Working with the mentally ill...No, not patients, other RN's

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Specializes in Cath Lab, EP.

Perhaps it's because the ICU draws a *certain* type of personality (ie: An ADHD person's dreams-multiple flashing lights, alarms, people, tasks...its like XBOX 360 only far less enjoyable, or a type A/OCD person's heaven), or is it the environment that creates the psychopathology?? I'm not so sure :uhoh21:....

Either way, my question is: How do people deal with *difficult* personalities in the workplace? I would say overall everyone I work with is easy to get along with, but one or two nurses are really hard to predict. I don't know weather Suzie Q is having an "everyone walk on eggshells around me" day or "why isn't anyone talking to me?" day. I see my other teammates arguing over who has to hand off their patients to her, because no one wants to give her report...I'm wondering why we don't just tell her to stop being such a butt head:up:? And then another teammate Jane D is a little heavy on the drama queen, bringing her personal life issues into the workplace:down: and throwing little hissies over patient assignments she perceives to be unfair, or how unfair her schedule is, and so forth.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for people with eccentric personalities-it keeps things interesting. But its a little bit lame for everyone to have to decipher weather a certain employee is in their manic phase all the time. Why does everyone have to adjust their roll so as not to set one or two people off on a General Hospital drama fest? I believe certain issues have already been taken to management with little resolve. So I guess I'm looking for some behavior modification techniques other than me slipping mood stabilizers into Suzie and Jane's leftover spaghetti.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

If they are set in their ways it is very difficult to break the behavior. However I do agree with you about ICU being an ADHD person's heaven, in fact we had a discussion about this at work the other day lol

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I ignore them. If I upset them, too bad. Don't let them get to you. All nursing units have them.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Wow, I think we work together!

In our unit we have a Suzie Q also. She thinks that she is God's gift to nursing, she runs to the NM for EVERYTHING!, she complains about the assingment - and gets her way everytime, she criticizes everyone and intimidates me beyond belief. She is a know-it-all.

As far as how to deal with people like that...you're probably right, put them in their place and they'll stop - at least with you, unless you "embarrass" them in front of everyone. And I wish that I could stand up and follow this advice (I've been given it by one of our house supervisors regarding this specific person), but like I said, she intimidates me something awful - and I wish I could "grow a pair", because its not right how she treats everyone. And our NM bows down to her like the unit would fall apart if she were gone. (Rumors are: she's been banned from all of the hospitals around here.)

Good Luck!!!

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Specializes in Home Health, LTC, Hospital.
If they are set in their ways it is very difficult to break the behavior. However I do agree with you about ICU being an ADHD person's heaven, in fact we had a discussion about this at work the other day lol

Hi, am still a fairly new nurse. could you explain the "ICU being an ADHD person's heaven"? I'm not really familiar with ICU and am just not "gettin it" Thanks

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Hi, am still a fairly new nurse. could you explain the "ICU being an ADHD person's heaven"? I'm not really familiar with ICU and am just not "gettin it" Thanks

It's all about juggling 10 different things all at one time for your entire shift. One room you likely have serial labs, have to travel to CT, vent, swan ganz, a-line,dopamine, levophed, fentanyl, versed, tpn, MIVF, CVVH/CRRT/SLED who is circling the drain the entire day. Your other room could be a head with a ventric and bolt who needs to go to CT, is having ICP issues, you're pushing mannitol. you have q6h Na/Osmos with respective hypertonic saline titration/bolus. fentanyl, diprivan, insulin, tpn/tube feeds, intubated, and gets sent for an emergency crani.

See what the OP means?

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Specializes in Cath Lab, EP.

I've tried the whole "stand your ground" thing too. Oddly, Suzie Q's description of events was entirely different from mine. Something along the lines of "Jen blew up at me the other day..." and "I'm not sure if she's under a lot of stress"...she was totally unaware that she had done anything to elicit the response she got from me.

Bah, crazy people...

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Specializes in CVICU.

Yeah, I'm one of those ICU & AD/HD types :) I'm not usually a butt, though.

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Specializes in Cath Lab, EP.

I get PMS sometimes....

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

there are crazy people in every job. (there's a reason they call it "going postal"!) you just do the best you can to get along with them, and stand up to them if they try to roll right over you. that's the best you can do. you can't get anywhere trying to cure their mental illness!

i worked with a respiratory therapist one time who was literally scary. he'd mutter under his breath, make threats any time anyone disagreed with him and complain long and loudly about all the "stupid (word that means anal sphincter)s" he worked with. according to him, no one else knew anything about respiratory therapy, vent settings, abgs, etc. it got so bad that we females wouldn't walk out to our cars alone in case he was lying in wait as he'd threatened to on more than one occaision. one night as i was coming in to work, traffic was backed up for four miles because some idiot was standing on a bridge, threatening passing bicyclists and motorists. it was the rt. i never saw him again.

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Nurses who act like this think too much of themselves!!!!!!!! The world would be a better place without them!! Definitely the workplace would be. They lack self esteem and must build themselves up with this "pseudo" sense of self importance. Who cares what they know???????? They are a dime a dozen and should be fired. They are responsible for great nurses leaving the field because their drama just isn't worth it! A local hospital finally had enough of these diva's and let them all go! Now the hospital is a much better place to work. Nurse Managers - get rid of these jerks!:nurse:

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