Seriously, stop making this job harder! For yourself and everyone around you.

[CardiacDork, MSN, RN]

Listen, I just need to vent. I’m SO fed up with the petty a** drama involved in nursing. It’s so DA** annoying. I don’t get it! What’s wrong with YOU?

Heres the story.

I work in ICU.

I checked out to my pod partner to go eat lunch. I’m eating lunch now. Charge nurse opens door *huffs & puffs*. Makes eye contact with me and leaves. Charge nurse comes back in five minutes.

Charge RN: Next time you go eat please tell someone

Me: I did, I told Joseph.

Charge RN: Well please tell more than one person.

Me: Okay sure.

So I eventually wrap up my break and clock back in. I walk down the hallway and the charge RN signals at me to come to her, I comply.

Charge RN: Were you off the unit a lot?

Me: No? I checked out to Joseph once to go pee and once to get a drink. Then I checked out to come get lunch (((it’s 3AM, so that’s three times since we’ve been here and literally going to pee and get a drink took but a few seconds, and none of my patients even called))).

Charge RN: Oh because while you were at lunch your call light was going off and I kept hearing it and you know I’m way on the other side but I came to the other side to see what was going on and I saw Maria just sitting there and I asked her to get the call light and she said “No I’m not getting it”.

Me: Yeah well I don’t know what to tell you.

FFW: I come out of utility closet and I see Maria sitting at her pod. I’m walking down the hall (behind her) and I see her shaking her stupid head side to side.

Seriously? Am I under a prank? What TF**** is going on with people?

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

I would be having a conversation with Joseph.

[CardiacDork, MSN, RN]

3 hours ago, ThePrincessBride said:

I would be having a conversation with Joseph.

I did. Joseph was starting an IV on his patient all gowned up in a CDiff room. This was confirmed by the charge RN. Also Joseph doesn’t have a history of not doing his fair share. Joseph is usually very helpful.

[NurseBlaq]

Well why didn't the charge RN have that same energy for Maria who told her no and clearly wasn't doing a damn thing other than sitting on her behind? Maybe it's time to talk to someone above the charge RN. I despise selective outrage and supervisors who tip toe around the laziest people on the unit only to bash those of us who actually work. That is one of my pet peeves.

[Davey Do]

5 hours ago, CardiacDork said:

it’s 3AM

What TF**** is going on with people?

I like to stir shiest and make mountains out of molehills at about this time, CardiacDork, because my serotonin levels are at an all time low in my circadian cycle.

I get my dander up and cause some interrelationship problems, causing my sympathetic nervous system to kick in, get an adrenaline rush in order to get me through the last few hours of my shift.

I'm sorry for the fact that someone has to be a victim in this scenario, but, hey, they get to reap the benefits of getting charged up too.

[Davey Do]

37 minutes ago, NurseBlaq said:

I despise selective outrage and supervisors who tip toe around the laziest people on the unit only to bash those of us who actually work.

Lazy people are more difficult to stimulate and overcome inertia.

Those who actually work are more easily stimulated, NurseBlaq!

You know: "That which is in motion..."

[TriciaJ, RN]

4 hours ago, ThePrincessBride said:

I would be having a conversation with Joseph.

And the charge nurse needs to have one with Maria.

[Davey Do]

6 hours ago, CardiacDork said:

Charge RN: I saw Maria just sitting there and I asked her to get the call light and she said “No I’m not getting it”.

20 minutes ago, TriciaJ said:

And the charge nurse needs to have one with Maria.

I had a similar situation occur when a tech refused to follow my request. I said, "You know, that could be interpreted as insubordination". He replied, "I don't care". I said, from rote memory,"Then you will need to deal with the ramifications of your actions or inactions". Again the tech replied, "I don't care".

I objectively documented the situation and informed the unit supervisor. Since the unit supervisor and the tech were drinking buddies, absolutely nothing was done.

"That's okay", I thought, and recalled the words of Edgar Cayce: "You can't get someone into more trouble than they can get themselves into".

Time went by, the tech did something inappropriate with a patient and was terminated. I thought, "Had administration done something to curb this rogue tech's behavior, it may not have come to this".

The unit supervisor eventually resigned or was terminated, I don't know which, but now I don't have to deal with either one of them.

"What goes around, comes around."

And...

"Sic semper tyrannis."

[Oldmahubbard]

I couldn't work in hospitals because of this type of thing

I applaud those of you who do

[JKL33]

On 6/16/2019 at 4:59 AM, CardiacDork said:

Charge RN: Were you off the unit a lot?

A wimpy way of trying to imply and suggest that there was a problem (having something to do with you) instead of being adult enough to go to a person actually involved.

There's no way I would dignify this by starting to give an accounting of my perfectly reasonable activities. No way. Just reply, "No" and keep moving/leave the area/don't engage, or else (if you absolutely must): "No. Why do you ask?" and then as soon as J & M are mentioned: "Sorry. Sounds like you need to talk to J [or M].

The instant you start giving account for how many times you went to the bathroom (especially when it was one time and not 50), you've already lost.

Wherever this problem exists, it exists because it is enabled. Don't be defensive when you have nothing to defend. Develop an effective and pleasant (or at least neutral) "take a hike" technique. ??

If everyone hates these games so much they need to stop playing along.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

Make sure you document that you had NO BREAK. Per the dept of labor, if we are interrupted for work duties (e.g. the charge nurse huffs and puffs and tells you to notify someone) then it is NOT a bona fide meal break and therefore must be paid.

[TriciaJ, RN]

3 hours ago, JKL33 said:

A wimpy way of trying to imply and suggest that there was a problem (having something to do with you) instead of being adult enough to go to a person actually involved.

There's no way I would dignify this by starting to give an accounting of my perfectly reasonable activities. No way. Just reply, "No" and keep moving/leave the area/don't engage, or else (if you absolutely must): "No. Why do you ask?" and then as soon as J & M are mentioned: "Sorry. Sounds like you need to talk to J [or M].

The instant you start giving account for how many times you went to the bathroom (especially when it was one time and not 50), you've already lost.

Wherever this problem exists, it exists because it is enabled. Don't be defensive when you have nothing to defend. Develop an effective and pleasant (or at least neutral) "take a hike" technique. ??

If everyone hates these games so much they need to stop playing along.

I agree with this 100%. For some reason it is very easy to put people on the defense like they are naughty schoolchildren. I had an ex who loved to try to do this to me and I taught myself never to defend anything, especially anything irrelevent. It served me well when I encountered supervisors who liked to deflect with this tactic. Defending oneself is handing over one's power for someone to abuse.

The unit has inadequate staffing for break coverage and at least one insubordinate CNA. The OP has nothing to defend and should not be drawn into answering impertinent questions.