Rhonda V

I am working in a hostile work environment at this time. My supervisor is constantly in a bad mood at work, and often speaks to the staff in unprofessional manner. She has been reported to Human Resources more than once in the past. She was most recently investigated in December 2009 due to one of our CNA's filing a complaint against her to Human Resources. I was called into the office in front of the Administrator, and I told him how abusive she can be with staff. She even talks to our Administrator (her boss) in an unprofessional manner...and he doesn't do anything about it. After the investigation, it was determined that she was just "doing her job." She continues to belittle me almost on a daily basis, and it really hurts because I'm a sensitive person. It's not in my character to "fire back", and I'm very intimidated by her. Other coworkers of mine know what she's like, but at least we have each other to vent to. We have a new male ARNP who started at our company a few months ago, and he definitely has fired back at her. She picks on him a lot. I've even told our Administrator that I think it's wrong how she talks to him. His replay was, "I just have a thick skin." Everything else about my workplace is nice except for my supervisor. I'm not at ease working there because of her, and I've been there for over 1 year. She can't be reasoned with, and I'm not comfortable talking to her. Some of our staff are aware that she has her own problems including an eating disorder. She weighs herself sometimes more than once a day at work, and a coworker swears she heard her vomiting in the bathroom during the lunch hour last week. She's as skinny as a stick and has the body of a 12 year old boy (she's in her 50's). She obviously has mental problems which makes her treat others this way. She's worked for the company for about 8 years, but they'll probably never get rid of her. What upsets me most is why or how a corporation like ours can continue to allow a supervisor to remain in the position she's in when she's already been written up and had complaints against her. Other people have quit because of her, even a lab lady! There are bad nursing supervisors in lot's of places, but I just had to let you know that you are not alone and THEY ARE OUT THERE!

Thank You for all replies. I totally agree....I hate giving more than 4 shots to these little kids. I don't even think I'd allow my own child to get 6 shots, but my supervisor wants us to do them all if we possibly can. It makes our clinic look good on reports. We use a lot of Pentacel or Pediarix. I asked my supervisor and another nurse this same question, and I was told to use the front thigh muscle (rectus femoris) for some IM injections if needed. We often give a combination of Pentacel, Hep A, Hep B, PCV. Add on the H1N1 and seasonal flu which the providers will order, and you have a total of 6! It sucks, and many times it makes me feel like a cruel, heartless, person to turn little kids into human pin cushions all day. It's the one part of my job I don't always enjoy...and it takes forever to prepare them....writing down the date, lot number, site, amount, dates for the vaccine information forms, and not to mention NDC numbers on every vaccine. We use Child Profile, so copies are made of the vaccine record and enounter form and attached to the Child Profile summary of vaccinations due. Then we have to grab the vaccine information forms and update the shot card. It can literally take up to 20 minutes to prepare one set of shots (that's just the way our clinic does things).

I work in a very busy family practice clinic, and a big part of my job is doing pediatric immunizations. Many of our pediatric patients are now getting the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccine in addition to the required immunizations due for their age. Unfortunately, this results in some of our pediatric patients getting up to 6 injections in one visit! I am experienced in doing pediatric injections, but sometimes I'm not sure where I can safely give some of the IM injections. I understand that the vastus lateralis is the preferred site, and I will normally give no more than 2 IM injections in one leg. Sometimes I get into a situation where I have 6 IM injections to give, and I'm not sure if the deltoid is OK to use, especially in children 6-12 months. I don't normally use the deltoid in children that young, since the muscle may not be as developed. What is the maximum number of IM injections (0.5 ml each) you can safely give in the vastus lateralis? Can the deltoid be used in a child 6-12 months? Thanks for all replies.

Hello! I will be starting my new job in a few weeks at a local VA Outpatient Clinic. I've heard that VA nursing is quite different from "civilian" nursing, and I was wondering what those differences may be. Thank You! Rhonda, RN