Pushed Around..

Nurses Relations

Published

Just wondering what other opinions there may be out there about an incident that happened to me the other night at work.

A patient had a syncopal episode while being ambulated after open heart surgery. The nurses lowered him to the floor and called for help. I arrived, and began to assess the situation, making room for the crash cart, and applying oxygen to the patient (he was awake at this point).

The RT arrived, and while I was applying oxygen, she pushed me (physically pushed my arm) away from the patient. No verbal warning, no, "excuse me", nothing.

I looked at her and stated assertively, "There is no need to push me, we are all here to help the patient." and continued to work with the patient.

I do not feel comfortable speaking with the RT at this time. She is a bully and has been rude and unprofessional other times towards me. So, I tried to use a 3rd party to discuss the matter a few hours later and she was defensive, stating that it's bound to happen in those types of situations and that's just how she does things. She tried to tell me that I was in the wrong for being in the way. I explained to her that she could have asked me to move or tap my shoulder, but pushing is not appropriate. She continued to deny her mistake.

At this point she said, "It's over and done with, and I'm not talking about it any more."

So, I have just spoken with her manager about the incident.

Have I taken this too far?

Specializes in ER, ICU.

You know I don't really think she should be put on death row, but a police report would sure get everyone's attention. Would it be different if she was a large male shoving a small female aside? It is totally unacceptable under any circumstances. I feel you must follow through. Good luck.

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If I was there when she said, "It's over and done with, and I'm not talking about it any more.", I would've said, "You're gonna hold your breath now till you pass out, aren't ya - because you're behaving like a child"

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

Arms and legs flying everywhere? Just what goes on in your codes? :D We have a lot of activity, but we all know what to do and things run pretty darn smoothly.

Getting pushed out of the way was inappropriate, and so is her response. She is trying to make it so unpleasant for you to continue that you will just give up. Aggression is not acceptable, sounds like it wasn't a one time thing, she simply is aggressive and thinks you will back off in the face of it.

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Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.
At this point she said, "It's over and done with, and I'm not talking about it any more."

If it truly was out of line and not just something that happened in the confusion:

I would get right up in her grill and say, "I don't care if you want to talk about it or not. Don't. Ever. Push. Me. Again."

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I would have first spoken to the RT and used some assertive communication. I would have simply gone to her/him for a moment of their time and asked them why they felt it necessary to push me away. Maybe they have a good reason, at least a reason acceptable to themselves. Going to the manager is a sign of weakness if you haven't first tried to discuss it directly with the person of whom you share the problem. The last thing you want to convey to a bully is a lack of ability to be assertive with them. And you also do not want the reputation of a whiner who can't manage relationships on the floor. If they gave me a good reason for pushing me away, I would accept it, say okay, that it is good to know, and move on. If they don't have a good reason, I would ask them how they might better work with me in a situations like that. Develop a team mentality with the person. I've got your back and you've got mine. Bullies don't pick on assertive people and they are usually loyal to the people they respect. People who work together in crisis situations come to know each others body language. And perhaps you are not familiar with these nonverbal ques at this point in time, and it annoys the bully. I'm not doubting the person is overbearing and rude. Next time, give my suggestions a try. DP

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She does seem very unprofessional about this matter. Although I have never seen anybody pushing somebody and not apologizing during a code, I could see how someone could accidentally do it. However, when confronted afterward about the behavior, the person should apologize. It's common courtesy. It's sad how some people can't take constructive criticism. I applaud you for going to her manager. I'm rather passive so I'd probably brush it off after talking to her about it.

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Specializes in OB (with a history of cardiac).

I don't know...I haven't experienced a code yet, which is odd considering I work on a cardiac floor, and I've been there a year now. I just hear tell.

Don't get me wrong I'm not trying in the least to defend the RT who pushed you away. Maybe she had some sort of superiority complex, or maybe she got taken to task for not being aggressive enough the last time there was an incident. Again, it doesn't make it ok to be bossy and shovey.

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Arms and legs flying everywhere? Just what goes on in your codes? :D We have a lot of activity, but we all know what to do and things run pretty darn smoothly.

I thought the same thing. In my facility, codes were very "quiet." You could walk by a room with a code and possibly miss it-absolutely no arms and legs flying-people were calm, quiet, yet professional and deliberate. They took it seriously, and if you didn't know what to do automatically, don't bother participating, because there were plenty of pros around who were confident and on top of it and had it under control. No reason for any arms and legs to be flying anywhere near a coding patient.

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Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.
... The RT was acting unprofessionally and sounds like a bully. You are in the right talking to her manager. Yo might also want to talk to HR...

Agree.

Also inform your boss.

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No, you have not pushed this too far.

Management has pushed it too far by allowing her to engage in the behavior and reinforcing it by saying she is "just that way."

That is the most ridiculous defense I have ever heard of.

Stand your ground.

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Do you have both a code team and a rapid response team? If you don't, maybe your manager may want to institute this on your floor, with some sort of mass email about RRT's leader is the one that all other staff takes direction from. Speciafically, respitory needs to wait for direction from you (or whomever the RRT leader is) should a treatment be needed by them, you as the leader will direct the same. ( as well as the other members of the RR team). This patient had regained conciousness, you were assessing the patient, there was O2 on the patient, no need for the RT to get involved at that point at all, unless you wanted the RT to maintain airway while you did some other assessment. Perhaps if RT "doesn't want to talk about it" it will open dialouge on how this will NOT happen again, and proper code/rapid response behaviors.....and some mandatory mock codes/rapid responses to be sure all know how it works with one person being the lead. I am often code #3. Which means I record. Period, end of story. Doesn't matter if I think I can get a quick IV in, doesn't matter if I could take over compressions, put O2 on patient, whatever. That is my role. I take direction from code/rr team leader (#1) period. And we practice monthly mock codes so we are all aware.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Education.

Update..much later of course. I was asked to give a verbal statement of the occurrence by her manager. She was given a counseling and has never worked on our floor since...

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