I graduated last May and have worked per diem for the last year on the same surg floor where I was a tech throughout nursing school. I tried to work through the learning curve and ignored most of the nonsense on the various shifts. I've been dumped on, run ragged, ignored and teased; I've stood up for myself, called people out for their behavior, kept copies of our assignments when in doubt, refused admissions when unsafe, and thought I lasted through it as it seems my shift has finally accepted me. They include me now, help if I need them, and offer opinions when they see I'm stuck with something difficult. I never went to the boss because I thought I could handle it myself.
That's great....
until I was moved to another shift to cover a hole in the schedule. Cue two new blow ups with others. One nurse flipped out on me after a doc complained to the charge that she never set up the wound vac, (I found the order confirmed but undone on the noc shift and applied the vac in the AM per confirmation from doc.) She asked me why it took me two hours to chart check and find the missing order; I asked her why, in that case, she signed the order off but didn't get to it in the remaining 10 hours of her shift? Full-on hysteria ensued. I interrupted her eye-rolling, swearing and yelling and told her that I'd heard enough, walked away. Supposedly this was the talk of the subsequent shift because three people have already asked me what happened.
Another: I got an admit ten minutes before shift change. I settled her, changed tubing, hung the new fluid on the pump, did some teaching and scanned her orders. I told the oncoming what I had done and explained that pt was likely going home, (i.e., observation status, not inpatient admit.) On our floor, you do not do the admit paperwork if pt is staying
My question: I've had my fill of eye-rolling, backtalk, insults, silent treatment and having to hash out blow-ups at the station in front of everyone. I see this happen to others but they just duck their head and walk away. They tell me if you can avoid the confrontation, I'll be better off, but that's not true. They come in to blown IVs, meds not given, orders not entered and are walked on all the more for not calling the offgoing out on it. I am looking for another job, but is there anything else I can or should do? Should I write people up? Go to the boss? Complain to HR?
My thinking is that the culture of this unit accepts this behavior, as it isn't limited to a few individuals or even one shift vs. another. Any advice to help me keep sane in the meantime is appreciated. I don't mind standing up for myself but this is really getting to be too much.
Supposedly this was the talk of the subsequent shift because three people have already asked me what happened.