advice needed

[Slowone]

This is NOT a new grad issue. This is a horrible place to be employed, get out and get out quick. The likelyhood of the situation improving is non-existant! If you are still your 90 day probationary period, I wouldn't even bother giving 2 weeks notice!! Scary!

[frustratedRN]

tonights assignment:

6 patients and one admission

of them:

5 were completes

3 are diabetic

3 have diarrhea

1 has n/v

3 have had some body part amputated

3 have stage 2 decubiti

1 is a tranfusion

2 walk, talk, and make sense ..kinda

3 have fluids running

2 get breathing treatments

3 have foley's

1 has a colostomy

3 had new orders and we have no secretary

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

twelve weeks working there and you have eleven patients....?

it sounds like you have bite marks from you ankles to your earlobes. talk about eating their young...these ghouls had you for dinner and dessert. where was your preceptor? where was the charge nurse?

old bat nurse here says.....

act don't react. "the look" will get you a whole lot further than saying anything to someone as irrational as the screamer.

i once "accidently' left my microrecorder on when a hateful secretary started in on one of our newer nurses. when i replayed it for her (secy) her jaw dropped to the floor. i don't think she ever blew up like that again.

you need to follow chas' advice and cover your buttocks.

you also need to get the heck outta dodge. keep a personal journal of what who where and when stuff happened. talk to the nm but i doubt s/he will do much.

a nurse still in his/her 90 days really doesn't need 2 week notice, but it is the professional thing to do......but not if your mental, physical and professional health is in jeopardy.

ps: the f--- word is kind of juvenile isn't it? all it is is a place taker for a real word.......find another interjection and bury f---.

[cargal]

I, too , am from the Pittsburgh area. You could have written the story of my first , and only, year working at a major Gbg hospital-guess which one! As a forty three year old new grad, I could not take the stress. I had nurses call my home to find out if I gave meds, ask questions about my work ( when I put it clearly in report). I could not get help, eyes were rolled at my questions, you name it. Could have up to fifteen patients on 3-11, with one aide, but they expected me to do it all. I did make mistakes, most were innocuous, but I was so stressed, I was afraid of making a serious mistake. Other, experienced nurses made mistakes too, but when I made one, it was blown out of proportion and I was branded as a potentially dangerous practioner. Not nursing now- thanks to all the nonsupportive nurses there. The DON was ineffectual. I was actually pulled into her office because an aide didn't like my tone. I was polite, but tired but stressed when I asked her to do something (check with the lpn who was the patient's nurse that day.) She didn't like my tone. My back hurt, my day was crashing already, the lpn wouldn't take care of her own patient so that she could prepare her 4 o'clock meds etc, so maybe came across as pained. OOOOOh, so sorry. Everyone else can cry , yell , scream, accuse, swear, but my facial expression showed pain and impatience and I was the scapegoat, and was reprimanded. Your post could be a description of my year at that hospital. Why, oh why, are nurses soo insecure and sabatoge someone who is new? The mob mentality prevails. I know I wasn't the perfect nurse, but who is? I did not deserve their treatment.

I feel that the supervisor or DON sets the tone for the floor or unit. If she or he is , as I said, ineffectual, things may spiral out of control and never be better. I hope this is not the case for you.

My advice would be to try to deal and address the issues as advised in other posts, and try to transfer to another unit as soon as you get some more experience. I am sorry I quit instead of going to another floor. I am not doing now what I love to do, and that is to take care of patients.

Good Luck,

You might just want to start interviewing on a more positive floor, or an entirely new facility. I am a NICU nurse and we have the reputation for being peculiar, for lack of better words. But, I work with some of the neatest people. We are always having lunches, baby showers, wedding showers, birthday parties, etc.... There is a better life out there...Where do you work??

kathy

[Y2KRN]

Hello Frustrated,

I am sorry to hear about the way things are where you are working!!! I think you have received great advice here, and should get out asap if that is feasible! Or try to go to another unit.

I was born and raised in PA, Altoona-Johnstown area and I know Pennsylvania is really hurting for nurses!! I was just in Pittsburgh about a month ago and could not believe all the adds I saw for nurses! I also talked to some highschool buddies who are nurses and stayed in the area, they went to nursing school right out of highschool in the mid eighties and said they have never seen it this bad!! However they did not have scenerio's like yours!!!

I hope all works out for you!! Let us know how it goes :)

[jschut, BSN, RN]

Bless your heart Child~ Get out before they make you lose what you've worked so hard for.

I do agree with the one that said to request an exit interview and report names, dates and times though.

Best of luck to you and know that prayers are with you!

Julie

[ADN 2002]

Hi,

I'm an ADN student and I've heard horror stories, but none even remotely as bad as yours....

My suggestion is to look for another hospital where you'll be better appreciated. I know this is a difficult thing for you b/c you like this job and no, it's not fair that you're being pushed out by your co-workers (nurses are supposed to be caring people, aren't they?!?), but I agree with the others that your license may very well be in jeopardy. I think contacting the PA board of nursing and an attorney was also a good idea.

I sincerely hope things work out for you - let us know what happens...

Kristin

[nursenel]

I agree with C Kirby!!!!! Get out now!!!!!! I too have been in similiar postions and found that delaying your leave is the worst thing one can do. Personally I'd inform management with a notice and then request the 2 weeks be shortened so that you can get out alive. Don't let them try to barter with you...get out...lick your wounds as you go out the door and leave the bad feelings there. GOOD LUCK

[Ryan11011]

It sounds like you have tried to work with management on this one with no avail. I would evaluate the pros and cons of working there (sounds like more cons to me) and decide whether you want to stay. I would also advise you to get an attorney and make Human Resourses aware of the hostile work environment -- your situation is not only frustrating, but illegal. Good luck.

[craff1]

Well, I'm a student too, but you're putting the fear of God into me. I read about the shortage situation, and that is one thing. But this abuse from your co-workers? I'd probably have been fired already. Good to see the support from the nurses here, so I know they're not all horrible people. What makes these people go into nursing in the first place? Authority over their victims (I mean patients!)?

[kaycee]

I agree with most everyone, sounds like you need to get outta there. I don't know where you live in Pittsburgh but I work in a community hospital in the Pittsburgh area and we would love to have someone like you. Send me a private message if your interested. You're in over your head where you are and you deserve better!!!!