Sometimes the best way to prove a point is to let someone learn the hard way.

What would you do if your boss ignored your advice and demanded you make an outrageously expensive order, just to save face? Would you push back? Or would you do exactly what they said and let the numbers speak for themselves?

In the following story, one hemodialysis nurse found herself in this very situation and opted for the latter. Here’s how it all played out.

Boss lost her bonus

The incident happened about 2 months ago, but I just learned of the fallout.

A little backstory: I’m a home hemodialysis nurse. I train patients and arrange for all their supplies.

At the beginning of June, I was told to admit a patient asap who was moving from out of state, already trained, “only” needed a home visit, machine, water, and drain installation, and supplies delivered.

The patient had no running water, so they needed a quick workaround.

The plumber was on vacation = no water installation possible for 2 weeks.

Water is essential for preparing dialysate, which in the end cleans the blood. There is an emergency workaround by buying pre-made dialysate, and no water is required.

The patient needed 8 x 5 5-liter bags for each treatment. They come 2 to a box. Patient dialysis 5 days a week, so that’s 4 boxes each treatment x 5 = 20 boxes per week.

The boss says to order them as quickly as possible for 2 weeks. That’s 40 boxes of 10 kg (22 lbs).

I tell her the shipping cost will be outrageous, so let’s order 8 boxes express and the rest regular.

The boss didn’t care about the shipping costs.

Nope, she knows better. Ok.

I ordered 40 boxes overnight by air. $ 1500 just for shipping.

The supplier thinks that’s crazy, I think that’s crazy, the boss says, “Do it.”

The boss didn’t think this through.

At the end of July, they’re checking the budget, and lo and behold, we spent way too much.

We have less than a third left for the rest of the year.

The boss’s bonus depends on smart budgeting, so she didn’t get her bonus this quarter.

She was mad, and I feel so vindicated.

Wow! Imagine how much they would’ve saved.

Let’s see what the folks over at Reddit think about her decision.

Well, when you look at it this way…

Here’s another person who thinks the boss did it on purpose.

This person also explains the shipping aspect.

You learn something new every day.

What an incredible sacrifice!

If you liked this post, check out this story about an employee who got revenge on a co-worker who kept grading their work suspiciously low.