kahlua66

I work with a lady who is 55yo, she went to nursing school straight out of high school. after graduation she did nothing but actually babysit rich people as a caregiver. She was in an abusive marriage that ended with her losing everything including the ability to talk properly. when she was hired at our hospital she was given a special phone. It was not long until she was moved unit to unit until she hit mental health I think they felt it was safe, no one could really die here!! But the woman is impossible to work with she is arrogant, believes we are all beneath her. she is from Pittsburgh and lives here in our town because it is free (inherited) and tells us everychance she gets, she is here only on days she works and hates the town, the people, etc etc.The doctors we work with hate dealing with her, she turns everything into a personal ordeal and god help the whole unit if she is in charge. The pts dislike her and she tends to rev them up due to her speech impediment. She can not open her email nor can she send one. everyone on her unit prays for a new hire so they can get off her weekend or her shift. If she has 5 pts total the night is chaotic. she makes multiple mistakes, has been caught in the act with other things and we as co workers are tired of picking up the slack, if she works there has to be extra help etc. My question is we have been told there is nothing that can be done, she is totally incompetent and has a nursing license, but americans with disabilities protects her so we remained screwed! How does a unit get rid of this liability?

I think they have lost their minds. I have been a nurse for only 3yrs. I work as charge nurse alot, I am on a mental health unit.I run onto things all the time for which I have no experience and working on med/surg as charge wow! But I also would like to give a piece of advice to all. You are not happy about this, and it reminds me of my clinicals on med/surg. The LPN's were horrible to us! I admit some students looked down on LPN's because the were RN students. It was obvious we were not wanted even to do all the grunt work for the day, they would hide the vitals machines. She may be new, and experience short, but don't make her life anymore miserable, help her out. I do not ever see the LPN/RN shield, I depend on my LPN's alot, they are the workhorses and along with aids I willing admit RN's would not be able to keep up.