Favoritism in nursing? - Page 2

As this occurs in virtually all professions, I don't see why you are singling nursing out.

I agree.
As far as family members, relatives of employees could be hired at my facility so long as they weren't supervising each other. So two aids could be sisters, but if the supervisor of the aids had a sister she couldn't be an aid. My mom was the DON when I started working as an aid, and they said it was ok since the ADON was my supervisor.

We made it clear from the get go that I was not going to seek special treatment and she wasn't going to give me any special treatment. I always went to my supervisor, not her. One time when my supervisor wasn't there and I was sick and forced to stay over (the other aids punched out and disapeared before anyone had be mandated), the nurses tried to get her to give me permision to leave, and she said she couldn't do that as it would be a conflict of interest, and I agreed.

Its sad how some people can be so unprofesional. I doubt it is good for their careers in the long run.

It occurs in other professions and more so than in nursing and it gets really ugly.

Exactly, which is why it is so nice being a hospice nurse now, though I was actually relieved as a traveler that no one wanted to be close to or compete with me. Now, i am in my car, no manager is in my face, i see no one sucking up to management, and i am not stuck in a hot building all day working 12 hour shifts. I just love my low drama job and adore not having co-workers to be upset about.

I am dealing with rampant favoritism at work at this time too. It's literally a handful of people who are the favorites and the rest are not even treated fairly assignment wise. I've learned that these types of situations really do work themselves out badly in the end, and after some time sooner or later justice prevails lol. I'm already starting to see the threads unravel at my job between the favorites and non favorites and even between favorites, whoa! all who were once friends , now it's all being unwrapped and all it needs is some more marinating and the cover will blow lol.


Anyway like someone said you have to pick and chose your battles. I tried to throw a hint at the manager (who knows there is favoritism and has been asked by other RN's to clear it up) by asking for a more comprehensive assignment (hint/hint, stop your ANM's from throwing me to the crappiest assignment 95% of the time)

At this point I see nothing will change. I plan on moving on anyway, by 2013 hopefully I'm out of there. They can keep their favoritism and all. And not to be sour, but did I mention that most of the favorites are some of the weakest, laziest nurses, go figure!

It'll all work itself out in the end, I've seen it too many times before.

I have seen this too, at my previous job. Not only for people who are related (I second that *yikes*) but just for managers that play "favorites". They are usually the laziest, most unprofessional nurses, who used to get called for the extra shifts when hours were cut. It really makes for poor morale and one of the reasons I eventually quit.

I had one job where a guy I knew got a raise when I was told that they didn't have money for raises. I think it was mostly because this guy talked football with our manager.

Of course, that was before I worked in healthcare.

With regards to favoritism, you have two options:

1. Get used to it and learn how to not let it upset you.
2. Get out of nursing.

I guess there is a third option too, stay in nursing but be miserable but you get my jest.

Yes, there is favoritism in nursing. Its not going away. I haven't seen anyone chime in with the overused and very predictable response of "Favoritism is everywhere, nursing doesn't have a monopoly on it" (yet), but that does not apply here. Nursing does not have a monopoly on it, but dang if it isn't the majority share holder of it. No matter how you slice it, nursing often turns into a popularity contest, and those who are the most "popular" at the time get certain benefits.

Question is, since the problem isn't going anywhere, what are you going to do with it? This is a test of your character. How you respond to it will have little to no effect on the people who you are upset with. Their paths will not be swayed one direction or the other by you. On the other hand, get too caught up in it and act poorly..........well, the path you are on could change dramatically.

So, you have to decide: Am I here to teach these people a lesson, or am I here to care for my patients and make a living for myself? You already mentioned the saying you like "Do your eight and skate", so..........definitely apply that to this one.

Ooops. Spoke too soon.

I disagree. I've worked in other fields and never saw the drama/favoritism at the level I've seen it get to in nursing. I've said it a million times, and it gets said on this board daily: Working in nursing makes me feel like I am back in high school again.

I never said that once while I worked as a cook or when I was a landscaping supervisor. Well.......maybe I said it a couple times when I was a cook but no where near as much as I do now.