Disfunctional RN's

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I have to vent. In the last 18 mos. the HR dept. where I work has taken over final say on hiring people, ie: we are desperate.

We have an experienced RN who has been with us for about 5 months. She went thru orientation etc.... and was placed on her own. Now she has decided that she really doesn't know how to chart in the computer, doesn't know how to properly flush a central line, no one really told her and it's not her fault. Has been sitting on the clock after her shift complaining about not wanting to go home to "all those kids".

Same thing happened in about 6 mos. ago with another RN who blamed people for not helping her, no one told her, she didn't know (after a year no less). She was coddled along until she was found unable to keep her head up and stay awake at the desk on the day shift (not the first time she had erratic behavior). She is on a leave.

I am getting frustrated with being so desperate to keep people that we will put up with almost anything! HR is more worried about numbers than quality. And I am afraid of working with these people, they don't care about lying to you or about you. It's scary!!!!!

Just my rant.

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Yes, I have seen this myself. There are those who can get away with their sloppy a@@ work, but it will catch up to them. At what expense is the problem. Its difficult to work around this and not complain, but I would try really hard to just ignore this , even if it made me work a little harder because it will one day catch up with that person. They will have to answer to it all! As for H.R., let me tell you that some people in interviews promise the world! They will say anything to make themselves look great for that position. Its like you said, after they were there a while, their true colors were shown.

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It will catch up with them soon..

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Specializes in ER, Outpatient PACU and School Nursing.

I feel your pain but not sure what the answer is- I always thought I was a believer in what goes around comes around,etc. except when it comes to these types of employees. My hospital cares more about a warm body- so those that have issues still are working year after year.. I try not to let it get to me anymore and worry about myself. Makes my day so much easier to deal with working there..

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Specializes in Interventional Cardiology, MICU.

There seems to be one of these on each floor...............EVERYONE is aware...

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I know, I hate the warm body theory too, I just get frustrated that my livelyhood is threatened because these types of people will sell all of us out, and we are a fairly good crew, they make us all look bad.

Administration sides with these people and then accuses us of "scaring away new employees". When the truth is found out, do you think we get an apology-No! It is swept under the rug, just demoralizing.

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Specializes in vascular, med surg, home health , rehab,.

you read my mind tonight; not just RN's, lpns, CNA's you name it. Have a pulse have a job, regardless off background, experience. Exhausting for the weeks of orientation, spik and span clean ups, etc, etc. The really dumb thing is, I saw a figure that it cost about $3000 to get a new employee up and running. So how much goes out the door when its people who just dont fit the bill? Not to mention the toll on morale, theirs and ours. And the hours it takes from pt care. Sad to say, with the shortage, only getting worse.

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We have the same problem where I work. As long as you have a heartbeat, you will get hired. Sometimes when I meet the people they hire, I wonder what went through their minds. Or maybe people like this are excellent at interviews or something. : ) Just kidding. But really, I do not know what the answer is but if someone has one, please let us know. Also, how long is it acceptable for HR to say, "They are new. Hang in there et give them time." before they finally realize that is NOT the problem?

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, ER.

The other side of that is when the person IS new, and the facility scrimps on their orientation, saying "they'll be fine, just help 'em out". Recipe for failure if you ask me! Today's nursing has far too sharp a learning curve for a quick 8 week orientation on a busy floor or unit. Some days/nights, it's impossible to TEACH your orientee because you're too busy just trying to get the work done. But does management care? Nope - get 'em out there on the floor where they'll count as staff... at least, until they quit.

Bah.

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I think that the biggest problem is that nurses generally enter the profession thinking that it is their "calling" to do good, and some are looking to fill the "hole" in their heart, which is not a good reason to become a nurse.

Dysfunctional nurses can also be burnt out, and no longer care about their performance level. That is a problem system wide, and instead of blaming eachother, lets work towards solutions. It doesn't take long to figure out that you are indeed a "warm body", and management doesn't really care as long as the shift is filled. They go home at night and sleep well regardless of who is working, how many shifts they've worked and what kind of job they'll do. I haven't met a really good manager yet. It is hard not to become resentful when you know you are not valued in the system.

If managers would work towards cohesive work environments, promote positive leadership, mentorship and communication, new nurses wouldn't leave units because they've been "chased away". I have never understood that phenomenon, units are so desperate for staff, yet a new face walks in the door, and 75% or better will try to set them up for failure. Gossip, backstabbing, etc. about new hires is not going to make them feel welcome.

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Great post Limbo. New hires, even experienced ones, need a little help adjusting to the new environment. Some units set up new hires for failure because the CN, NM and staff have established a toxic work situation. I had this happen once, and I know that NO job is worth the stress this puts on a person. I have no concrete answers for this situations but I do feel for the nurse who is working under both sides of this situation.

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Specializes in vascular, med surg, home health , rehab,.

As a matter of sanity, nursing has become a survival of the fittest enviroment. In the past 6 months we have had nurses on longer and longer orientations. 2 months plus. One was out of practise for almost 20 years and I was her refresher course! Oh full load to boot. She almost put a foot of air into a pt via IV. She quit the first week she worked alone. Another who was "experienced" had to be stopped giving an IM shot because she diluted it with 5 mls of saline first. She quit after burning out her preceptor for 2 months. Then you get the "bare minimum" nurses, that made it through. Their patient are the ones calling the station or sending family to the station all mad, usually at end of shift, about the care they've got, the pain meds they've asked 5 times for, etc, etc. The next shift or whoever happens to be there gets to deal with it, while they finish charting and trot off home. As someone said, we are a good team and it does make us all look bad, cripples morale, and has had the effect of making people just fend for themselves and own group of patients. Our CNC's, equally frustrated, just choose whom they work shifts with. Apart from more selective hiring ( never going to happen) I have no idea what the answer is. Does anyone not have this kind of deal at work and if so how?

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