Aide is on 1:1 with a client in Psych. She has her eyes closed. I say, "Please wake up, Boo Boo." She says "I'm woke" and continues to sit with her eyes closed. I say she needs her eyes open unless she has x ray vision, trying to keep it light but focused. She refuses, continue to sit with eyes closed. I go do a task and then return, she is still with her eyes closed. I have her relieved by another aide and notify the Supervisor. I ain't playing.
She calls the Sup then comes and yells loudly at me that she will tell the supervisor if she ever sees me sleeping. I don't bother to reply and plan to do a formal write-up on this, as I told the Sup, who said "ok".
If she had only not been disrespectful and not mouthed off... If she had moaned and groaned and done as asked, I could empathize and feel sorry for her but the backtalk sent me a message that she does not respect me. Machiavelli - fear is better than respect? Something like that? Ah, well, she's calling the shots. I'm just responding to her.
Am I making too much of it? Too hard-nosed? I don't want the client or staff hurt.:argue: I'm ready to quit because of all the crap I have to deal with from subordinate staff - 99% of it comes from her, too. :angryfire:banghead:
Please do not hesitate to write her up. She can't be watching patient with her eyes close and be disrespectful to you as well.
My co-worker had the same problem with one of our PCT's, she wrote her up and the PCT threatened to set the nurse up, she promised she will make the nurse lose her job.
One time I was walking past the front desk where one of our security guards was sleeping, his supervisor was standing right in front of the desk and then took a picture of him sleeping. Gotta do what you gotta do I guess ...... if they deny it, there's proof. It's really a shame what it has to come down to for some people!
Aide is on 1:1 with a client in Psych. She has her eyes closed. I say, "Please wake up, Boo Boo."
Is "Boo Boo" her name or is it a nickname, or is this your name for her? I only ask because if she wants to make a stink she could. It would be like calling an elderly person sweetie, grandpa, dear, etc. instead of Mr./Mrs XXX.
Otherwise the aide is being passive aggressive and was in the wrong. If something happens to that patient during your shift, it's your bottom in a sling...not the aide's
I thought it was the psych patient to. Sounds more like the kind of thing a patient would say then a worker.
I didn't actually say BOO Boo. I used the aide's name. I just didn't want to put the aide's name here in public. Sorry for the confusion, guys. :chuckle
Thanks for your support. But would you believe that the Sup said she thinks it's ok to have eyes closed while on 1:1?!!!!!???
And I feel like the Lone Ranger in this crusade to have aides not sleep while on 1:1, as my peers seem to look the other way and hope for the best or they just don't say anything or maybe they really don't think it's a problem for staff to sleep on 1:1.
I'm leaving. Can't take it any more. Too lonely, too frustrating. I don't wish for anything bad to REALLY happen to sleeping staff but it would certainly vindicate me. Uggh. I don't like to think ugly thoughts like that. Time to get out. Wish me luck in getting another position soon.
Is "Boo Boo" her name or is it a nickname, or is this your name for her? I only ask because if she wants to make a stink she could. It would be like calling an elderly person sweetie, grandpa, dear, etc. instead of Mr./Mrs XXX.
Otherwise the aide is being passive aggressive and was in the wrong. If something happens to that patient during your shift, it's your bottom in a sling...not the aide's
Is it? Our Sup says that, once I make the assignment, it's up to them to do it and that it will be on them if they dont carry it out and something bad happens. Realistically, I think she is right. How can I be doing my own work in a different area of the unit yet also be expected to keep waking up the aides? Does the law really require me to follow them around every minute? I might as well not even have them and should just do everything myself.
Furthermore, Administration recently cleared an aide of any wrongdoing because no harm came to the client when this aide was sleeping while supposedly doing 1:1. Now what do you make of that?
I think I am going to consult a lawyer for a legal opinion.
I'm not saying you're wrong. I think a good attorney could easily get a jury to blame the nurse if her aides were asleep, even though it is not realistic or fair to think the nurse should be an alarm clock. Where does the aides' personal responsibility for doing their job come in? Or does it? Or what?
She understood perfectly. She is always quick to think people are trying to misuse her, quick to argue, to feel she is being criticized. She is rude and disrespectful. She is also immature and cruel.
I really just want to be friends/friendly with the staff. I hate the boss role and don't want them to hate me. I guess they already do, though, because I try to get them to stay awake.
I hope I have the courage to go through with the write-up. But I think Admin won't necessarily back me up, as they didn't before when another nurse filed a similar complaint about someone sleeping on 1:1, since the pt wasn't harmed. So why should I bother? And if I'm leaving, why mess with her? Why not just concentrate my energies on my own ends and do what I can for the patients myself? Is this flawed thinking?
i really just want to be friends/friendly with the staff. i hate the boss role and don't want them to hate me. i guess they already do, though, because i try to get them to stay awake.
sorry vito, but i don't agree w/this.
i suppose a lot of it depends on what type of personality one has?
but early in my career, i found out that trying to be friends, inevitably served to compromise my standards of care.
if aides (or anyone for that matter) don't like me, at least i know it's not because i failed to lead by example.
i hope i have the courage to go through with the write-up. but i think admin won't necessarily back me up, as they didn't before when another nurse filed a similar complaint about someone sleeping on 1:1, since the pt wasn't harmed. so why should i bother? and if i'm leaving, why mess with her? why not just concentrate my energies on my own ends and do what i can for the patients myself? is this flawed thinking?
you said you were considering leaving anyway, right?
and, should you decide to pursue a legal consult, a write up would show your concern in an aide sleeping on the job.
however you look at it, the aide was wrong, as was admin in tolerating it.
by writing her up, it clearly shows your dissatisfaction as well as reasonable expectations.
who knows if leadership will change in the future?
maybe, a new mgr may just look inside her folder and get a sense of others concerns.
regardless of what they do/don't do now, you never know what the future holds.
and most importantly, by writing her up, you're remaining true to your set of values.
Is it? Our Sup says that, once I make the assignment, it's up to them to do it and that it will be on them if they dont carry it out and something bad happens. Realistically, I think she is right. How can I be doing my own work in a different area of the unit yet also be expected to keep waking up the aides? Does the law really require me to follow them around every minute? I might as well not even have them and should just do everything myself.
Furthermore, Administration recently cleared an aide of any wrongdoing because no harm came to the client when this aide was sleeping while supposedly doing 1:1. Now what do you make of that?
I think I am going to consult a lawyer for a legal opinion.
I'm not saying you're wrong. I think a good attorney could easily get a jury to blame the nurse if her aides were asleep, even though it is not realistic or fair to think the nurse should be an alarm clock. Where does the aides' personal responsibility for doing their job come in? Or does it? Or what?
please do consult a lawyer...
think of it this way...you are delegating a task--for the aide to watch the patient; the aide has no license; you do; therefore, ultimately, this patient's life is in your hands and you make the decision how to best protect the patient; see where I'm going? but like I said, if you can find out for sure from a lawyer, all the better.
think of it this way...you are delegating a task--for the aide to watch the patient; the aide has no license; you do; therefore, ultimately, this patient's life is in your hands and you make the decision how to best protect the patient; see where I'm going? but like I said, if you can find out for sure from a lawyer, all the better.
Remember, you can only delegate to someone qualifed to do the job. She obviously can't do it properly.
I agree with the others that say do the write up for future reference if nothing else.
:angryfire:banghead:
stillpressingon
225 Posts
Bold is mine. Especially since it comes from her, DEFINITELY did the right thing!