Nurse Ratched

[Stormy8]

Hi everyone. Just wanted to vent here alittle bit....I just don't understand why some nurses are so mean/rude to others. There's this one nurse that I work with and I dread EVERY time I have to give her report. She either rolls her eyes at me, doesnt listen to when I speak, or questions everything about whats going on with the patient. I understand it's important to ask questions but it seems like she does that to challenge either me or perhaps the medical team following the pt, not to better the patient. Today, of course, at change of shift, my patient pulled out her IV. I quickly go in there to make sure she's ok. I try and restart another IV so that "nurse ratched" doesn't need to be bothered by it and I was unsuccessful. I come out to give her report and I let her know about the IV and she continues to roll her eyes at me like it's my fault this happened and gave me a hard time saying why I didn't ask someone to place the IV. I respond saying it literally JUST happened and there is no one available b/c everyone including the charge nurse is giving report. I know there are situations where you need to address them and fix them then and there....seizure, code, desat, etc but I know this doesn't count.

I just tired of being treated like crap by this person and I can't say anything.....

I'm done venting now...thanks for listening.

[sugarmagnoliaRN]

Is there a specific reason you feel like you can't say anything? I would address this with her, personally. Obviously, be tactful about it, but I think it's worth your while to figure out if there is something this person has against you or if maybe she doesn't realize she's being so rude. A similar situation happened at my work not too long ago, it was addressed and the guilty party honestly had no idea she was being rude and hurting someone.

[dmwRN]

Why can't you say anything? I would certainly try to remedy the situation, or at least try to get an understanding of the root cause for her behavior. Maybe she treats everyone this way, and not just you... Or maybe you've done something in the past to upset her, inadvertently. Maybe her methods of nursing practice don't agree with yours - could be a lot of reasons, but there's still no reason to be treated with less than respect, as long as you're doing your job and adequately caring for your patients. I've learned that there are people that think there is only one way to do things - THEIR way. And everything else is wrong. Sometimes it's just a personality conflict and people clash. Period. You may just have to roll with it... water off a duck's back. Just my opinion, but that's why we're here, right...?

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

I am as old as dirt and have been a nurse forever.... some things never change. One of those things - none of us really has an accurate picture of how we come across to others. This is especially true of body language. So, when you have that conversation be sure to make this very clear.... "I am sure that it is probably not your intention, but it absolutely terrifies me whenever you roll your eyes and make that 'harumpf' sound... I just know you are going to yell at me. Then, I am afraid to tell you anything else"

I am speaking from experience - I am a recovering eye-roller & (right) eyebrow raiser. Didn't even realize that I was doing this until one of my staff worked up the courage to tell me. I was very grateful to her; a fact that I publicly acknowledged at the next staff meeting.

[nyrn5125]

state politely " no need to roll your eyes they might get stuck"

[CVmursenary]

There is always something that goes unplanned during a shift and some nurses act like it never happens to them and will give you attitude during report. Do you best to ignore it and just smile.