could do with some advice please

[Lizzy1314]

Hi. I am in serious need of some advice. I have been a qualified nurse for just over a year now, for as long as i can remember nursing is what i wanted to do and i cant really see myself doing anything else. I was also always very interested in womens health and was incredibly lucky to land my 1st job in a gynae department, all be it an outpatients department, but still brilliant! for the past year i have really gotten to love gynae nursing and love most aspects of my job, but in the last few weeks my love of the job has deteriorated. I have always worked very hard at my job and given it 100%, and 6 months ago could see myself having a long and happy career there, until our department sister left and the ward sister took over running both departments, which she never really wanted to do but was pressurised into it. therefor she has always seen the department as extra work she doesnt want, and none of us can seem to do anything right in her eyes, any changes she makes to the department she doesnt communicate with us and suddenly people turn up to change things and none of us know whats going on, then when the changes dont work out we're made to feel like it's our fault. now despite various requests to do further training relevant to the area they have all been ignored, she never seems to take notice to anything i say, as even when i have had to make a complaint in confidence to her nothing was done about it, and i real dont feel i can ever talk to her. mabey i am being paranoid about it, but i dont feel i am getting any support from her and so really cant progress as i would like too. The problem is that i still love the gynae work and am not keen to leave the area, but the stress of all this is starting to play havoc with my own health! I understand this is probably hard for anyone to make comment on and i might just sound like im whining about nothing, but she just makes me feel so small and useless and generally like i am a rubbish nurse most of the time and after 6 months i am rapidly loosing my love of nursing and am even doubting myself whether i am a good nurse or not.

Sorry for going on, any advice would be much appreciated.

[Tait, MSN, RN]

I think, if you feel comfortable enough and up for it, to maybe talk to her and see how she is? A little one on one time, not telling her how stressed YOU are, but asking her if she is doing ok in the position and how it is affecting her, might shed a little light on her stresses. Then maybe some brainstorming options for your unit might be in order.

Sounds like she picked up something she wasn't ready for/didn't really want and now she is probably in a pretty unhappy place trying to manage with it.

A little TLC for her, or from someone you think is closer to her, might be just what the NURSE ordered.

Best of luck!

Taitter

[dopaminequeenRN]

This too shall pass.... Talk to the staff that has been at your facility for 10+ years. I promise you they will tell you that the bad and good times cycle over and over again. Don't bail yet. You loved your job six months ago and six months from now, you'll be glad you stuck it out through this difficult time. Hope it all works out!