Tattle Tail Traits in Nursing??

[BrokenRNheart]

Have other people noticed similar things about "Tattle Tails" and their behavior or traits in this field?

Notice TT's tend to add facts (lie) about the story they are telling to management?

Notice it's the same people over and over?

Ever wonder why management doesn't see what we see and suggest they get counseling to address this need to do this to people or why they are so miserable?

Notice management tends to favor the TT?

Anyone feel like the TT exhibits girly playground behavior?

Anything else?

Why is it TT's have to lie and add twists to the stories?

Any TT's out there.....I'd love to understand.

[pebbles, BSN, RN]

Unit wide tattle protocol is my unit. I really think it is poor mgt , but what can I say? I just work there.

I agree with that.

Managers that think it's good and fine to have staff pitted against each other. Managers that don't like to supervise or manage their own staff, so they let a tattle-tale do it for them. (Then the tattle tale can be a fall guy or get thrown by the wayside when the manager moves on to a new TT).

I think it's borne out of a very paternalistic worldview. "If I tattle-tale, the manager will act and fix the problem I saw". I also agree with the self-centeredness of it - I see that very much in my own workplace TT. It's just not condusive to true adult workplace behaviour.

If managers didn't reward that behaviour (and if parents and teachers hadn't rewarded it before that)... if managers and teachers and parents encouraged other methods of interaction and problem solving rather than just taking over and acting on what little miss TT told them, or rewarding TT with special attention.... maybe the world would be different.

Tattle-tales out there also need to be aware that even as they are ratting out their co-workers to the manager, the manager is formulating her own opinion of the tattle-tale person as well.

[november17, ASN, RN]

Tattle-tales out there also need to be aware that even as they are ratting out their co-workers to the manager, the manager is formulating her own opinion of the tattle-tale person as well.

Yea and coworkers form their opinion about the tattle tale too. We all know who they are on their units.

[ecnav]

HAHAHAHAHA. Sorry I just found this completely insane. I can't believe it. I would just check "YES YES YES YES," They did everything...not because I am a nice guy, but just because I don't have time to sit around auditing the previous shift's chart (that's the chart nazi's job!!!!). No matter how much crap the previous shift gives me, or how much of a mess they leave on occasion, I would never rat out another nurse for not getting something done. Nursing is a 24/7 job and I try to have my team pristine when I leave, but God knows this isn't always possible. I know the offgoing nurse wants to leave just as bad as I do at the end of MY shift, so I don't hold anything against them!!!

The nice guy routine NEVER works. Certain personalities are simply incorrigible. They understand nothing short of head-on confrontation. Then they go crying to mama when they get their ... twisted. The best defense is a consistent offense. Keep them on their toes.

[hope3456, ASN, RN]

I worked with one of these TT's a couple years ago in a LTC. She would rat on anyone and everyone for the tiniest of 'infractions.' The DON herself wasn't the most stable of individuals and would really feed off of this TTing.....long story. It was a really scary dynamic though.

Anyway, I now work in psych and not long after I started this job this TT showed up as a pt. Turns out she was an alcoholic and she attempted suicide, as well as a multitude of other problems. Not that it is my place to pass judgement and I hope she received/or is receiving adequate mental health help.

In this situation, definately the DON should have looked for the 'real' problem behind the TTing, as apparently it was there, instead of letting this TT 'transfer' her issues onto the other staff (and empowering her)- which is what it seemed to me she was doing by way of tting.

[BrokenRNheart]

I worked with one of these TT's a couple years ago in a LTC. She would rat on anyone and everyone for the tiniest of 'infractions.' The DON herself wasn't the most stable of individuals and would really feed off of this TTing.....long story. It was a really scary dynamic though.

Anyway, I now work in psych and not long after I started this job this TT showed up as a pt. Turns out she was an alcoholic and she attempted suicide, as well as a multitude of other problems. Not that it is my place to pass judgement and I hope she received/or is receiving adequate mental health help.

In this situation, definately the DON should have looked for the 'real' problem behind the TTing, as apparently it was there, instead of letting this TT 'transfer' her issues onto the other staff (and empowering her)- which is what it seemed to me she was doing by way of tting.

OMG....you just gave me a great idea!

When I get rich, I'm going to hire a PI to check into the personal lives of the TT's and the managers and post their imperfections all over - on billboards - in newspapers - on flyers in the parking lots.:lol2::lol2:

That will be my new business. You send me your TT or mgr's name and I'll put them in the Nurses Hall of Shame! Don't steal my idea. I'm going to get the copyright right now.

Alias: PI BrokenRNHeart - Motto: Don't get mad - get even - because people that live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones :typing

First five customers 10% discount

Enter contest to win one free "exposure"

I have way too much time on my hands. I have got to get back to work.

Maybe my "other personality" can do this business while I do another. There is definitely an upside to multiple personalities:bugeyes:. There is no reason why I can't pursue multiple trades.

[Jaguar Boy]

I think it's borne out of a very paternalistic worldview. "If I tattle-tale, the manager will act and fix the problem I saw". I also agree with the self-centeredness of it - I see that very much in my own workplace TT. It's just not condusive to true adult workplace behaviour.

Just some food for thought:

Is tattle tailing behaviour in an adult workplace a way of avoiding mature, adult responsibility?

If a mistake or omission is noticed, what about taking the responsibility of approaching the other person in a respectful, mature manner...before going to management? And what about the recipient responding in a mature manner...

If only...

[BrokenRNheart]

Just some food for thought:

Is tattle tailing behaviour in an adult workplace a way of avoiding mature, adult responsibility?

If a mistake or omission is noticed, what about taking the responsibility of approaching the other person in a respectful, mature manner...before going to management? And what about the recipient responding in a mature manner...

If only...

I think for most circumstances it is about being miserable or needing attention.

Either way, we all know TT's are WEIRD. If they only knew what people said about them behind their backs......for example......most of the time people will speak of what NOT to say in front of "TT" because they will run and brown-nose. Some that come to mind really remind me of the little girl in the playground that is always saying...."....I'll tell" and is always running to the teacher to tattle.

[BlueRidgeHomeRN]

someone else posted the ridiculous unit wide tattling protocol.

come on tt's - get help. i do believe in karma. i have noticed that some of the notorious award winning brown-nosers tend to be very miserable in their personal lives. they don't smile or laugh much and they are generally grumpy. funny thing is that they don't think others see it because they are so busy slandering people that people just want to stay out of the light and don't do it back to them. rest assured that while you succeeding in slandering me i am well aware that you are a very miserable person as i walk on and lick my wounds.

i give :trc:

sometimes my belief in "what goes around comes around" is the only thing that keeps me from strangling these women (in my experience, its always a female). :flmngmd:

i feel blessed every morning now when i get to come into an organization that is --miracle of miracles!!---missing one of these "delightful" personalities. it was worth the pay cut!!!

[ecnav]

sometimes my belief in "what goes around comes around" is the only thing that keeps me from strangling these women (in my experience, its always a female). :flmngmd:

i feel blessed every morning now when i get to come into an organization that is --miracle of miracles!!---missing one of these "delightful" personalities. it was worth the pay cut!!!

yep ... ditto!

[BrokenRNheart]

sometimes my belief in "what goes around comes around" is the only thing that keeps me from strangling these women (in my experience, its always a female). :flmngmd:

i feel blessed every morning now when i get to come into an organization that is --miracle of miracles!!---missing one of these "delightful" personalities. it was worth the pay cut!!!

someone please explain.....since so many of us know that this is going on and is a female trait, what is wrong with the "girls" that do this? are they proud to be seen this way? are they proud that they make our gender look bad? are they proud that they screw up any potentially good work environment. i was a tomboy and never did get into this kind of behavior. i mean seriously, can't we all just get along? i just want to go to work and do my job and not play games. it's a job "girls" - a job. i don't want to take over your brown-nosing position, i'm not competing for your spot, you can keep it. i wouldn't want to be you in a million years.

[Ms Kylee]

i got tattled on one morning. i was working my side of the unit, and a student nurse came to me and asked if i could help her walk her patient to the bathroom. patient was an assist x2. since i can't say no, i went to help. when we got there, the patient had an accident and messed up the bed. student went to get a bed change and stuff to clean the patient up. i started cleaning the patient up with what i had available in the room. turned out to be a half hour, 25 washcloth cleanup, bed and gown change for the patient. when i got back on my side of the floor, all of the nurses and the unit director were standing around the nurse's station. someone had tattled that i couldn't be found and i wasn't giving my patients baths. of course, nobody came to me and asked me where i was, but right away went running and tattling.

i learned a lesson that day... that my unit has no teamwork and you get your butt in trouble for helping out.

[Nurse_Advocate]

Some people don't feel good unless they are "living in the problem" -- tattling feels like complaining to me and some people love to complain.

They like to take a warm bath in it. The thought of being pro-active in their own lives or thinking of solutions for their floor or participating in committee meetings would NEVER occur to them...no they're happy tattling and complaining.

Example: Post op (urology surgery -- reconstructed ureter and stent placement, etc.) comes to the floor. Patient has been on pain meds. at home for a long time...tolerance. Within seconds of interacting with her first nurse, she FIRES her first nurse and now the CN has to reassign this "DIFFICULT" patient to someone else...

guess who?...

Me!

The patient is now loudly crying out in pain, the husband is getting freaky, and the first nurse is spending so much time re-enacting and complaining about the whole scenario that I almost couldn't get her to shut up long enough to give me report!!! Finally, I had to cut her off so I could go assess the patient and get her medicated...

Tattle Tails live in the problem...they thrive there!

It's for those reasons that I'm taking steps to create a different (non-nursing) life for myself! I am pro-active and I'm crystal clear about what I want. :typing