Reported to Manager; What do I do

Nurses General Nursing

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My nurse manager asked me to come into her office after my shift was done. She told me that I was reported by another staff member for not being a team player. She said that I'm not answering other nurses' call bell when I'm not busy. I work with some nurses that have horrible time management skills and they expect me to be their assistant because they are not caught up with charting. I do answer the bells, but I do not let myself get taken advantage of. I'm the youngest nurse, so the other nurses come to me to help bc "I should should enough energy." I didn't defend myself to my manager because I was too angry and I didn't want to be emotional. I just listened to her. Now I'm upset because the nurses on my shift are like a family. I work night shift and there is not many of us. I have confronted a few of them and I plan on talking to the rest of them. I feel that if someone has a problem with me, they should come to me and not go running to the boss. Am I doing the right thing?

Now I'm upset because the nurses on my shift are like a family. I work night shift and there is not many of us.

First, I think your manager mishandled this by saying one of your coworkers complained (that you're not doing someone else's work). The issue sounds like it lies with the complainer and she should have been dealt with, not you.

However: If I may be blunt, I think you are making a mistake. These are coworkers, not your family, and they're not even "like" a family, unless you include backbiting and telling on you. You'll forget about them soon enough when you get another job someday. I wouldn't confront them because it'll give the complainer more ammo for gossip. But I wouldn't do their work either. Help out exactly as much as you are helped. By the way, there really are better jobs out there, traveling is a way of feeling them out.

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Specializes in Rehab, Neuro, Travel Nurse, Home Care.
First, I think your manager mishandled this by saying one of your coworkers complained (that you're not doing someone else's work). The issue sounds like it lies with the complainer and she should have been dealt with, not you.

Manager says that the call bell is all of our responsibility, not just the nurse it is assign to. I guess since we don't have CNAs on our shift.

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Specializes in LTC/Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.

So who picked up their slack when you were not there?

My nurse manager asked me to come into her office after my shift was done. She told me that I was reported by another staff member for not being a team player. She said that I'm not answering other nurses' call bell when I'm not busy. I work with some nurses that have horrible time management skills and they expect me to be their assistant because they are not caught up with charting. I do answer the bells, but I do not let myself get taken advantage of. I'm the youngest nurse, so the other nurses come to me to help bc "I should should enough energy." I didn't defend myself to my manager because I was too angry and I didn't want to be emotional. I just listened to her. Now I'm upset because the nurses on my shift are like a family. I work night shift and there is not many of us. I have confronted a few of them and I plan on talking to the rest of them. I feel that if someone has a problem with me, they should come to me and not go running to the boss. Am I doing the right thing?
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Specializes in Rehab, Neuro, Travel Nurse, Home Care.

^^^^^^

A pool nurse or a young new grad who happens to be a day/night rotater (sp)

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Specializes in ICU.
Something similar has just happened to me. I orientated an agency nurse to nights, she had already worked one shift by herself without being orientated, huge liability if you ask me, and then I came along, wondering why I hadn't been asked, and was told to come in and work the second and fourth nights with her. I showed her how to set up her cart for am rounds, what cleaning and organizing had to be done, which tube feeds to change and how much to add, what needed to faxed etc. and then I let her do her thing, was there for her if she had questions. The second night was pill night, when we receive our order from pharmacy and it must be checked against the MAR before being put in the cart. I did the majority of it, as they did not want a brand new casual to be responsible for it, but showed her how to do it, meanwhile she did the rest of the job. I thought everything went well.

Next thing you know, I was reported because she had told her supervisor with the agency that she was unsure what she was supposed to do, etc. ??????

Then I find out that some of the CNAs had reported me for not answering bells, which I find really odd, since the others that I work with always tell me that I do more with them than the other nurses. I used to be a CNA so I know how hard their job is.

Now they are trying to force me to come to a lynch meeting and get me to quit, so I've had to get the union involved and am so hurt and confused as to why this would happen after working 13 years in the same place. I always thought they liked working with me. They are also calling it "neglect" and threatening my license, and again, I can't believe it. I always thought of this workplace as a second home, and thought I would be there forever, or at least until I moved from this community.... now this.... :cry:

Sorry for what you are going through. :icon_hug:

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Thanks for your support, I guess it wouldn't bother me so much if I had seen it coming, but always thought I was well liked and no one has ever come to me with a complaint, so this is sort of like blindsiding me....

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Specializes in ICU, nutrition.

I work PRN in the ICU, and we started computer charting this year. I swear it takes longer...but I digress! Anyway, if I'm working with one of those nurses who doesn't pull her weight, I pull my COW into one of my patient rooms and do all my charting in there, with the curtain closed. Or if I have an A&O patient, I spend time in there visiting, if they want to. When I worked nights everyone pitched in to make sure we all got off work on time, but on days, at least where I work, it's simply not the case. Charge nurse with no patient assignment ALWAYS leaves on time and waits until the tasks are all complete and all that's left to do is to chart before offering to help. Techs sit and look at the internet and then get mad when you ask them to help you with a patient and they are not up getting vitals anyway.

At my other job, we take patient assignments all over the hospital and divide up the work by the number of hours each person works (i.e a person working a 10 hour shift takes more than a person working an 8 hour shift with a 2 hour meeting). I work with a great team, but some of them are more efficient than others. I used to always call all my co-workers if I got finished early to see if they needed help, but I ended up getting taken advantage of. I'd end up working right up until time to leave or even staying late and they'd be done early and working on projects or even leave early. Now I head back and start on my projects if I'm finished, and I only do extra work if someone calls and asks me for help or if the call person gives me a new assignment.

I feel bad for you getting taken advantage of and then complained about! You have to be a team player, yes, but you don't need to be a whipping girl!!

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