What would you do?

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Specializes in Clinic, formerly ED, ICU, PACU, ortho.

I work in a critical care unit that has 2-3 RNs at night. There is an employee, ancillary staff, who quit our area a few years ago. My dilemma is, she is on our unit at night 5-7 hours/night surfing the web, chatting, interfering with our business, generally not doing work. Lately the supervisor has expressed irritation with this situation. We do not know why she is on our unit, as she no longer works on our unit or does ANY work for us. We do not think her bosses are aware of what she is doing, or not doing. As charge RN, I feel responsible for who and what happens on our unit. I do not want to cause problems because this person, I believe has some serious issues with reality and is quite grandiose. P.S. she is really chummy with our NM in the a.m. and we do not know if the NM is aware that she is sitting on our unit for 80% of her shift and NOT working. We have unfortunately let this situation go for a long time, i.e. two years. Initally, the NM said she was not to be in our area after she took another ancillary job, but none or us reported it. Any suggestions?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geri, Ortho, Telemetry, Psych.

Sounds like the situation has gone on far too long. I'm not in your position, so I don't know how feasible it would be, but if I were the charge nurse, I would quietly say to her "Excuse me, I think you need to go back to your own station and work. You do not belong here and you to leave now. If you continue to come here to goof off I will have to take appropriate action by documenting what time you get here, what you do while you are here, and what time you leave. I will then make copies of this documentation and personally deliver it to upper management. I'm sorry to have to be the one that comes down on you, but your behavior is not appropriate." I hope that helps. Good luck.;)

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Specializes in cardiac med-surg.

how utterly strange ??????

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Specializes in Neuro, Critical Care.

So what exactly is this person on your unit for?? If she has no purpose there then she has no purpose there. What is her job??? Arent they missing her there?

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Specializes in Diabetes ED, (CDE), CCU, Pulmonary/HIV.

Do you know if she is still employed by your hospital? When I worked CCU, our charge nurses would not let anyone who didn't have a reason to be there hang around. As you said, it's distracting. Is she there when the day shift is giving report, or does she come in later--in other words, does the nurse manager know what's going on?

If you are the night charge, you should just tell her that having her "visit" for so long is distracting and gets in the way of pt care. Then just tell her to leave.

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How come the unit she is supposed to be working on hasn't realized she's missing?? Time to tell her the she needs to go "home" and that extended visits will no longer be tolerated. Doesn't matter how chummy she is with the NM, she's interfering with the flow of the unit. If that doesn't work start writing her up. Make sure you document just what she does there and how she interferes with the unit work.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.

(im in the OR) We had a nurse extern do that once her externship was over in the OR. She would just come by the lounge, grab some coffee, sometimes with a friend or two. Get on the computer and if she had time, watch some tv!!! She was told (by the educator and NM) after she did this for maybe 3 weeks that if she continued this behavior it would be reported to her school and she security would be called!! Kinda serious i think, but she was super annoying!!!

No one is supposed to be in any unit here unless they have a purpose to being there....What does she do?

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma.

If you don't feel comfortable saying something to this person, can you talk to the supervisor/manager of the unit she does work for? I'm guessing that a call every shift..."are you aware that so-and-so is lounging around our unit?"..would probably force some action on their part.

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Specializes in MS, Hospice, LTC.

I think her behavior is a little strange. I find it hard to believe that she works in the facility if she can leave her unit for 5-7hrs during her shift. Shouldn't she have been paged overhead or something? I would be irritated by her behavior too. I think I would page the nursing supervisor next she comes back, and let them know what's going on. This is just bizzare.

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Specializes in ICU;CCU;Telemetry;L&D;Hospice;ER/Trauma;.

This reminds me of the neighbor that won't go home....or the relatives that cannot find their way to the door....ugh.

I am wondering why, since you are staff nursing, why YOU should be the one to speak up......after all, aren't there supervisors who are SUPPOSED TO BE THE ONES TO SUPERVISE.....seems to me, this really isn't your job to police other people.....your job is to just be in charge of the unit....not the personnel....

I wouldn't confront her directly....I think that is tooooo politically charged and could easily backfire on you...

I think you should take documentation to your director, or her director, and state your concerns.....you might include a copy to the HR director...(insurance that the other two directors will take action).

You are not in charge of hiring, firing, or discipline....so I wouldn't take this on myself, if I were you....

This will be looked upon by her as an attack....and since she's so chummy with the NM, it may come back on you somehow...

Instead, incorporate the help of your co-workers to sign the documentation with you....times, dates, places, and what went on....then put it in the supervior's lap....

Also, isn't there a night supervisor for the whole place??? Why isn't that person aware of people not being at their stations when they should be???

Perhaps, this supervisor needs to supervise!

If she is endangering patients, and is an RN, you can file a complaint outside the realm of the hospital anony. with the BON.....although, you may not need to go there if your supervisory staff will get up off their duffs and do their job....

I am sorry this is in your lap....but it really isn't....it's in theirs....

Make a complaint, and force them to deal with it....

That's what they are paid to do.

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Specializes in Med/Surg < 1yr.

One week is not cool. One month is bad and one year is just sheer insanity. How can you or anybody else let her get away with that crap for more than a week????? I have never, ever worked anywhere where you can be away for more than an hour and not be missed! It sounds like she doesn't work there anymore. She must know that she can intimidate you all into not even looking into her background for her to be gutzy enough to be on your unit for 5-7 hours a night. You better get some guts and get her off your unit. You have a job to do and so does everyone else. If she wants to b.s. around then let her do it on someone else's unit. It sounds like you don't want to make trouble so I would just go talk to whoever her supervisor is and let them know what the deal is because that is just.....I don't even know what that is it's so crazy!!! Two years.......umph, umph,umph........

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Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.

Surely the computers are monitored and someone knows where she logs on and when and what she is doing while online.

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