At my LTC facility, the 3-11 supervisor and the 11-7 supervisor (me) share an office. Since it is not used during the day, our wound care nurses, whose office is on the other end of the building, have been allowed to use our office to work out of while they are on this end of the building. I understand this, as their charts and supplies are cumbersome to run back and forth so far.
Anyhoo, the problem started about six months ago. I noticed that office supplies, such as notepads, legal pads, etc were going missing out of my desk. I didn't think much of it, but it was annoying when I needed to leave a note for someone and my notepad would be gone. So when I was at Walmart, I bought a 4-pack of thick, neon-colored supersticky post-its that were about 4 inches wide and 6 inches long and lined. I figured these would be perfect for leaving notes attached to papers, etc... even better than my facility notepads since I wouldn't have to attach them with paperclips. So I put them in my drawer and started using them, first using them to post some numbers and stuff on the wall over my desk.
Well, that next week they were gone out of my drawer. I hunted everywhere, even at home thinking maybe in a senior moment I had stuck them in my bag and carried them home. No luck. A few days later, one of the wound care nurses had left some charts on the desk they used, and on the front of one was a note written on one of my stickies! :angryfire I never go through anyone else's desk, but I opened their desk drawers and in the bottom drawer hidden under a stack of blank records, were all four of my sticky pads. I took them back and used one to leave them a note saying I bought these with my own money and to please not take them. They left a brief note back saying "sorry- thought you'd gotten them from office suppies." Now, they knew the office doesn't supply stuff like that, and even if it did that doesn't give them the right to go into my drawer and take them!!! But I tried to be civil.
Here's the straw that broke the camel's back. Since the weekend night supervisors use the office too, I figured it would be good for us to have a bulletin board to communicate with eachother. Next time I was in Walmart, I found a perfect cloth-faced bulletin board with an unusual shape, very pretty. I also bought some gorgeous thumbtacks that looked like round balls of clear amber. It came with a mounting kit, and I borrowed a hammer from maintenance and my husband carefully hung it in the office. I tacked up an inspirational saying and a little cartoon. Two days later, when I came to work at 11pm, the board was GONE. The cartoon and saying were left in the middle of my desk. The 3-11 supervisor knew nothing about it, even the nails had been removed from the wall. I know where the actual wound care office is, and I knew noone would be there that time of night. A maintenance worker was still in the facility stripping the floors, and I borrowed his key to open the wound care office. THERE, HANGING OVER THE WOUND CARE NURSES' DESK WAS MY BULLETIN BOARD! My beautiful amber pins were now holding up their schedule! I was livid, I took it down, took the nails out of their wall and brought it back to my office. That morning I called my DON and told her the whole story, and she was majorly ticked off at them since being able to use my office was basically a courtesy to them. She spoke with them, and their excuse was that they had been asking the supply clerk to get them a bulletin board and when they saw that one in my office they thought it had been left in there by mistake and that it was supposed to be theirs.
Well, to me this is STEALING. They knew darn well that was not theirs to take. My DON didn't buy it either, and now they are no longer allowed to work out of this office, they have a cart to carry all the stuff back and forth to their office in the back. I say good riddance. Apparently they are mad at me and spreading crap about me being a brat. What do you guys think? Did I overreact?
you handled it better than me ... Call me over protective, but the first time anything went missing off my desk I would have went around punching people in the neck until I got my stuff back.
Seriously though, the last time I had people surfing my drawers taking my favorite types of pens and pads, I left a note in my drawer that said, "If you can read this then you're probably trying to steal my stuff and you're on video."
That put a stop to it ...
LMAO at "punching people in the neck"....That was HILARIOUS!!
I don't think it makes me look petty at all. They stole things that I paid for myself, including a $34 bulletin board with $12 tacks which they took right off of my wall and put up in their office! To me that is NOT petty. Petty thievery, perhaps! :trout:
That was not petty at all. I am a supply freak and I would be real ticked if someone took my favorite pens and stickies! Good for you! The next time you run into them make sure you start putting your stuff in your pockets really fast, like you think you are about to be mugged...that's petty, but really funny:lol2:
I most defiently consider it stealing and a complete disregard of boundries. Even if the "facility" supplied the post it's, it was in your desk which is invading someone's space and stealing. They are adults and can order items without taking them.
Taking the board off the wall is downright rude! They deserve more than not to use the office! They should have been repramanded (sp?).
That was not petty at all. I am a supply freak and I would be real ticked if someone took my favorite pens and stickies! Good for you! The next time you run into them make sure you start putting your stuff in your pockets really fast, like you think you are about to be mugged...that's petty, but really funny:lol2:
Great idea! Too bad I don't work the same shifts as they do. They work from about 8-4, and I am gone by 7:15. But it I happen to stay late and run into them in the hallway, I might just do that! Hold my purse close to me, stare directly at them and turn to keep facing them at all times as they walk past... I can see it now... heeheehee
....I left a note in my drawer that said, "If you can read this then you're probably trying to steal my stuff and you're on video."
This is hilarious! :cheers: I may just use it at home, at work, in my car.....where not only co-workers can walk off with things, but so do my kids and husband. But that's another story.
Well, to me this is STEALING. They knew darn well that was not theirs to take. My DON didn't buy it either, and now they are no longer allowed to work out of this office, they have a cart to carry all the stuff back and forth to their office in the back. I say good riddance. Apparently they are mad at me and spreading crap about me being a brat. What do you guys think? Did I overreact
Heck no you didn't overreact! They actually had the nerve to take YOUR stuff off and take it off your wall? That is such strange odd behavior.
Good for you for sticking up for yourself and taking all your stuff back. Can you do a "formal" write up of this too, so it's in their work history?
That's horrid... what would she have done next? Taken your photos out of the frames on your desk and replaced them with hers? You did the right thing, and honestly, if she can't be trusted with access to post-its and such, what else is she taking? It boggles the mind.....
Hugs,
Christina
LMAO...:chuckle
I know a few people who take advantage of other people's kindness..now they ruined it for the rest who may have not been stealing.
Too bad I don't work the same shifts as they do. They work from about 8-4, and I am gone by 7:15. But it I happen to stay late and run into them in the hallway, I might just do that! Hold my purse close to me, stare directly at them and turn to keep facing them at all times as they walk past... I can see it now... heeheehee
It boggles the mind.....
oldornurse99
16 Posts
I think you handled it nicely. It should have never happened. At least you had management to back you up.