Anyone feel like their hospital/agency/employer is out to get them?

Published

Specializes in School LVN, Peds HH.

Ok... I may be crazy, but it honestly seems like my agency is out to get me. Not the families I nurse for, or my immediate supervisors, but the office staff. I kid you not, every week they call me to b**** at me about something thats either... a) easily fixable without contacting me, b) a mistake on their end, or c) they call to "remind me" [which reads harass and threaten] about something that I've already taken care of or have already told them would be taken care of shortly.

I was almost written up yesterday for their mistake. I got an angry voicemail about me working unapproved overtime. I worked my 40 hours, and thats all I worked. When I called back, instead of giving me the chance to straighten them out, they immediately started in on how I have to get all overtime approved. Yeah, like I don't know this already. I've been with the company for just about a year now, and they constantly remind us is memos. I finally got a chance to break into the lecture I was receiving and quickly stated that I didn't work overtime. Their response? "Oh, yeah. I guess you didn't. I have your time card right in front of me. Saves me from having to lecture you and write you up". Why they just wouldn't double check the time card in the first place is beyond me.

Other things I've dealt with in the past 2 months (some of you may have read some of my earlier posts) are harassment regarding an unexpired cpr card, being told I have to work all shifts even if I'm sick (apparently its ok to expose immunocompromised patients), mistakes... many, many mistakes, on my paychecks, and lost time card and charting. I feel like every time my name comes up, they immediately find some fault with me. Even if there is none.

They seem to be looking for anyway to get rid of me. I've NEVER had a problem like this with any employer before. I'm a good, hard worker. I'm already actively looking for other employment, but sadly, its proving difficult.

Has anyone else had, or is having, issues like this with their employers?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It is quite possible that, true, untrue, or slightly embellished, complaints are racked up against a person, so that they can be given a poor performance review and/or moved on the road to getting shoved aside or termination. You should have documentation before you get rid of someone, and this is how you get the documentation. Otherwise, the supervisors or office personnel can't be bothered to deal with the field employees. Another reason for this behavior is that their boss jumped them about something and they are passing it downhill so that they have a comeback to the boss. Just forge on. Not worth getting an ulcer over it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School LVN, Peds HH.
It is quite possible that, true, untrue, or slightly embellished, complaints are racked up against a person, so that they can be given a poor performance review and/or moved on the road to getting shoved aside or termination. You should have documentation before you get rid of someone, and this is how you get the documentation. Otherwise, the supervisors or office personnel can't be bothered to deal with the field employees. Another reason for this behavior is that their boss jumped them about something and they are passing it downhill so that they have a comeback to the boss. Just forge on. Not worth getting an ulcer over it.

Its just one of things that I don't understand... If I don't understand, I stress. Thanks for your insight :) I'll just work on not stressing and continue to perform my job to the best of my ability.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

No matter how you do your job you are going to hear it from the office personnel unless, and only if, you are one of the golden employees who can do no wrong. The office environment is stressful. Coming down on your case is a way that some of that stress is overflowing out of the immediate office area. You are just a convenient scape goat, the dog who gets kicked. Don't take this behavior seriously, unless you see it as the handwriting on the wall that is telling you it is time to start looking for greener pastures.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

I had something like this from one of my agencies and it was just because they were so disorganized they couldn't keep anything straight. They were just dumb dumb dumb. The worst part was they would send me to a shift and when I would get there I would find out it was the wrong hospital, or other stupid crap. I learned to just ignore it and keep on trucking. It seems that in the world of nursing you run into a lot of this and you can't take it personally.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I have to say I think you should be given an award for hanging on as long as you have! I don't think they're out to get you, I think they have a horrible toxic culture and I'd be looking to go with another agency unless you are so happy and attached to your patient it makes up for all the utter garbage you have to put up with incompetent people handling payroll, keeping you on edge all the time about your schedule and giving you crap when you call in sick.

I can pretty much assure you that they aren't out to get you or probably even get you fired unless someone is talking trash behind your back which happens sometimes in these types of offices. Likely they don't really notice other people and are trying to scramble to get their rear end covered and pass the stress on, as Caliotter said.

When more than one person is on your case about something they usually aren't aware of what the others have said or done and all the while you are accumulating all the stress from all of them. I used to be so stressed by certain people I couldn't enjoy my time away because they were always calling me to bail them out of this or that. I finally learned how to say no. And say no again, etc. Rarely will they fire a nurse who shows up for her shifts most of the time. I guess I rambled too much but I know what you are going through and it's awful! Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I've experienced a supervisor out to get me before, but of course he began to obsess on that even more after I turned him for procurement and ethics violations.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg.

I got a verbal counseling for not hanging blood in a timely manner. The kicker? I am not legally allowed to hang blood in my state. I had to hunt down an RN that was free to start the blood for me. The charge nurse had 4 people getting blood at once so my transfusion was late. It even went on my performance evaluation. My supervisor even had the audacity to say that I'm the only one who has a problem with getting blood hung. I was livid. The nurse manager is very crass and has no problem with chewing staff members out in the nurse's station within hearing distance of doctors, other nurses, patients and family members. One guy RN I work with got yelled at by her because some medications weren't given and as a GRADUATE nurse he couldn't give the medications or get access to the Pyxis. You know, because he lacked the RN license to pass them! Talk about asinine! She won't last long as nurse manager with the enemies she's making amongst the hospital administration as well as the staff members on our unit. I just do my job and hope for the best.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I got a verbal counseling for not hanging blood in a timely manner. The kicker? I am not legally allowed to hang blood in my state. I had to hunt down an RN that was free to start the blood for me. The charge nurse had 4 people getting blood at once so my transfusion was late. It even went on my performance evaluation. My supervisor even had the audacity to say that I'm the only one who has a problem with getting blood hung. I was livid. The nurse manager is very crass and has no problem with chewing staff members out in the nurse's station within hearing distance of doctors, other nurses, patients and family members. One guy RN I work with got yelled at by her because some medications weren't given and as a GRADUATE nurse he couldn't give the medications or get access to the Pyxis. You know, because he lacked the RN license to pass them! Talk about asinine! She won't last long as nurse manager with the enemies she's making amongst the hospital administration as well as the staff members on our unit. I just do my job and hope for the best.

I'd appeal that. You can deny an order when it's unlawful or unconscionable.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in drug seekers and the incurably insane..

This type of behavior amongst management is commonplace at my facility unless you are one of the "club". They don't mess with me too much because I do my work and I have always been able to come up with sufficient proof to refute anything they've tried to write me up for. And there'll be similar circumstances at any other facility. So I'll continue to show up until they decide to escort me out of the facility.....mark my words, it'll happen.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Sounds like the office staff have just way, way, way too much time on their hands.

More actual work responsibilities are needed, imho.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have encountered office staff like this myself. I will tell you what happened to them. For the most part the nurses were nice like me, grumbled under their breath but put up with it. However, eventually someone comes along that is not as pleasant as the rest of the people that are being abused and they will make trouble for them. I remember one place I worked with the office staff was lazy, always making mistakes, always blaming it on other people. One day they hired this really difficult nurse. She gave everybody a hard time. We even called her the "she devil" behind her back. The office staff that were problematic gave her the same crap they gave everyone but the "she devil" made a terrible fuss and took them down. Matter of fact a couple of them got fired and some others were given such a hard time they left. I don't find fault with you for being reluctant to rock the boat. I am positive that beings you are a nice person the only person who will get in trouble is you. It takes a devil to handle a devil. Just a story about my personal experiences. I must say that the majority of office staff I dealth with were helpful and nice. However, I know of what you speak.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion