I am an RN in Arkansas.
6 months ago our department received a new employee. No one else would take her but our boss has always felt sorry for her. She is an employee that has been passed around our healthcare network for at least 30 years.
She has a very bad attitude.
She is a black female.
She has grown increasingly bitter.
She is hateful to me and co-workers.
People have passed her around and just kind of shoved her behavior under the rug.
She will make racial remarks to the white girls.
I am not racial. I have never had a problem with black people.
She is really trying me.
It's almost like she wants one of us to say something to her racially.
Anyway I was the Teamleader this past Friday.
I sent her to lunch and to a 30 minute inservice on Friday.
She was gone from our department for 1 1/2 hours.
When she returned we had gotten very busy. I told her that she needed to do the next client coming. The client coming just happened to need isolation.
I did not know who was coming next but knew we all already had our hands full with our clients in my area and the 3 nurses left working.
The isolation client is a one nurse one client ratio in an isolation room.
Anyway this nurse said some very negative comments to me.
I told her that she needed to care of the client.
She backtalked me in front of all my co-workers, Drs etc... and later when I asked her a question she refused to answer me after asking her twice to her face.
I only work 2 days a week. This woman constantly picks and others and says negative comments about anything I say or they say.
She also did this to another new employee. The new employee reported this and ended up giving this nurse money for her grandson that the department was collecting. I guess this made her change her feelings.
Anyway I went to someone over me and told him what happened.
He said he would talk with her.
I went back to the department and went to the inservice.
I returned from the inservice and met this employee leaving to go home in the hall. (It was time for her to leave).
She looked straight ahead and would not acknowledge me. I assummed she had been talked to.
I returned to my department.
The other LPN said that this nurse had never gotten to eat while she was gone the 1 1/2 hours.
I assummed she had as the inservice only took 30 min.
When I went to get my purse to go home there was something stuck in the side pocket.
I took it out and it was a copied article from our newspaper on Vigilantes.
I assume she did it. Not sure what her meaning was towards me.
I am tired of working in this hostile environment.
This nurse does not pull her weight. She tries to get out of work.
I have been in my department for 17 years and she has been here 6 months.
Do I have to put up with this treatment my two 12 hour days a week that I work?
My husband suggested carrying a pocket tape recorder and taping the way she treats me and others.
I reported to my boss about the article stuck in my purse. He said I couldn't prove it and just kinda brushed me off. :(
What can I do???

The situation you describe is extremely frustrating. I would approach it through the following:

1) Go to your manager. Explain that you are concerned about the potential for her to make a claim of discrimination. If anything, he should be concerned as he will also be pulled into this. Technically, he is now aware of a potential race discrimination issue and he is liable should nothing be done about it.
2) If your manager doesn't approach HR, you should. Again, approach it with your concern about a potential discrimination complaint if something is not done about this situation. I would hope that HR will handle this because of the issues it causes with harmony and productivity in the department.
3) Make sure that there is a record of your complaint, either by sending an e-mail to both or through a letter with a record showing receipt (such as may be found with a letter sent through the USPS with a return receipt required. That proof will help you should she eventually accuse you of discrimination. You went to your management for assistance and it was ignored.

I find it sad that the hospital has looked away for so long, perhaps in fear of being accused of discrimination. However, looking the other way will only exacerbate their liability, should she ever complain. Good luck and keep us in the loop.

Thanks for your answer/input.
I am so concerned also for my job.
I do not want to overstep my boundries.
I understand that I need to talk with the boss over my department.
If he does nothing should I take it to one more level above him and then contact HR?
Do I need to notify my immediate boss that I will be sending him and HR a letter?
I just do not know the actual steps I need to take without getting myself in trouble.
I am in a position that I am at the top of my pay scale and they could easily replace me with someone at starting pay.
Thanks.

I am so concerned also for my job. Filing a complaint of sexual harassment or participating in an investigation is protected against retaliation (www.eeoc.gov (http://www.eeoc.gov))
I understand that I need to talk with the boss over my department. If he does nothing should I take it to one more level above him and then contact HR? Yes, but keep records that you asked for assistance, such as in the form of a letter sent USPS with return receipt required.
Do I need to notify my immediate boss that I will be sending him and HR a letter? No, you do not have that obligation.