RN Gives Patients Cell Phone Number and Home Address

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Dear Nurse Beth,

I have a co-worker who constantly violates our policy on Professional Behavior. She too is an RN and we work in a clinic. This RN has befriended patients and/or their spouses on social media (Facebook, IG). She has given patients her personal cell phone and home address. And she over shares what's going on in her personal life whether it's about her or her kids and/or grandkids.

We've told our manager about her inappropriate behavior and we did have a RN meeting so that it was addressed to all of us so that it didn't make it seem she was being singled out. But the inappropriate behavior continues to happen. When is it enough already. I'm at the point that I want to transfer out of my department and go somewhere else because it seems like management is doing nothing and this RN believes this is acceptable behavior. We do have union representation with this company.

---

Dear Inappropriate,

Managers who can't differentiate between individual performance issues and general group behavior are not effective managers. Or they're just not equipped for their job.

Have you tried just focusing on your own job and not this other RN? It is not your problem, it's your manager's problem. It is also possible that discipline is taking place behind the scenes and you are not privy to it.

You may be happier working in an environment where you can trust the manager to address and resolve performance issues. If so, and if this continues to cause you great stress, look for another position.

Best wishes, my friend

Nurse Beth

Author, "Your Last Nursing Class: How to Land Your First Nursing Job"...and your next!

[JKL33]

If it could be said that you have an obligation here, you have already satisfied it.

Be good at what you do, don't get tied up with this other RN (either in worrying about what she is doing or in being close enough in real or virtual proximity to get implicated along with her).

Life's too short to worry about someone else's nonsense.

[Golden_RN, MSN]

I really resent this management style where all staff gets reprimanded or lectured due to the behavior of one employee. I definitely wouldn't leave a job that I really like over it though.

[SassyPNWRN, BSN, RN]

Just to clarify, there is nothing wrong with job. The job is great and I love doing what I do. Problem is we are a small and very busy infusion clinic and it is not uncommon for each nurse to have up to 8 patients a day. We are only going to get busier as time goes on. In the last 5 years since I have worked here our census has tripled. Eventually, upper management will see that we need more space and more nurses but in the meantime we are all managing 8 patients and sometimes more of our own... This particular nurse thinks it's ok for us to pick up her slack because she is too busy socializing with patients and or their families. If she's not socializing then she is glued to her cell phone screen the other half of the time. I'm all for teamwork but this an everyday occurrence.

We all socialize and make small talk with our patients but the rest of us can also do our job and finish in a timely manner. She is usually the last one done at the end of the day because she has to "catch up" on charting when the rest of us who have the same amount of patients can manage to leave on time with our charting done. Why should I constantly pick up the slack for someone else when we have the exact same job? I admit, I can be a perfectionist and slightly a type A personality but when I tell my manager my only expectation from co-workers is to do the job they were hired for. This nurse can't even do that! I'm only speaking for myself. I know others have issues with this nurse as well but management does nothing and the behavior continues.

[SassyPNWRN, BSN, RN]

P.S. This management style also pisses me off and I think it's a cop out when the real issue or person needs to be addressed personally!