise his BP to 200. My charge RN was notifying RT/MDs while I was giving O2, suctioning, ect. and wondering if he was having a PE.
Just then, the aide was in the room stocking washcloths, and saw the O2 tank and said to me, "This is very dangerous, this shouldnt be like this, ect" I said "I can't talk to you right now I am dealing with this situation" "This is equally as dangerous, AND YOU WILL TALK TO ME" "I WILL NOT TALK TO YOU NOW" ""YOU WILL TALK TOME NOW" "No, I WILL TALK TO LATER" "YOU WILL TALK TO ME NOW" this excange went back and forth while I am trying to get the pt's sats up and see if RT was called. The MDs were in the room at this point. He SLAMMED the washcloth drawer, and STOMPED out of the room, waving his arms in disgust at me. I was so shaken I could hardly focus on pt and MDs and their questions.
The sats slowly came back up after several long minutes, and BP down, still dont know what happened, but was still shaken a little while later when MDs rounded and were asking me questions.
I went to asst nurse mgr, and told her the above, and she said that O2 tanks were this guys "pet peeve". She said she would talk to him, and it was right my focus should be on pt. I did see him and her casually and calmly chatting a few mintutes later (as I was charting).
I am worried this guy will go off on me in the future, or get 'mad' at something, like a request for a turn, and really honestly would prefer never to see him ever again, but since I know that won't happen, what should I do? How should I handle this, and what do you think of this situation? Very upsetting for me!! Thanks