Problems with therapy staff......?????

[lpnwkids]

I work in LTC, with an in house rehab. I am fairly new to this facility. (3-4 weeks) This patient comes back from the hospital (had been in the hospital since I had been working there.) One of the therapy staff had come up to me when I was on my med pass, asking all sorts of questions. She said that she had read the pts chart and knew they were admitted to hospital for dehydration and urosepsis. Well, (Keep in mind I had this patient for a total of 2 hrs. and hadn't even given him any meds yet) she let me know that this was one of her favorites (that's ok, I have mine too) and wanted to know how he got his fluid intake - peg tube. Wanted to know why he wasn't given enough water. I told her I wasn't sure, this was my first time having him, but in report several times, was warned about his combativeness. Told her this. She said that is rediculous. He can't refuse that.

She has been on my case ever since. Stopping me in med pass to change dressings - I'm new to this facility and trying to get my routine down.

She came in same pts room the other day, he is on contact isolation, (for his wounds) I was giving his meds and flushing his tube, I had on gloves. She comes in the room and says "I'm confused, I thought he was on contact isolation. I told her that was right. She said --You don't have a gown on. I said "I'm not in his wounds, I'm giving his meds. This is totally ok.

She has now started complaining about everything, and is making me have bad days:crying2:.

What would you do? Am I crazy? I try to get along with everyone, do my job, take care of my patients. This girl is killing me!

[Mudder]

Say something to your "unit manager" if you have one, that is the U.M.s job, to be a buffer. If there's no UM, speak with the DON, she/he can speak to the director of rehab, who in return can speak to all therapy staff in a "general" way to let them know not to step on nursings toes.

I am a UM at a LTC facility and this is how management where I work handles these things. I would raither my staff come to me when someone from a different department is over-stepping their bounds. Either I or the other dept. head can follow up. Don't get into a tit for tat match with her, let the bosses handle her and just keep doing your job the way you should.

Good luck!

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

So kill her back...

Seriously, what kind of therapist is she? She's clearly not in any way connected to the nursing hierarchy, so you don't report to her, right?

If she is obstructing you in your work, speak to your manager about it. She has no right to hinder you when you are caring for your patients. She doesn't pay your salary, and is just as much one of the peons as you are. Don't put up with it.

[lpnwkids]

Say something to your "unit manager" if you have one, that is the U.M.s job, to be a buffer. If there's no UM, speak with the DON, she/he can speak to the director of rehab, who in return can speak to all therapy staff in a "general" way to let them know not to step on nursings toes.

I am a UM at a LTC facility and this is how management where I work handles these things. I would raither my staff come to me when someone from a different department is over-stepping their bounds. Either I or the other dept. head can follow up. Don't get into a tit for tat match with her, let the bosses handle her and just keep doing your job the way you should.

Good luck!

I have thought about going to my DON (no unit manager). I don't want to "complain". I am new. I don't want to look like I can't get along. I definately won't get into a tit for tat match with her. If it continues, I guess I will have to. Not really sure how it will be handled though. I would hope they wouldn't talk to her one on one. I don't want to make anyone elses life hard, I just want to do my job.

[lpnwkids]

So kill her back...

Seriously, what kind of therapist is she? She's clearly not in any way connected to the nursing hierarchy, so you don't report to her, right?

If she is obstructing you in your work, speak to your manager about it. She has no right to hinder you when you are caring for your patients. She doesn't pay your salary, and is just as much one of the peons as you are. Don't put up with it.

Occupational. No, I don't report to her.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

Limit setting.....she has no business interfering with your med pass!

Polite, firm, professional!

[Rnis, BSN, DNP, APRN, NP]

definitely set limits also she really has no business asking about the fluid intake i would just site hippa and move on.

[Rnis, BSN, DNP, APRN, NP]

Occupational. No, I don't report to her.

also i would talk to your supervisor because her behavior is inappropriate.

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

Limit setting.....she has no business interfering with your med pass!

Polite, firm, professional!

This. It's Zenish but you'll get the hang of it. People know not to bother me if I'm at my cart passing meds. I don't tell them not to either. Its just...........I give of an air, don't talk, don't do anything unless a life is in danger. I focus on the meds and thats it.

I'd have cut her off in the very beginning and told her I had to focus on meds but could chat later if she wanted. Then ignore her. Not because I think I am better than or because she has personality disorder (she does)............but because YOU MUST STAY FOCUSED while passing meds.

Read any incident report involving a med pass error. 99% involve this or that distraction. Eliminate the distractions.

[Bella'sMyBaby]

Exactly, why is she so interested in this patient anyway??

"Favorite Patient".....Think there's more to it than that.

Something is very wrong with this picture.

[Suethestudent]

As regards interrupting your med pass, I suggest you arm yourself with a nice phrase such as "Evidence based practice has shown that interruptions during a med pass are the primary cause of medication errors so you may consult with me when I have completed my medication duties. I would have expected you to be fully aware of this information" and sail on past her. I would also be suspicious of her 'favorite' classification of this patient as this is both unprofessional and unfair to other patients.Call her on it- "I am growing slightly concerned by your obvious favoritism towards this particular patient. I am wondering if we need to discuss your level of personal involvement with higher management?" She sounds like a bit of a bully and will likely back off when she sees you are not an easy target. The fact that you are new means you can set your professional boundries now, so use it or lose it.

[JenniferSews]

I agree, set limits! This happened to me when I first started nursing. I took the questions as someone in authority questioning my nursing. But after a few weeks I got annoyed, then angry. Then I realized, while I love the therapy dept, they are not my boss.

I set limits, if a bandage is loose I tell them I will get to it when I am doing my treatments. If they want to know what room a patient is in I tell them where to find a census sheet. If they want to know where Mr X is I tell them to look at the appointment log and then check with other therapies. If they have questions about treatments, medications, condition, etc, I tell them to discuss it with their manager. Our therapy department manager will gladly explain and if she can't she will seek out another manager for an explanation. Or she will tell that person it doesn't matter, they need to concentrate on their job and not worry about nursing.

As for the "favorite" routine, I tell them they are all my favorites and so all get excellent care. Picking favorites even for therapists is certainly not healthy or fair to the rest of the patients. "They all deserve our best" is a good way of putting it back on that person to hopefully realize that having a favorite shouldn't mean they have any right to get involved outside their scope of practice.

Then realize this is probably just one person with boundary issues. Not an indication of the therapy department or even the marjority of the people you work with.