Spotting a bad unit......before you take the job.

[Sugarcoma]

OK fellow RN's. I need some advice on how to spot a bad unit BEFORE I actually work on that unit. The things I have been doing are not working obviously because I have found myself on TWO bad units. (Have only had 2 nursing jobs lol) so apparently I need some help in this respect.

Probably the most frustrating thing about my experience has been that NO one will tell you BEFORE you actually take the job. In both instances once I signed on and started to realize something wasn't right......people came out of the woodwork to tell me how crappy the unit is. Would have been very nice had they shared that tidbit BEFORE I took the job!!

My info: RN licensed in 2009. First job: a severely short-staffed med-surg unit with very high acuity (functioned as a trauma/sicu step down unit.) and very high ratios.

I spent a long time researching before I left. I ruled out units with multiple openings posted all the time. When I interviewed I ruled out any unit staffed with all new RNS or RNs who had only been their for a short time. I talked to RN's who worked for the system and asked current employees when I shadowed about their job satisfaction.

I have been on this current unit for 9 months. I have given it my best shot. Normally I would NEVER consider leaving before 2 years but in this instance....well let's just say I do not need 2 years to know I am in a crappy situation.

The issues I have: Hired for full time at one rate of pay only to find I am actually part-time and receiving a lower rate of pay. My signed offer letter included the little tidbit that this offer is not binding and can be changed at any time, so I have no recourse. So they are getting the benefit of a part-time employee who works full time hours and I am paying much more for my benefits.

I was hired new to the ICU and told I would not have to take open hearts until I had at least 6 months experience and went through another orientation........I routinely have to fight with charge RN's about not taking fresh open hearts and many times am told too bad so sad. I am NOT comfortable with this!!! I never received an open heart pt. on orientation. Was only shown a SWAN so I knew what it looked like, received no info about the various readings and what they meant. I have taken steps to train myself but do not feel this is ideal.

Lastly my co-workers (most not all) are very non supportive and routinely try to sabotage each other. Oh and of course no lunch breaks makes for the icing on the cake.

What I would like for my next job: Rate of pay and status I am promised. A reasonable ratio if med-surg (less than 9) and ideally a lunch break! I have resigned myself to the fact that I am never going to receive an adequate orientation and that I am going to have to spend a lot of my off time teaching myself things...I am ok with that, as long as I have at least a couple coworkers that will let me run things by them when needed.

Also I do not have a lot of RN friends, so I am unable to find people who actually work on the unit prior to accepting a job and in both instances when I asked current employees outside of management's ear shot was told "this is a wonderful place to work"

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I agree with those who say that you should ask to shadow. When you do, you'll see a lot about the unit. And, you'll have an opportunity to talk to some of the nurses. There were a few nurses who did this on my former unit in the past few months. Pretty sure the nurses they were shadowing all told them to run.

[Sugarcoma, RN]

Lots of good advice that I appreciate from all. The one thing I did not do that I regret and will never do again was not ask to shadow a shift. I guess I was soo burned out from the other job I jumped too quickly. Had I asked to shadow I would have seen the way the physicians are allowed to speak to the nurses on this unit and I would have RAN out of there as fast as I possibly could have. I also would have gotten a better idea of how co-workers interacted with each other.

I worked last night and in the morning I approached my manager and asked for a meeting. I listed specific issues I was having. She told me that it takes a "certain type" of nurse to thrive in the current culture of this unit and that she is trying to change it as best she can. We have several new hires who hopefully will contribute to that change. As far as the docs go she stated that will probably never change because it has been an ongoing issue for several years. So I guess i will have to suck it up in that area. I did let her know that I was looking for another job. She told me she was sad to hear that but that she understood. She also told me they have lost a lot of good nurses due to the lateral violence. I did manage to walk away with a concrete promise that she would speak to the midnight charges and let them know I was not to have fresh open-hearts. I figure that is better than nothing. In this economy my resume is not getting many bites so I will have to make the best of this situation for at least another 3 months. With one year in the system I am eligible for transfer to another unit.