How to Deal with Difficult Coworkers: Tips for Maintaining Your Sanity in the Workplace

Work can seem really overwhelming and patient care isn’t even the problem. We went into healthcare to take care of patients, to make a difference, to decrease suffering and to improve wellness, whatever that may look like.

It’s not the patient care, it’s all the other stuff.

Sometimes, it’s the people we work with that we feel are putting us over the edge. We could even argue that it’s reasonable to be aggravated with them.

They aren’t pulling their weight.

They complain all the time.

If I’m working harder, they should be too. 

They are always in a mood.

This is what I hear from my clients (and admittedly from myself sometimes). They are dedicated to patient care but their coworkers are wearing them down.

After all, we can’t control other people (although I keep trying to) so really there is nothing we can do about it. Right?

No. Wrong. Do not believe this just because it sounds reasonable.

This is the first thing we have to challenge, the belief that it is out of our control, the belief that other people have to change in order for us to have a better experience.

We can take responsibility here. It may not seem fair that we have to do so but it doesn’t have to be fair if you benefit in the end. 🙂

What if we took our super skill of nursing, of BEING a nurse, and applied it to the people around us? Not just the patients but our coworkers and the staff. 

There are plenty of times that I see a patient for a visit and they haven’t followed through on the plan we set the previous month. They may even be in a mood or complaining. Does this throw me into a tailspin? Do I ruminate over how they should be working harder for their own health? Do I find fault with all the things they are doing? Do I nurture a continuous low level of irritation with them?

Of course not. The plan we set up had challenges. They are bringing their own emotional burdens with them. It takes practice and patience to make changes. They are tired, stressed, and worn down. They need a cheerleader and a problem solver, not a critic.

I meet all of this with compassion and we start again. I show up as my best self, knowing that I will keep showing up for them, even if we have to go over the same things multiple times. I can witness their humanity and support them.

I can come out of these visits knowing that I gave good care, even if the outcome was not what I initially planned.

This is the version of me that can change my experience at work if it is applied beyond just the patient interactions. 

My coworkers need a cheerleader and a problem solver, not a critic.

They need an NP that sees their humanity and is willing to keep showing up as her best self, even when they are struggling with the work or complaining, even when their emotional burdens threaten to take them under. 

Will it change their behavior? Maybe, maybe not.

Will it change mine? Yes, always, 100%.

Will it change my experience of my daily interactions, my stress levels at work? You already know the answer to this. 

Bring your best self forward. Your coworkers need you. You need you.

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If you can’t seem to silence your inner critic, especially when it comes to work, reach out and schedule a time for a free consultation. I have done this work for myself and continue to do it every day. You can email me at Megan@NursingBeyondtheJob.com and we will set up a time that works for you. Apply that nursing care to yourself 🙂