Overworked and Exhausted

So yesterday, there was this other incident where it's obvious that this colleague who gives me attitude is not considerate of me or is being kind to me.

We have another colleague who started at 12pm. Around 2pm, I started doing some paperwork (something that needs to be done on a daily basis), my shift ends at 2:30pm, so I was trying to finish it before then.

That colleague starting at 12pm is beside me, manually working on making some supplies that is used during her shift. She sees me busy with the paperwork when the front desk lady comes into our room, addressing me, telling me to go get a bed from the ward. So, after the front desk lady leaves, this colleague offered to get the bed instead. It's clear she was being considerate and kind, sees me frantically getting the paperwork done and offered to get the bed.

The problematic colleague then returns from her coffee break, I guess she stopped by the front desk asking about the bed and the lady tells her, "Oh yea, Jae is getting it". She comes back into our room, the other colleague tells her that she's going to the ward to get the bed, but will give them a few minutes to prepare it first. That problematic one says, "Oh, the front desk says Jae will get the bed". Well, it was 2:15pm then, and unless she's blind and doesn't see me busy with paperwork, she should've offered to help get it too, like what the other colleague did. Even if the front desk says my name, and told her I'd get it, this is the type of shared tasks that she should be doing if she sees the other person is busy with another task.

I almost wanted to say, "can't you see I'm busy with paperwork? This other colleague is kind enough to offer to help get the bed instead, because she sees me busy with it." Of course, I kept quiet, but was just thinking about that.

The only shared task she helps with in the morning is getting the specimens from the department beside us, and add it to our collection. Not always taking it to the lab afterwards, as we usually wait until we have a full tray before making the trip.

This week, I haven't spoken much with her, nor did we greet each other. When we enter our room, if she's more than 2 meters behind me, I'll enter the room first and leave the door to close behind me. Yesterday, there was a time where she was only a foot behind me, so I held the door open for her. Didn't get a thank you, and she just walked right in.

I'm so done with her attitude towards me and the lack of help she should be doing as the shared tasks. The other day, I saw that she actually knew where we kept our extra stock for certain items, as she went to get some, as a nurse told her our storage is running low. It was then when I realized that she does know where we keep our extra stocks, but just never chooses to refill our shelves unless asked by a nurse. She's the one who's emptying the shelves as her primary task is to pick cases, and there are items where it's the OR that orders and puts away. Now seeing that she knows where we keep extra stock, it just shows she chooses not to refill her own shelves because its not part of her primary task duties. We have a shelf of gloves that have been empty for the past 2 days, today, I will check if our order came in. Wondering if I should restock it, or wait and see if she will do it or not.

Next week, she's off Monday and I will be doing her job. For Tues to Fri, I'm back to the shift starting at 12pm. Now, I'll be able to see if she will help with the shared tasks if it's another colleague doing the early morning shift. If she does, then it's obvious she's acting a certain way with me only.

So, this past week, working the evening shift Tuesday to Friday, yesterday, I finally noticed that colleague actually helped with a shared task once in the morning. So, when I said I'll observe to see if she'd help out if it's another colleague working the early morning shift vs not helping when I'm the one working the early morning shift. Although it was just the one time, and one task she did in these 4 days, it just shows she really just doesn't choose to help me.

Yesterday, a nurse was asking me a question, as to where we kept a certain product, I was in the middle of telling her, and she just butts in and starts telling the nurse where it's found. I mean, "Hello, I'm talking to the nurse first." You don't just interrupt our conversation and start telling the nurse the same thing I was trying to explain. Even if you hold a grudge against me, that's just being plain rude. I know we're already on bad terms, but you don't have to make things worse.

There is one surgeon who requests a certain type of medication whenever a specific procedure is done. Not all his procedures require that medication, but it is something that we even have a reminder note for the person picking the cases. But she always asks for the medication, no matter what procedure is done. The thing is, this type of medication is only good for 8 hours in the warmer (originally is refrigerated, and placed in the warmer the morning of surgery). So, say the surgeon has 4 cases, but only 2 of those require this medication, she requests 4 bottles for all four cases. Which means, for the person who is putting it in the warmer the next morning, if they don't check or isn't aware that only 2 of those cases actually require the medication, then the 2 extra bottles is wasted. This medication is mixed by Pharmacy, so it's not like it's something that comes mixed already, like normal vials of medication. These bottles are 500mL in volume.

So, last night, when I noticed that of the 4 cases, only 2 requires the medication, I spoke with the head nurse of that service, and asked her to leave a note for the girl that picks (she already recognizes my writing and it would probably upset her to see a note if it was left by me). Telling her that only a specific procedure requires the medication, not all 4 of them. Yes, sometimes, the surgeon does do that procedure in all 4 of his surgeries, but other times, it could be only 1 or 2 of the four. So, hopefully she will be more aware when she's picking on Tuesday. As I see that surgeon is back on Wednesday, also with only 2 of the 4 the needs the medication. I explained to the nurse, that we should know which type of surgery needs that medication, and even showed her the reminder note. I said, if I worked the evening, I'll usually double-check if that medication was requested correctly for that surgeon (knowing that she always asks for more than what's needed) and change the amount on the morning checklist, that the early morning person goes by to place into the warmer. The early morning staff usually goes by the morning checklist that she created the day before, to place the medications into the warmer, so if that person is not aware of the actually quantity is correct or not, some of the bottles will be a waste.

You know, I'm so tempted to ask the Manager if she had ever approved that she could start early and leave early everyday. Her shift is supposed to be from 7:30am to 3:30pm. But everyday, she starts at 7:15am and leaves around 3:20pm. According to our Union, if this has not been approved by Management, it is considered as a theft of time. Which can be a serious matter if that person was caught or audited. Yes, I know she'll ease into retirement next year from May and leaving by July (taking all her vacation in May and June, finally leave by July). So, there may not be a point in getting her in trouble now.. But, at the same time, I'm curious to know whether or not what she's doing had ever been approved by Management? If it's only once in while you do it, then it should be okay, others do it too, because they have some sort of appointment afterwards, but most would let management know, that they need to start half an hour earlier, so they can make it in time for their appointment. But, to do this everyday, just because you want to, I don't think that's allowed without permission. Because you're scheduled a certain time period, paid for that time. So, when she start 15 minutes earlier, then, leave 15 minutes earlier, so that's like she's getting paid without working that last 15 minutes of her shift when she has already left. And the thing is, she takes all her breaks too.. so, it's not like she's leaving 15 minutes earlier because she didn't take one of her coffee breaks. I know some nurses do that, especially when they've been standing for a long surgery procedure and didn't have time for all their breaks. That's more reasonable and understanding. But with what she does, out of her own liking, is not appropriate.

But, I've asked her about this before.. so, if I say something to our Manager and the manager questions her, it would be obvious that I'm the one that told the Manager about it. Because I think, the others could care less with her starting and leaving earlier everyday. 

I'm just someone who likes to follow rules without breaking them, unless I get permission to make the change. So, to see someone who makes their own rules, not knowing if she actually got the permission, it really bothers me. If you're scheduled a certain time, you should work that time, to the last minute. Like I've mentioned before, a lot of us also start earlier, but none of us leave earlier because of that either. We all still work to the last minute, if not, end up going later because we'd kept getting stopped by nurses in between asking questions or helping them with other things. So, what makes her think that she can work whenever she pleases? 

Oh great, look what I did.. I ended up venting about my frustrations against her again, rather than talking about being overworked and exhausted.. I'm going to be resting up this long weekend, and catch up on my drama watching, and work on a cover letter that I plan to send out early next year to a dream job.

I started getting a headache in the last 2 hours of my shift yesterday. Took an Advil after eating my dinner, and headache was gone by the time I got home. I wonder if it's from the lack of sleep, or the exhaustion and tiredness from work. My body telling me that I need more rest than the weekends.

So, last month, I emailed my Manager asking if she could arrange some extra work days off for me. Heading into nearly the 3rd week of the month, I guess the answer is either a "No" or she didn't see my email. Oh well, so long for that idea. I just need to wait 2 more weeks before getting 4 days off.. the last week of November and first week of December, I'm only working on the Mondays. Because there's a stupid staff (sorry for calling her this), that requested vacation days on all the Mondays for the remaining of the year. I say it's stupid because when they were making the request, they are just being selfish to her own liking. The way how vacation works is, since she's taken only Mondays off, other staff can't take the whole week off, but choose individual days of that week instead. Makes it inconvenient for the rest of the staff. So it's a stupidly selfish act.

I can't stand working with people who only cares about themselves and think they are in the right. You know, I ended up deleting this person's contacts from my phone. I don't like her anymore, and we have no interaction at work whatsoever anyways. She's retiring next year, and my countdown has started.

(I think I'll just continue adding to this thread for future frustrations with work).