timetoshine

or maybe not. this from the new york times. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/11/when-the-nurse-is-a-bully/

Ruby-the situations you describe re: being late, inappropriate attire, etc., seems to point to the Schools training these people and the Teachers who allow this inappropriate behavior. Why these conditions exist in the workplace is because it can. It would never be the case in my experience. It wouldn't even be thought of. Maybe we need to examine why it is happening not complain because it has happened. We need to Raise the Bar of our expectations! Don't you agree?

Document your experience as you have described here and ask for another Preceptor. Based on what you have described here he is not qualified to be your Preceptor. Your responsibilities to your Patients are far too important, once you are on your own, not to get the best learning experience possible. Some people just don't have the patience or skill needed to teach. Teaching like Nursing takes a special kind of personality. The stress you are experiencing from this could be causing you to try too hard and keeping you from being the best you can be. Good Luck. I believe based on what you have told us, you have the right stuff, you just need someone who also has the right stuff to let it shine through

WHERE is my pen!!!!!!!

Yes Annmarie. yes, yes, and yes

If what you say is true and I believe it is I can understand your frustration. If it were me I would write her up. In the write-up I would suggest that maybe she is not clear in what her responsibilities are and how she could have been more helpful. I would give her the benefit of doubt and request a consult with her and the DSD or DON or HS whoever is appropriate. It is not enough to endure her lack of participation. It is not that you are mean. It is you are frustrated because you are carrying a load above your pay grade. Nip it in the bud. If once everything is "aired out" and there is no improvement in attitude or action look for another job because it won't get any better unless you have the Administration behind you.

I have read those those threads also and dismiss them out of hand. Fortunately they are in the extreme minority. How they ever got through a Nursing Program boggles my mind. Using them as examples to rebutt or reject the real concerns of Nurses who are working or have worked in a hostile environment is more political than relevant. It does nothing to advance how to solve the problem. It is time to recognize there really is a problem and what we need are suggestions and ideas that will "Raise the Bar" of our expectations and the Article I suggested is a step in that direction. Regarding Unions - If we can get rid of the corrupt Union Bosses and install people who more interested in serving the people they represent than just wielding power over masses, they might be helpful. Where are the Unions now? I have been a member of the SEIU and my Granddaughter is a member now. Neither of us joined of our own free will. Then and now we joined because we needed the job. I believe the Bully problem can be solved but it takes a united front that wants to solve the problem.

I apologize for the bold type. It was not deliberate or intentional. It happened because I copied and pasted the title of the Article and I couldn't change it. The problem with Ruby's responses and some of the others is they are assuming the the people who are venting their experiences are just venting and not taking any responsibility for the situations they find themselves in. Further no one is saying just because one person had a bad day and was rude or cranky all nurses are rude and cranky. There is an obvious disconnet between reality and The Florence Nightingale Syndrom cherished by some. It is interesting to me, almost without exception, no one on either side is saying "I hate my job" or "I hate Nursing". It seems to me the message here is a plea from these nurses to help them do their job to the best of their ability. If anything can be assumed it could be they love nursing they just hate the politics. Bottom line is there are far more bullies in Nursing than anyone wants to admit to and it goes on because it is an accepted practice in the Nursing Profession. The Article I pointed out deals with Funding for Nursing Education written by a DSD. She points out why Nurses leave Nursing, the stress of being a Nurse and how it could benefit the Medical Institution, the Nurses and the quality of care provided to the patients we serve. It is worth the read if for no other reason than recognizing there is a need which is being ignored.

i think everyone should visit this post. for those who won't accept bully's exist in nursing you might just get a new perspctive about the seriousness of the problem staff development and funding dec 01, 2007 written by jbudd [color=#1750ff]platinum member | 0 comments print email follow

Just for the Record. Being rude is a subtle way of "of eating your young" It dosen't need to be overt or violent. Seems to me this Nurse is a "Result Oriented" person. She is not interested in how or why the Patient is there she can read that in the notes. She wants to know what you did for the Patient. Me: "Mr. X is on telemetry monitoring..." Her: Abruptly interrupting.."whats the heart rate?" For instance "Mr. X his vitals were . . . . . at 21:30" She may know he is on Telemetry Monitoring and all she wants to know is his last reading at what time. Me: New Admission, Mr. B is currently undergoing chemotherapy and reported lack of appetite...." Her...Abruptly interrupts me again "Did you give him anything?" Me: ....patient is receiving an appetite stimulant (megace).. Her: What else? Skin intact? Mr. "B", New Admit started on Megace B.I.D. He ate a whole sandwich at 21:30 She wants to know if he's responding to treatment. She can read the notes for admittig Dx, etc. I would say she is probably thinking about what she needs to do for her shift. She sounds like she has little or no patience for information she already knows. If it continues you need to not take it personal but I would talk to her about it. I would also ask her to sign off on your notes just in case.

YES IRONSLICK, some of us do care. As a matter of fact many of us care a lot. I am a retired DSD and every class that went through my CNA Program had the same complaint. "What goes on the unit is not what is taught in the Class". Another frequent complaint was "The person I was partnered with is lazy and rude to the Residents". and "Our Charge Nurse won't help when we are short. She/he just sits at the Nurse's Station reading a magazine until it's time to do the Med Pass". Many complaints about specific Charge Nurses who make no effort to pass snacks or answer a light when it is obvious he/she was just marking time until the clock strikes" "end of shift - time to go home". It was obvious because it was the same Nurses all the time with the same complaint from different sources. Here is how I handled it. I made up a small "Welcome" packet and gave one to every Student. The "Welcome" page welcomed the new person to the Shift and explained what was expected regarding performance, dress code, attendance, responsibilities, the Team Concept and our Motto which was "Attitude is Everything - Pick A Good One". Another page was the "Patients Rights" Law and a short blurb about Patient abuse - responsibility and consequences, (covered more thoroughly in class) and yes, there would be a test. Included in the Packet were three Evaluation Sheets to be filled out by each Student and returned to me at the end of their second week of Orientation. Evaluation Sheet #1 was "Performance Evaluation of C.N.A. Partner". The Second Sheet was "Performance Evaluation of Shift Supervisor/Charge Nurse ". The Third Sheet "Performance Evaluation of Orientee" and was given to the Shift Supervisor/Charge Nurse and C.N.A. Partner. to evaluate the Student. A few Nurses refused to participate, stating they didn't have time and/or they were not "baby sitters". That was their choice. They were not required to participate. Additional Performance Evaluation Sheets were included for changes of Supervisor/Charge Nurse or C.N.A. Partner. At the end of the second week of Orientation all the sheets were collected and reviewed by me and passed on, along with my comments, to the D.O.N. and Administrator. There were fifteen questions on each Performance Evaluation. I kept it brief with "Yes" or "No" answers. I reviewed the answers in class and gave everyone an opportunity to expand or retract their answers but they only had two minutes to make their case. The Performance Evaluations all contained the same basic information with adjustments for Supervisory status and covered everything mentioned in this thread and then some. For example: 1. Did your C.N.A. Partner work with you on Patient care or did he/she give you part of the assignment for you to complete on your own? Circle one. Yes No 2. Was your C.N.A. Partner available to help you when needed? Circle one. Yes No 3. During your first week of Orientation you were instructed to observe only. Did you participate in "hands on" Patient care for any reason? Circle one. Yes No So how did it work? Issues identified with Supervisory Staff were Inserviced by the Assistant D.O.N. Issues identified with C.N.A. Partners were Inserviced by the DSD. A follow-up Performance Evaluation was given at the end of the three month Orientation period. At the three month Performance Evaluation the Orientee was asked to fill out their own Evaluation and it was compared with those from Supervisors and peers. Depending on results appropriate resolutions were executed. Not all issues were resolved but more people became engaged in resolving issues rather than creating them. It's all about making a difference. It does not fix the burden of low pay or the back breaking, heavy lifting or the poor patient/nurse ratio. That's for the society to figure out. In the meantime we can make a difference and that is what we do every day we show up for work. We make a difference. Lesson Learned - If people care about what they are doing they want to be part of the solution - not part of the problem.

ruby she sounds lke she has a problem with one Precetor. What advise would you give her for that problem?

I wish I could give you a hug. Everything you are doing is the right thing to do. But everything you, and the others, who find themselves in the same situation do, only contributes to the problems if you just try "to go along to get along. Facilities like yours are Warehouses were people just go to die and there are too many of them in this Country. It is going to take someone who is not afraid to take the people running this Facility to the State Board of Licensing and demand they investigate. All of these facilities receive the majority of their revenue from State and Federal Funds. If the response from the State is not satisfactory then it needs to be taken toThe Dept of Health and Human Services. I don't know what State you live in but I can assure you the Feds don't fool around with situations like you describe and I know you and the others are telling the truth because I have been there and know exactly what you are talking about. Nursing Home Administrators complain they are underfunded and they are for the most part but that does not excuse the neglect and improper treatment of the frail and elderly they serve, and it is not always the case. I was fortunate in the last years of my Nursing Career I worked for a non-profit and a D.O.N. and Admin. who encouraged and supported me in "Raising The Bar of Expectations" It was not a "perfect" Nursing Home but it was managed by people who were also Patient Advocates and open to new ideas. I want to thank you for helping the C.N.A's when there is a crunch and I want to thank you for this post At the very least you know you are not alone but aside from that you have identified what is wrong with Nursing in a Nursing Home. Can it be fixed? Only when people like you decide to "Raise the Bar of Expectations" and refuse to accept the conditions all of you are trying to deal with now. :redbeathe

I have read every post in this thread and I want to shout "STOP ALREADY". WHO'S IN CHARGE HERE? Therein lies the problem. No one is in charge. There is no coordination of effort. There is no plan of action. There is no blueprint to follow for who, what, why or where. If there is it is not evident in these posts. There are plenty of excuses and finger pointing but no formulated plan as to how the ER and Floor can coordinate their efforts to produce a reasonable transition from one discipline to another. Who is responsible for the chaos? The Administration? The ER Dr.?, The ER Nurses?, The Floor Nurses? The Patient? Why is there chaos? Short Staffing? the acuity of care? The level of stress? Where does it start? Maybe it starts in Admissions? Or maybe it starts with Policy and Protocols? Or maybe it starts with Human Resources, or Staff Education? Or maybe it starts with the D.O.N. or the Managers or Supervisors or Preceptors? Where does it start? What would fix or at least elevate the problem? What needs to happen to satisfy the ER and the Floor nurses? What is the level of expectation of patient care in each individual case? What exactly is the problem? Is it more than one problem? How can it be fixed? Is it fixable? Is going along to get along fixing the problem? Is getting angry and getting even fixing the problem? Is quitting or calling in sick fixing the problem? That is what needs to happen here. Someone needs to take Charge. Someone needs to recognize there is a problem and it is very serious and it has been going on a very long time. Someone needs to think out of the box and take the first step to finding a solution. Someone needs to tell the bullies and those who think they are more qualified or more educated or more experienced than the dodo heads in some other discipline and who rather point fingers than share their education or experience they are not acceptable and will not be tolerated. Someone needs to take a step forward and begin the process of raising the bar of patient care by staying focused on the patient and how they will best be served. Think Teamwork guys. If you were in Charge what would you do to utilize everything you know and everything you have learned to give your patients the best possible outcome from your efforts? What would you do that would really make a difference?

This is why "Nurses Eat Their Young". This is why Nurses "Burn Out". ER Nurses-Don't tell us you're in "Crisis Mode" 100% of the time. Don't tell us you can't adjust some of what you do to accommodate the MS Nurses. This is nursing run amuck. This is where teamwork is extremely important but it sounds like "I'll take care of my problem but you are on your own to take care of yours. How many times have I had to take up your slack because you were too busy. Too many. Forget about how 'cool' you are and start thinking about how the two disciplines can work together to get a better outcome. Geez!