Am I out of line or am I just whining??? Feeling a little picked on!

Nurses General Nursing

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Technically, I am am ICU nurse...that is my title. Right now, we are very short on ICU nurses, so we rarely have an ICU patient...most of them are shipped to a larger hospital. So...when there is an ICU nurse on duty, but no ICU patient, the ICU nurses float to Med-Surg. I like Med-Surg...there is a lot of variety. However, I am having major problems with one of the charge nurses. I am very organized...I plan my shift well and do my best to stay a little ahead of the game...I cannot stand being behind, running late, etc. This charge nurse sees that as an asset and takes advantage of the fact. I've kept track for the past three months and whenever this nurse is charge, if there is an odd number of patients (for example if there are ten patients and three nurses) I always get the 4th patient. When we all start with the same amount of patients, I am always assigned first admit. There has not been one shift in the past three months that I have has an equal or less amount of patients. I always have more "acuity points" than any other nurse on the floor. Last night, we started with 6 patients total and ended the night with 9 total. I started with three, one nurse had two, the other nurse had one. I ended the night with six patients. The charge nurses logic...I was caught up all night and one of the other nurses was just coming off a three week vacation, so it didn't seem fair to load her up too much. The nurse that only had two patients pointed out to her that I already had more patients than everyone else and the charge nurse told her that I am annoying when I get bored, so she likes to keep me really busy. I am also assigned to do crash cart checks, check doors to make sure they are locked after 2300, and glucometer controls whenever this nurse is on. If I am not on, there is another nurse who is treated the same as far as assignments, etc.

It isn't that I can't handle six patients or that I mind a challenge or being busy all night, but it gets old to see other nurses sitting while I am running my rear end off. I can do it and I think I do it pretty well, but I am frustrated to the point that I am about to resign. The other nurse whom she assigns int he same manner feels the same way. We've both talked to her about how we feel about her assignments and she either tells us we are being silly, just laughs, or tells us that we are the only ones she can trust to do the job. Our DON tells us we have to handle the situation on our own.

So...the other nurse and I kept track of assignments for three months. She is a computer guru and made a chart showing the assignments for each night and how the patient load was divided up. The charge nurse has now decided that since we have time for such nonsense, that we can spend our downtime stocking linen, cleaning wheelchairs, organizing the stockroom, etc.

Several other nurses have pointed out to the charge nurse and the DON that two of us are "picked on," but nothing has changed.

I am ready to quit!

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Specializes in Cardiac.
Technically, I am am ICU nurse...that is my title. Right now, we are very short on ICU nurses, so we rarely have an ICU patient...most of them are shipped to a larger hospital. So...when there is an ICU nurse on duty, but no ICU patient, the ICU nurses float to Med-Surg. I like Med-Surg...there is a lot of variety. However, I am having major problems with one of the charge nurses. I am very organized...I plan my shift well and do my best to stay a little ahead of the game...I cannot stand being behind, running late, etc. This charge nurse sees that as an asset and takes advantage of the fact. I've kept track for the past three months and whenever this nurse is charge, if there is an odd number of patients (for example if there are ten patients and three nurses) I always get the 4th patient. When we all start with the same amount of patients, I am always assigned first admit. There has not been one shift in the past three months that I have has an equal or less amount of patients. I always have more "acuity points" than any other nurse on the floor. Last night, we started with 5 patients total and ended the night with 9 total. I started with three, one nurse had two, the other nurse had one. I ended the night with six patients. The charge nurses logic...I was caught up all night and one of the other nurses was just coming off a three week vacation, so it didn't seem fair to load her up too much. The nurse that only had two patients pointed out to her that I already had more patients than everyone else and the charge nurse told her that I am annoying when I get bored, so she likes to keep me really busy. I am also assigned to do crash cart checks, check doors to make sure they are locked after 2300, and glucometer controls whenever this nurse is on. If I am not on, there is another nurse who is treated the same as far as assignments, etc.

It isn't that I can't handle six patients or that I mind a challenge or being busy all night, but it gets old to see other nurses sitting while I am running my rear end off. I can do it and I think I do it pretty well, but I am frustrated to the point that I am about to resign. The other nurse whom she assigns int he same manner feels the same way. We've both talked to her about how we feel about her assignments and she either tells us we are being silly, just laughs, or tells us that we are the only ones she can trust to do the job. Our DON tells us we have to handle the situation on our own.

So...the other nurse and I kept track of assignments for three months. She is a computer guru and made a chart showing the assignments for each night and how the patient load was divided up. The charge nurse has now decided that since we have time for such nonsense, that we can spend our downtime stocking linen, cleaning wheelchairs, organizing the stockroom, etc.

Several other nurses have pointed out to the charge nurse and the DON that two of us are "picked on," but nothing has changed.

I am ready to quit!

Yikes! It sounds like your DON doesn't take you or your concerns seriously at all! If I were you, my next meeting with her would include the line, "Next time this happens, I quit!". If she (they) still treat you this disrespectfully, then I would definately search for greener pastures. I don't anticipate people changing how they behave on their own. Why should they? They have been allowed to get away with it. Cleaning wheelchairs, stocking linens?? No way!! Why play for a part of a team when they won't go to bat for you. You are the only one here looking out for you!

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Quit. Or work a lot slower. Or go above the DON. People can only keep dumping on you if you let them. ICU nurses are in demand, and someone with your great organizational skills should be snapped up by another hospital.

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Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).
Quit. Or work a lot slower. Or go above the DON. People can only keep dumping on you if you let them. ICU nurses are in demand, and someone with your great organizational skills should be snapped up by another hospital.

I would definitely forward a copy of my resignation to the Chief Nursing Officer. This is a truly insane way to lose good nurses. And yes, they deserve to lose you.

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I'd probably vote for the "If it happens again, I quit," and see what happens. Just be prepared to really quit. ;) If they think you're so valuable and you're the only one who can do it, they'd better bend over backwards to keep you!

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Good grief. First the incident in the ER and now this?? I would get out of that h***hole as fast as my legs would carry me. There are too many nursing positions out there for ANY employer to feel that they can treat nurses like this. Your work atmosphere sounds positively toxic from this and your previous posts. I wouldn't put up with it. Vote with your feet!

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When we all start with the same amount of patients, I am always assigned first admit. There has not been one shift in the past three months that I have has an equal or less amount of patients. I always have more "acuity points" than any other nurse on the floor. Last night, we started with 6 patients total and ended the night with 9 total. I started with three, one nurse had two, the other nurse had one. I ended the night with six patients.

I KNOW EXACTLY how you feel. I am glad I read this. I am so sick of the charge nurse that does this to me. I am going to take the advice given here and look for a transfer. Thanks! Mel :) :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire

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Something kind of funny that my husband pointed out tonight...in a few months, I top out on the pay scale. I know for sure I am one of the higher paid nurses...plus, I just got certified in AMLS, TNCC, and ACLS instructor...all of which I am supposed to get a raise (a small raise, but still a raise) for.

Right now, I think the whole organization is full of ****...and I am actively looking for another job. :(

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what did that 2 other nurses do when you picked up their patients? sit and chat until their shift ended? talk on the phone? pick their noses ? :chuckle they are definitely taking advantage of you and that is not the only issue. what if three of your patients coded and something happens to one of the patients because you cannot be with three patients at the same time? i think you are liable because you took their assignment. oh my god that place is horrible. get out of that place right nowwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Technically, I am am ICU nurse...that is my title. Right now, we are very short on ICU nurses, so we rarely have an ICU patient...most of them are shipped to a larger hospital. So...when there is an ICU nurse on duty, but no ICU patient, the ICU nurses float to Med-Surg. I like Med-Surg...there is a lot of variety. However, I am having major problems with one of the charge nurses. I am very organized...I plan my shift well and do my best to stay a little ahead of the game...I cannot stand being behind, running late, etc. This charge nurse sees that as an asset and takes advantage of the fact. I've kept track for the past three months and whenever this nurse is charge, if there is an odd number of patients (for example if there are ten patients and three nurses) I always get the 4th patient. When we all start with the same amount of patients, I am always assigned first admit. There has not been one shift in the past three months that I have has an equal or less amount of patients. I always have more "acuity points" than any other nurse on the floor. Last night, we started with 6 patients total and ended the night with 9 total. I started with three, one nurse had two, the other nurse had one. I ended the night with six patients. The charge nurses logic...I was caught up all night and one of the other nurses was just coming off a three week vacation, so it didn't seem fair to load her up too much. The nurse that only had two patients pointed out to her that I already had more patients than everyone else and the charge nurse told her that I am annoying when I get bored, so she likes to keep me really busy. I am also assigned to do crash cart checks, check doors to make sure they are locked after 2300, and glucometer controls whenever this nurse is on. If I am not on, there is another nurse who is treated the same as far as assignments, etc.

It isn't that I can't handle six patients or that I mind a challenge or being busy all night, but it gets old to see other nurses sitting while I am running my rear end off. I can do it and I think I do it pretty well, but I am frustrated to the point that I am about to resign. The other nurse whom she assigns int he same manner feels the same way. We've both talked to her about how we feel about her assignments and she either tells us we are being silly, just laughs, or tells us that we are the only ones she can trust to do the job. Our DON tells us we have to handle the situation on our own.

So...the other nurse and I kept track of assignments for three months. She is a computer guru and made a chart showing the assignments for each night and how the patient load was divided up. The charge nurse has now decided that since we have time for such nonsense, that we can spend our downtime stocking linen, cleaning wheelchairs, organizing the stockroom, etc.

Several other nurses have pointed out to the charge nurse and the DON that two of us are "picked on," but nothing has changed.

I am ready to quit!

Why not just tell the house supervisor? I have to assume you are in a hospital and most hospitals have supervisors each shift. Let someone who is involved in keeping floors staffed, but not involved in the politics of any one floor take a look at the assignment.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Are those medsurg ratio's or ICU? I must be confused. This happens when you float to medsurg, but I have never heard of such low medsurg nurse /patient loads. No matter what it is not right, and you should document and send it up the chain of command. However, I think it would be fair to tell the charge nurse this is what you plan to do if it continues, and maybe she will change the behavior.

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We are a small, rural hospital...26 beds total and that includes M/S, ICU, and L&D / PP. According to management, a medsurg nurse should be able to adequately handle 12 patients. One RN is always designated as a house supervisor and that is usually the charge nurse, so talking to the house supervisor really doesn't help...LOL. I have asked her point blank if she really thinks her assignments are fair and she says they are fair to the patients because the patient has the nurse who is most qualified for his or her diagnosis and that is all that matters. Whatever! :icon_roll :icon_roll

I talked to the other "picked on" nurse when she got off shift this morning and she told me the charge nurse ordered pizza for everyone last night. She sat down to have a piece and the charge nurse told her she needed to get an empty room made up before she ate...she left to make the bed, etc and when she came back all of the pizza was gone...including the piece she has taken a couple of bites of...the charge nurse threw it away because it was "just sitting there!"

I am frustrated to the point that if I don't find another job pretty soon, I will just quit anyway and take a few weeks off unitl I do find something...maybe that if what I need anyway.

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