No matter where you work, there are always difficult people to deal with. This is also true in nursing. Difficult nurses can be stressed, moody, and/or just not helpful. From the time they walk in the door and get their assignment, they are usually the first to complain about how difficult their assignment is, even before they’ve received a report.
The type of nurse I find most challenging to deal with are the ones who are very lazy. If a call light is going off, they won’t answer it even if it is one of their own patients. Sometimes they need to be told that their patient is calling before they’ll go to the patient’s room. If you ask that nurse to help with changing a patient’s bed, they will most likely be reluctant to go. They’ll say something like, “Ah, is there anyone else that can go?”Although I advocate for these types of nurses, they should look for a different profession. I do understand that sometimes the years of nursing take a toll on the mental and emotional state. It may be time for you to do something that will make you happy.
Another type of nurse that I find it difficult to give a report to is the nurses who want to know everything about the patient – from the day the patient was born, to the schools they attended, to how many kids or marriages they had, etc. Not literally, of course, but they want to know all the details that are not important to their care. This makes giving reports to these nurses very difficult. For these nurses, you must arrive early to ensure they have enough time to answer your questions. Not every nurse will have the answers to all your questions. Some may not even have answers to your most basic questions. It also helps to remember that we are all human. No one has all the answers to all the questions all of the time.
Then there are nurses who can have the same patient for two days, but on the third day of receiving the very same patient again, they still want a full, head-to-toe report. It’s as if they’re meeting the patients for the first time. Even so, reports from this type of nurse somehow still give little to no updated information on the patient. If you find yourself in this situation often, a good strategy is to try to reuse papers from your last shift. Store the report sheets in your locker at work. Write down information while getting the report so giving the report later is easier.
Next is the nurse who is always looking for new jobs while at work. This nurse may have been working at this job for 15-20 years (or more) and never left. They never really advanced their degree, or did advance their degree but decided not to use it. Their thought process is, “As soon as little Johnny finishes high school, I’m going to retire. Or , they might say they’re going to retire as soon as they pay off their mortgage or car payment. Unfortunately, these are nurses who truly are tired of working as a nurse but MUST work because they are unable to keep up with their bills. I would advise such nurses to take the leap at a new job, one they may actually like. If not, try another job. Don’t be afraid to take a new job.
Another difficult nurse to work with is the kind who gets easily stressed in any situation. The patient could just be asking to go to the bathroom and the nurse will get very upset. Any addition to their workload causes a meltdown. When they’re told they’re getting a new patient, they have a temper tantrum. Sometimes they slam doors, violently mix medications, or become increasingly agitated with each task they do. If I were asked, I would advise such a nurse to see a therapist to unload some of their obvious stress and anxiety, attend anger management classes, or look for stress-reducing techniques such as meditation or stress balls.
Tip: The best tip I can give was written by Victoria Osteen: “In life, we will always encounter difficult people. Don’t allow them to frustrate you or steal your joy”. Be patient with these types of people, although it can be challenging to deal with them. The goal is always to thrive together.
