Nurses who tell you what you need to do!! vent!

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · Dec 18, 2009

I agree, auditing of charts and the writing of to do lists for when a float goes on break is disruptive and a breach of nursing code of conduct.

Curious if this was your shift leader? I have known some in your face and in your business ones that really aught to be minding their own business. Give nurses autonomy is my code of conduct, anyone ask for problem solving or chart review, I'll do it gladly, but this sounds like over the top disloyalty to our profession. Give me a break.

And you're an experienced nurse, gosh...some people!

allnurses Guide · Dec 18, 2009

It would be more understandable if she was a manager , but not by much. I'd probably be less polite than you were!! :hlk:

Only have worked with one person like that, thank God. She was so incredibly annoying. She was not my manager and in fact I had I at least a decade more experience than she did. Once she decided to go through our MAR and pick apart meaningless crap, OK. It was her condescending comment:

"You know, you can always ask me for help if you don't understand how to do something."

That would have been fine if I was new and someone was training me as opposed to her reasons for saying it. I think she was having herself a very gratifying power trip. I really wasn't in the mood to therapeutically communicate with her or figure out what underlying psychological issues she was having in an effort to better understand her motivation, so I will just say that she was annoying as hel l and leave it at that.

nurturing_angel · Dec 18, 2009

I have had the same thing happen to me....only I have worked in this unit many years before my 2 pain in the patooties nurses came along. One would try to take over my labor patients every freaking time we worked together and tell me how to manage my labors. Finally, I said to her "You take all the labors today cause you will be managing them anyway. I will take nursery and postpartum." She got my point and backed off. The second nurse has only been a nurse for 2-3 years and has been an OB nurse less than a year!!!!! She likes to try to boss me around and make lists for me. VERY irritating. I've been an OB nurse almost as long as she's been alive. Can't complain as she and the unit manager are best buds...even going on vacations together and are constantly texting each other.

:argue:

zofran · Dec 18, 2009

That is so anoying.....I never understand why these kind of people feel the need to give advise without you asking.

The other day I had an IV therapist tell me that I shouldn't have a drink at the nurses station! Like I didn't know! She kept going on and on about it. I had to inturrupt her and tell her that I didn't care what the rules were. I was thirsty and was going to keep drinking the soda.

One thing though...you get a break nurse? That sounds awesome. What other duties does she have besides giving people their breaks?

stephie_love · Dec 18, 2009

So, isn't going through a patient's chart that is NOT yours a HIPPA violation? I think that 'reviewing' your charting was not her prerogative...I may be wrong here, but it just sounds like something you don't do.

UnionRN2 · Dec 18, 2009

I have to ask... What is a break nurse?

(We are required to put down names of nurses who supposedly cover us for breaks and lunches, but we all know we don't get breaks and lunches. But it looks pretty for Joint Commission's paperwork requirement.)

AllAngelsRN · Dec 18, 2009

I have 1yr experience in ICU nursing so I am fairly new and don't mind it when a senior nurse does that to me to a certain extend (Your situation was way overboard); the worst though when a nurses aid tries to boss me around just because she has been working for 10 yrs as a CNA. I tried several tactics with her to keep the peace and at the end I had to tell her that "I don't appreciate the way she treats me and that we must work as a team in order to be successful in this place". She shut up after that and never said a word. I don't feel anyone (CNAs Vs RNs) is better than the other because we do complement each other but I think this kind of drama just creates havoc in the work place that is not needed and takes away form patient care.

K.P.A. · Dec 18, 2009

I have to ask... What is a break nurse?
(We are required to put down names of nurses who supposedly cover us for breaks and lunches, but we all know we don't get breaks and lunches. But it looks pretty for Joint Commission's paperwork requirement.)

Your employer requires you to lie? Don't you know this is how the mafia works? Before you know it, they'll require that you bury bodies.

midinphx, BSN · Dec 18, 2009

Hey! What is a break nurse?!! I want one. I just spent 12 hours with a fibromyalgia patient who is on a balloon pump and has to keep her leg straigth. I trhew everything I could at her (xanax, soma, ultram, percocet, morphine, and ativan!!!) and still she needed some thing every moment I walked out. I would have loved a break nurse (I got to pee twice! ) and I ate my crackers and cheese at my desk even though I know it's wrong.

I think the best response to the reliever who oversteps, then take her little list, smile and thank her for the break and walk away. She probably does it to everyone and annoys them too.

fins · Dec 18, 2009

Take her list, blow your nose in it, smile sweetly and say "thank you."

Ruby Vee, BSN · Dec 18, 2009

so, isn't going through a patient's chart that is not yours a hippa violation? i think that 'reviewing' your charting was not her prerogative...i may be wrong here, but it just sounds like something you don't do.

but she did have those patients. she assumed care of the patients while the other nurse was at lunch. so it's not a hipaa violation. nor would it be if she looked in the chart to co-sign an insulin or heparin dose, check a lab result before giving a med while the other nurse was busy elsewhere, or audited the chart to make sure the charting was done correctly as part of a quality assurance initiative on her unit.