workplace disorganization, mental torture and bullying

Nurses General Nursing

Published

this does not involve any particular person. I am a new grad and have been lucky that I found job for which I keep thanking God every moment. I never thought nursing also involves workplace chaos and bullying. During 1st 6 months I once had a nasty preceptor orienting me who screwed me up completely because she was not comfortable me asking her many questions. I was asked to prove myself and I did with flying colors. So it was all retaliation business. Next, I found that my timesheet has been messed with and the supervisor made an excuse there was some confusion. I just wanted to ask her " how you would feel if your pay is missing ". Now I had to get that sorted out too. After all that, my performance evaluation time is coming near and I am sure the authorities concerned will not give me good eval for something which I did not do but it is due to their disorganization and workplace violence towards me.

I am a new grad and they know it is difficult to find job these days. All this is making me frustrated and I cannot stop thinking about job even on my off days and even when I am studying for my BSN classes. Its frustrating as to how I will survive in such place for long :crying2::mad:

Specializes in med/surg, PACU, Hospice, Pulmonary, ED a.

Me-oww! I've seen them in action here too. Oh, the claws can come out and some nurses don't even see it coming. In nature, survival goes to the nurturer. The ones who teach and assist, not to the fittest. The system as it is today, is bound to fail because success often goes to the loudest and meanest. Of course, this is my humble opinion.

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Well, if success goes to the loudest and meanest, why not become louder and meaner. Is there some way to get these workplace incidents national media attention? After all, it surely must degrade patient care or waste patients' or taxpayers' money in some interesting way. Can't we get some muckraking press to look into this, do some interviews for 60 Minutes or something? Play up how workplace bullying is a drain on the quality of health care and it interferes nurses with getting the job done?

There are write-ups online about bullying, and making someone look mentally unstable is "gaslighting." It follows a standard pattern in many cases. If they do it to you, document it. (Actually, I find this ridiculous that it's happening in nursing. Don't you study gaslighting for psych nursing?? Hmmmn, maybe not. There ought to be so many ways to shoot down gaslighting in a medical setting, I would think.) Make copies of any computer records or other records, and maybe you also need to make personal copies of computer files and do not share them. I've not been privy to any medical information systems, so I don't know how feasible that is in medicine. I used to routinely do it in manufacturing, as a CYA.)

For the timesheet tampering, can a nurse use a camera or cell phone camera to record what's just been filled in each time? I'd certainly try some guerrilla tactics if I had a workgroup gang up on me. If someone was assigned to train me and I was not getting that training, I'd certainly be going to higher-ups ASAP. Sometimes you just have to be very assertive, but not abrasive, and keep insisting that you get what is due you. If you are doing battle with co-workers, you have to switch off your emotions and run on ice cold logic and strategy.

Honestly, sometimes I think I should not even finish nursing school. Spending large parts of my workday finding ways to work around so much high-schooler BS in the workplace is not something I am going to do.

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I have seen and experienced bullying....It appears to be more prevalent in the higher acuity units. Some nurses thrive on making new nurses lives a living "beep". It wasn't until after i've worked on a unit for several months till I started to get some sort of respect. However, I believe there are times if you think the bullying is so severe that it is putting your liscense in jeopardy and the HR department and your manager are ignoring your complaints, I'd say it's time to leave.

I'm sorry this is happening to you, I just started a new job, but I stayed PRN at my old one just in case, and I'm feeling it all over again. It has increased my anxiety gazillion times more than when I first started as a new grad. This unit I happen to work on has very acute pts and this hospital has the best reputation in the state, mind you it is a magnet hospital, It is very clicky and I hate to say this, but I feel most of them are very snotty and act as if their in a sorority and I haven't gotten accepted . Some of 'em are condescending and exaggerate my slightest mistakes, when their work performance isn't perfect! I can deal with attitudes, they are everywhere, but when there is a lack of support and I get unfair assignments, it begins to worry me.

Please don't think you are the only one. Again, I'm sorry this is happening to you and I feel you on this one. Keep your chin up. If you know you are giving it all you got, then I would give yourself kudos. Nursing is already difficult as it is and the last thing we need as nurses is putting up with other nurse's bulls**t. If nurses claim they go into nursing for compassion for human beings than why don't they show it to one another!?!

I wish you the best of luck!

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/SNF-LTC/Supervisory.

Document, Document, DOCUMENT! That is my advice, advice I wished I'd taken before I was canned! There were 4 nurses who would smile and act all friendly to my face, and then come to find out (on my day of firing), they had issued reports to management fabricating incidences against me! To which, management neglected to research thoroughly which would have proved them to be lies. Just absolutely DOCUMENT everything, even things you find insignificant... it may be the ONLY thing that saves you in the end!!! These types of nurses DO EXIST, despite management's refusal to believe it.. when they say to "cover your orifice".. REALLY, believe it.!!

Now I'm giving you "cyber hugs" because I know how distressing this is!!! :hug:

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this does not involve any particular person. I am a new grad and have been lucky that I found job for which I keep thanking God every moment. I never thought nursing also involves workplace chaos and bullying. During 1st 6 months I once had a nasty preceptor orienting me who screwed me up completely because she was not comfortable me asking her many questions. I was asked to prove myself and I did with flying colors. So it was all retaliation business. Next, I found that my timesheet has been messed with and the supervisor made an excuse there was some confusion. I just wanted to ask her " how you would feel if your pay is missing ". Now I had to get that sorted out too. After all that, my performance evaluation time is coming near and I am sure the authorities concerned will not give me good eval for something which I did not do but it is due to their disorganization and workplace violence towards me.

I am a new grad and they know it is difficult to find job these days. All this is making me frustrated and I cannot stop thinking about job even on my off days and even when I am studying for my BSN classes. Its frustrating as to how I will survive in such place for long :crying2::mad:

Hang in there and gut it out. I am a new CNA and nursing student. The #1 thing I've learned (after very similiar experiences as you - including a timesheet error my first pay!)..nursing staff eat their own...

They're testing you and trying you...the longer you stay and keep plugging away the better...hang in there...when someone equally (or more) 'green' than you comes along they'll have new prey...then promise yourself to be a supportive nurse and colleague.

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Document, Document, DOCUMENT! That is my advice, advice I wished I'd taken before I was canned! There were 4 nurses who would smile and act all friendly to my face, and then come to find out (on my day of firing), they had issued reports to management fabricating incidences against me! To which, management neglected to research thoroughly which would have proved them to be lies. Just absolutely DOCUMENT everything, even things you find insignificant... it may be the ONLY thing that saves you in the end!!! These types of nurses DO EXIST, despite management's refusal to believe it.. when they say to "cover your orifice".. REALLY, believe it.!!

Now I'm giving you "cyber hugs" because I know how distressing this is!!! :hug:

GREAT ADVICE!

After my first week as a CNA I was cornered by a colleague who yelled about another coworker infront of residents. I wrote it in my journal. I have 4-5 pages in my journal with stars on them which identify it as a work-related entry. I use this journal mostly as "gratitude" diary, but since I keep it dated and write in it daily-weekly, I was told document everything that is a concern for future reference.

You will find a lot of managers buffer administrators from everything negative. It is amazing - a manager/supervisor may be harsh, even having stated to others they have the worst staff...yet to admnistrator that same manager/supervisor will speak as though they have perfect staff with not a trouble in the world --- in order to make their managerial skills look stellar.

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I just can't help but wonder why anyone would want to be a nurse... I know it happens in other careers as well, but my opinion is that it is much more prevalent in nursing. How sad. The nicest positions I've had are those where there was a good mix of female & male nurses.

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