Too busy to advocate for yourself?

5 At the end of the day, who has the energy left to write up a disrespectful co-worker, fill out a maintenance form, clean out a drawer, or email administration?

It behooves us all to be proactive about our work environments. Don't become complacent with misbehaving co-workers, clutter, and broken equipment. So say something! Do something! Follow up, follow up, follow up, until the problem is gone. Don't forget that YOU are part of the "they" that everyone refers to.
Where I work the "complainer" soon gains a reputation as being a PITA-no matter how valid the complaints are. You discover that every time you speak you are greeted with eye-rolling from the DON,ADON and the unit managers.I have learned to pick my battles carefully and also how to bring certain situations to the attention of the appropriate people by indirect (butstill very effective ) means.

Write up a disrespectful coworker. They'd have to be pretty disrespectful, like peeing on my shoes, before I did that. I did have a problem with an aide a while back and did not write her up. She's usually good so something must have been going on with her that day. I think the other aides may have pulled her aside and talked to her because she's been good ever since and the other aides were doing their best to be nice to me. Unless a coworker is dangerous, I'll cut them slack in the hope that they do the same for me when I need it.

Quote from tater.jakeIt behooves us all to be proactive about our work environments. Don't become complacent with misbehaving co-workers, clutter, and broken equipment.

I have become complacent because the few times I reported things, I was interrogated and made to feel like the perpetrator. I have since learned to be silent about things.Now if it concerns patient care or safety, I will say something. Everything else, I just let it go.

Tater,I understand what you mean. We are all accountable for our own workplace-to a point. We should be responsible for doing little things around the unit that will help streamline our work. However, many times we are so dang tired just from working our fool behinds off that fatigue wins over 'housekeeping' issues. If there is a safety issue, I doubt that any nurse on this forum or otherwise would overlook it; they would take the time, despite fatigue, to report it and then follow up. When I was a traveler, I worked for a wonderful hospital. During our hospital orientation, the HR person gave a short lecture about accountability. She said, "This is YOUR hospital, and you are a representative of this hospital. If you see a piece of trash in the hallway, PICK IT UP. Don't pass the buck and think in your mind that it is someone else's responsibility to do this. Take pride in your workplace and take the time to speak up when you observe things that could be done better. We are a family here, and we look out for each other. We can only improve if you speak up."Her words stuck with me throughout my career. I have always hated the "it's not my job" mentality. The little things that we do to improve the unit goes a long way. Regarding writing up a disrespectful employee, my rule of thumb is this:1. I try to handle the situation myself, in private and with open body language. 2. If the problem persists, I try again in the same manner.3. If nothing changes, and the employee continues to show disrespect to either me or other peers, I take it to my manager.4. If my manager instructs me to write the employee up the next time s/he displays disrespectful behavior, I will do it EVERY TIME. Nice thread, Tater. I do agree with you that we should take ownership of our own workplace to make it as efficient as possible.