EEN working under a bad NUM

World Australia

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I'm an EEN working in a busy department. I have noticed many problems that don't get addressed by the NUM. I was bullied for several months. Every time I went to my NUM I was met with excuses to avoid a resolution stating I could be the problem and that I attract bullies! My NUM allows favourites by celebrating only certain nurses birthdays buying a cake on the day. I've never been praised, never had an appraisal and if I need education I have to do it in my own time as approval isn't granted. Lots of nurses have left because their needs haven't been met and their complaints haven't been addressed. I have been affected by this and have been to counselling as I worry excessively. The department is run inefficiently with ratios 6.1 during busy times and not putting staff on to cover shifts when someone calls in sick. Sometimes it feels like I'm drowning! Does anyone else experience anything like this?

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Specializes in Surgical, quality,management.

Questions;

1) what are your ratios supposed to be?

2) do you have access to a nurse bank or pool or are you in an area where there are no services like that available?

3) are you giving notice for your study leave or are the rosters already out when you are applying for leave which is very difficult to manage

4) each and every NUM has a boss i.e. a director of nursing usually. Have you spoken to that person - other than that your options are leave or stay.

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1. Ratios are 4.1 but I work in an area where this is ignored

2. I'm not sure what a nurse bank or pool is. Only one nurse is allocated to the area I work in.

3. I give notice and apply for study leave which gets counted in my roster.

4. I emailed the director of nursing who didn't acknowledge my email but only flicking it back to my NUM who got very angry with me

I am very depressed and seeing a counsellor but it won't change my situation

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Specializes in Surgical, quality,management.
1. Ratios are 4.1 but I work in an area where this is ignored

2. I'm not sure what a nurse bank or pool is. Only one nurse is allocated to the area I work in.

3. I give notice and apply for study leave which gets counted in my roster.

4. I emailed the director of nursing who didn't acknowledge my email but only flicking it back to my NUM who got very angry with me

I am very depressed and seeing a counsellor but it won't change my situation

Nurse bank or pool is a casual staffing resource for the wards. Most major hospitals have one but the smaller hospitals may not or there may not be enough staff a available to fill all the vacancy requests.

Yes the study leave gets counted in the roster but if it is already out it creates a hole in the roster that may or may not be filled.

If you are struggling so much my advice would be to start looking for a new ward in the same hospital or a new job altogether. Bad NUMs have reputations internally among their peers and while you may not get the best reference a good NUM can read between the lines if they know who it is from. I am not sure if a new place of work is a viable option but there are other organisations that utilise nurses such as GP clinics, private pathology services etc.

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Thank you so much for your thoughts and advice. I appreciate hearing from someone who understands.

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