Mean nurses and High Turnover

hpcat · Apr 17, 2008

What does that have to do with anything?

Don't take offense, I'm not slamming people taking anti-anxiety meds.

In the context of what this girl is doing, she is sitting there ripping my classmates and me apart, yet she clearly has her own issues. Hypocritical.

mamason · Apr 17, 2008

Thanks to everyone for your replies.
To add, I have a one year contract that I'm committed to. I wanted to stay in ICU vs. a different area in this same hospital as I want the best experience possible before I move and apply for ICU job elsewhere. It makes it really difficult day to day to work with the "toxic princesses" (VERY WELL PUT!), when they don't attempt to have conversation with you, act to busy when you want to take a lunch break and have them cover your patients, need help turning, etc. They even turn their nose up at you when you walk by, and whisper about other people you work with all the time. I hate it!
To the nurse who also stayed the one year... how did you deal with it?
It seems like this is so bad that every new nurse they hire finishes their orientation and then quits or transfers to the night shift.

Well, it wasn't easy to say the least. I had signed up for a bonus when I was hired. So, I had to do my year in order to get the full bonus. I just went in and did my job. I kept to myself. I asked for help when needed. I did my best to ignore the few ignorant people I worked with. If they had something stupid to say to me, I would do my best to tell them that what they were saying was highly inappropriate. Of course, I was thinking not so nice thoughts about what I wanted to tell them. I never started anything with them, but, refused to let them walk all over me either. I just looked at them as sad individuals who thought they were stuck in a dysfunctional job. I told myself,"This is not the only hospital in this area to work at." I just dug my heals in and stood up for myself when needed. I didn't care if they gossiped. They really didn't mean anything to me. Just a bunch of pathetic little creatures who got off on trying to tear others down to make themselves feel better.SO...hang in there, remain working until you can find another job. Get that resume updated. That's what is so great with out job. If we are unhappy where we are at, we kind find another. Someone is always looking for a good nurse to join their team. :typing

hpcat · Apr 17, 2008

Just a bunch of pathetic little creatures who got off on trying to tear others down to make themselves feel better. :typing

That sums up my classmates. They still stress me out, but they're more tolerable since I've started putting this perspective on things. :up:

mamason · Apr 17, 2008

This "toxic" group of individuals kisses ass to the manager and director, and then bad mouths management when they're not around. Funny that these are the only people that have been there over a year or so... with the exception of a few old nurses that just don't chime in to their bullcrap.

Take note on how the "older nurses" deal with their bull. Learn from it. Sweetie, don't let this get to you. Look for another place to work and move on. There are some units that just have toxic people in them. If management won't step up to the plate and do something about it( And believe me, they are aware of what is going on) then do you really want to work for a place like that? No....you don't. You want a positive environment. The job is stressful enough. No need to put up with added BS while at work. Hold your head high, you went to school and this is what you are trained to do. You KNOW what you are doing. Don't let some idiot take your confidence away. You earned that! And, it's yours. No one CAN take that away from you. Now, start looking for a different place to work. :smokin:

mamason · Apr 17, 2008

That sums up my classmates. They still stress me out, but they're more tolerable since I've started putting this perspective on things.

If they act like this in school, then, just imagine how pathetic their lives are at home? That's what I always told myself. "Do they act this way around family and friends?" Most people that act this way have NO SELF CONFIDENCE. They do this in order to make themselves feel better about themselves. Remember that. :lol2:

vamedic4, EMT-P · Apr 17, 2008

I've been working in this unit about 9 months now, and have seen staff come and go like no other. The girl who was my preceptor has turned evil, and is mean and condescending to me and other new staff. I've heard from fellow co-workers that people view her as being arrogant, walking around like she thinks she is "super nurse." She and a few others in our unit have this clique where they make the others feel isolated when we have to work with them. They gossip about others, especially nurses who might be pretty or confident in their knowledge/skills, and brag about situations where others may have made a mistake. They thrive on other's shortcomings and don't help out when there is a problem. I brought this up to my manager the other day, but it seems like nothing was ever addressed. Yesterday I found out that several of the nice nurses have either quit or went to night shift because they couldn't stand the attitudes and mean behavior of these people on day shift. Now, it's back to working with only a few people in addition to the group of mean ones.
I appreciate your suggestions.

We have a nurse like this at my organization, and we recently learned she's coming to night shift...GREAT..was the collective sigh from all of us. These people aren't team players, very "cliquish" and are quick to point out how "qualified" they are to do what they're doing:bowingpur as if no one else is equally or moreso. These are the people who seldom take responsibility for anything that they can somehow blame on others.

You must remember that you're "better" than that. Rise above what is petty and childish. People the likes of which you are working make for a toxic work environment and there are occasions where management won't do anything about it. Pathetic that management doesn't have the balls to call someone on their behavior.

Rest assured that you aren't the only one who is going through this. Remember, just because they're "nurses", doesn't mean they're good people. Just do your job the best you can, ignore the morons, ask for help if you need it, and notify management if it continues or gets worse.

vamedic4

Leslie,RN · Oct 7, 2010

I have never understood why management tolerates those with negative attitudes....it's easier to get rid of the one or two "problems" than constantly trying to rehire people all the time.
I mean, how bright doesn management have to be to figure that out?
When management ignores that type of behavior, they give them permission to continue.

EXACTLY!!!!

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2010

What you described sounds like a scene from the movie "Mean Girls". I have gone to nursing school with and have worked with girls like this. I never have understood it, can't wrap the entire theory around my head as to why someone would WANT to be like that. Don't they know that their behavior is just like wearing a neon sign that says "I AM INSECURE!!! WARNING! I AM INSECURE!!!" Pffffftt...I guess they don't know how pathetic they are to the rest of the people around them.

Your charge nurse should be assigning lunch breaks. Is that not the case? If not, you could suggest to your manager that lunch breaks start at X and will be covered by Nurse X. When I worked on the floor, we had teams that we were paired with to cover lunches and breaks.

As far as management goes, THEY KNOW. They just don't want to deal with it. They have other things on their mind, like meeting quotas and meeting goals that their bosses have set for them. Granted, many of the goals that they are trying to achieve is likely lower turnover rates. You would think they would get a clue.

Finish out your contractual obligation and start looking at other employment. It seems as if you are letting them run you off, but really, you are the one taking control of your own environment by looking elsewhere. Just be glad that you are not related to these weak minded individuals! Can you imagine what their home life must be like? YIKES!

As far as the attitudes, just let it roll. You are better than them by a long shot. It isn't easy to work around those who wish to exclude you. But also realize that these petty individuals would sell out their "best buds forever" in a heartbeat if it made them look good. STAY AWAY!

opensesame · Oct 7, 2010

Just wanted to add that to those of you that think these types of situations never get better -- sometimes they do. I have been at my job (also ICU) for 7 years. There were at least 6-8 of these "toxic" types on staff at the time I was hired in. They were all senior nurses that had been there for a long time.

Guess what? They all retired within the last year or two. My job is a much more pleasant place to work now, and I am very thankful because I love the patient population and I have great pay and benefits. Sometimes it pays to wait it out.