1. Refuse to cover for them.
If a coworker keeps taking breaks, don't agree to cover. Tell her your hands are full and your own patients need you. When there's no one else to give her patients their due meds, she's forced to do the job herself. Tolerate the behavior and it continues.
2. Don't let them distract you.
The last thing you want on shift is a divided focus, because that's how medication errors happen. If coworkers are chatting at the station, excuse yourself and finish your paperwork somewhere quieter. If you're pulling meds, ask them to leave the area. Stop spending energy on what they aren't doing and pour it into your own tasks.
3. Guide them instead of doing the work.
If saying no is hard for you, set a limit on how much help you'll give. Offer guidance, never do the work for them. Remind them of their tasks and deadlines, help them organize their patients, or share how you get more done in the same hours.
4. Don't let them change your attitude.
Watching coworkers slack while others pick up the slack is maddening, but don't let it bleed into how you treat your patients. As one surgical ward nurse with eight years on the floor put it, no matter what they do, you are still you, and if you let them get to you it's your patients who pay for it. Don't follow their lead into long chats and frequent restroom trips.
5. Know when to speak up.
When the stress starts hurting your work, talk to the coworker directly first. They may not be lazy so much as disorganized, missing deadlines, or distracted by something personal. A respectful conversation solves more than you'd think. If nothing changes, take it to your supervisor with an honest report, and if that goes nowhere, to human resources. The ANA position statement makes clear that both nurses and employers share responsibility for a workplace free of incivility, so using the chain is appropriate, not disloyal. Don't vent to the rest of your colleagues. That only breeds misunderstanding and hurt feelings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I report a lazy coworker to my manager?
Talk to the coworker directly first, since the problem is often disorganization rather than laziness. If the behavior keeps affecting patient care after that, escalate to your supervisor and then to human resources. The ANA holds that nurses and employers share responsibility for a safe, respectful workplace.
Is calling out a coworker considered bullying?
A respectful, direct conversation is not bullying. Bullying is repeated, intentional behavior meant to humiliate or harm. Gossiping to the rest of the floor instead of addressing the person, on the other hand, is the kind of incivility the ANA warns against.
Why shouldn't I just cover for a coworker who slacks?
Covering removes the consequence and lets the behavior continue. When the work stays with the person responsible, they are far more likely to do it. Protect your own patients first.
Can distractions from coworkers actually cause errors?
Yes. Divided attention during tasks like medication administration raises the risk of mistakes, which is why stepping away to a quieter spot or asking people to clear the area while you pull meds is a safety habit, not rudeness.
How do I keep a difficult coworker from affecting my own work?
Set a limit on how much help you give, offer guidance rather than doing their tasks, and do not let frustration spill into how you treat patients. Protecting your focus and your standards is what keeps your patients from paying the price.