[sackett2622]

Hi everyone. I would like your opinion regarding an issue I am having at work. I work in a very small private hospital, in a 5 bed ED. We typically see an average of 50 patients in a 24 hr period, so we are fairly busy. Most of what we see are non-E.D. patients, with sore throats, colds for 2 weeks, lots of medicaid frequent flyers. We also get to see lots of MI's, hypothermia victims, broken bones etc. I have worked there about 5 years and have been a nurse for 23 years. I love the work, but it is my first time to work in the ED, so I am learning lots of neat stuff. The problem I am having is the Nurses I work with. They make horribly rude comments to the Patients, especially the medicaid Patients. They act as though we are doing them a huge favor by even triaging them! I have NEVER encountered this in the 23 years I have been in nursing. They are so jaded towards the Patients, that they will sit at the desk and openly laugh at them, make comments about how "dirty" they are and this one stinks and that one is "fat, must be getting a lot of food stamps", etc. Please know that I too get frustrated with Patients who are young and healthy, do not work, have a cell phone and a beeper, get Medicaid, then turn around and tell me they can't pay for their antibiotic prescription. Yes, very frustrated . But is it our place as nurses to be the judge and jury on these folks? Also, problem number two, is that the Nurse I work with regularly, has been there 15 years. She acts as though she knows everything from who ordered the roast beef at lunch to the nervous system of the gnat. EVERY time a Patient is triaged and tests are run and the Physician gives a diagnosis, she'll say "Oh, yes I knew that's what he has, I already knew that", over and over to the Physician and me. She also works at a Doctors office, who also works in the ED, and when they work the same shift with me, she is like a cat, rubbing all over him and vice versa. (They are both married to other people). All day long for 12 long hours, it is a "feel-fest" with constant sexual remarks, innuendo, etc. She sits on the chair with a bath blanket around her and her eyes half shut all day, while he orders things to be done for patients and then tells ME to do them, never her. He tells everyone "don't ever mess with her, or you'll be out of a job", as she sits and smiles and lays against him. She makes bad calls frequently, regarding Patients, and refuses to do anything at all if she doesn't feel like working that day. There is no recourse, no hope of talking to anyone, the management team where I work is non-existent, I have personally not seen my manager for 8 months, no meetings, no memo's, no educational opportunities. My annual evaluation was due in June of 2006 and I still have never gotten it yet, even though I have been to the D.O.N. 3 times regarding this. I love my job, but am growing very frustrated with all the politics. I am half of the ED staff on my shift, as they staff 2 RN's and the Physician in ED for the 12 hour weekends. That is it. So if you work with someone like her, you do 100% of the work for 12 solid hours. Any suggestion or ideas? How do you effectively deal with a know it all and very lazy, yet protected co -worker?

[cougarnurse]

I am sure there will be members who say get out while you can, as it is your license. If there is some way you can get any proof of this 'just in case', you'd cover yourself. Have you looked into a different ER, or are you far away?

'Cat'
PS......I have a co-worker who has a mouth that never stops. THAT can be interesting. Learn stuff I don't really wanna know...

[NavyJim58]

been in situations in the ER close to the one you described. Have a situation here where a female nurse is having a relationship with a doctor and no one can touch her. Not in the ER. Never had a situation where I had no manager though. If the DON is no help then you either have to put up with it or move on. In situations like have described its never one sided. There are always two sides to every story. You don't want to be seen as a complainer.

As far as nurses bad mouthing the patients......yes, I have seen that a lot in the ER and it makes me uncomfortable. It seems to be hard for some people to just be professional and do their job without making it personal. Good Luck :39:

[bfeRN]

compliance hot-line........and then watch heads roll. Have all your ducks in a row and call the line. Be prepared for the results.