Bad Day!!!

[Magsulfate]

I got relief today to come home because I was crying so bad, I couldn't help it! I tried to calm down and finish my shift out, but I couldn't. Something happened in our ICU that upset me. A male nurse was mad at me about the assignment and was yelling at me in front of everyone slamming a book down and treating me badly. Our manager had to come in and she really didn't resolve the situation. I told her I understood what I did wrong and will fix it, but the fact that I WAS YELLED AT and treated in a DEMEANING MANNER by a coworker, in front of EVERYONE,, she didn't care about that!!! The assignment I gave the male nurse, ultimately, was the easiest one that we had today. Before he even walked in the door, he had his easy assignment. What he was mad about was the fact that he ALMOST had a bad assignment. It didn't matter to him that I had changed it to the easy one (before he even got there, late of course) it mattered that I ALMOST gave him a bad assignment. He's the boss's little pet too.

Let me add that I often have to come up with the assignment for our shift (the night shift is suppose to do it) because most of the time, the night shift doesn't "have time", like today. I am the only charge nurse our unit has, but there was no charge assignment today. I am treated like a charge nurse by the nurses there, even when I have two patients and am not the charge nurse. I am the default 'resource person' because no one else wants to do it, or they are too new to do it. I don't mind doing it for the most part, because I believe that everyone needs help sometime and we should all work as a team.

Anyway, This incident was not the first thing that cued me to get a new job and I actually landed a really good job and start in a week. I gave my notice almost two weeks ago, but the manager BEGGED me to stay until the end of this schedule which is january 18th. She begged me so much that I finally gave in and came to the conclusion that I would have two full time jobs for a month!

The good thing that was in it for me was that I would not have a month lapse in insurance, that I would have, if I left at my two weeks notice.

But now, as I sit here and think about it more, I don't even want to go back to that place!! ( was going to stay on as PRN) My best friend at work quit there two weeks ago, suddenly, because the boss wouldn't stop picking on her and trying to find things she did wrong. She would look at her hourly charting and if she was an hour behind charting the I & O's then she would write her up!! This manager is loud and obnoxious, she won't let you talk, she talks over you and when you try to say something she is demeaning and tells you "I'M NOT TALKING OVER YOU! SO STOP TALKING OVER ME!~! "

I tried to tell her how I felt about the communication issue, but she doesn't seem to understand it at all. My point of view is WRONG of course. In every instance, no matter what the deal is,, ,,, she is right and everyone else is wrong.

I have been afraid to tell anyone in upper management about this manager and what she does because I have seen her scheme and retaliate against other nurses, and those other nurses usually end up getting fired or quitting because of the work environment. But, as soon as I am no longer employed by this hospital, I feel like I should write the CEO and upper management with all of my concerns. I will include the fact that I was scared of retaliation because I've seen her make remarks about retaliating. Not saying the actual word 'retaliate', but say stuff like "she will regret this' or "haha, we'll see about this!"... just things that a manager should not be saying. And to back it up, those nurses that "told on her" no longer work for us. And there are SEVERAL.

But then again, I tell myself,, maybe I should just put that all behind me and be done with it. Will writing a letter like that really help? I Don't know.

I also didn't have the guts to tell my husband what happened today, but I am going to let him read this as soon as I'm finished. This is how bad I felt today.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Enjoy your time off and good luck at your new job!

[sissiesmama, ASN, RN]

I would not work one more hour on that unit! Let your boss figure out the schedule.Call her and give her your

resignation effective today. Keep it short and to the point.

I don't think a letter to administration would be helpful,they usually see it as "sour grapes".

Move on and enjoy your new job!

Definetly not go back into that situation if at all possible before starting the new job. That sounds like a horrible situation to be placed in, and then not have any back up so to speak, is just untolerable IMO. Good luck to you in your new facility. I'll bet you will enjoy it!

Anne, RNC

[Kayartea]

your nm had better re-think her actions in cases like this, as she is responsible for such on her unit.

the joint commission has issued an alert on bad behavior among health care professionals and announced that effective january 1, 2009 a code of conduct that defines acceptable and unacceptable behaviors will be required to address rude language and hostile behavior, intimidating and disruptive behaviors, verbal outbursts, refusing to perform assigned tasks or exhibiting uncooperative attitudes during routine activities all potentially leading to poor patient outcomes, patient satisfaction, errors that impact safety all of which do matter.

they go on to say individuals in 'positions of power' who display behaviors like impatience with questions asked or the tone of voice is condescending along with the message when questions are asked undermine team effectiveness and can compromise safety and are overt and passive behaviors that are unprofessional and should not be tolerated.

they further include refusal to answer questions, return phone calls or pages and the list of those involved in this behavior include administrators, support staff, pharmacists, therapists, physicians and nurses and both genders.

the announcement does state that intimidating and disruptive behaviors are such a serious issue that, in addition to addressing it in the new standards will also be in the new sentinel event alert.

[Magsulfate, BSN, RN]

your nm had better re-think her actions in cases like this, as she is responsible for such on her unit.

the joint commission has issued an alert on bad behavior among health care professionals and announced that effective january 1, 2009 a code of conduct that defines acceptable and unacceptable behaviors will be required to address rude language and hostile behavior, intimidating and disruptive behaviors, verbal outbursts, refusing to perform assigned tasks or exhibiting uncooperative attitudes during routine activities all potentially leading to poor patient outcomes, patient satisfaction, errors that impact safety all of which do matter.

they go on to say individuals in 'positions of power' who display behaviors like impatience with questions asked or the tone of voice is condescending along with the message when questions are asked undermine team effectiveness and can compromise safety and are overt and passive behaviors that are unprofessional and should not be tolerated.

they further include refusal to answer questions, return phone calls or pages and the list of those involved in this behavior include administrators, support staff, pharmacists, therapists, physicians and nurses and both genders.

the announcement does state that intimidating and disruptive behaviors are such a serious issue that, in addition to addressing it in the new standards will also be in the new sentinel event alert.

wow, thanks for posting this. i knew that there was something coming up about this. my manager falls into this catagory and i'm sure will get into trouble soon. i just want to wash my hands of it. i feel like if i make a deal of it, then they will either say it is sour grapes, or bad feelings on my part for leaving. i also have a feeling that she might dig way down into my charting and try to find anything that i did wrong in the two years i worked there and call the bon about it. we all make mistakes at some point, and i'm sure she can dig and find something. i just want to be rid of her and that facility.

[ms_orion]

Hostile work environment- report it!

[Kayartea]

Sorry, but just wanting to wash your hands of it is one of the reasons such behavior has been allowed to continue in the work place for so long. Report it. Actually, you can report it anonymously to your corporate compliance officer. Cite the JACHO ruling and state that this is such a problem on that unit that several nurses, including yourself have either left or are considering doing so, and patients have been exposed to the bad behavior as well. Say that you don't wish to make trouble, but you still have some loyalty to the hospital and since compliance is concerned with maintaining JACHO accreditation you felt they should be made aware of the situation as it needs investigating.

[yalienne]

Sorry to highjack the highjack . I worked for a nurse manager that was truly one of the most evil people I have ever met. Several years after escaping her torment, I learned that her husband had committed suicide and my first thought was "What took him so long!". Toxic situations don't get better, they continue to get worse with those "in control" spiraling even faster OUT OF CONTROL. Take your vacation/sick/personal leave and run for your sanity.

I wonder how people get like this. A little taste of power and they go insane. Are they even aware that others want to dance on their graves? Control freaks-- the Hitlers of the nursing ward or as Grey's anatomy call these control freaks the "NAZI."

[ms_orion]

The best REVENGE is to BE HAPPY ANYWAY!

[Magsulfate, BSN, RN]

I"m happy.... happy that I'm gone from that place and I haven't thought about it for a while,, until I read the replies today.. lol

I am soooooo happy now. :) :) :)

Someone else can put up with the bull crap.

[RN1982]

What did they say when you told them you weren't coming back?

[Magsulfate, BSN, RN]

I told HR. Never even went to my NM. Apparently they don't do exit interviews. hmm.. anyway, I just left it at that. I don't want to stir the pot, there's no telling what she might do.