Dealing with confrontation in nursing

[FluffyBear]

It seems that there is more being said about violence in the workplace in regards to nursing. This is a somewhat understandable trend considering the increasing stresses facing nurses and the health care system with shortages, budget cuts, staff cuts, and yet a continuously expanding role and expectations.
This violence is present at several different levels; nurse to nurse, patient to nurse, nurse to nursing student, and other health care professionals to nurse.
With increased awareness comes increased ability to deal with it through appropriate channels. I have faced a few situations as a student in the clinical setting that have lived up to the saying "nurses eat their young". But does the awareness and resources make a difference? What options are available to assist in making a workplace more tolerable? Any horror stories and how you dealt with them?

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry you are probably not gonna like what I have to say.. I am soooooooooooooooo tired of hearing nurses eat their young... I heard it in 1979 when I went to LPN school in NC FROM MY PROFESSORS and again in 1992 1993 1994 1995 and 1996...FROM MY PROFESSORS AGAIN....

I think they want to toughen up nurses but they prepetuate fear, anxiety, and hostilties that don't have to be there..

If you look for an attitude I bet you can find one whatever it might be...

Sorry I am getting down....

WR,,, three commas for Becca

I had easy deliveries .. I know I can't work in OB.. I'd stuff a sock in some mom yelling...I am biased...

Don't be biased.

[mercynurse]

Although I don't particularly like confrontation, I am very straight forward and up fornt.
However, I also am old and wise enought o realize that sometimes I need a cooling down period.

If a situation has made me very angry, I wait untill I have my temper and emotions under control. Then I directly approach the person who has created the situation. I find that works for me. We can then have a calm, rational discussion.

[Anonymous]

I personally like the chocolate cake trap.. I go to the cafe and buy lunch or whatever and get a big piece of chocolate cake... I go right up to the person who's been in my face and say.."Oh dear, I ate too much and I can't eat this cake. I thought of you and want you to enjoy it.."

These meanies can't handle nice..LOLLL

WR,,, three commas for Becca

[Aaron C.]

If someone confronts me, I usually tie them upside down and put little pieces of ice in their nostrils and let them melt.

You'd be surprised at how quickly they come around.

There might not be any place in the hospital where you can do this unless they are really short and then you can use a traction bar.

Otherwise, you might have to enlist a couple of your fellow coworkers and wait for them in the parking lot.

Loading them up in an SUV works best, but if not, just use a car with a big enough trunk. You'll also need a pillowcase to put over their head.

Make sure you also have plenty of supplies, as you may need to start IV access, and you'll definately need enema supplies, and a cath kit. A razor may also be helpful.

Now, you may or may not choose to use alchohol as a tool, but it can be helpful.

Take them to a dark secluded place, preferably a dirt road if you are in an area where one can be found. Oil pumps in sounding off in the background create a nice effect. Once you reach your destination have a chair available for them to sit in but do not remove the blindfold.

Be sure and have several large scary sounding men available to yell at the top of their lungs at the individual in order to scare the living crap out of them and let them know where they are lacking.

After about an hour or so of yelling at them, they may be loaded up into and taken back to the original location.

You shouldn't have any problems with confrontation from then on with this person, and you'd be surpised how much easier things will go for you at work.

Your patient load may suddenly become lighter. The offgoing nurse may no longer put things off for you to do, and offers of assistance will seem to pop up a bit more often.

If this tactic doesn't work, or you aren't comfortable using it, you may choose to simply communicate more openly with the person confronting you, OR, try giving them a piece of cake.

[Anonymous]

Aaron... I see you are taking advantage of having a nursing forum......HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM


I told a nephrologist that I used to work with surgeons so I have had my a** reamed by better docs than him...He was so silent you could hear a pin drop. I also like the one on Delphi... When a doc throws a tantrum just tell him you're gonna call his mother...LOLLLL

Not to make light of the issue though.. I have confronted right back and usually it's a question of standing your ground and letting the other person know you don't take sh** from someone...Damn scarey to do that but I have become friends with a couple of people doing that...Respect is a two way street.. When they find you won't tolerate it or crumble they'll back off...These people don't like strong people...They aren't why would they.

Another tactic is to look at them and imagine them in PJ's...Ratty PJ's and laugh at them...
Oh dear off on a tangent again...Aaron you are like a bad apple...JK>>>>

WR,,, three commas for Becca

[medi]

*LMAO*.... Aaron if I didn't know better I'd swear you live in Jersey & your last name's actually Soprano. Too funny all of you! Love it!

Workplace violence is a serious issue though...
Ya'll heard about the nurse put into a coma after being attacked by a patient right? She eventually died.. I don't remember specifics, but I think the patient was an elderly patient with dementia or something.. anybody remember that situation??

[BloodBankReconn]

Shortbus - I like how you think!

FluffyBear - This one day I was working with a nurse who was new to our hospital but hardly new to nursing.

She was in her late forties and it was her first week on the job. I'm twenty-six, graduated three years ago, and have been working in the same hospital since -- on the same medical floor. I'm very familiar with my work environment.

Anyway, this RN comes along on her first week at this hospital, and proceeds to "take control" of the floor! She was trying to delegate tasks to the LPNs who weren't on her team, and even to the other RNs, she decided who should go on break when and presented this to us at report, she ordered the unit clerk to rearrange the organization of the desk, because she said that it worked better the way it was organized at "her" hospital, she would telephone the physicians of patients who weren't hers and demand to change their meds, and even once reviewed my charting and told me that I hadn't done a good enough job! ALL IN HER FIRST WEEK!!!

Well, by the end of the week all of us who worked with her were astounded that she could come in and assume command like that. We decided that something had to be done about her.

I, being the brave, out-spoken one that I am, was nominated to do the initial one-on-one confrontation. So I approached her one morning and said I'd like to meet with her on coffee break to discuss something. So I broached the subject with her, and she was livid! She went on and on about how much experience she had and how I should pay close attention to her because SHE knew more about nursing than I possibly could (I will give her that she HAD more experience in nursing, but that didn't give her the right). She then threatened to report to the nurse manager that I had been treating her unfairly.

Well, that was a COMPLETE disaster. At that point, I knew that this could not be handled this way.

I reported back to my colleagues and together we approached the nurse manager (at our hospital, the nurse manager works medical, surgical, and obstetric floors, so she hadn't witnessed much of the situation). She was shocked that this was happening, and wondered why we didn't report it sooner! I suppose we should have.

Anyway, the nurse manager dealt with it. We hoped that would help, but come the next week and she was back at it again--stating she had to take control of the floor since nobody else was (untrue).

Well, we went through about three weeks all together of this rigamarole...and now she's looking for a new job.

My point - start with the person themselves, if that doesn't work, go to the next level up...and if that doesn't work, fire the b****!

[Aaron C.]

, wow, that lady sounds like she has issues other than with the unit. I really enjoyed reading the last part, it made me crack up!

Glad to have you on the forum.

[mercynurse]

WOW! What a story...I guess since you had some experience you were elected to tsalk to the "new nurse" I try to dael with things on a 1-1 basis...but I think in your situation it was way beyond that!! Good for your nurse manager for handeling the situation.

I was a new grad and had a preceptor as I was new to the particular facility (not my school) where I was working. My preceptor was a very knowledgable , experienced nurse....who had been known to make new grads run and hide or cry (I do mean that literally!!).
I had to perform a central line drsg change (OK I'm showing my age-this was before they had nice little disposable packs! You had t0o make a sterile field, open all pkgs, etc) She had to observe as she was signing me off for my check list. When we finished (and I had even used a 4x4 to hole the bottle of acetone-yes we did that to maintain sterility!!) she said, "well, you did OK but if you would have done ...you would have broken sterility." My response? Welll, I didn't do that, didn't break sterility, never have, and you can sign me off now!! She quit being such a B I Zitch- to me anyway!!