What a blow to my ego

Nursing Students General Students

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I am currently doing my clinical practicum on a very busy ICU unit. I feel like I'm doing very well given that there is SO MUCH to know and SO LITTLE room for error. My preceptor has given me lots of positive feedback about things I do well and I ask every what I need to improve on (as well as working with other nurses), and I find that this has helped me learn a great deal.

HOWEVER.

Every night I give report to the oncoming nurse. My preceptor has named my report-giving skills and communication with the team as one of my strengths. However, this one particular nurse is just plain ******* to me when I'm trying to give her information. She walks up to me and says "I hate getting report from student nurses," then proceeds to interrupt me and correct me in a very rude fashion the whole time I'm giving report. Obviously, being ridiculed like this makes me flustered and less articulate, which probably confirms her beliefs that I am an idiot.

I have given report to this woman numerous times. Last time, I asked her if I needed to organize my report differently to suit her system (as she would now be taking the patient for 12 hours). She looked at me from like I was from outer space, sighed heavily, and told me "just ******* get on with it."

I don't know what to do. As a student, I don't feel like I have the weight to throw around to ask her to stop treating me so poorly. At the same time, my preceptor, who does have the weight, won't intervene and tells me "that's just how she is."

How do you deal with this sort of TERRIBLE workplace behavior?

It is not because you are a student. I am an experienced ICU nurse and very competent. Frequently, when attempting to give report to a night RN, I encounter the very same attitudes. I let them know that I am going to give them an appropriate, concise report because it is my duty to do so. Their response to it is NOT my responsibility. However, refusing to accespt report, which is what the nurse you described is doing, constitutes an unsafe practice as well as workplace violence and should be reported to her superiors.

........./wave

"I hate getting report from student nurses,"

"just ******* get on with it."

I'd have promptly documented those words, and would have reported her to her supervisor. First, it's part of her job to work with you. Second, curse words, and anything F-bomb, are NEVER appropriate in the workplace. If I could, I'd record her, and document all inappropriate behavoir. I think this falls under "creating hostile workplace" and that is a serious violation.

Specializes in Tele, Med/Surg, Case Mgmt, Ins. Rev.

I want to applaud the "stare" technique. I have used it myself for most of my career. It is useful not only with obnoxious fellow nurses, but with rude physicians, patient family members, etc. Now I don't recommend the Jack Nicholson from The Shining "stare" but rather the I am waiting patiently for you to finish being rude so that I may continue "stare".

You may want to add a comment at the end of your "stare" such as "if you are done, I will continue" but be sure to know your audience well.

Good luck, and I apologize in advance for the rude and obnoxious nurses and physicians you will encounter during your nursing career. The interactions with their kind will be tempered by all of the kind, compassionate and eager to teach colleagues you will meet.

I want to applaud the "stare" technique. I have used it myself for most of my career. It is useful not only with obnoxious fellow nurses, but with rude physicians, patient family members, etc. Now I don't recommend the Jack Nicholson from The Shining "stare" but rather the I am waiting patiently for you to finish being rude so that I may continue "stare".

The best way I ever heard "the stare" defined was "mommy eyes". That was from a guy I used to work with back when I used to work in food service. Apparently he would get it from myself and another girl quite often when he was being inappropriate/running his mouth when he shouldn't.....and we didn't even realize we would do it. "Mommy eyes"....as in the stare your mother would give you as a kid doing something you shouldn't....that she didn't even have to say a word to go with it to get the point across.

:yeah: but great for you for handling the situation so well. That your preceptor took note of how profesionally and well you handled everything will only be good for you, no matter how frustrating the situation was while you were in it. You will always need people that can give recomendations for you and speek highly of you and there is nothing better then someone that can honestly say you handled a very difficult stressful situation very well and professionally. Would be willing to bet that as long as your actul nursing skills are up to par (which I'm sure they are) then your preceptor would be more then happy to give a very good reference for you when it comes time for you to be looking for a job.

The best way to avoid her interruptions during report is to tape record your change of shift report and hand her the recorder then tell her this is so your presence won't be so annoying to her. Then walk away with a smile because the reality is you won't have to deal with her rudeness!

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