Ok, This is a question of if you think I did the right thing, as well as a general Vent. I will be meeting with my boss to discuss it Friday, but need some feedback first. Here's what happened:
Yesterday (Tuesday) I was in charge of my unit, I work in the Cardiac Intervention Unit, basically, where the cath lab patients who have had interventions go, we pull their sheaths, observe them overnight, and d/c them the next day. We can be "pulled" to tele, CCU, SICU, MICU, or NeuroICU, but not med/surg. When I arrived yesterday morning, we had 3 RNs scheduled, and our census of 5 pt's (It was a holiday) only required 2 RNs, so 1 was being pulled to tele. We have a pull book, where we record each time we go somewhere, and according to the book, it was "Paula's" turn to be pulled. I made the assignments, and "Sarah" and I started report on our patients. Our shift starts at 7:00am, and Paula walked in at 7:05. I informed her that she was being pulled to tele, and she began argueing with me that it was not her turn. I proceeded to show her the pull book, but she states that it is incorrect, that she has been pulled since then, and it is not recorded (BTW, it is our responsibility to write our pull in this book). I stated that Sarah is already in the middle of report, that I made assignments based on the pull book, which was accurate to the best of my knowledge, and that since Paula was late, She would have to be pulled. At this point, Paula stated that she forgot to clock in, and proceeded to walk away to go to the time clock and swipe her badge. (not too far away, but down the hall and around the corner.) Sarah continued report, finished, and the night shift was walking away when Paula returned. She proceeded to say that it was NOT her turn, sat down at the computer, and started trying to look up her last pull, based on her computerized time card. Again, I told her that according to the pull book, it was her turn, I made assignments, now Sarah and I were both finished with report, the night shift was gone, and she could not expect Sarah to give her report on the patients, then go to tele and begin report on those patients, now that it was 7:15, making Sarah late in starting her day. Paula continued arguing, and saying that she knew she was pulled on a certain Friday afternoon, explained the circumstances, and I admitted that I did remember that day, but not the exact date, but at this point, it didn't matter, because report was over, Paula was late, and had to be pulled. She then stated it was our bosses fault, that she said she would write Paula in the pull book. I said that I am sorry, but I don't know what else to do. Finally, Paula stormed off, then came back a couple of minutes later, saying that it was 2 Fridays ago (I think this is the 12th of Feb) that her pull was. I just reiterated that she had to go, it was too late to change it now, but had she been on time, we could have changed assignments before report was completed (this was about 7:20-7:25 at this time) and Sarah was already starting her rounds. Paula Stormed off again, practically yelling that she wouldn't be doing any favors for us anymore. . .so don't ask. (it wasn't really loud yelling, but a nurse from the unit around the corner could hear it, because she asked me about it later).
Anyway, this kind of ruined my day, as I am a people pleaser, and don't like making people mad at me. Do you think I did the right thing? Should I have done something differently? I wrote a letter to my boss stateing all the facts, and Sarah looked over it and agreed that it happened that way, but I won't see my boss until Friday, so I'm kind of worried about it until then. If you have read this much, thanks.
(Part of the problem, I think, is that I am younger than Paula. I'm 30 , have been a nurse for nearly 9 years, but look way younger. Paula is in her late 40s, and has been a nurse for ever)
ANyway, thanks for reading.
