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
Seriously? You think I need that reminder? Just a bit condescending don't you think?
16 hours ago, CommunityRNBSN said:
I didn’t even notice this. ? Yes, that’s in two weeks, not one week for heaven’s sake!
Yes, I did not notice the 2 weeks at first but immediately apologised when I did. And again with the condescension, or are you just trying to make me feel silly?
Are you sure? I hear plenty of stories on this site of nurses working 12 - 16 hour days plus other sites complain about long working hours in the US.
"U.S. Workers Put in Staggeringly More Hours Than Europeans Do."
Sure, Americans do work more. (Although the 12-hour days that people refer to on THIS site are because nurses typically work 3 twelve-hour shifts in a week.) According to the link you just posted:
“The authors looked at 18 European countries and the U.S. Of the 19 total countries they examined, the U.S. came out on top averaging 26.1 hours per person per week; Italy worked the fewest hours with an average of 18.4 hours.”
Working somewhat more than average Europeans (but less than, say, Koreans) is a very different situation than everybody working 60 hours a week all the time, getting PTSD, and dropping dead from exhaustion.
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
Here’s the thing. I’ve had two jobs in the past where the manager tried the same thing. I actually had not told either of them anything, I was just applying and was doing interviews but they must have sniffed it out. In both cases, it was an attempt to keep a nurse who has been doing WAY TOO MUCH with a small pat on the back. I always felt that if I stayed, things just would have gotten worse. For me, when I decide to leave a place, that’s it. I’m done, there’s no changing my mind. So for me to stay, would mean that an employer does not have my 100% efforts or attention.
If it were me, I would keep the easier job and take a breather for a while. I’m currently working from home in a telephonic nursing role, doing exactly that, because my previous employer burned me out at the bedside. I literally gave my 150% every day, all day. Sometimes you have to take a step back and take care you for a while. It doesn’t mean that this is forever…you probably already know that this isn’t what you want to stay in, and that’s fine. But you can take advantage of it for a while, until you figure out what your next step is.
Going into management at your former employment sounds like jumping from the frying pan to the fire. Management is typically the most overworked and least appreciated, especially middle management. As a manager would you really get an hourly pay, or would you end up with a salary (that might not be that much more than you were making before) and be expected to work how many hours the job needed without any overtime or additional pay for those extra hours. I would stay with your new and current job and give it 6 months to a year before you can really evaluate it.
Here’s the thing. I’ve had two jobs in the past where the manager tried the same thing. I actually had not told either of them anything, I was just applying and was doing interviews but they must have sniffed it out. In both cases, it was an attempt to keep a nurse who has been doing WAY TOO MUCH with a small pat on the back. I always felt that if I stayed, things just would have gotten worse. For me, when I decide to leave a place, that’s it. I’m done, there’s no changing my mind. So for me to stay, would mean that an employer does not have my 100% efforts or attention.
If it were me, I would keep the easier job and take a breather for a while. I’m currently working from home in a telephonic nursing role, doing exactly that, because my previous employer burned me out at the bedside. I literally gave my 150% every day, all day. Sometimes you have to take a step back and take care you for a while. It doesn’t mean that this is forever…you probably already know that this isn’t what you want to stay in, and that’s fine. But you can take advantage of it for a while, until you figure out what your next step is.
Update guys. So I told you all they were giving me two weeks to decide? Or maybe I didn’t but I asked for two weeks, my manager agreed. Wednesday she tells me that they can no longer offer me that position. That I took too long and they couldn’t wait 2-3 weeks for me to make a decision. They hired 4 other people since I left on 8/25, and could not take the chance that I would say no. But I was supposed to trust them to change. So I asked what about the raise? Nope. Asked her if they could meet me half way, and she said she would not be able to pay me more than the girl they hired to be the other clinical manager. She is not a registered nurse btw, she’s fantastic but I couldn’t help but feel hurt and a bit insulted. Also, she was like telling me that I should have come to her with my concerns and such (which I did, she just ignored me) and I was very hurt. The next day at my new job I literally had the best day. It was my first day doing phone triage and I had fun! So the new girl she hired for clinical manager texts me that morning and I tell her what happened and just said unfortunately I would not be coming back. She says but are you really happy at your new job? Don’t lie to yourself and I could always come back and work my way back up. I said absolutely not and im fine where im at. So not even an hour later, my old manager texts me and asks me to call her.
After my shift Thursday I texted her that unfortunately due to the conversation we had, I no longer had trust in them and felt insulted. I also give my 110% every day and I told her that I didn’t just do my job, I did it well. I wished them the best and ignored her call. Then she texts me wanting to talk saying she never said I wasn’t a good worker and that she couldn’t wait, and for me to call her as a friend. You were never a friend, and if you were friends don’t do this to one another. So in conclusion, I’m going to stick it out at this new job because I do feel less stressed and I think I can be very happy here! Thank you guys for all the opinions!!
Specializes in Ambulatory Care, Community Health, HIV.
Wow, sounds like you got out at the perfect time. I hate when managers want to pretend they are my friend. So happy to hear you are feeling optimistic and enjoying your new job!
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 head of command at the first job is not involved with communicating with the staff and HR is just a middle management office between the two. If the doctor can pay you less, work you more hours, and avoid hiring new staff he can keep more profit. He just may be a profit driven person. It really is nothing personal but just business.
Your new job may be managing finances better and can afford the extra staff. They may be more quality driven in practice.
If your goal is to feel needed and important, then I would say the first job seems to check both boxes. There is really no wrong decision, but only picking the job that is the best fit for you matters most.
Sure, Americans do work more. (Although the 12-hour days that people refer to on THIS site are because nurses typically work 3 twelve-hour shifts in a week.) According to the link you just posted:
Do you think that only US nurses work 12 hour shifts? Are you really that parochial? I spent years working 12 hour shifts but NEVER did a 16 hour shift.
On 9/9/2021 at 11:54 AM, CommunityRNBSN said:
“The authors looked at 18 European countries and the U.S. Of the 19 total countries they examined, the U.S. came out on top averaging 26.1 hours per person per week; Italy worked the fewest hours with an average of 18.4 hours.”
Kind of proves my point.
Oh and by the way; averages = constituting the result obtained by adding together several amounts and then dividing this total by the number of amounts.
On 9/9/2021 at 11:54 AM, CommunityRNBSN said:
Working somewhat more than average Europeans (but less than, say, Koreans) is a very different situation than everybody working 60 hours a week all the time, getting PTSD, and dropping dead from exhaustion.
Which is why I asked the question and then realised my error but you are continuing with the condescension. See my point about averages above. Also you seem to accept that a supposed first world country that is meant to be modern and forward looking is fine with overworking its people.
Do you think that only US nurses work 12 hour shifts? Are you really that parochial? I spent years working 12 hour shifts but NEVER did a 16 hour shift.
Kind of proves my point.
Oh and by the way; averages = constituting the result obtained by adding together several amounts and then dividing this total by the number of amounts.
Which is why I asked the question and then realised my error but you are continuing with the condescension. See my point about averages above. Also you seem to accept that a supposed first world country that is meant to be modern and forward looking is fine with overworking its people.
To answer your original question, no one in the United States of America is forced to work. The nurses have option to work full-time 40 hours per week, part-time (less than 40 hours a week), PRN jobs (working whenever they want), overtime (more than 40+ hours a week), contract (working 3 months out of the year etc), or they don't have to work at all. Conflict comes if a nurse agrees to work a full-time position, but only shows up for part-time hours.... the employer may not like that too much.
The new job is clearly better. Don't get suckered into "You are like a daughter to me". If you are like a daughter to him then he is a negligent father. Obviously he wasn't checking in with you all along, he was too busy going on vacation with his real daughter.
That I took too long and they couldn’t wait 2-3 weeks for me to make a decision.
I had the same thing happen to me when I moved on the my current position. I had just started the new position and was trying to work out my schedule so I could help out in a PRN position at the old job...received a text from the manager saying they couldn't wait for the agreed upon time for me to make a decision and if I didn't commit right away the position would no longer be available. Soooo....I texted a very polite message back saying that unfortunately I couldn't see anyway of making the PRN position work and wished her the best of luck.
Last I heard the management is still in disarray, there is constant staff turnover, and positions remain unfilled for months at a time....LMAO
You made the right decision...you'll come to realize this with time!
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?
I think you a little naïve here. The Doctor owns the practise and works there every day. He is well aware of how over worked you are. He doesn’t need the practise manager to pass that information on to him.
The fact that he immediately offered you a pay rise to try and get you to stay makes it very clear that he was well aware you were under paid for the work you were doing. Private practise Doctors are still business owners, making money is still their goal.
Focus on enjoying your new low stress job and work on building your relationships with your new patients and co-workers and put the high stress, over worked under paid job behind you!
GrumpyRN, NP
1,346 Posts
Are you sure? I hear plenty of stories on this site of nurses working 12 - 16 hour days plus other sites complain about long working hours in the US.
"U.S. Workers Put in Staggeringly More Hours Than Europeans Do."
https://fortune.com/2016/10/18/americans-work-hours-europeans/
Seriously? You think I need that reminder? Just a bit condescending don't you think?
Yes, I did not notice the 2 weeks at first but immediately apologised when I did. And again with the condescension, or are you just trying to make me feel silly?