"Did you report her?"

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Sep 6, 2007

No

Yes

Diverting drugs, causing deliberate harm

bethin · Sep 6, 2007

No

No - not regarding pt care but because the schedule changed at the last minute and I didn't show up on a day I thought I had off.

Reportable offense - drug use, anything that could put a pt in danger, being continually mean to a pt or coworker even if after I pulled them aside and talked to them. I make an effort to talk to a coworker about laziness before I run to the supervisor. Besides, finding a supervisor where I work is like trying to find Jimmy Hoffa - not going to happen.

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Sep 6, 2007

I was reported to my supe once, years ago, for a stupid incident that no one really took seriously. I was written up for 'insubordination' to a dentist that I didn't even work for/with. He asked me to find one of the FNPs (non-urgent reason) and I jokingly (and he KNEW I was joking) said, "I'm not a secretary, so I may not remember to, but I'll do my best." Then I walked off and forgot. I genuinely forgot. No malice whatsoever. He reports me to the CEO of the corp, who went to my supe and the medical director. They both knew just from hearing the report that I was kidding, and I had joked with both of them similarly in the past. Anyway, nothing ever came of it. Turns out he was a jerk and left the corp later...we all had a big party after he left.

I have reported a coworker, but it takes a lot for me to want to do that. I really try to find ways of resolving problems that don't involve reporting people to my supe. The one time I reported someone was when this person and I were working in nursery together -- it's pretty standard practice to have 2 nurses and a tech in there, which is the way it was. I was nursery charge and she was the 2nd nurse. This person stayed gone for something like half an hour on non-meal breaks and a full hour on their meal break, which they took with a friend. Ok, I have no problem with people having friends at work and taking breaks together, but you take 30 minutes. Had it been a slow night this would not have been an issue, but my coworker was hardly in the nursery to know what was going on, much less help me when it hit the fan. Finally on something like her 3rd break of the night, I got two admissions at once, one of which was a transfer from NICU. She was @ the nurses station playing a card game with a friend/colleague. That was the final straw. I called out there and asked her to please come back in, that I needed help; plus, it was nearing the end of the shift when I had to start getting things ready for report PLUS take care of whatever the babies needed. I could really have used an extra hand.

I didn't file a written complaint. That would have been too extreme. But I did talk c my supe the next night and let her know what happened and that I felt it affected the safety of my babies. She agreed with me and talked with this individual. Mine was not the first complaint about this person doing sort of the same thing, I later found out.

I really don't like reporting people. I don't like confrontation, and I don't like saying negative things about people behind their backs. I would not report someone for diddling around if it is a slow night and/or their work is done. I would not report someone for playing on the internet as long as their patients are cared for and they are not looking at Mediao or something. I do think people can be petty about stuff like that sometimes. I'd also report someone for the same things as Suesquatch.

Altra, BSN, RN · Sep 6, 2007

I agree, I cannot understand the mentality that any behavior or judgement or simply personal style that you don't agree with needs to be "reported" or "written up." I just don't get it.

Two co-workers have felt the need to tell the manager of instances where 1) my prioritization was different from theirs or 2) I "left work to be done" for the next shift. (on a patient I received 10 minutes before, got vital signs, got on the monitor, and assessed) Geeezzz ...

I have never reported a co-worker, although I would if I thought he/she was diverting, being abusive, or making errors that compromised patient care/safety.

EmmaG, RN · Sep 6, 2007

I did report someone. I really had no choice.

Shortly after charge report, I heard this patient wailing. She'd recently had a CVA, but was not emotionally labile; she was such a sweet little lady.

I found her on her BSC, crying and sobbing so hard I couldn't really understand what was upsetting her so. She kept crying, "I can't help it! I didn't mean to make her mad!"

I got her back to bed and calmed down long enough for her to tell me that our tech had yelled at her.

I took the tech into the report room and asked what happened. She was surprisingly upfront with me. She said the patient asked for help to the BSC . The tech then admitted she (the tech) yelled "I DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THIS **** !!" and left the room, slamming the door behind her.

I was stunned. I asked why she would say such a thing. She said the patient asked her to help her sit/stand up. I told her the woman's had a stroke, she can't move her left side.

I told her that I don't care how frustrated she may be, never EVER speak to a patient that way. Yell at me, if she wants, but never yell at a patient like that.

The tech was totally unmoved. She said she did nothing wrong.

I left and called our unit director at home. I told her what happened, and that the patient was in the process of calling her family about this situation, and that I wanted to give her a head's up because I was certain she was going to hear about this...

I was interrupted by our secretary that there was an urgent call for me.

It was the patient's daughter. A lawyer, no less. It took probably a good five minutes of me going "Ma'am? Ma'am?" before she stopped cursing me long enough for me to talk to her about what happened.

I was honest with her; I told her that what her mom said happened did happen, and that the director had been notified, and that I'd removed the tech for the remainder of the shift. She wanted to know if I'd fired her. I told her that in my position, I couldn't do that, but that the director would handle the situation first thing in the morning. She finally settled down and I promised her I would take her mom as a patient, and make sure I was in the room whenever anyone else entered.

I don't blame that daughter one bit. If that had been my mom, I'd have been beyond pissed.

The tech wasn't fired, btw. Lucky for her I didn't have the power to do so.

fultzymom · Sep 6, 2007

yes i have reported a couple of people at my work. i have seen a couple of nurses talking on their cell phones while passing meds. that drives me absolutely crazy. it is already too easy to make a med error. you should not be talking on the phone when you are pulling your meds.focus!! on what you are doing people. :angryfire

i got turned in by a stna who said that i did nothing for a patient they told me needed my attention. they told me, then went about their business and did not see me attend to the patient. then i told the day shift nurse that mr. so-n-so may need to go out to the hospital if he does not improve. day shift did have to send out (they told me 1/2 hour before shift change) and when the stna found out said, "i told her that something was wrong. she didn't listen to me." unit manager invesigated and found out what really went on et nothing came of it.

oh! and there was a time when we thought that a nurse was not giving her meds so we told management about that.

i say report anything that will cause harm to a patient. i would also report drug diversion.

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Sep 6, 2007

I have on a very few occasions reported someone; it would have to be something I considered serious. (Like sitting on a C&S result that shows that the patient is on an antibiotic the organism is resistant to- sitting on it for a week, in fact, because the provider was out of the clinic. Another provider was down the hall!)

Have I been reported? Two or three times for medication errors (nothing fatal, thank God!).

I have been reported two or three times for completely stupid stuff.(Like not agreeing to work for someone who decided she wanted a day off after the schedule was posted, talking with a co-worker who was out of favor with management, and for eating in my private office.)

The only thing I've ever been turned in for that I'd turn someone else in for would be the medication errors. Otherwise, things like fraud, abuse, stealing, diverting drugs are serious things and should be reported.

bigsyis · Sep 6, 2007

I really don't like reporting people. I don't like confrontation, and I don't like saying negative things about people behind their backs. I would not report someone for diddling around if it is a slow night and/or their work is done. I would not report someone for playing on the internet as long as their patients are cared for and they are not looking at Mediao or something. I do think people can be petty about stuff like that sometimes. I'd also report someone for the same things as Suesquatch.

I feel the same way.

Cattitude · Sep 6, 2007

I've seen this phrase many times so far on this forum. For me, it would have to be a totally serious offense to go and tell on a co-worker. I get the feeling that some people here are tattletales and like to get their co-workers in trouble.
Have you ever reported something about a co-worker to your manager? Have you ever been reported? What would make you turn in a co-worker?

I don't think tattling serves any purpose.

I'm not talking about serious issues such as pt. abuse,diversion, etc.

I mean everyday, run of the mill stuff. Things we see posted here I wouldn't run and tell.

I think this is part of the problem that is separating our profession. The whole "police" mentality in nursing. The "I'm going to write you up" threats just stink.

Ms Kylee · Sep 6, 2007

No, I've never reported someone. Have I been reported. Yes. Why? Cattiness. Nurses thinking I didn't give baths when I did, and even told them "Baths are done". Hauled in by my unit director so he could hear my side of the story. Since then I've written down every thing I've done patient care wise (bathroom walk, I&O, etc) so if I get called on the carpet by an RN who is on a power trip, my butt is covered. I'm sorry it came to this, but I've learned I have to protect myself.

sharona97, BSN, RN · Sep 6, 2007

I told my DON about a phone call I happened to PU on (I'M so lucky....) Apparently one of our nursing staff had been calling in narcotics to the pharmacy for her husband prn. Otherwise if I have a problem with an attitude situation, I just confront it. I also at a boy/girl for a good catch or just something that was done well and prob not easy.