Should I stay or should I go???

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello everyone. I'm new to this forum and also a new graduate nurse. I applied for a job on an admitting floor in Oct. and was hired. This floor is like a "mini-ER", very fast paced and extremely busy. I've had a total of 24 days on the floor to learn computer charting, meds. admin, admissions, and getting down the basics of floor nursing. I've been w/ about 4 or 5 different preceptors, all of which do things differently. One of which didn't know how to hang blood. (I had a direct admit with a hgb of 5.9) Also, my orientation mostly consisted of getting telephone orders implemented as well as doing a full admission. (I'm pretty much getting that part down) However, I have not had the greatest orientation, I feel like my preceptors were too busy to really teach me.

To make a long story short, I'm considering moving to a different unit. I've had snide remarks made to me by other nurses as well as a tech who down right refused to transfer my patient. (I ended transferring my pt. myself, he was in an ortho bed) One nurse told me I needed to go in the "back and eat some popcorn" yeah, ignorant, i know. :angryfire THis nurse has repeatedly asked me why in the world would I want to work on this "f-ing" floor. The nurses station is full of employees who bs around and cuss and carry on as if they were in a bar. Very unprofessional, especiall b/c we have family in and out of our unit. I'm 35 yrs. old and refuse to be talked to like I'm worthless. Does anyone have any suggestions? I talked w/ my unit mgr. and she's willing to transfer me to another floor, but hr tells me it will not be any different elsewhere. How sad.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

Then I'd find another hospital. Seriously. If you are this unhappy and HR is actually telling you that it is that bad on every unit of the hospital... I'd go somewhere else.

Where I work right now, the unit is pretty fast paced, hectic... mostly new grad nurses... but I've been told that many of the other units of the hospital are cake to work on, compared to this one.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Peds/O.R./Legal/cardiology.

Wait a minute. HR told you that "it would not be any different elsewhere"? THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM with that system! My advice is to GET OUT! Poor patients! Is the hospital accredited?

ebear

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The hospital is accredited. My husband works in HR at his place of employment, he couldn't believe what they told me either. I did a ton a clinicals (10hr. days) when I was in nursing school. At various hospitals w/ the exception of the one I got hired in at. I know how floor nursing can be. I'm generally a laid back person, I've been told I do quite well under pressure. (I graduated w/ honors in nursing school while raising 3 children, talk about pressure...). But.....I refuse to believe this kind of hostility and ignorance goes on everywhere.

Like I said, many nurses on this shift sit in the nurses station and bs while I'm running around like a chicken w/ it's head cut off. seriously. it's pathetic. 6-7 co-workers took their "lunch break" the other night and no one was to be found in the nurses station. phones were ringing, lights going off, pts. asking for their nurse. (I was at my module trying to get my charting done) Either my nurse mgr. can switch my shift or I will be transferred. I'm also looking into other area hospitals.

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Does your NM know about this. Best thing is to write a short stantement and ask to meee. Perhaps a 3rd person who could be your silent witness

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Then I'd find another hospital. Seriously. If you are this unhappy and HR is actually telling you that it is that bad on every unit of the hospital... I'd go somewhere else.

Where I work right now, the unit is pretty fast paced, hectic... mostly new grad nurses... but I've been told that many of the other units of the hospital are cake to work on, compared to this one.

She also made it quite clear to me that no matter what hospital I go to, I will run into those nurses "who eat their young" and the hectic floors. Don't get me wrong, I like the fast paced environment, what I don't like is trying to basically learn an ER setting in about 4 weeks. Along w/ the ignorance of some of the staff. The only thing I'm contemplating is that my unit manager is wonderful. But she's only there on the day shift so she's unable to witness what goes on during the other shifts. It's my word against theirs.

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Does your NM know about this. Best thing is to write a short stantement and ask to meee. Perhaps a 3rd person who could be your silent witness

She does. And she's putting me on a different shift (with an experienced nurse, thankfully) for 12 hours shifts until another position opens. As long as I don't have to work w/ the ignorant bunch, I'll survive. But, it's hr that's giving me a hard time about transferring.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

If HR is giving you a hard time about transferring to a different unit and you had a preceptor that cannot even hang a unit of blood, then I would get out now.

A new grad needs a consistent preceptor. You also need one who is experienced. The unit you are on sounds like a 24 hour observation unit. Those are busy units, but all units are busy in different ways. I think they are doing you a great disservice by not giving you a better orientation. I really urge you to look elsewhere.

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Even after official orientation is over, a new nurse needs other experienced nurses as resources until 6 months to one year. It really does take that long until you can function independently, and even experienced nurses help each other out.

It sounds like there is no one there for you.

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Run and don't look back. Not everywhere is like that. I worked in a hospital for 8 months, and it was NOT like that. I had one great preceptor and the other nurses were willing to answer questions and help out. Hospital nursing isn't my bag, so I found a different area of nursing. But the hospital I worked at was great. Each workplace is different. If it's easy for you to find another hospital, it's probably a good idea to cut your losses and try somewhere else.

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If HR is giving you a hard time about transferring to a different unit and you had a preceptor that cannot even hang a unit of blood, then I would get out now.

A new grad needs a consistent preceptor. You also need one who is experienced. The unit you are on sounds like a 24 hour observation unit. Those are busy units, but all units are busy in different ways. I think they are doing you a great disservice by not giving you a better orientation. I really urge you to look elsewhere.

This unit is a 23 hr. observation unit. Half is tele, other half is general med/surg. The blood situation was a one time thing. This preceptor was the only preceptor that (I was with) didn't know how to hang blood. With that being said, I knew (from observing) that she was unqualified to be my preceptor. (they also make her charge nurse on my shifts) After precepting w/ her that night, I asked the other charge nurse to not put me w/ her ever again. I told her she was not qualified to precept. (she was also a fairly new grad. to top things off) What scares me is that my NM tried to take me off orientation weeks ago b/c the unit is so short handed. I continued to tell her and my "preceptorS" that I only had 20 days on the floor, and I was not ready. She adds 2 days on here and there and tells me that everyone says you're doing a great job. Maybe so, but it's b/c someone was showing me what needs to be done. (admissions, orders, putting home meds in computer, etc.) Also, one night I went into work and they had a new grad. be in charge that night. (she graduated w/ me as well but started 2 months earlier) Thanks for the advice. I'm scheduled to work w/ a nurse on a different shift who is very knowledgeable. For now, they're keeping me on orientation, but I am looking at other hospitals. I called yesterday, just waiting to hear. Cross your fingers.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Peds/O.R./Legal/cardiology.

I AM CROSSING MY FINGERS FOR YOU, georgie3!! This place sounds downright dangerous! I am sure that your husband was amazed by HR's comments. Sounds to me like any warm licensed body will do. Good Grief!!

ebear

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