Was I being a bully?

[Slipping CMA]

This MA I work with let's call her A does not talk to me at all because one day I had some urine labeled in the lab area that I told everyone I was holding onto because I had a question for the doctor. She tried to throw it out because it was in a Tupperware container, I recovered it and she got in huge trouble because the doctor that I had went to with a question is also the owner of three clinics one of which we work for. She got in trouble for trying to throw out that urine. I never told on her she opened her own big mouth after I got the answer to my question and went on to do my job she bark that the urine is contaminated because it was not collected in one of our containers. She turned around and outed herself to the doctor.

A few days ago I was told by management that MA A was going to relieve me at exactly 12:00, and I was to go home. Yahoo the 1st time I'd get to actually leave a little early instead of always staying late to cover for others. I saw MA A come in but I didn't know the time I was to busy to care so I told her you are to take over for me at 12:00. She sits down in front of a computer and doesn't say a word to me. I thought well it must not be 12:00 maybe she came in early. As I was rooming another patient I reminded her at 12:00 she is to take over, again not a word from her mouth.

I then room a child and the room I was in didn't have a pediatric cuff so I play the marching game into the pediatric side of our clinic where managements offices are also near. As I find an empty room to borrow I hear my boss come running to me yelling at me what are you still doing here. I tell her MA A is on the computer and hasn't taken over for me yet. It's then that I look at my watch and it's after 1:00.

My boss points in the room says finish the vitals and tell MA A to take over right now. I get the rest of my vitals we play the marching game back to the other room I get the patient and parent situated but this is a school physical the vision test still needs to be done and with the doctor I am working with all vaccines must be entered into the computer so it prints out she doesn't like hand written vaccine forms, I had looked over his recorders and we have the proof of all of his vaccines but not all of them are entered into the EMR correctly so that it will print out. Silly time consuming stuff

i turned to MA A and said you need to get up right now and take over. She gets up walks away from me and reminds me of the vision and vaccines. I tell her that our boss said for me to leave right now and for her to do it.

Should I have finished that patient? As I was leaving I saw her rooming another patient so I can only assume she never did the vision test, she'll get caught on the vaccines when the doctor goes to print it and not everything is there but then the patient suffers by having to wait for her to do her job. Should I have just stayed and finished that patient or am I being to much of a push over.

I dont care that she doesn't talk to me that's fine with me it means I don't have to worry about urine being thrown out. But we still have to work together, and we still have rules to follow.

[Clarifier S'il vous]

...I hear my boss come running to me yelling at me what are you still doing here. ... My boss points in the room says finish the vitals and tell MA A to take over right now. ... Should I have finished that patient?

No, you should have done exactly what your boss yelled at you to do. It's unfortunate that the patients and their families have to suffer because MA A is a total clotpole. That's on her, not you. If your boss issues specific orders, you must follow them, or you are in the wrong and you are the one who will be facing getting written up, suspended, or even terminated. Even if you don't mind MA A not speaking to you, it is still a detrimental situation that could end quite badly for you. It could affect your entire career.

To answer your other question, you are not the bully here. It is quite clear that MA A is. I don't care what her problem is, too bad if she doesn't like you. Too bad if you were involved in a situation that made her look bad. This isn't high school. Patient safety and the entire flow of the medical clinic rely on good communication and team work. MA A is creating a hostile work environment. She is the bully in this situation.

I would seriously recommend you speak to the doctor in charge of the clinics first. Let him know exactly what has transpired and give multiple detailed examples, such as the ones you have posted here. State that you are concerned for patient safety and the reputation of the clinic. If that doesn't grab his attention, let him know that MA A is creating a hostile work environment. If the doctor does not respond appropriately and handle this matter effectively, you need to take the whole thing to HR. They are aware that something like this can blow up into something much bigger and they will respond. If there is no HR or, for some reason, HR does not deal with this situation in a timely manner, I would advise you to get out there as soon as possible. Look out for your own best interests because no one else will.

[Slipping CMA]

Thanks, I felt like a bully just having to defend what my boss said and I thought maybe i was being a bully right back at her. I had to raise my voice because she was purposely walking away from me. Then seeing that she was ignoring those patients made me more upset.

I will have a talk with my boss and the owners about this situation. She is a very strange bird, she wants everyone to do everything just like her down to the very last detail almost OCD. I'm talking weird stuff like how you have your fingers on the computer when having to check boxes in the EMR. This is a very important detail to her and must be done like her.

[Clarifier S'il vous]

Oh, I totally get it. I work for someone like that in home care and it drives me up the wall constantly. For example, I will be just about to do something within my normal routine and she will tell me to do it, even when it is obvious I am just about to do it. It's definitely a control issue.

Do talk to your boss and the owners and see if anything can be done. Don't worry, again, you did not bully her, under any circumstances. She pushed you to the limit, which is exactly what she wanted to do.