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Lying coworker

I work in healthcare. Their are two RN’s that gives me a hard time every time I work with them. The first RN speaks to me with a rude tone. She don’t ask me, but she tells me, and if I can’t do right than she tells on me. She recently lied to my boss about me not wanting to help her with a patient. A couple of months ago I was written up because she said I was rude to her and gave her a dirty look. I was rude to her and I did gave her a dirty look because she was rude with another coworker.

Another RN, she is so needy she can’t even find a dam marker. She’s also a phony. This RN will say all sweet things to you just to get whatever she wants. She is so disorganized and looses everything, she can barely operate the computer and other essential equipment. When things don’t go her way she tells everyone I gave her a hard time and sneaks behind my back and tell the Charge Nurse and I get into trouble.

The manager had me waiting for weeks until she decided to write me up. All my hours has been taken away from me. I try my best to stay out their way and say very little to them. What should I do?
-April

Hi April.

I can’t help feeling that you might be bringing some of this on yourself. If there needs to be a change, it has to begin with you.

First, decide on the kind of RN you want to be. Do you want to be professional, supportive of the other nurses and visa versa, and be considered a hard worker…or do you want to get caught up in the dysfunction going on around you, stressed out, angry, and be the scapegoat for the other RNs? I’m hoping it is the first option, not the second. Right now, however, it appears like you are living the second option.

Be the bigger person. Decide what being professional really means to you and then be that person regardless of what is going on around you. The easiest way to change others is to change yourself first. People pick up your vibes, your judgments, and your emotions, just by being in your presence. You don’t even have to say anything.

Stop being rude. Stop playing the games. Let go of judging whether or not someone’s motives are sound or fake. This is not about “them.” This is about being the person you were meant to be. In other words, can you turn the other cheek? Can you ignore someone else being rude? Can you accept a compliment from someone you don’t like? Can you decide to stop letting other people dictate the kind of person you are in the moment?

April, it is time for you to step up. Define who you need to be in the workplace and stay the course. There will always be dysfunctional people in the workplace, but only you can decided to give them power or not. I say not!

-Dr. Mac

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 8th, 2009 at 10:36 am and is filed under Problem with a peer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Lying coworker

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