An admin vent of sorts

Published

I feel so stressed right now. Have to go back to work tomorrow. I'm off today but called in sick yesterday and haven't felt well since Sunday - felt really lousy Sunday; it was a good thing I already had it off! I'm learning the unfortunate ...can't think of the right word...It's the separation between administration and those on the floor. And unfortunately, while admin may be just fine and personable and kind on the outside - away from work, away from the stresses of schedules and write-ups and interdepartmental feuds - within the working environment they're miserable to be around. ...Their seemingly only function, their only importance that involves me is that I fill a space. I fill a staffing ratio. One thing I've learned over the past 8 months of working in the medical field is this: ADMINISTRATION IS NOT MY FRIEND, AND ANDMINISTRATORS DO NOT HAVE MY BEST INTEREST IN MIND. They have their best interests in mind which means filling gaps - finding bodies to at least appear as though the jobs are getting done. I'm realizing just how expendable I am. And this isn't to say anything against them as individuals - God knows that is the absolute last job on this planet that I want! I'm sure outside of work they're pleasant, empathetic individuals who would encourage anyone (outside their realm) to call in sick if they truly are sick. But I've learned to separate myself from admin. I'm learning that as unfortunate as it may be, there really is a hierarchy within the medical community and I'll be kept around as long as I show up to work, don't question them ~too~ much, and don't yell at pts.

Maybe this is me accepting my situation. I don't feel angry about it, although that's not to say I haven't in the past and won't again, but as I finish this I feel sad that that's the way it is. Writing has helped with stress, too. I no longer feel overwhelmed about tomorrow. Fortunately I like (most of) my co-workers. That makes all the difference!

Thanks for reading.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Glad were here so you could vent away...

Sending a {{{{ HUG }}}} from our Admin Team. ;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Glad were here so you could vent away...

Sending a {{{{ HUG }}}} from our Admin Team. ;)

:chuckle :coollook:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, ICU, Clinical Research, Admin.
I feel so stressed right now. Have to go back to work tomorrow. I'm off today but called in sick yesterday and haven't felt well since Sunday - felt really lousy Sunday; it was a good thing I already had it off! I'm learning the unfortunate ...can't think of the right word...It's the separation between administration and those on the floor. And unfortunately, while admin may be just fine and personable and kind on the outside - away from work, away from the stresses of schedules and write-ups and interdepartmental feuds - within the working environment they're miserable to be around. ...Their seemingly only function, their only importance that involves me is that I fill a space. I fill a staffing ratio. One thing I've learned over the past 8 months of working in the medical field is this: ADMINISTRATION IS NOT MY FRIEND, AND ANDMINISTRATORS DO NOT HAVE MY BEST INTEREST IN MIND. They have their best interests in mind which means filling gaps - finding bodies to at least appear as though the jobs are getting done. I'm realizing just how expendable I am. And this isn't to say anything against them as individuals - God knows that is the absolute last job on this planet that I want! I'm sure outside of work they're pleasant, empathetic individuals who would encourage anyone (outside their realm) to call in sick if they truly are sick. But I've learned to separate myself from admin. I'm learning that as unfortunate as it may be, there really is a hierarchy within the medical community and I'll be kept around as long as I show up to work, don't question them ~too~ much, and don't yell at pts.

Maybe this is me accepting my situation. I don't feel angry about it, although that's not to say I haven't in the past and won't again, but as I finish this I feel sad that that's the way it is. Writing has helped with stress, too. I no longer feel overwhelmed about tomorrow. Fortunately I like (most of) my co-workers. That makes all the difference!

Thanks for reading.

That's really sad. My recommendation is to look for a magnet hospital to work at. Most states have at least one. They are the gold standard and one of the requirements for a hospital to achieve magnet status is the the professional climate and commmunication be positive and that nursing is respected. Good luck. Do a google search on "Magnet hospitals" and you should be directed to a link with all of them in the US.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Paradise: Thank you for your input. There's a magnet hosp not too far away that I've been thinking about, thinking hey, is every place like this? Thanks each of you for your sympathy. I'm so focused on just getting my one year experience under my belt but I think I'm set on looking for another place asap. My BIGGEST FEAR is finding something the same OR even worse!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I think most hospital administrators are usually Satan's spawn, personally. We have a real doozy, yet I still like where I work. We are united in our disgust and disdain for administration, kind of like the Rebel Alliance.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Ha,ha! Yeah, GardenDove, I'm starting to realize that maybe as long as I like most of my co-workers and like what I do, maybe the BS from mgmt is just how it's gonna be anywhere. I'm not intending to make that sound as depressing as it does - I think I'm just coming to that realization

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, ICU, Clinical Research, Admin.

Here's the link to ANCC/magnet hospitals:

http://nursecredentialing.org/magnet/

I believe that how well a department functions and how happy the staff are is in direct relationship to how well management/administration does their job. I refuse to work at a place where management is not good - it just never works out for me. I unfortunately don't live in a state with a magnet hospital, but if I did, I'd be camped out at their HR office. I'm in an MSN program for adminstration, which is how I learned about magnet hospitals. I've also become a NURSE advocate along the way - we need to protect and support ourselves and each other.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Okay, sounds great in theory, but how do I put it into practice? Are there "red flags" in an interview? Is it best to find time and volunteer where I'm thinking of working - the magnet hosp?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Diabetes ED, (CDE), CCU, Pulmonary/HIV.

Don't count on Magnet status to make any difference. The push for magnet was a lot of work & paperwork. I've been a pt here as well, and don't see any difference. There's a lot of remodeling going on so things look better, but that doesn't mean that if you're a pt here you're going to get your pain meds any quicker and without attitude.

My manager is an extreme micromanager who wants to tell us exactly what to do and when to do it. Oh, and how she's done our jobs in the past and had absolutely no problem doing everything perfectly. She reprimands staff in public areas. If you say something good about a team member, she'll say "yes, but," and then say something negative about that person. She will tell one member of the team that another member has had complaints about them.

If I did't love what I'm doing so much, I'd be looking for somewhere else to go.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.

I recommend the night shift, then you only get memos of how lousy you are.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Canoehead how right you are! And if you're lucky you won't even get the memos, b/c as we all know, night shift ain't worth admitting that they even exist! So of course they forget to leave the memos for night shift, per standard procedure!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion