I would like to share my experience during the orientation phase at a local hospital as a new Graduate Nurse.
I went to this hospital for employment as a Registered Nurse because I originally worked there in the past in the Emergency Room as an Access Representative and I really liked it!
I had no problem in nursing school, receiving excellent grades. I have a great personality and am people oriented. When I started this facility, starting from the second week on forward, I was continuously being yelled out in front of patients, sometimes over trivial things that could have waited until the appropriate time when I could be taken aside privately and given feedback. Almost every day, I would get negative feedback from the nurse manager, I did not receive any positive feedback. I would be humiliated in front of those poor patients. They even asked why the nurse manager yelled at me in front of them. They felt I was a good nurse and did not deserve being treated as I was. I was not preceptored properly. I was taught in nursing school that when I graduated and got my first nursing job, I would work with a preceptor every day for the first three to four months. The nurse manager, inturn, told me to work alone and ask questions only if necessary. Apparently, they just could not be bothered to teach me.
I basically taught myself the majority. I never knew from one day to the next whether I would be screamed out. My self confidence is shot.
I got to the point where I became afraid of doing anything. To this day, I am trying so hard to regain the confidence that I once had, but it's hard. They tried to destroy that. I was so poorly managed. They felt that my performance was not up to par. I explained to them that how could my performance be up to par if almost every day there was continous negativity.
I have applied to other facilities, such as rehab centers, nursing homes, in hopes of a better working environment. I am so nervous to start somewhere else due to lack of confidence.
If you talk to human resources you might also remember to mention that the lack of orientation, combined with a manager who screams at you while you're supposed to be responsible for people's lives, constitutes a... say it with me... Hostile Work Environment.
People sit up and take notice when those three words are strung together.
I would be very careful going this route. All too often an employee will use this tactic when on their way out the door. Then, once gone, HR starts to investigate to find out how much credence there is to this claim. They talk to the "offending" group, who then, to defend themselves, talk about all the bad things this former employee used to do. They bad mouth, exaggerate, and absolutely smear the former employee, and now that person isn't even there to defend him/herself. Now, the former employee has all these horrible things said about them and is no longer eligible for rehire and will not get a good reference. It's bad. Even if the group doesn't bad mouth the employee who just left it's rare any action is taken to improve things anyway. IMHO, it's best to say nothing and only give information if asked. Even then, be vague and general: "Orientation wasn't what I expected it to be..." or "The work environment was different than I expected..." If pressed, continue to be vague. Bad mouth nothing, bad mouth no one. Only if an entire group of people goes to HR to complain about orientation or the work environment will you ever have a chance of coming out of something like this unscathed. Strength in numbers, and as someone who is the only one complaining about an entire group, you have nothing against their numbers. Sad, but true.
To the OP, what you're experiencing is not unlike what many people face when they work in a facility first as a "tech"/admin, go back to school, and come back a higher level employee. One of two things usually happens when you come back: you're still looked at as the "tech"/admin and get lower level, crappy assignments. OR, the expectations of you as this higher level employee now are so high that you get very little orientation, very little guidance and teaching. Where on that continuum you lie is left to your interpretation but it might be best for you to leave and start fresh at a new hospital, one that you've determined has a strong orientation program and whose view of you isn't skewed by your old position.
And, I'm sorry to say that if you expect rehab or nursing homes to be good work environments, you just may be disappointed. If there is one group area that gets the most complaints on this board, or any forum, about poor conditions, it's nursing homes. A close second is rehab.
I have only my limited experience to go on, but the one time I used the "hostile work environment" phrase it worked for me just fine. However, I wasn't a nurse yet, it was a small company and I told the boss exactly what I thought. The result was that change happened which made me feel safer at work. The situation was vastly different as well, in that it involved a rabid manic lady going nutso in the office with a hammer.
It really saddens me that nursing puts new grads in a position to be abused in all sorts of ways by people in power, with very little recourse, and that it's considered "safer" to not complain, make nice and leave, than it is to say "allright, enough is enough."
To the OP: Yes, people are right when they give you advice to not make waves and such on your way out. However, you have the right to work in an environment that is physically and emotionally safer for you than the one you started in.
I too experienced 2 very hostile work experiences as a new grad, as did a couple of my peers. It does weaken your confidence. However, I left, found a new job and it went well from the start.
Don't let one or two bad experiences get you down. It is not you, it is the "group think" of the place you currently are.
Now, 5 years after graduation I am confident, but always seeking to learn more, and work in a couple of great places.
One thing I do now is unofficially adopt all new hires and make them feel very much at home, help them as much as I can. This has made me very popular with all the new people that come in and feel lost. This is a great way to build a "team" that works together well.
Always remember that the one thing we can count on is that things will change with time.
Do not allow anyone to bad mouth or yell at you in front of staff or patients. Handle it as mentioned above. No one deserves this type of treatment and it should not be tolerated.
Good luck and I hope you are soon blessed with a good work situation.
I would be very careful going this route. All too often an employee will use this tactic when on their way out the door. Then, once gone, HR starts to investigate to find out how much credence there is to this claim. They talk to the "offending" group, who then, to defend themselves, talk about all the bad things this former employee used to do. They bad mouth, exaggerate, and absolutely smear the former employee, and now that person isn't even there to defend him/herself. Now, the former employee has all these horrible things said about them and is no longer eligible for rehire and will not get a good reference. It's bad. Even if the group doesn't bad mouth the employee who just left it's rare any action is taken to improve things anyway. IMHO, it's best to say nothing and only give information if asked. Even then, be vague and general: "Orientation wasn't what I expected it to be..." or "The work environment was different than I expected..." If pressed, continue to be vague. Bad mouth nothing, bad mouth no one. Only if an entire group of people goes to HR to complain about orientation or the work environment will you ever have a chance of coming out of something like this unscathed. Strength in numbers, and as someone who is the only one complaining about an entire group, you have nothing against their numbers. Sad, but true.
To the OP, what you're experiencing is not unlike what many people face when they work in a facility first as a "tech"/admin, go back to school, and come back a higher level employee. One of two things usually happens when you come back: you're still looked at as the "tech"/admin and get lower level, crappy assignments. OR, the expectations of you as this higher level employee now are so high that you get very little orientation, very little guidance and teaching. Where on that continuum you lie is left to your interpretation but it might be best for you to leave and start fresh at a new hospital, one that you've determined has a strong orientation program and whose view of you isn't skewed by your old position.
And, I'm sorry to say that if you expect rehab or nursing homes to be good work environments, you just may be disappointed. If there is one group area that gets the most complaints on this board, or any forum, about poor conditions, it's nursing homes. A close second is rehab.
I absolutely agrre that returning as nurse to someplace where you worked as a tech etc can be a bad idea. I had this happen to me. One nurse even wondered why I wasn't taking RN call right away. According to her, I should have been OK to do so, because I was a tech before.
I'm torn about the idea that the OP shouldn't talk to HR about how crappy her orientation was...I di think that they will side with the NM and such, but then again, maybe they really need the heads up that new grads are treated terribly there. It's a difficult situation, that's for sure.
These stories are so close to mine. My preceptor too said that she hated being a preceptor. As it turned out, she didnt volunteer to do it, the NM just puts new hires with you whether you want it or not. That is where the problem is. The new hires pay the price, and so does the company. After that initial bad taste it only took me 5 months to quit. So much for all the money they wasted to train me. My last 2 jobs before that i worked for 7 years and 8 years. There is a nursing shortage and it isnt going away, so we dont have to take crap like that. It's bad management plain and simple. If the NM doesnt want to waste his/her budget paying travel nurses and agency nurses, then they should be more involved to make sure people are treated fairly. If you feel it is a hostile work environment, then that is the complaint i would make as i quit.
I had a similiar experience as a new grad the ADNS basically told me to go home and that I couldn't survive there. I cried for wks after when I thought about it. I found someplace better though after such a long job search. one thing I could never understand is why older nurses pick on lesser experienced nurses. atlleast between two experienced nurses its fair ground and a leveled playing field! people just have sad lives and seek to devour whom they may. I promised myself not to let anyone get under my skin and also promise I'll never do this to a less experienced nurse.
I'm sorry, but stories like this make me sick, literally.
Here we are in a so-called nursing shortage, and intelligent decent folks who have worked hard, gotten good grades and played by all the rules are sent to these places and just eaten alive.
I think it's crap that a new person cannot complain to HR about the abusive treatment. I feel, in my honest opinion, that if a few new grads sought out counsel and went after some of these places, that it would stop ASAP.
I'm all for ANYONE totally documenting abuse like this and getting a lawyer.
Hell, patients can sue for abuse and incompetence -- why can't a new nurse, who has signed an employment contract and who expects a decent orientation from an employer, do the same?? The abuse will only continue if someone does not fight back against all of this!
...I was continuously being yelled out in front of patients, sometimes over trivial things that could have waited until the appropriate time when I could be taken aside privately and given feedback. Almost every day, I would get negative feedback from the nurse manager, I did not receive any positive feedback. I would be humiliated in front of those poor patients.
As a pre registration student I was sent on break by my preceptor who was a bossy, self opinionated madam. She never failed to make her views known (loudly and publicly) and the students were very wary of her.
Half way out the unit the Charge nurse told me to do a job for him, explained I had been sent on break...he said that was ok, I will tell her, do this little job then have your break. Well, got back and was loudly reprimanded by my preceptor in front of other students and the patients. The charge had not told the preceptor so she thought I was late back.
I waited a while and then asked to speak to her in the office. She agreed, in we went and I said that in future I would appreciate it if she addressed me in a professional manner. Her face was a picture she appeared to think that because I was quiet I was a pushover. I also reported HER to the university and the Charge nurse. For the rest of my placement she was polite.
So what I am trying to say is be assertive, don't have to be aggressive but stand up for yourself because if you don't no-one else will.
she appeared to think that because I was quiet I was a pushover. I also reported HER to the university and the Charge nurse. For the rest of my placement she was polite.
GregRN
191 Posts
To the OP, what you're experiencing is not unlike what many people face when they work in a facility first as a "tech"/admin, go back to school, and come back a higher level employee. One of two things usually happens when you come back: you're still looked at as the "tech"/admin and get lower level, crappy assignments. OR, the expectations of you as this higher level employee now are so high that you get very little orientation, very little guidance and teaching. Where on that continuum you lie is left to your interpretation but it might be best for you to leave and start fresh at a new hospital, one that you've determined has a strong orientation program and whose view of you isn't skewed by your old position.
And, I'm sorry to say that if you expect rehab or nursing homes to be good work environments, you just may be disappointed. If there is one group area that gets the most complaints on this board, or any forum, about poor conditions, it's nursing homes. A close second is rehab.