Mgooddir

One of my favorite thing to say in situations where someone refuses to do their job, is "These are People we are helping, not tasks to be finished. If you cannot see them as People with needs, I don't feel comfortable having you on the floor." Of course, this is after several problems and attempts to understand what is going on, and why they feel the way they do. CNA's work so hard, and I always try first to find out what the real issue is. The real issue is rarely laziness.

I am sorry to hear about your experience in LTC. It IS busy, I was very overwhelmed too, however I feel that given some time you develop a good system and can get everything done. I truly enjoy the geriatric side of nursing, too so I stuck with it awhile and am now in my groove 98% of the time. Hopefully they will stop pressuring you about lunch breaks and OT if you remind them you are new and still learning. Other nursing jobs I have had were equally stressful in different ways. Take care of yourself, it's awesome that you care so much for your residents :) If you are crying when you leave work, that is not a good sign.

arrensee, So True! Some of the bullying is so sneaky and subversive, I've had a supervisor ask me to clean protective eye-wear used in laser surgery, so I did. While cleaning my aforementioned snarky co-worker walks by and questions why am I doing that, I say supervisor ____ asked me to?! "Well I already did it! Didn't you notice?!" I was just shocked and she walked off. Later told supervisor about incident, and she also got on my case about didn't I check if they were clean first! Well does she want me to question everything she asks me to do? As nurses, we all know that germs are invisible.....Just stupid, silly treatment of a professional nurse doing her job.

Very good post! It has been a shock to me as a nurse when I've seen this kind of behavior, especially when I was a new nurse. Why do people who are supposedly "caring" treat others this way? I agree it's due to insecurity. Some of these bullies can be helped to feel less insecure by asking their opinion or finding something good they do, and complimenting it. Some see that as weakness, too. Every situation is different, and we need to care for ourselves and each other just as much as our patients! I've used the "make a joke out of it" response as well and found it to be effective. Example: I used to snowboard professionally and my snarky co-worker states "You are such an expert snowboarder, so why didn't you get a season pass this year" I just laughed and said, "Why _____, does it Bother you I didn't get a season pass? I didn't Realize that would be a problem for you!" and laugh and laugh like it's a good joke. (As if it's Any of her business, anyway!) This has worked well for me but you must be prepared for the behavior ahead of time, it used to shock me so much that I didn't know what to say. Life has improved with strategies. I still wonder why the bullying behavior is so rampant in the nursing field, any opinions?!