Unprofessional conduct

[cabbagepatchkid]

Hi all,

I have a situation which I am not certain how to handle. I was recently hired as a nurse by a non-emergency care clinic for a small city hospital. There is an older male colleague who makes the most inappropriate comments which have started to offend patients.

Yesterday, I was caring for a young married couple. The husband presented with a sore throat, dry cough, rash on chest, and fever. The wife mentioned that he had been ill for several days. I administered an I.V. because he was quite dehydrated.

When I returned to the nurses station, my male colleague, another R.N. felt the need to interject his opinion about the case. He believed that the husband had contracted a STD. He assumed that the wife was a whore because she had a fine ass or that the husband was a homosexual cheating on his wife. I politely informed him that the wife had stated that the husband's medical history was plagued by numerous instances of strep throat.

Unfortunately, the wife overheard this exchange. She was incredibly upset. I apologized for my colleague's boorish behavior and assured her that he would not be interacting with her husband at all during the course of the visit. In addition, the rapid strep test was positive.

I think my colleague's comments were disgraceful. However, I am new to this clinic. I'm not interested in making waves but I also don't think that my colleague's behavior should be condoned. Any suggestions?

Gen Y

[cabbagepatchkid]

I guess I tried to put myself in the shoes of the patient's wife. I think her outrage was justified. My objective is not to become Miss Manners or the schoolhouse censor. My intent is to treat others with the respect that I'd want to be accorded if I were in a similar situation. While this job does entail long hours and stressful situations, we need to remember that we are treating human beings not robots. My motto is to reserve judgment and provide compassionate care.

[sjt9721, BSN, RN]

the problem i have is that the patient and family heard it.

this is the most disturbing part to me as well.

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

i've had literally hundreds of situations where i could have gotten someone in trouble for a flip comment.

.

Agreed. However, once the family overhears this then it's our responsibility as pt advocates to do something about it.

What we say behind closed doors is one thing, but the pt and family should never have to hear it.

Well done to the OP for taking a brave stance.

[santhony44, MSN, RN, NP]

I agree. Rude, crude, and socially unacceptable when it's just co-workers is one thing, and bad enough, but when it's overheard by the patient and/or family member, then it's something that can cause lots of trouble for the people involved and the facility.

[suanna]

You would think after 30 years of nursing experience he would be old enough to have outgrown such boarish adolescent comments. Not only should the wife be upset, but that kind of comment could be considered as creating a hostile work enviornment for you and your other peers. Despite his experience he is a liability to the company and to our profession and should be canned. You will have plenty of experience soon enough and I would bet you won't be making idiotic sexual comments about your clients even if they are out of earshot. They should let him go, and make room for more professional staff.

[nursemike, ASN, RN]

while this is an outlandish example, i'd be careful about stirring the pot whereever i went. it's a stressful job, and people say all sorts of things.

i've had literally hundreds of situations where i could have gotten someone in trouble for a flip comment.

you don't want to get a reputation as a tattletale, and i'd speak directly to the person who said it, and told them how it made you feel first. if that didn't stop it, then you can go upstream.

i now lots of females in this business who say all sorts of things. none of it really bothers me, as i'm vastly more concerned on whether i can count on a person for help when i really need it. without teamwork, you're sunk.

as a male, the standards are more stringent. you absolutely better watch your mouth, else you'll end up explaining an indefensible comment to management.

I've heard, and said, a number of inappropriate things in the med room. I have passed along in report that the patient, or his/her family, is a PITA.

We vent. We warn each other. We aren't quite as non-judgemental as we ought to be, or try to be, or pretend to be. Whatever.

The comments the OP made would be pretty repulsive, even in a private area. Within earshot of the public, they're inexcusable. What happens in the Med Room stays in the Med Room, although I think I'd have been pretty disgusted, and a bit alarmed by such a comment, even privately.

[maestrotee]

while this is an outlandish example, i'd be careful about stirring the pot whereever i went. it's a stressful job, and people say all sorts of things.

i've had literally hundreds of situations where i could have gotten someone in trouble for a flip comment.

you don't want to get a reputation as a tattletale, and i'd speak directly to the person who said it, and told them how it made you feel first. if that didn't stop it, then you can go upstream.

i now lots of females in this business who say all sorts of things. none of it really bothers me, as i'm vastly more concerned on whether i can count on a person for help when i really need it. without teamwork, you're sunk.

as a male, the standards are more stringent. you absolutely better watch your mouth, else you'll end up explaining an indefensible comment to management.

Ummmm ... I'm not quite sure what this all means but, as a nurse, by what standard would you stand up for what's right even if you have to 'rock the boat'? I don't give a rat's fat behind how new someone is to the situation, these comments are reprehensible! And if I was a patient and I overheard a male nurse referring to my wife as a whore he would very quickly turn into a patient himself! Say something before someone gets hurt over some assenine comment like this. Forget about 'rocking the boat', I think you need to capsize it! Good luck ... by the way, it sounds like you did the right thing ... good for you, keep on looking out for the patient! Yay!