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Co-worker Frustrations

I work in a small town rural hospital. Night shifts. We have an acute care and ER areas. We staff with an RN on the acute care (with a CNA) and an RN in the ER (which is also the house supervisor). We also have pretty set schedules and work with basically the same people all the time. Lately, the nurse in ER seems to have it out for me and now has me questioning everything I do and whether or not I even want to continue nursing at all. I have been an RN in a rural hospital/nursing home setting for the past 16 years where as this nurse has only been an RN for 6. He has ICU and ER experience where I had a short stint in a Tele unit in a big hospital...and I hated it. He frequently makes comments about 'real' nursing and 'real' hospitals which he believes the one that we are employed at is not. I wish I know exactly how to word all of this frustration I have in the situation. I have been told by a reliable source now that this particular nurse is/may be going to our manager to complain about me. I do believe he has complained about me to her already and she probably is already tainted by him. What do I do? How do I deal? Please some advice.

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Permalink Reply by Renelle on August 7, 2011 at 5:42am

I have to say that after 3 1/2 months since I posted this dilemma things are better. Co-workers stood up for me and also spoke to my manager on my behalf. My manager and I have also spoke on this and was decided that if were to get bad again that something would have to be done. I believe in this time that I have helped him in enough trauma situations that I may have finally proven myself to him. Most nights he stays in his corner of the hospital and I in mine. :)

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Permalink Reply by RNrounds on August 12, 2011 at 10:03pm

Strong work... sorry to hear about your predicament but glad you came thru. I bet you are not alone.

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Permalink Reply by rnrounds7 on October 30, 2011 at 12:51pm

I wonder how he would feel if you approached him for help with his mentoring skills since he has such a great a background. I'm wondering if some of what he is expressing is in part frustration at the hospital system- not specifically You? If he feels that REAL nursing isn't being practiced there, how can you improve your nursing to achieve the standard he is wanting. Also, specifically, what standards ARE lacking, and what opportunities are there to move to a better patient outcome?

Also, arm yourself with continuing education programs, maybe discuss some of these with him. Take just one interesting patient situation and try to get his input on how the patient's course is being handled, what you can do to improve nursing for the patient that you can do.

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Permalink Reply by RNrounds on October 30, 2011 at 9:56pm

Great point rnrounds7 - mentorship is a big deal. We have to stick together if we want to do good for our patients. Unfortunately in healthcare, where team work and collegiality would help significantly, we don't get as much training and people who are as vigilant about these skills.

You make a good point.

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Permalink Reply by Joyce Harrell, RN, OCN on December 1, 2011 at 1:08pm

So maybe this other nurse is actually the one that is really miserable and is just projecting toward you. Can you step back and take yourself out of the situation just a moment and answer your own question? You mentioned you are questioning whether you even want to continue nursing. Step back and answer that one not thinking about the stress involved with this other individual.

And as you can really become secure in who you are, then can you get to the place that other people's opinion of you doesn't sway who you know you are?

Joyce Harrell, RN, OCN