Right now I'm having an issue with the night shift LPN. She is always crabby when she comes in and criticizes almost everything I do or say to her. Supposedly she has a bad home life, but she shouldn't take it out on me. Sunday evening when I worked, I was really busy...and when she came in, she jumped my case about all the changeover paperwork not being done. Every other facility I've ever worked in, this was night shift's job. I apologized to her and offered to stay over and help her with changeover. Her response? "I don't need your help; the only thing I need you to do is stay the hell out of my way!"
I'm seriously considering filing a grievance against her. I asked my preceptor yesterday when I happened to see her which shift is supposed to do changeover and she said nights. So this night shift nurse is really chapping my hide!!!
I'm sure I'll think of other pet peeves too....what are some of yours?
ahh, and I forgot to add....criticize us CONSTANTLY, then say things like "must be NICE to make NURSE MONEY"...... When I was an aide, I would not have DARED to speak to a nurse that way. Yes, I would've liked to make "NURSE MONEY" also, the difference is, I kept my mouth SHUT, kept working and realized they earned those bucks, and that instead of being jealous and bitter, I had to take the steps to make that "NURSE MONEY"
Oh, I just remembered one that I haven't seen on this thread----anyone else have coworkers who roll their eyes and/or criticize nurses who use CORRECT anatomical terms???? Oh wow, the time people waste to criticize others AMAZES me! I have NEVER seen so much negativity in any nursing jobs I've had until this one!!!!
God Forbid we write "medial aspect" or "vastus lateralis", etc.....then other nurses think those of us who write that are being too "fancy", trying too hard to sound " so educated" WHATEVER!!! I have ALWAYS said and written vastus lateralis" because it's very CLEAR and can't be misinterpreted as another part of the THIGH......I saw "BUTT" written on the chart (order for Calmo) and TAR by a nurse the other day--sorry, to me, that just does NOT sound professional......
Thoughts ofcthe top of my head. Not enough staff. If you end up in hospital or on workman comp. Written up. Supplies. Never enough. Try first night of admit pt pulls out trach. Nope. No back up at bedside. Much less building. Almost busted a pen apart till paramedics arrived. Shift to shift fights. Every shift has a unique challenge. Personality differences. Management threats but act like they never made a mistake. Fights be different levels. Asked to work off clock. Can you say hippa? Sign a piece of paper. While at med pass. Yep that was an inservice and we will hold you to it in 2 years. Family and pts thinks it a Hilton. Though that would be cheaper. Sicker pts. Less staff. Less pay than other areaa of nursing but told be glad you have a job. Yep I am a sucker cause I love most of patienrs and co-workers. Walmart strating to look really good. Highlighter and stickers..........
Wait. More coming in. Sock slipper gone missing. Family has not visited in months and swmand a search of building. You scram help cause some is that close to a code and everyone disappears cause it is heavy med pass time. Admit bipolar schizo or severe mood but we don't force meds. Despite familt and md says pt is not with it. You are npt allowed to make errors or say I did my part wrong but look at whole picture. To cheap to pay for equipment to keep staff safe
Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
My biggest pet peeve right now (after Omnicare issues ) is having to invite a co-worker of mine to join the party on the other side of the desk...She is truly a lazy thing.We just recently lost a bunch of staff and have a large group in orientation but it's rough.The other morning I had 3 cna's looking over the desk at me at 7am for 36 residents on a dementia unit.We don't have high acuity right now-med pass and tx's are a breeze but we have lot of behavioral issues.SO-put ypu phone away,get off of the computer and help pass the trays and feed.This is the type of co-worker who farts around all morning and is rushing to document notes at 2:00pm.We have an EMR-it's so easy to assess and write your progress notes as you are passing meds.Our styles really clash-I'm the type who hits the ground running,I have to get as much of the routine stuff out of the way as possible because you never know what horror will befall you....I drive her crazy.
(1)Whiny nurses... aides and management. You work in LTC, you can't expect things to be perfect. Everyone is busy, everyone is stressed. Things get missed. You don't have to throw a fit about every little thing.
... on that note, let me complain about a few things.
(2)Too many things to do, too little time. Management that doesn't seem to realize that what's expected is impossible. Feeling like you have too much to do, to really be a good nurse.
(3) Medical Transportation Companies: Awful, Awful ... They don't show up half of the time, when you call and ask why the haven't showed up their answer is, "well, he/she's transport was canceled because we don't have such and such paperwork." A. I've faxed that paperwork over about 80 times. B. If you don't have it, you can't take the two minutes it would take to call the facility and tell us you don't have it? If they happen to show up, they leave before you can get the resident from his/her room to the front door. You are a MEDICAL transportation company your taking people to MEDICAL appointments, they are important. You can wait 5 minutes.
(3)Lack of training, Lack of Communication ... we're out of supply (A) nobody knows how where/how to get supply (A.) Looking for protocol ... 5 different people will give you 5 different answers. Somebody telling you "why didn't you fill out this? do that? what is your problem? ..." Well I would have, only I've been working here a year and a half and nobody bothered to tell me what this or that is or that it had to be done.
(4) Aides that say "that isn't my patient." I don't care, the call light is on ... they need help. Go help.
(5) After running around all day sitting down to find out that the CNA that was suppose to get vitals didn't, you're missing shower sheets or paperwork. The person the aides were suppose to lay down is still passed out in their wheelchair in front of the nurses station.
(6) Nurses that are nasty to each other. We're all in the same boat. We all have things to learn, we all make mistakes.
(7) Hearing Aides: They're always lost, always broken. I don't have time to look for them, I don't know how to fix them ... families get mad because they're lost, broken and expensive. Which is understandable. But honestly hearing aides are at the bottom of priority list.
(8) Family's that don't seem to understand, that people get old, they decline ... the loose their memory ... they get dementia ... they stop eating... they loose weight. "But I don't understand why this is happening or what caused this what wrong with them?" There is not always an answer.
(9) Physician's having a message machine or answering service for their EMERGENCY contact number. I am calling the EMERGENCY line because it is an EMERGENCY. Calling back 4 hours later is not going to help me. 911 it is.
Don't sweat the small stuff. Enjoy your resident's, they are great people and can make a lousy day good. Remember they are why you are there and probably/hopefully why you got into nursing in the first place.
1. Babysitting (some) cna's. You are here to do your job. Do it. Without me making sure you do it.
2. Families calling and complaining because mom or dad or grandpa sleeps in his living room chair/sleeps in his clothes (i work in an alf) refuses a bath, etc. they refused!! Repeatedly!! Do you want me to wrestle your mom down and shower her??
3. Old, fragile, alzheimer's patients that are full codes.
And the LNA who asks if so and so got their prn benadryl, so she wont be yelling all night...
say What? the order is written for PRN HS agitation...so NOOOOOO I am not going to premedicate her so you do not have to listen to her (can you say chemical restraint).....The lady got a little chatty and I went in and toileted her....she was very quiet after that......
Among many, many other issues, my biggest pet peeve is coming on to a 2-10 shift to find the fax machine out of paper...AGAIN. So naturally it spits out 3618 labs that days should have at least started on when I fill it up. Grrr.
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So naturally it spits out 3618 labs that days should have at least started on when I fill it up. Grrr.
nervousnurse, ASN
291 Posts
ahh, and I forgot to add....criticize us CONSTANTLY, then say things like "must be NICE to make NURSE MONEY"......
When I was an aide, I would not have DARED to speak to a nurse that way. Yes, I would've liked to make "NURSE MONEY" also, the difference is, I kept my mouth SHUT, kept working and realized they earned those bucks, and that instead of being jealous and bitter, I had to take the steps to make that "NURSE MONEY" 