Slanderous rumor mongers in the workplace

Nurses Relations

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One of the techs at work informed me that our manager at work is having an affair with one of our doctors. She is 'sure' of this because they have long meetings behind closed doors. Then she let me know that I am the only one she has told and that I mustn't breathe a word.

Prior to telling me this, she informed me that our manager had called her into the office and raked her over the coals over her work ethic, and that she was a backstabber. Well, frankly, she does suck and has needed to be taken out to the woodshed for some time. And why she was confiding this inflammatory nonsense to me, God only knows. And, I seriously doubt that I'm the only recipient of her 'inside knowledge' about the adultery she claims to be occurring.

Frankly, this is slander. I quietly informed the charge nurse who is my best confidant at work, and she has made sure that the victims of this malicious gossip are aware. Defaming someone's reputation is a serious matter, in my opinion. I think we all should stand up against this sort of thing.

If it's true it isn't slander, actually. But it is rude and none of her business.

Gossip is part of life to a degree. Just tell her you do not partake in it

Specializes in ER.

I seriously do not believe that this rumor was true. I think the tech was attempting a vindictive retaliation for a bad review. Moreover, one of the parties that she accused is married with children. This sort of gossip can sully a person's reputation and affect their personal life. I think it should not be tolerated.

Good thing about being a guy is that you can play dumb or pretend you didn't hear and avoid having anything to do with that kind of nonsense.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Good thing about being a guy is that you can play dumb or pretend you didn't hear and avoid having anything to do with that kind of nonsense.

Don't think men have the corner of playing dumb...I've gotten the science of aloofness down, as well as a motto when it comes to gossip, or even general "conversation": I only listen to what people say, and mostly very few bears repeating; if I need to repeat I only state what they tell me.

Short answer: very few words come out of my mouth of what goes into my ears; there are some exceptions, of course, but venting and potential gossip is usually where my lips shut down.

Specializes in ICU.

I have known quite a few men who gossip, especially in the workplace. That includes male doctors!

I have known quite a few men who gossip, especially in the workplace. That includes male doctors!

Very true! I have a male PT colleague who always has a scoop on the latest.

However, I feel like as a man you're not expected to. Like I can ignore all the gossip without being considered aloof and 'unsocial'. Also, guys may pass along rumors and gossip to kill time, but we're really not invested in making any kind of judgments based on it. As far as most male clinicians are concerned, if what is being said doesn't affect the status of my patient, my salary/schedule, and doesn't affect risk/liability, we could really care less. As far as I'm concerned my manager can sleep with a bear, a hare, a maiden fair -I don't care.

But that's just the sample I've been exposed to, I'm sure there are guys who feel different.

Specializes in Medical Surgical.

How so some people make it past the first interview?

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

Mar 20 by Emergent

"One of the techs at work informed me that our manager at work is having an affair with one of our doctors. She is 'sure' of this because they have long meetings behind closed doors. Then she let me know that I am the only one she has told and that I mustn't breathe a word.

Prior to telling me this, she informed me that our manager had called her into the office and raked her over the coals over her work ethic, and that she was a backstabber. Well, frankly, she does suck and has needed to be taken out to the woodshed for some time. And why she was confiding this inflammatory nonsense to me, God only knows. And, I seriously doubt that I'm the only recipient of her 'inside knowledge' about the adultery she claims to be occurring.

Frankly, this is slander. I quietly informed the charge nurse who is my best confidant at work, and she has made sure that the victims of this malicious gossip are aware. Defaming someone's reputation is a serious matter, in my opinion. I think we all should stand up against this sort of thing."

So you spread the story instead of going to the person involved to tell her about the malicious gossip?

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Good thing about being a guy is that you can play dumb or pretend you didn't hear and avoid having anything to do with that kind of nonsense.

Either gender can play dumb and avoid having anything to do with that nonsense. But for the record, the guys are some of the biggest gossips at my workplace! And DH says the guys at his workplace gossip FAR more than the women.

Whenever anyone says to me "hey, you know what I heard?" I say, "no, and I don't want to, but thanks for thinking of me".....and go on my merry way.

If the tech is an issue, then you need to report her unprofessional behavior to HR. That the charge nurse then decided to just let the parties involved know (and how awful---really, I don't want to know that the tech is all up in my personal life) what are they to do with that information? Something is wrong with that--the charge "keeps it going" by just repeating that she said that she did that I know.....

Honestly, if the tech is unprofessional and not doing her job, that is an issue that needs to be dealt with--not fanning the flames of her poor filter.

Agree but it's so much fun lol!!!!! Just kidding, but if they were having sex in the office then that's a serious offense that must be reported

If they were behind closed doors for long periods, no one really knows what, if anything, is or is not happening. Ya'll will be some surprised when a whole boatload of new polcies and standing orders come out now, won't you?! Everyone rushes to "they are having sex" and one should never report something they do not know to be factual.

Further, we are all much too busy with a large patient load to be concerned about what anyone but our patients are doing or not doing behind closed doors, no?!

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