I really need to keep my mouth shut!

natalie_ca

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
21,136
Purraise
223
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
A couple weeks ago one of the girls at work pointed out that we were working on New Year's Day and that we should bring "snacks." I figured, okay! Why not.

Well, last week I was grocery shopping and was going to pick up "snacks" but decided that I'm really, really sick of junk food, so I decided that I was going to make a pot of chili and take that.

I mentioned what I was bringing and then she decided that she would bring buns for the chili.

Well, on Sunday our mouthy nursing assistant suddenly turned tomorrow into a "pot luck" and was dictating what everyone should be bringing. She claims to be vegetarian, but she eats meat. She picks and chooses her days to be vegetarian and this week tomorrow happens to be one of those days
So she kept at me all day on Sunday that she was vegetarian and she can't eat chili and that I should be bringing something else. Then she got on another nurses case and told her that she was supposed to bring a veggie platter, and then she phoned the nurse who suggested the snacks and told her that she's not to bring buns and that she has to bring a salad.


I called the nurse back and told her to bring buns, and I told the nursing assistant that I was bringing chili and that if she didn't want to eat it, then to bring a vegetarian dish instead of dessert.

Anyway, I'm tired this evening and feel like kicking my feet up, watching a movie and then going to bed. But here I am making chili!! I should have just kept it to myself and then if I still felt like it, made it and taken it. Instead I opened my mouth and now I'm committed and have to sit up for 3 more hours for it to simmer and another 2 hours for it to cool enough to put into the fridge. So I'm not going to be able to go to bed before midnight and I have to be up at 5am :sad:
 

laureen227

Darksome Duo!
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 3, 2003
Messages
19,260
Purraise
387
Location
Denton TX
couldn't you make it in a slow cooker? that way, it could cook all night & you could go to bed!

i have many, many food issue - some relating to allergies, some to my gastric bypass surgery. it would never occur to me to TELL people what they could/couldn't bring to a potluck! i'll ask what's in things, to avoid problems, but that's it. i always make sure i have something on hand to eat in case there's nothing appropriate for me - i know i'm a special case, but i don't expect everyone else to cater to me!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

natalie_ca

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
21,136
Purraise
223
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Unfortunately my slow cooker isn't large enough, plus then I have to transport hot food to work.

I boiled it rapidly for an hour and now have it sitting on the stove, with the heat turned off. Hopefully it sitting in the fridge over night will help marry the flavours some more.

So far as that nursing assistant goes, she's really bossy. And lazy! I've been there since September and I've yet to get her help with anything! Her favourite line is "You go and set it up and I'll be right in." And then she never shows up! I'm not the only one who she does that too either. I asked one nurse a couple weeks ago what the secret is to getting the Nursing Assistant to help with "post op washes", first walks, etc. She said there is no secret and the nursing assistants on the ward are just lazy. However, none of the nurses speak up to the manager for fear of rocking the boat. Last week I mentioned it to the manager because I am fed up with doing the job of 2 people and never getting out of work on time or missing my breaks because I'm doing my job and the nursing assistants' jobs too.

On the bright side, I found out today that the day time nursing assistant (the mouthy/bossy one) had applied for a job on another ward and she found out today that she got the position. Her last day on the ward is sometime in the middle of January, 2009.
The other nurses I was working with today are equally happy that she's leaving.

The girl is a nursing assistant and acts like she's a nurse. She goes and talks to doctors and tells them what she feels the patient needs. For example an indwelling bladder catheter because she's too lazy to help the person out of bed to the bathroom. I've caught doctors writing orders for stuff like that based on what she told them. I quickly put a stop to those orders and explained to the doctor that the person doesn't need a catheter and is perfectly capable of walking to the bathroom with minimal assistance. Plus today I was about to reinsert an IV into a patient. She comes in and tells me "Do that later I want to walk her now!" I told her "No! You can walk her in five minutes. I have other things to do and I'm inserting the IV now." She left the room in a huff.


On Sunday she tried to make me look like a liar. I had a pregnant woman start to bleed quite a bit. She's high risk for delivery and is scheduled for a C-Section in January. I told the charge nurse and went back to the room with the doctor. As the doctor was inspecting her period pad, she passed a large amount of blood. The doctor told me "Get her to Labour and Delivery now!" So I went to the charge nurse and passed on the message and got the chart.

The doctor and the charge nurse said the patient was to be taken via her bed to the labour ward. I turn to go back to the room and the nursing assistant is standing behind me and proceeds to tell the charge nurse that she just looked at the pad and it was completely dry.

Well, obviously the woman went to the bathroom to change her pad if it was dry. But no! She kept insisting that there was no bleeding, trying to make me look like I don't know my job. I told her the patient is to be taken by bed. I finished getting the chart ready and when I got to the room she had a wheelchair and is telling the woman to get into the chair. I told her the doctor and charge nurse want her to be taken by the bed. She refused, completely ignored me and told the woman to get into the chair and took her by wheelchair


It will be interesting to hear how she manages on the other ward she's going to. She thinks it will be a cake walk. I doubt very much that they will put up with her acting like a nurse and blowing them off when they ask her to do stuff.
 

pookie-poo

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 14, 2007
Messages
3,911
Purraise
6
Location
Middle-Of-No-Where Michigan
Oh Linda....I hear you loud and clear!!!

There's been so many times when I've committed myself to decorate a cake for an "occasion" at work, or be the one to put together a retirement quilt, or some other huge project. I procrastinate, and put it off, and procrastinate some more, right up to the bitter end. When will I ever learn to keep my mouth shut, or just say "No."

I've always been the baby quilt maker at work. We went through a spurt where I was making quilts as fast as my sewing machine could stitch. I have boxes and piles of baby flannel. Then the minor baby boom settled down for a while. Apparently, they put something in the water again, and we have three pregnant women in the department. All first pregnancies, and one with twins!!! The mere thought of trying to make baby quilts with Cleo, Maggie and Lola makes my head spin. The first one is due in early March, so I need to get on the ball.....and procrastinate a little (like usual) and then kick it in gear!

Good luck with the chili! I make mine in a crock pot....SO easy, and it can cook while you sleep! Yummmmmm.....chili.....my favorite!!!
 

butzie

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
Messages
5,299
Purraise
1
Location
Secret Santa Land
Let's see, she is vegetarian one day and a meat eater on alternate days. Does Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde come to mind? You cannot be both. You can eat vegetarian meals instead of meat meals but a true vegetarian would not do that.

Sounds like it will be a wonderful day in Jan. when she transfers.

I do like your telling her if she didn't want to eat your chili, then bring a veggie dish.

Remember, in the New Year she will be gone.
 

going nova

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
1,951
Purraise
12
Good for you for not letting her boss you around! Who does she think she is?
 

nurseangel

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jul 6, 2007
Messages
10,132
Purraise
4,820
Location
1 Happy Place
OMG! That nursing assistant sounds lazy and dangerous! And I have a lot of respect for nursing assistants...especially the one who acted so quickly when my blood pressure dropped when I was in the hospital.
 

sneakymom

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
910
Purraise
21
Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

A couple weeks ago one of the girls at work pointed out that we were working on New Year's Day and that we should bring "snacks." I figured, okay! Why not.

Well, last week I was grocery shopping and was going to pick up "snacks" but decided that I'm really, really sick of junk food, so I decided that I was going to make a pot of chili and take that.

I mentioned what I was bringing and then she decided that she would bring buns for the chili.

Well, on Sunday our mouthy nursing assistant suddenly turned tomorrow into a "pot luck" and was dictating what everyone should be bringing. She claims to be vegetarian, but she eats meat. She picks and chooses her days to be vegetarian and this week tomorrow happens to be one of those days
So she kept at me all day on Sunday that she was vegetarian and she can't eat chili and that I should be bringing something else. Then she got on another nurses case and told her that she was supposed to bring a veggie platter, and then she phoned the nurse who suggested the snacks and told her that she's not to bring buns and that she has to bring a salad.


I called the nurse back and told her to bring buns, and I told the nursing assistant that I was bringing chili and that if she didn't want to eat it, then to bring a vegetarian dish instead of dessert.

Anyway, I'm tired this evening and feel like kicking my feet up, watching a movie and then going to bed. But here I am making chili!! I should have just kept it to myself and then if I still felt like it, made it and taken it. Instead I opened my mouth and now I'm committed and have to sit up for 3 more hours for it to simmer and another 2 hours for it to cool enough to put into the fridge. So I'm not going to be able to go to bed before midnight and I have to be up at 5am :sad:
Oh well, if she doesn't want it- she doesn't have to eat it. She can bring something in that SHE wants to eat.

I have only had 1 semester of nursing school. 8 clinical days (and it wasn't enough IMHO- but that's another story altogether). As a student, I saw some really good things- and some really BAD things in the 2 hospitals I was in. Including feeling like I was dirt on 1 floor b/c I was "only a student", and we weren't allowed to see certain things on charts (which would have helped me with 1 patient I was seeing. She was on a whole bunch of meds- and it was like pulling teeth to get any kind of info from the nurse in charge of her). SIGH.

Cheryl
 

carolpetunia

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 25, 2005
Messages
9,669
Purraise
17
Location
Plano, Texas
Originally Posted by laureen227

ci have many, many food issue - some relating to allergies, some to my gastric bypass surgery. it would never occur to me to TELL people what they could/couldn't bring to a potluck! i'll ask what's in things, to avoid problems, but that's it. i always make sure i have something on hand to eat in case there's nothing appropriate for me - i know i'm a special case, but i don't expect everyone else to cater to me!
Exactly! I've been a strict vegetarian ever since I was about 4 years old, and I've always done my best not to let it create a problem for others. I'd genuinely rather not eat at all than impose on others! Sheesh! It's about the company, anyway -- not the food.

Poor Linda. No good deed goes unpunished.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12

natalie_ca

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
21,136
Purraise
223
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
My chili was a hit!
Some of the doctors who were on the ward today had some too and liked it so much that when they left the ward they told other doctors and they came by for some too!
I had one come to the desk and ask if this is the ward that has the best chili?


The hospital also had free lunch and dinner for the staff. Roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, veggies, a cookie and a canned drink. No charge to us. The girl who is vegetarian on select days went and got a plate of roast beef dinner to put in the fridge for her dinner tomorrow
She picks certain days each week to eat vegetarian. Next week will be different days than this week. Given that I don't know why she made such a big stink about it today. She could have eaten meat today and did the vegetarian thing tomorrow. But no!!!!
 

laureen227

Darksome Duo!
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 3, 2003
Messages
19,260
Purraise
387
Location
Denton TX
Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

She picks certain days each week to eat vegetarian. Next week will be different days than this week. Given that I don't know why she made such a big stink about it today. She could have eaten meat today and did the vegetarian thing tomorrow. But no!!!!
because her goal was to control others, even if she doesn't realize that was her goal.
glad to hear your chili was a hit!
 

margecat

Mentor
Staff Member
Mentor
Joined
Oct 11, 2006
Messages
5,209
Purraise
2,556
Oh, for God's sake! If she eats meat on other days, why can't she just eat meat THAT day? How can one claim to be a vegetarian, if one eats meat, esp. regularly? Seriously, it sounds like she has control issues to me.

Some folks just love to complicate things, don't they?

Hey, if she "can't eat the chili", tell her to snack on the rolls!!!


Sorry you have to deal with her!

Linda, I have a fabulous idea! On her last day, her co-workers could give her a good-bye party! Oh, wait a minute...she's probably wouldn't be able to eat any of the food for that, either...oh, well... LOL
 

cococat

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 2, 2007
Messages
4,953
Purraise
12
Location
USA
Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Given that I don't know why she made such a big stink about it today. She could have eaten meat today and did the vegetarian thing tomorrow. But no!!!!
She is not vegetarian, around these parts they just call that picky and on top of that she sounds bitchy.
Glad you stood up, it was nice of you to bring anything, free food is always appreciated at work and sounds like yours was great!!

the way I see it, I don't eat beef or pork, but that is my problem, not anyone else's.

I make a mean vegetarian chili with barley that is delicious!
No one gets mad at me for not adding meat. If they did, I would say just don't eat it, if I don't like something, I don't eat it.
But it always gets eaten.
 

babywukong

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
3,050
Purraise
3
I believe she picked that day to show people what a self-sacrificing individual she is - "Look at all this yummy food, but I'm not eating any because I chose this day to be vegetarian. Look at me, clap for me, I have oodles of self-control"
She needs a smack!

And yeah I agree with what someone said, she's not just a bitch to work with, she's dangerous as anything too, given that she's working with some really sick people and thinks she can do as she likes. I wonder if she can be managed out of the whole healthcare system?


Btw, congrats that your chili was a huge hit
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #18

natalie_ca

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
21,136
Purraise
223
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Originally Posted by MargeCat

On her last day, her co-workers could give her a good-bye party!
We will be. It's a tradition when someone leaves a ward they've been working on that we give them a corsage and a little party.

I should make chili again!


Originally Posted by BabyWukong

I believe she picked that day to show people what a self-sacrificing individual she is - "Look at all this yummy food, but I'm not eating any because I chose this day to be vegetarian. Look at me, clap for me, I have oodles of self-control"
She needs a smack!

And yeah I agree with what someone said, she's not just a bitch to work with, she's dangerous as anything too, given that she's working with some really sick people and thinks she can do as she likes. I wonder if she can be managed out of the whole healthcare system?


Btw, congrats that your chili was a huge hit
You're probably right about the "self-sacrificing" part. She gets a lot of her self-esteem from her job. Last weekend I was looking after a dying patient. We all knew the patient was going to die that shift. The girl was going around telling co-workers that the woman was going to die before 12:00 noon. The woman died before 9:30 am. As soon as I pronounced her, the girl was running around telling co-workers "Didn't I tell you she would die before lunch?" and she was smiling when she was telling them that because she was proud of the fact that she "predicted" it. She did that another time not long after I started. She followed me around the whole day and kept repeating herself about how she was right about a patient dying that day before a certain time. The other day I told her that a dying patient isn't a horse in a race to be bet on. It's a sad situation for the staff and the patient's family and that it's completely inappropriate for her to be going around predicting deaths and then going around after smiling and telling people "I told you so!"

I can't wait for her to leave. Unfortunately I was told by the ward clerk that their union allows them 90 days to try out a new position and if they don't like it during that time, they can go back to their old one. I think most of the people on the ward she's going on are the same as when I went off sick. I should go and tell them to be really nice to her!


So far as getting her out of healthcare, I wish. However, their union is really strong. As nurses we have way more responsibility and tasks to do than they do, but while we get paid more, their union has negotiated them better benefits, better pension (that is indexed for inflation, unlike the one for nurses), and other perks such as free uniforms, the option to take one or two 1/2 days off during the year and be paid for a full shift, a trial period to try out a new position, gain seniority even in the casual pool, keep their seniority if they lose their permanent position and go casual. A casual nurse doesn't have seniority and can't gain seniority. If I was to leave my permanent job and go casual, I would lose 12 years of seniority. Plus there are a ton of other perks they get that nurses don't. Just because we are a different union. She would have to literally kill someone before they did anything, and even then they would just move her to a different job in the hospital such as housekeeping or the kitchen or laundry...it's the same union.
 

MoochNNoodles

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
36,646
Purraise
23,465
Location
Where my cats are
Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

We will be. It's a tradition when someone leaves a ward they've been working on that we give them a corsage and a little party.

I should make chili again!
I was thinking you could make it a theme party.... MEAT!!


God Help the man who's stuck with her.....

Do the doctors on the floor know she's like this? I can just hear what my boss would say to her...and once he knew she was like that; he'd be busting her chops left and right....not giving her an inch!
 

lore

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 4, 2007
Messages
1,318
Purraise
2
Location
Chicagoland
I dont know if anyone got this forwarded to them in thier emails during the holidays... but boy did it remind me of my days in HR

http://mistupid.com/jokes/page011.htm

& I truely sympathize with those in the workplace that have potlucks, or any food related gatherings of employees
Because the way that thing reads it SPOT on... LOL! Just on how picky people can be...

Wow, you go somewhere, dont eat the things you dont like/cant have/are allergic to, etc... I know of a buisness who had to have all plastic knives BANNED because 1 PERSON felt that they were threatening to have in the facility... NOT that they were ever threatened by them... but that it COULD happen... wow...

People are UNBELIEVABLE.

Enjoy your Chili, I bet it is FANTASTIC!
 
Top