More about my crazy boss...

United States
August 12, 2007 1:48am CST
This is another harrowing story of the horrors I have to put up with from my boss at my lab job. I started there as a part time 'relief' tech, so that the lab supervisor could get the administrative stuff done while I run things. I had just graduated school and this was my first job. Drawing blood is something we had to learn, but it isn't the focus of a Lab Tech job. That's why we have phlebotomists. I had my phlebotomy clinicals my first year of school, had to get 80 sticks, then that was the last of my experience. This meant that it had been about a year since I had drawn blood when I started working at the clinic. Most patients are drawn down in our other lab, then the blood is sent up to us for processing. Occasionally, if there is a 'Stat' order from one of the two doctors on our floor (We have the other 9 downstairs), we will draw them. So whoever gets the door first draws the patient and processes them through the lab. Well, as a new person in the lab, it is required that my suporvisor train me on the technique of this lab and observe me as I draw 10 people. Then I have to be signed off as able and ready to draw. It wasn't a big deal for months that I never drew. When I'm there, the suporvisor runs off to another office and I run what I'm there to run. Every once in a while, we talk about getting me signed-off to start drawing, but nothing ever happens after that. I admit that it isn't my favorite thing, so I never pushed for it. She never said anything about it and was glad to have me there to take over so she could catch up on other stuff. SO it's not like I could just tell her I was going to start drawing, now stick out your arm. I figured she'd let me know when she wanted me to start. I'm only thee 3 days, so it isn't a national disaster if I don't draw. So one day, when our lab assistant/phlebotomist was on vacation, we got a lady who had stat lab orders. I went and told (we will call her Linda) that we had a stat. She said she was busy and couldn't take care of it now. So I said I'd send her downstairs. When I went out to tell her, I saw that she also had and order for X-ray. So I asked 'Linda' if I needed to let the lady get her X-ray first, or send her downstairs for her blood draw first(since the blood work was 'stat'). Linda pounded a few keys on the keyboard and said (very mean and attitudy-like, "Why don't YOU draw her?!?! Have you ever thought of THAT?!?!?!" I was a bit shocked at her reaction. So I said "Nope" and turned around and walked away. I sent the lady downstairs. Then I just went back to my station. Linda looked and asked where the lady was. I said I sent her downstairs. She muttered something about how she should have gotten her X-ray first and ran to catch her. So I muttered back "then I guess you should have answered my question". If she hadn't been a little old lady, I would have just done it. Linda probably would have thrown a fit about that as well, but there was no reason for her snapping at me like that. But it's been too long, and I was never comfortable about drawing older people who are hard to stick. So that wasn't an option in my mind. I SO wish I could have just brought her in and done it, just because Linda had to all of a sudden be a b***h about me not drawing.
3 people like this
5 responses
@Feona1962 (7526)
• United States
12 Aug 07
Does anyone in your office want to do their job, or are they looking to you to do everything? This "Linda" person has a really bad attitude. I would explain to your boss that you need to get signed off, just incase this happens again. What if you would have done this elderly lady, would your boss have approved? I just don't understand why some people have to always be so rude. I understand it isn't your favorite thing but I think you should just get signed off, and then you won't have to worry about miss attitude...
2 people like this
• United States
12 Aug 07
Well, my boss IS the 'Linda' in my story, I'm not sure if I made that clear or not. But the following week, when we had a really slow day, I went down to the stat lab for something (I can't remember what). While there, the two phlebots who work down there let me draw them. Then I came up and drew our lab assistant. That's when 'Linda' said I needed to get 10 supervised sticks and I'b be ready to go. SO I've done a few people (8 total so far). We just hardly ever have any people in our lab. So maybe that's what she wanted... for me to WANT to do it and just go start somewhere. But like I said, when I'm there, she's out doing her thing and I'm way too busy to even think about stuff like that. So I figured she'd take over for me and send me downstairs when she was ready for me to start. So I am drawing now, hopefully everyone will be happy now. And the answer to your first question, everyone spends the majority of their time worrying about what others are and aren't doing.
2 people like this
@Feona1962 (7526)
• United States
12 Aug 07
I had a feeling she was your boss. Sorry. People need to take care of their own things and quit worrying about others. It makes your working environment harder to work in.
1 person likes this
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
12 Aug 07
Wow! Pounding on her computer keys! What an attitude. It sounds like she was way out of line. First of all, you haven't been "signed off" to draw blood and it's not your primary job, so to assume you would just expect to jump in there was wrong and to talk to you like that...oh boy! I sure am sorry. It sounds like you did everything right. Do you have recourse to someone higher up if you need it? or would that cause more problems? Is your supervisor actually your "boss"?
2 people like this
• United States
16 Aug 07
Yes, she's my boss. We have one of the doctors who is considered teh lab director. I'm not sure how he was chosen, or if they just needed a volunteer to sign off on policy and procedure paperwork. But I'm not sure if he'd wanna get into any messy stuff. So I just put up with her attitude. It comes and goes.
@Katlady2 (9904)
• United States
13 Aug 07
Some bosses just don't know how to deal with training their employees effectively or correctly. It sounds like your boss should have done it herself. I mean, if something had gone awry, then not only would it have been your butt on the line, but your boss's as well. I think you did the right thing. You saved the both of you from a possibly sticky situation.
• United States
1 Sep 07
Well now everyone should be happy, I do it all by myself now. I still don't like to draw, but I do it when needed now. My boss was on vacation this week, so I had plenty of time alone. (It was NICE) so I got more practice. It isn't so bad, I just don't like shoving sharp pieces of metal into someone's veins!
@mummymo (23706)
14 Aug 07
It sounds as though your boss has a bit of a chip on her shoulder - either that or she is finding her responsibilities too hard! My advice is to just ignore her when she behaves in that way - remain pleasant and do not rise to her bait! xxxx
• United States
1 Sep 07
That's what I usually try to do, because there is never any warning for her moods. She is pretty hard on her teenage daughter and even her husband. Very critical and intolerant of anything.
• China
13 Aug 07
a boss is so crazy? are you happy or sad ?
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Aug 07
My day depends on her mood. If she's in a crappy mood, so is everyone else, cuz she'll make sure of it.