Staff acting like mean girls what do you do

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Help- I am new to a clinic where many of the staff are tight and not accepting of new staff. They often act like teenage girls. A new hire even walked out after hearing people talk about her often. How do I resolve this??

Specializes in IMCU.
The problem is that I am a supervisor and trying to establish the "nice workplace" guidelines. I have thick skin, and older so already traveled this road in my career. I would like to figure a way to create a kind environment, with respect to each other and team work. I can hold my own and have been tested a few times a week- but the new staff and being insecure really is a challenge. I want to put an end to the mean girls role and start the "nice girl" team. Ideas? Thanks for your suggestions!

I am unclear if this is something you want to address or something that you have been told to address. Regardless, you are dealing with an existing culture that has been in place before you arrived. Also, these people have been given permission to behave like this by people in more authority than you (simply by virtue of the fact that the poor behavior exists at all). Normally people need experience and training to deal with this type of situation.

If this is simply a case of these people being tight knit and exclusive, remember that you are, if I read correctly, their supervisor. As a supervisor I wouldn't expect them to necessarily be inclusive with you -- it can be the price you pay for seniority.

Be professional and civilized in ALL of your interactions with them. Meet with each and review how they think they are doing professionally. Ask are there any unresolved issues they have, that the previous supervisor did not deal with completely? Gather as much information as you can and then make your assessment. Only then can you really make a plan and seek specific advice.

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I guess I would do what I did in high school-ignore them-usually they are trying to see if it bugs that person-that is their goal-get a kick out of it actually. Don't give them any kindling for the fire.

otessa

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I also agree with the person stating that you need to act professionally with each interaction, even they do not. "Kill 'em with kindness" at least YOU know you are doing the right thing.

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Policy and procedures regarding harassment in the workplace need to be addressed in this situation if that truly is happening...

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Specializes in Pain mgmt, PCU.
If I were the manager on this unit, I believe that I would pull each of the "mean girls" into my office individually and tell them that you are aware of what is going on and how it has affected new staff. Let them know that it will not be tolerated any more, period. If you notice it happening, make an example out of one or all of them utilizing your facility's corrective action process.

During staff meetings, find some activities that facilitate team building and use them.

Also, and this is the most important, find people doing good things and thank/praise them for it. Encourage the behavior you want to be the norm on the unit. You need to be a positive role model as well.

I think confronting the "mean girls" is the most important, though. People act differently when they are part of a group, and if you confront them individually, you may bring the majority back in line with only this intervention.

Best of luck! You sound like a great manager.

Jami

I was the manager of a unit with 2 cliques. I was warned about this when I took the position. I had been a manager before and thought I could handle it. I made a lot of mistakes. One of them was NOT taking the ring leaders in and having a talk. We did the affirmation during staff meetings and the team building. They rolled their eyes. :yawn: I felt like the boss on The Office! :D

There were so many other issues involved it was ridiculous. The physicians were even "on sides" with the groups:eek:. I left after a year due to a move. I was actually transferred to a different unit for my last month because I had had enough. The next manager there lasted one week.

The worst part was that the nursing director had no ability to fire the nurses. One of the docs was the leader and part owner of the physician owned clinic and decided who would be fired! Talk about an untenable situation.:redlight:

Anyway. I learned a great deal. I would have asserted myself more. I would have done more individual counseling. I would not tried to be friends. (This was a nursing clinic, not a romper room nor a place to make friends.) The problem was convincing new staff members that they are not there to make friends. .... I could go on for a long time. It's been 2 years and I still think of things I could/should have done differently.

The bottom line is that I am a stronger person for it:pumpiron:. My mouth can form the words, "I don't like that". :idea:

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In my situation, I had a more experienced (but much younger than me) CNA who is the "bully" basically make a big announcement, as she was walking by me, complaining about "how she and the other experienced CNA's should be in on the CNA interviews with the DON, because they are the ones who are stuck working with these incompetent people who make their work so much harder". Yes. She said this out loud, for everyone to hear, in front of me & directed at me. Jaws dropped. It reminded me of when I was 16 and working at McDonalds-it was juvenile behavior that is just not appropriate in a professional setting. The charge nurse was very angry, and had a chat with this girl later on. I confronted this girl, privately, and told her that if she had issues with my work, then to come to me. To not make a big announcement in the hallway, because it was unprofessional. That if she felt that we needed to talk to the DON about this, I'd be more than happy to. It seemed to shut her up, more or less-she totally backed down. We'll see, as time goes on. Since this, our interactions have been civil, and only as needed.

All that said, I'm new, so I am sure I am slower than the more experienced CNA's. I'm sure they pick up a little bit of my slack. However, I'm working my behind off and have had no complaints about my work. I've gotten compliments on how I've handled certain difficult residents. I always try to go the extra mile and not cut corners. Why this girl has chosen me as her "target", I have no idea, except I'm told she treats new people this way. And her other "target" is someone similar to me-older, educated, has plans for nursing school. She's chosen the wrong targets, if you ask me-neither of us will put up with it for a second... :madface:

Whichever poster said this kind of behavior is disrespectful towards the nursing profession is correct. It makes it seem like a McJob I'd have in Jr High or something. It's a joke. Not what I want to deal with at this point in my life, after working in a professional environment & going to grad school (former field), etc...

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I do believe that some hospitals /risk management departments do a "root cause analysis/investigation?' when they receive insident reports. it may only be afew hospitals, I'm not sure. I know when we file insident reports( via the computer as opposed to paper and pen, where I work) those reports go automatically to the risk management dept( in this department is where there or should be RN's with legal degrees( the initals RN...JD-that's a lawyer RN), the way it works at my facility": is that my manager receives the insident report after risk management reviews it and then the manager start to conduct an investigation. I read some where that some insidents could be traced back to the climate/culture on the unit (bullying insidents) at the time the insident report happened.(ie. a medication error or a patient fall or worse yet a sentenal event/death, or a near miss that the nurse or staff was involved in some bullying or harassing that caused the nurse to become so upset her mind was not on her/his job or a patient fell because of neglect- not being monitored because the staff was busy involved in something they should not have been) I might have been the article on bullying/lateral violence on www.americannursingassociation.com(type in lateral violence and the article comes up- it's worth reading) then check out the www.JCAHO.com(under sentenal event- bullying of nursing staff has been addressed there also) The word needs to get out that this will no longer be the acceptable CULTURE in nursing.

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I don't thinkthat this can just be "ignore it and HOPE it will go away" anymore. If you make a mistake in a Pizza shop- someone gets mushrooms instead of sausage. If you make a mistake in healthcare - someone can and will get killed. These Mean Girls should be fired and driven to MACY'S to work behind the perfume counter where they can claw each other to death.

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Specializes in Operating Room.

I have lived through this too and have found that confrontation is the best way to go. That sounds horrible but if someone says something nasty or mean spirited to me now, I don't let it slide. I deal with it there and then. Usually these bully types are not used to people calling them on their stupid behavior. Sounds scary but when you do it a few times..it becomes easy.:D

I also don't care anymore if people like me-I will never be one of those types who thinks of her workplace as her second home or her coworkers as "family".:down: God help me if that were the case...I have good friends and wonderful family already-I don't need my job to provide these.

If people are starting to come after you professionally(ie sabotaging your work) documentation is key and if you have a union, that can help too.

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
The problem is that I am a supervisor and trying to establish the "nice workplace" guidelines. I have thick skin, and older so already traveled this road in my career. I would like to figure a way to create a kind environment, with respect to each other and team work. I can hold my own and have been tested a few times a week- but the new staff and being insecure really is a challenge. I want to put an end to the mean girls role and start the "nice girl" team. Ideas? Thanks for your suggestions!

In any profession, if you watch and listen, you'll find out the "core" of the problem. It will usually boil down to a very small group of people, probably only 2 or 3, that infect the rest of the staff like a boil.

Usually, it will be your most experienced or those that have been there the longest that feel like they have "earned" the right to make everyone else dance circles around them.

It's easier to get rid of a couple of nurses that are ruining the entire staff than to try to fix the entire staff.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

Lots of good read here, but what do I do about a supervisor R.N who just doesn't like me? I have been in this job for 6 yrs. and she just 'came on board' about 6 months ago. My first words to her were, 'Welcome' and we seemed to be getting along ok. Over time she seemed to change a little with all us girls and picked a few of us out to use every opportunity to 'pick' at us. Kind words and professional respect towards her are met with rude stares or total ignoring us. No point going to management, they love her tough style and will not listen to us, in fact they may get their backs up towards us. Some of the aides are so afraid to be on shift with her they swap or call in sick. We walk with our heads down and don't speak at all except when necessary for the whole shift. Morale is really down. Why is she so mean to us. Our work records are immaculate, yet one by one the girls are crumbling, afraid of losing their jobs over some trumped up accusation she will come up with. It's so humiliating.

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Specializes in CVICU, Obs/Gyn, Derm, NICU.
I have seen this garbage behavior in nursing for 30 loooong years. This is the very behavior that has made it long, this is the reason why so many of us nurses struggle and then get out of nursing altogether, when and if we can. This I think is one of the major reasons why I think you see so many specialties listed after a lot of our names on these posts. We are trying to find a comfortable and manageable spot to stay in and enjoy- Let's face it we all have to work to pay bills, when this junk goes on it makes life a financial disaster, I know it has for me. Not to mention the trauma to ones self. These Mean coworkers need to be delt with, the CULTURE of nursing needs to change- and make this behavior/personality disorder trait zero tollerance. There needs to be some screening process to keep this kind of person- mostly women- out of nursing's job market. The culture change has to start by stop believing that "this a fact of life, learn to deal with". When one thinks about what we as nurses are responsible ( I don"t care if you are an LPN or RN or even a nursing assistant) , this behavior is detrimental to the safety of a patient( AND BELIEVE ME I HAVE SEEN PATIENTS GO DOWN THE TUBES BECAUSE OF THIS EXACT BEHAVOIR- it's called DO NOT HELP HIM/HER) This is a fundamental and total lack of RESPECT for our profession.(If we first disrespect our coworkers/each other, how can we expect the public to respect us) This is why no one takes NURSING seriously, therfore we are the first to be a hospital budget cut, poor pay. Crappy preceptors can and do do this to new nurses( I have seen many a new nurse cry and quit because of this). I have been to management about this problem- their attitude is- as above - the thick skin speech, the deal with it attutude. JCAHO and the AMERICAN NURSING ASSOCIATION finally started to do something about this problem- It's on their wedsite and called LATERAL VIOLENCE; allias BULLYING. JCAHO mostly adresses thr Doctor to Nurse - I have to say in 30 years I have very rarely come across this. The NURSE to Nurse is rampant as evidenced by the posts above. Nursing is NOt the place for this disgusting/sickening behavior and if these nurse managers were half the intelligent/educated life forms they think they are, they would be stepping in and doing something about it( DOING THEIR JOBS- CREATING A POSITVE WORK ENVIORNMENT but they don't, they put it off on the target of the abuse by saying- thick skin and deal with it allais THEY are incompetent also) I truely believe that people who create this kind of malice and turmoil for another in nursing are covering up their own incompetence or they would be putting that energy into doing their job not cat clawing their coworkers. This is how these dirtbags have got through life- personally and professionally- they are basically low intelligence dirtbags.

Couldn't agree more.

Seems I spent a lot of time, money and energy getting a degree just so I can work in a pink ghetto.

What I've started doing is ...

1. Analyse/define the behaviour in one or two brief sentences. Preferably a direct linkage to what's in your harrassment policy

2. Tell the offenders I haven't seen this behaviour since I was at high school when catty/immature behaviour was quite common.

It shouldn't get you into trouble as long as you stay pleasant.

Good luck

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