I am a new hire RN, that just started the nurse residency program in an ICU setting. It's day 8 and I sort of feel like I am a private in the Army again. No phones except on lunch, no drinks or outside of the kitchen or the manager will throw your drink away, miss more than 4 shifts in a year and get reprimanded, fight it out for vacations, you can't have a day off unless you get someone to work your shift and then you work theirs and you can't get overtime without prior approval, you can't clock in more than 7 minutes before your report time, clock in 1 minute late and it's counted against you.
I understand why those rules are in place, but I'm a grown adult. I've already retired from another career and I'm not looking forward to being treated like a child. I signed a three year contract but I seriously regret it, so far.
I was wondering if anyone could recommend any RN career paths that are less stressful and demanding and allow you to have a life outside of work.
You would be hard pressed to find a job without those rules.
This is so true. Just noticed that all the 'rules' you mention are the ones that are very easily measurable for non-compliance. Very easy for write-ups. So if you're in an 'at-will' state, they can nail you quite easily.
If they don't like you, it will be really easy for them to take action.
Just stay under their radar and you'll be fine after a while.
I figured I'd get a bunch of "put your big girl panties on and deal with it" responses....If those rules are standard everywhere then guess I have no choice then...I haven't gotten the signing bonus, but I think I'll put it in a savings account and give it back to them if I can't take the grind.
But, to for the person that asked if I came from a salaried world. Yes, I did, I was the head of my department and I could take a day off here and there if I needed. I haven't clocked in at a job since I was a teenager.
It's an adjustment for sure. Thanks to those that responded.
Lol, switch to nights. We've got a lot of similar rules at our hospital--they do tend to be standard--but they aren't enforced as rigidly when the managers have all gone home (particularly related to cell phone usage and having a drink sitting out the nurses station). It also probably depends on how strict or casual your unit is; I used to work in an ED where those rules were technically in place, but we'd have night nurses snacking at the nurses station all of the time.
Clocking in and out exactly on time is a pain, but it makes sense. Four days doesn't sound like a lot of time off (that doesn't include your vacation, right??), but I'd think about it this way: in nursing, your actions or inactions directly affect your coworkers. If you clock in five minutes late, that's five more minutes the oncoming nurses have to wait to go home. If you call out at the last minute, your coworkers will have to take a heavier assignment or somebody who is off will have to pick up extra time. This is pretty different from a salaried position where you only have to be accountable to your boss for your own work. Think about how you'd want to be treated and try to be courteous (not saying you aren't )
i agree these are pretty standard. i left the in-pt setting almost 20 years ago to go to an out-pt setting, but recently left there to go back in-pt. there are definitely less stressful nursing jobs out there, but you trade the good and the bad! out-patient is five VERY full days a week. i only had sat/sun off and with grad school, kids, family demands, studying, home keeping, etc it was really hard to keep it together. of course in out-pt there is no weekend/holiday, but in-pt offers incredible pay for those! i am glad to give up the 'ease' of out patient setting for 3 shifts a week, even if there are more rules.
No food/drinks rule is a health code. I think all of the other things depend on the culture of the hospital, because I've seen nurses pull out their cell phones to text in front of patients. Then again, the nurses were seasoned and I don't think their cared about being caught, because they were pretty secure in their jobs.(no offense to the vets out there. )
It used to be an OSHA thing when Universal Precautions came out in the 1980's. Probably still is. I urge caution anyway because when I think of all the stuff that gets put down/passed on desktops.... (I'm thinking specimens. dirty hands, etc).
To OP - just letting you know that a lot of second-career nurses or those whose have switched from non-healthcare corporate climates have faced the same eye-opener work environment differences that you're seeing. Like 2 different worlds...
We can have drinks with a lid at the nurses station but obviously no food. We can work overtime if the hospital is short, and when census is low we can take call if we want. If I have something that comes up, my manager usually let's me off (i'm on float pool.) If you consistently, consistently clock out too late you will get an email...But I've only gotten 1 in the last year and I clock out whenever I am done, I don't hurry to the time clock and worry about it. And we can call in sick 6 times a year before getting written up. I work nights so I don't know how strict they are with cell phones during the day.. We get away with it at night at the nurses station.
Specializes in Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgical.
I was in the hospital a year...those are standard rules for the units. Probably stricter since you're in ICU. It was pretty standard for RNs to carry their phones on vibrate for their families, and check phones at lunch or downtime. We were allowed closed containers for drinks (like Nalgene bottles) at the nurses' station.
I know it's annoying at the moment, but you'll get used to it. You'll also become a lot more proficient at email/social media when you have a set time to use it.
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amoLucia
7,736 Posts
This is so true. Just noticed that all the 'rules' you mention are the ones that are very easily measurable for non-compliance. Very easy for write-ups. So if you're in an 'at-will' state, they can nail you quite easily.
If they don't like you, it will be really easy for them to take action.
Just stay under their radar and you'll be fine after a while.