Advice please

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Hi!  

I work at a pediatric office and honestly I do love it. But as of around April, I became unhappy as in everything was kind of falling on me. I was doing the ordering of supplies, staying two hours or so after to complete tasks that should have been completed by other employees, doing medical records, calling parents back with lab results, answering questions they had, etc. mind you this was also in between rooming, vitaling, and doing procedures on up to 40 patients a day. We have one medical assistant and or nurse that is supposed to do these tasks in an 8 hour period. It’s just not safe nor humanly possible. I did it for months, never complaining, but as of late my mental health has been taking a toll. I’ve been completely mentally and physically exhausted after leaving, aggravated and just not happy. Anxious I forgot something, worried if I did, etc 

One of my friends and coworkers works at a different pediatric office, and I was recently offered a job there in July. I passed on it due to at my recent job they fired the manager, and lost three other girls. Cut to I was offered this job again in August. My last day at my previous job the doctor who runs the practice asks me why I’m leaving. I tell him what I think needs to change and why I know not only I but my other staff was unhappy. He seemed legitimately surprised because I don’t believe my manager filled him in on this stuff. Although I had brought up my issues before and was told oh it would get better or they were dismissed. He offered me a raise and promotion. He said that he looks at me like a daughter and he knows how good I am at my job and would not want to lose me.

This new job I started, and honestly? I like it but it seems kind of too easy if that makes sense. And I’m wondering how and what chances of moving up in the new practice I have? There’s no management positions and there are multiple nurses and medical assistants who honestly don’t do much or anything and claim it to be “overwhelming.” I’m like you guys literally have no idea what being overwhelmed is LOL. 

So my dilemma is this. Go back to my old job with a higher position and salary (he wanted me to be the manager of our urgent care) or stay at this new job although I don’t feel very fulfilled yet. Should I give the new job a change? Am I like an abused dog that has a good home and now I don’t know how to accept the lack of chaos and stability? 

Also, the new job is less hours, but more pay. 

Old job will be same ish hours but more pay. Mind you I was clocking about 84 hours in a two week period making 20 dollars an hour and the new job is 64 hours with room for more, 28.50, will go up to 29 after my probation period. My old job offering the promotion would be like 80ish hours and 28 dollars an hour. 

So there is where my dilemma lies friends, any advice, opinions, etc would be GREATLY appreciated

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Oncology, School Nursing, OB.

Have you always wanted to be a manager? You were looking to leave because of stress and now you're considering taking a different stressful position. What happens if you aren't happy in the new manager position? Will it take you leaving again before they try to make things better? Of course they don't want to lose you. You work hard, work extra, took a lot of you know what and didn't complain. They did this until they burned you out so you decided to leave and you think this won't happen again just because it's a different position? 

You just started a new job with less hours, more pay and it's easier. Why not enjoy that for a while so maybe you can enjoy life after work not being exhausted mentally and physically. I'm not sure you've been there long enough to make an informed decision on how easy or hard it can be. I mean it's not even flu season yet. Things are going to get harder just from that but instead of trying to keep your head above water you'll have more help. If you find yourself bored jump in and help others. 

If you have always wanted to be a manager and think you'll really like this new position (starting out as the same pay as an office nurse at this other practice basically) then do it but if you decide it's not for you don't expect your new place of employment to take you back. 

Just some things to think about...

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Managers make these kinds of offers every day when they are trying to keep an employee from leaving. I can almost guarantee if you go back you’ll find yourself in the same situation only with MORE responsibility and expectations because they gave you a raise. Don’t fall for it. 

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9 hours ago, Wuzzie said:

Managers make these kinds of offers every day when they are trying to keep an employee from leaving. I can almost guarantee if you go back you’ll find yourself in the same situation only with MORE responsibility and expectations because they gave you a raise. Don’t fall for it. 

Come back / be promoted/ be appreciated! It'll be different this time I guarantee it! 

Been there, done that.

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Specializes in Neurosciences, stepdown, acute rehab, LTC.

If the old job with the promotion is 80 hours a week I imagine it will still turn into 84 hours if not more being management. Getting mental rest helps with burnout, making more money does not. 

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

This may sound frivolous and dumb, but what if I don’t connect with the families the same way or I don’t feel as close to the new coworkers like I did the others? I think considering this has been my only job out of nursing school there is also that fear that what if I don’t love it as much here as I did there? And I didn’t love the stress, hated that, but I loved what I did and my patients. Do you think that will come with time at the new job?

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Specializes in Neurosciences, stepdown, acute rehab, LTC.
6 minutes ago, NicKi0410 said:

This may sound frivolous and dumb, but what if I don’t connect with the families the same way or I don’t feel as close to the new coworkers like I did the others? I think considering this has been my only job out of nursing school there is also that fear that what if I don’t love it as much here as I did there? And I didn’t love the stress, hated that, but I loved what I did and my patients. Do you think that will come with time at the new job?

In my experience yes, big time!! At first I feel like I don't bond with many people and don't even really like anyone. I have had 3 nursing jobs and this happened during both switches. Over time I develop more investment into a place and find I l like the new job and people even better than the last. If you really want to go back you can and see how you like the new job. Do you trust that things will change now that the owner of the practice knows how bad it was? Does it seem like he supports you as a person as opposed to just a really good resource? There is a difference. Also, the work- life balance is definitely better if you work less, but if you find more fulfillment in your job than in home life you may prefer to go back to the old one and see how it goes. I personally would take the easier one but everyone is different. 

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
5 minutes ago, anewsns said:

In my experience yes, big time!! At first I feel like I don't bond with many people and don't even really like anyone. I have had 3 nursing jobs and this happened during both switches. Over time I develop more investment into a place and find I l like the new job and people even better than the last. If you really want to go back you can and see how you like the new job. Do you trust that things will change now that the owner of the practice knows how bad it was? Does it seem like he supports you as a person as opposed to just a really good resource? There is a difference. Also, the work- life balance is definitely better if you work less, but if you find more fulfillment in your job than in home life you may prefer to go back to the old one and see how it goes. I personally would take the easier one but everyone is different. 

See that’s the thing. I don’t think our manager or HR let the doctor who owns the practice  know how unhappy mostly everyone was. I’d go to her and tell her my issues and she would agree with me and say oh this will change and then the same stuff would keep happening. And I brought some stuff up at a meeting once and her and a few other girls like completely brushed it off like I was insane. But the doctor who owns the practice is the one that brought me into his office on my last day and he asked my issues and I told him. I would love to say oh they’d change, but I don’t necessarily trust that anymore. I just am completely torn and I don’t want to regret anything you know? 

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Specializes in Neurosciences, stepdown, acute rehab, LTC.
10 minutes ago, NicKi0410 said:

See that’s the thing. I don’t think our manager or HR let the doctor who owns the practice  know how unhappy mostly everyone was. I’d go to her and tell her my issues and she would agree with me and say oh this will change and then the same stuff would keep happening. And I brought some stuff up at a meeting once and her and a few other girls like completely brushed it off like I was insane. But the doctor who owns the practice is the one that brought me into his office on my last day and he asked my issues and I told him. I would love to say oh they’d change, but I don’t necessarily trust that anymore. I just am completely torn and I don’t want to regret anything you know? 

 It sounds like the old job will ALWAYS take you back but I'm not so sure about the new one. You could always stay at the new job and keep in touch with the coworkers you are close to and keep tabs on whether anything changed. If you take the promotion at the old job the responsibility to change will be partially placed on you. Also, maybe if you really don't like the new job after 6 months or a year, you can go back to the old one with a new, better perspective or an entirely new opportunity will come your way. 

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
3 minutes ago, anewsns said:

 It sounds like the old job will ALWAYS take you back but I'm not so sure about the new one. You could always stay at the new job and keep in touch with the coworkers you are close to and keep tabs on whether anything changed. If you take the promotion at the old job the responsibility to change will be partially placed on you. Also, maybe if you really don't like the new job after 6 months or a year, you can go back to the old one with a new, better perspective or an entirely new opportunity will come your way. 

I mean I’d like to think the old job would take me back any time, but I almost don’t feel needed here. Like I’m one of many. I don’t feel nearly as needed or important LOL but I am still training, so maybe once I’m on my own I’ll feel a better sense of self you know? Like “I got this.”  I have talked to other girls at the old job and they say nothings really changed. The one girl who is now a different manager tells me that change can only come with time and not to expect it to because it’s a staff issue, but I think change can happen and needs to happen sooner than later.  And it is more than a staff issue in my opinion, this is something that needs to be clear or done from the higher ups all the way down to the medical assistants. Because I can say something until I’m blue in the face, if my manager or doctor don’t agree or implement it, it means nothing. 

I know I should give this new place time, and I am admittedly terrible at change so 

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Specializes in Neurosciences, stepdown, acute rehab, LTC.
32 minutes ago, NicKi0410 said:

I mean I’d like to think the old job would take me back any time, but I almost don’t feel needed here. Like I’m one of many. I don’t feel nearly as needed or important LOL but I am still training, so maybe once I’m on my own I’ll feel a better sense of self you know? Like “I got this.”  I have talked to other girls at the old job and they say nothings really changed. The one girl who is now a different manager tells me that change can only come with time and not to expect it to because it’s a staff issue, but I think change can happen and needs to happen sooner than later.  And it is more than a staff issue in my opinion, this is something that needs to be clear or done from the higher ups all the way down to the medical assistants. Because I can say something until I’m blue in the face, if my manager or doctor don’t agree or implement it, it means nothing. 

I know I should give this new place time, and I am admittedly terrible at change so 

Yes I totally get it. Being toward the top or bottom of the totem pole are fairly uncomfortable at any job in my opinion, for the reasons you have listed. 

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

Very slightly off topic but...

Do none of you Americans think that working 80 hour or 64 hour weeks continuously is excessive? Is this normal? If so, no wonder you are stressed and getting PTSD.

UK working week is 37.5 hours and everything after that is paid at overtime and we are looking to try to reduce the working week.

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