We have an RN who is a pet of management because she is a good nurse who is good with the patients. On top of that, she is in graduate school to be a nurse practitioner so they really think she is highly intelligent and all that and a bag of chips, too. She actually is a very nice person, but has a little problem dealing with confrontation and stress, though. When she feels overwhelmed she kind of acts nutty. Today, an employee was arguing with her about how she scheduled them to work and she went in the DON's office, threw a pen on the floor, stomped her feet, turned red, then started ranting about how she hates her shoes and she kicked them off and threw them in the break room and was running around in her socks... She has had tantrums before when frustrated with something in management and always apologizes afterward, but, what gives? What can be done with her? She also sits out in the smoking area puffing on cigars and laughing to herself. Sometimes, she has laughing spells in the middle of inservice and will have to get up and leave the room because she can't stop...weird.
I find it very interesting that nurses are very quick to cut each others throats. This is a nurse that is a good patient advocate, and by discription is a good nurse except for some "strange behavior". Yet we have already diagnosed her brought her before a review board (of her pears) and said that she needs to be watched so she does not harm her patients.
Boy I hope no one is watching me and finds what I do to be strange.
Maybe she has some variation of a social-affect impairment condition like high functioning Asperger's? People with AS can be of normal intelligence and thinking skills but prone to outbursts of socially inappropriate behaviors. However they are also known to not tolerate stress or frustration well. I would suspect she has some sort of 'autism- spectrum' situation going on leaving her purely reactive in stressful situations without concern of 'how she looks' to others.
Specializes in acute rehab, med surg, LTC, peds, home c.
I find it very interesting that nurses are very quick to cut each others throats. This is a nurse that is a good patient advocate, and by discription is a good nurse except for some "strange behavior". Yet we have already diagnosed her brought her before a review board (of her pears) and said that she needs to be watched so she does not harm her patients.
Boy I hope no one is watching me and finds what I do to be strange.
Well in my case, it is very easy to dislike someone that is such a brown noser that she has the managers fooled and treats her co-workers like crap. It was kind of like poetic justice. However, generally speaking, If you are referring to my post about the OP, I don't think having her checked out by oc health is "cutting anyones throat". If she had a hacking cough or was visibly ill, she would be referred to oc health or asked to take a few days off and get well. Why is a mental disorder any different? Just because there is a stigma and some emotions involved does not mean that we let her compromise pt safety. What if her judgement is impaired?
we are all different. the whole world is diverse. that's what sets us humans apart from animals. she is a good nurse. period. ignore the rest. as long as she doesn't go "postal" then just ignore her irrational behavior.
Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.
Ignore the rest. As long as she doesn't go "postal" then just ignore her irrational behavior.
I don't agree with this. Having worked in mental health for many years, if someone is repeatedly displaying bizarre behavior on the job it is a symptom of a deeper problem. I don't believe that you should wait until there is an explosion to do something. This woman has serious difficulties coping with stress, and you don't want it to be manifested in potentially harmful behavior directed toward patients or coworkers. If you are comfortable with talking to her, say something to the effect of "You seem stressed." Given the opportunity, she may open up and appreciate the chance to vent without being judged. It also tells her that her behavior is being noticed by others, and that they are concerned. If she realizes that someone is willing to listen, it could be very therapeutic for her.
In your statement about management's feelings toward this employee I see resentment from coworkers about the way they feel about her. She may bottle everything up because she believes she is not liked, and that she cannot talk to coworkers. If she feels isolated at work, this will only aggravate whatever anxiety she is already feeling.
I asked my cousin who is a doctor in his home country. He said, "...she have anueurysm in amygdyla. When she become stressed, blood pressure increase and it press on neurons provoking laughter. Pressure on amygdyla also affect hypothalamus hence the red face and kicking of shoes. Give her glass of wine."
What was the DON's reaction when the two of you were in the DON's office watching the spectacle onfold? That would probably tell you a lot about how she is perceived by the manager. Lots of people have tantrums to varying degrees. Was she verbally abusive to you? If not, there probably isn't anything for you to do with her. It would seem the management has already decided what can be done with her. That mental image of smoking a cigar and talking to herself is pretty entertaining anyway. :)
There were actually several people back there. The DON's office is right next to hers, and this occurred in the DON's office (I happened to be there putting in a PTO request) In the nutty nurse's defense, it was a CNA who is very inflexible and unwilling to help out where work days are concerned. Upper management has it in writing that no one has "scheduled" days, but this CNA has been here literally decades and apparently, they have been catering to her. This nutty nurse (not trying to degrade her) has recently taken over scheduling. So, the CNA came back there and told her, "You've messed up my schedule. I always have these days and these days off." After getting nowhere with difficult CNA, that's when nutty nurse flipped. She was waving her arms in the hallway and loudly saying, "I thought we didn't have scheduled days, whatever happened to that?!?!?" Then she started with the shoe deal. The DON (who is very protective of her, apparently) laughed and told her to go in her office and calm down, which she did without argument. Later, he went in there and I heard him coaching her about "riding the wave" or something or other. A speech therapist walked by and looked and me wide-eyed and shook her head.
I can't say I don't like this nutty nurse. She (seems to be) a gentle soul, and she seems to loosen up with the patients and can be very sweet. The employees love her because she is easy going and can has this low key, dry sense of humor that often is hilarious. She is an excellent nurse, one of the few nurses in management who will work the floor when there is a call in. I've worked behind her and have never seen anything she's missed or not done. She's recognized illness in a resident when others haven't and sent them out. But she has told people she has a problem with depression and it's terrible because it's as real as any physical pain only worse because it's like a private hell where there's no escape. She can't stand certain noises, if anyone is crunching on ice or chips or pretzels she flips out and covers her ears until they stop or she leaves. She acts child-like in a lot of ways too. Playing with stamps and inkpads. When she makes out the daysheet she draws elves and fairies and designs all over it (she's a talented artist, by the way.) I think she daydreams a lot. I would love to figure her out, seeing as she's basically my boss and I would like to know how to best get along with her.
But she has told people she has a problem with depression and it's terrible because it's as real as any physical pain only worse because it's like a private hell where there's no escape. She can't stand certain noises, if anyone is crunching on ice or chips or pretzels she flips out and covers her ears until they stop or she leaves. She acts child-like in a lot of ways too. Playing with stamps and inkpads. When she makes out the daysheet she draws elves and fairies and designs all over it (she's a talented artist, by the way.) I think she daydreams a lot. I would love to figure her out, seeing as she's basically my boss and I would like to know how to best get along with her.
Only speculation on my part of course, but there were some strong clues for me in this description. I don't even want to list them, as I feel protective of this person's privacy.
We so often tolerate bad behavior that is downright mean-spirited, in the name of getting along. This "gentle soul" deserves at least the same consideration, doesn't she?
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
She certainly displays an odd juxtaposition of behaviors! Diagnosing a mental health problem is best left to the people trained to do it. The sheer number of diagnoses possible is overwhelming! And if she were sitting in the patient's room playing with stamps and ink and drawing elves and fairies instead of being an excellent nurse, it would be clear what to do.
Whatever, she sounds like a person who really deserves your support. Others may not be so kind. A nurse with a mental health diagnosis often also has to face being fodder for the gossip mill. Incredibly cruel. Sounds like you are trying to look beyond that- kudos to you!
There were actually several people back there. The DON's office is right next to hers, and this occurred in the DON's office (I happened to be there putting in a PTO request) In the nutty nurse's defense, it was a CNA who is very inflexible and unwilling to help out where work days are concerned. Upper management has it in writing that no one has "scheduled" days, but this CNA has been here literally decades and apparently, they have been catering to her. This nutty nurse (not trying to degrade her) has recently taken over scheduling. So, the CNA came back there and told her, "You've messed up my schedule. I always have these days and these days off." After getting nowhere with difficult CNA, that's when nutty nurse flipped. She was waving her arms in the hallway and loudly saying, "I thought we didn't have scheduled days, whatever happened to that?!?!?" Then she started with the shoe deal. The DON (who is very protective of her, apparently) laughed and told her to go in her office and calm down, which she did without argument. Later, he went in there and I heard him coaching her about "riding the wave" or something or other. A speech therapist walked by and looked and me wide-eyed and shook her head.
I can't say I don't like this nutty nurse. She (seems to be) a gentle soul, and she seems to loosen up with the patients and can be very sweet. The employees love her because she is easy going and can has this low key, dry sense of humor that often is hilarious. She is an excellent nurse, one of the few nurses in management who will work the floor when there is a call in. I've worked behind her and have never seen anything she's missed or not done. She's recognized illness in a resident when others haven't and sent them out. But she has told people she has a problem with depression and it's terrible because it's as real as any physical pain only worse because it's like a private hell where there's no escape. She can't stand certain noises, if anyone is crunching on ice or chips or pretzels she flips out and covers her ears until they stop or she leaves. She acts child-like in a lot of ways too. Playing with stamps and inkpads. When she makes out the daysheet she draws elves and fairies and designs all over it (she's a talented artist, by the way.) I think she daydreams a lot. I would love to figure her out, seeing as she's basically my boss and I would like to know how to best get along with her.
Let's see...good intuition, child-like behavior, extreme irritation with seemingly mundane noises, daydreamer, talented artist, problems with depression, great sense of humor....I really, really, really think you described ADHD or ADD.
After today me and a couple of co-workers think we have figured out what (one) of her problems is: after an impromptu dance of "Single Ladies" in the hallway when it came on a resident's tv (complete with the gyrating--it was very good for a woman in her upper 30's, actually) we are wondering if it's "histrionic personality disorder." She does have an above average appearance (Kind of like a thin Kirstie Alley) and this sure seemed impulsive and attention-seeking. She also seems to act out more when men are around. It was a good dance, but seemed sexually inappropriate. Should I tell the boss? She's certainly got people stirred up around here, almost to the point of distraction.
She has had tantrums before when frustrated with something in management and always apologizes afterward, but, what gives? What can be done with her? She also sits out in the smoking area puffing on cigars and laughing to herself. Sometimes, she has laughing spells in the middle of inservice and will have to get up and leave the room because she can't stop...weird.
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and talking to herself is pretty entertaining anyway. :)
heartrn35
59 Posts
I find it very interesting that nurses are very quick to cut each others throats. This is a nurse that is a good patient advocate, and by discription is a good nurse except for some "strange behavior". Yet we have already diagnosed her brought her before a review board (of her pears) and said that she needs to be watched so she does not harm her patients.
Boy I hope no one is watching me and finds what I do to be strange.