AITA?

[Dragonfly.RN]

Just looking for some... feedback, opinions.. I don't know, maybe I just need to vent.

I recently left my hospital job and I am currently working at a SAR/LTC facility. If the background is necessary; my facility was moving to a new one this fall. This summer was contract negotiations. In the they they added terms and guidelines on re-allocating nurses to different units at the new facility. Only nurses who had been there less than 12 months were subject to involuntary relocation to other units. My unit manager decided to include all "new" nurses on our unit, some of us who had been there 16 months. My name was pulled, I was to be moved to observation when we were at the new facility. I worked in MICU. I wasn't happy with this. I protested this to my unit manager and my union. Manager felt "it was fair", and union said nothing could be done until I was officially moved to that position at the new facility. I talked to SICU manager about transferring to her unit, she had a few openings available. My manager refused to sign off on the transfer, said it would be unfair and that my doing so would mean someone else on the unit would have to get moved to the Obvs unit. Union said there was nothing they could do. I made the choice to resign. A bit short sighted, I know this. I didn't bother having another position lined up for me.

I quickly got a PT job at an SAR/LTC facility while I toss my resume out in wild abundance in hopes of getting into a new facility. It's a somewhat unique facility as the treat RNs like Charge Nurses. We run the desk, coordinate for the unit, coorespond with the MDs, monitor labs, do wound care, etc., and we are (supposedly) strictly on the SAR unit. The RNs work 12 hour shifts, and the unit is also staffed with 2 LPNs who are the cart/med nurses. LPNs work the classic 8's. When I interviewed with the DON I asked very specific questions about how nurses are pulled and to what units. I told her flat out I have no interest in working LTC. I just don't. It's not an area of interest and I find it utterly overwhelming (Kudo's to LTC nurses, you're amazing). I was told that when nurses are pulled, LPNs are pulled first, so an RN may have to take a cart. That's fine with me. No big deal. The DON told me in her time being there (3 years), she's only had to ask an RN to take an LTC cart twice. The only other time an RN might be on an LTC cart, if is they pick up an extra shift. I felt comfortable with this. I accepted a job with them.

Red flags started my second week of orientation. Acting policy for pulling nurses to other nurses was; LPNs before RNs, Pick up shifts before scheduled shifts, then by seniority. Out of some crazy luck, my preceptor was pulled to LTC when a nurse called out. The LPN refused to go to the LTC card, threatened to walk off the job... and since she'd worked there like 10 years, they catered to her. We were only up on the LTC for about 2 hours before they were able to call in another nurse to come take the cart. I spoke to the DON about the situation, apologized to me, and I was assured it was a very unusual circumstance. Okay sure. I learned also that week that; the shift differential advertised for the position didn't exist, it was for LPNs only. And the "flexible scheduling" also didn't exist, the schedules were set. Okay.. fine.

I've been on my own now for two weeks; last night I went in to the supervisor telling me I was being pulled to one of the LTC units. I was very confused, explained to her that. No. I wasn't, that I was told this wasn't a thing that would happen. I also expressed concern that, I wasn't oriented to any of the LTC units, that I don't know the patients on that unit. (In other news, last week they fired a nurse who was pulled to a LTC unit for giving the wrong meds to the wrong patient). When I asked why I was being pulled (it's my scheduled day, and there is always supposed to be an RN on the SAR unit) I was told that since Nurse LPN was the 3-11 nurse for SAR, she wasn't getting moved as she'd been there since 3pm (okay, np), but that since RN Nurse picked up a shift "and got here before you", he could be the RN for SAR and that I would be moved to the LTC unit. When I expressed that it was my scheduled shift, not a pick up I shouldn't be the one moved, I was pretty much told to suck it up, that she didn't know who made me empty promises, and that this is what rehab's do. Okay, I have been in a SAR setting before. Yes, they did, and it's why I asked those specific questions in my interview, and it's also the place where I learned how to draw lines in what I would and would not accept when it came to feeling like I was being bamboozled or taken advantage of.

I said I need to speak to the DON. They put me in touch with the scheduler/HR woman. I tried to call her, she didn't answer. I sent her a text explaining the situation. She didn't respond. The supervisor again tried to get me to take the LTC unit cart "for just a couple hours" explaining that at 11 the 11-7 nurse would be in (assuming she wasn't going to call out), and said I would be "fine". But, 9pm is a major med pass for 30 patients who I have never met. Yes, the MAR has pictures but some of them are several years old. No, the patient's aren't always wearing bracelets, and while there are names on doors I know lots of patients wander into other rooms. I am just uncomfortable with the idea of taking the cart. I just have an overall bad feeling about the whole situation.

After stepping aside and speaking to my husband, just to get perspective, I decided to not accept the assignment, and to go home. As I am walking out, the supervisor starts complaining loudly on how now she has to be supervisor and take a cart because "someone is being a baby and throwing a tantrum." I get it, she's upset. No amount of apologies is going to make her any happier.

Halfway home (30 minute drive); the HR/Scheduler text me to tell that my actions are considered job abandonment, that I can't just walk out because I am being pulled to another unit, that she doesn't know who I spoke to about these claims I am making but RNs get pulled to LTC all the time, and that because I had arrived after than the other RN is why I was moved; despite again... what seems like against their own practices of moving or pulling nurses. I explained to her how I felt on the situation, and her only reply to me was that I needed to suck it up for 3 hours, and do my job or she would no longer be able to continue my employment with them. I replied and told her I am sorry, I cannot accept that assignment, I will not be in tonight, to let me know if I should go to work Tuesday, and that I would be speaking to the DON. She hasn't replied.

So, I guess... AITA? Was there some other or better way I could have handled this? Or is this just one of those be glad you jumped ship before anything else happened type things. On the other hand, loss of this job is not a hardship for me, I am not in desperate need to this position and I made that clear to them, as I am still interviewing for hospital positions (and actually awaiting an offer from one) which is why I was only PT to begin with. It's just really... I don't know, defeating.. a really crappy feeling that's lingered with me since last night and it sucks.

Sorry this was way longer than I thought.

[Guest757854]

What does AITA mean?

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

2 hours ago, 819Nurse said:

What does AITA mean?

Am I the A**hole?

[JKL33]

They lied; they had the option not to. End of story.

The first situation you probably could have handled differently/waited it out a little while looking around for a new position, but it's water under the bridge and you already know that anyway. This one, though-no; I wouldn't have given them an inch. They lied to induce you; they can worry about their own problems; that is way too high stakes a role to take on when you're new and surrounded by a bunch of liars with attitude.

[Guest757854]

4 hours ago, NICU Guy said:

Am I the A**hole?

Thanks!!

[Guest757854]

OP.....i think what you did was kind of noble. Many times we as nurses get so caught up in the mindset of people needing our services, we forget about ourselves!! Good for you for leaving and standing your ground.

And you didnt abandon anyone....there was a nurse there who took over the cart and could pass the meds.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

9 hours ago, Dragonfly.RN said:

the HR/Scheduler text me to tell that my actions are considered job abandonment,

You never took responsibility for those patients. How could it be patient abandonment when you never took report on those patients?

[JKL33]

1 hour ago, NICU Guy said:

job abandonment,

1 hour ago, NICU Guy said:

patient abandonment

Not the same thing.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

8 hours ago, NICU Guy said:

You never took responsibility for those patients. How could it be patient abandonment when you never took report on those patients?

HR stated job abandonment. Walking out immediately at the beginning of one’s shift certainly does constitute job abandonment.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

1 hour ago, Rose_Queen said:

HR stated job abandonment. Walking out immediately at the beginning of one’s shift certainly does constitute job abandonment.

I copied and pasted "Job abandonment", but read "patient abandonment", my mistake

[Golden_RN, MSN]

Taking everything at face value, it sounds like the DON made empty promises to get you to take the job, but didn't didn't communicate those promises to the schedulers/other supervisors. That sucks! However, I feel for the other supervisors/schedulers. It's a PIA to try to staff these facilities and it's impossible to make everyone happy. Then the scheduler is getting texts when she's off duty. You definitely abandoned your job (not patients) by leaving the facility. If I was in your situation, I would have been flexible, taken the assignment, but then followed up with the DON about whether the facility is following proper assignment procedures.

Additionally, residents not wearing proper ID, but then expecting a nurse (that doesn't know them) to safely administer meds is totally unacceptable.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

I was under the impression that if you don't take report, it is not abandonment.

The whole situation sounds like a nightmare!