Being eaten alive!

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Specializes in labor and delivery.

I have posted before about problems with my workplace. I thought they'd been worked out but no such luck. I am really sure that I am not doing something right in order for this to keep happening to me.

I am still a new grad, been working in L&D since August as my first job. I nearly got fired because the educator did not think I could do the job even though the worst thing that happened was early in my orientation one of my patients had a baby in the bed with only me being present. I really learned my lesson from that one and any patient I think is getting close, I watch with an eagle eye, it has made me very vigilant.

I brought the union into the equation when I nearly got fired and instead of getting fired, I started working on my own on the night shift. Of course, then anyone who is friends with the educator started trying to catch me doing something wrong. Nightshift has a different culture than dayshift, I thought I was finally starting to get a decent reputation as a nurse until this latest nightmare started.

I had one patient and was given another, the charge told me it was just until everyone got done with their breaks. Someone I had never met brought the new patient over, told me the pt was gbs positive and to get report I needed to call Laurie in PSCU. Since the patient had just come from home I couldn't figure out why Laurie in PSCU would be giving report-PSCU is our high-risk antenatal unit. I also did not know a Laurie, I questioned the person again about "Laurie from PSCU?" and she said yes. I spent the next hour putting out fires with my two patients, I started to do the intake info on the computer when I noticed my other patient was starting to have deep variables. I checked my first patient and she was complete and needed to start pushing. I contacted the charge and she told me to give my other patient to a new grad who was still with a preceptor. That's when I figured out I really hadn't gotten report and didn't have much to tell the other nurse except the pt was gbs positive and rh positive. Ack! But I had to go push with my first patient and I told the new grad I was sorry and couldn't tell her more but that I was told to call Laurie in PSCU for report. I knew I had screwed up but did not have time to fix it. So my other patient delivers-it was a great birth by the way, in fact, I had another great birth earlier in the day and was starting to feel like I would have my first great day ever in L&D. I should not have been thinking that.

Fast forward to 4 hours later and the end of the shift, the new grad who had taken over the patient from me came to me and said is there any way you could at least find out the blood type of the patient? At that moment I had an epiphany and realized that Laurie was working in triage not PSCU. So I went to Laurie and asked her about the patient and she had no idea what the pt's blood type was and wasn't it on the prenatals? There were no prenatals! So even if I'd gotten report at the right time I would not have gotten any info except to know I needed to get the info. So I walked up to the new grad who was giving report to the oncoming nurse with her preceptor listening. I told her what had happened and that at least we knew the pt was rh positive. Out of the blue the preceptor starts yelling at both of us, how could this have happened? We were incompetent and she was ashamed to give report to the next nurse, what were we thinking? She was yelling this out in the hallway, the pt could hear, the other nurses could hear, the only people who didn't hear was management. While she was yelling the oncoming nurse just disappeared and then the preceptor walked away. The new grad apologized and I just kind of blew some air out of my mouth in disbelief. I was definitely wrong but what a way to handle this problem. This stuff always hits me from left field and I can never think fast enough to say anything coherent back. If the new grad had asked for help after my other patient delivered I would have happily tried to find out more but stupidly I assumed she was going to work on it. Another mistake. I wish I'd had the presence of mind to tell the preceptor that it might be more professional to talk privately. Of course, I go home and can't sleep and wonder if the preceptor will write me up. Then I realize it reflected badly on her because she should have checked the patient info too.

A couple of days later I come back to work, foolishly thinking the preceptor might apologize for yelling in public. But she's not there. I am supposed to be baby nurse for the first time. I am a little nervous because I have never done it but hopeful it will go well. No babies were being born so the charge had me give lunch breaks. I took two pts, one who had already delivered and one who was 9 centimeters dilated. Can you see where this is going again?! All I knew about the delivered pt is that she needed her fundus checked and that the family reeked of marijauna and were very demanding. I overheard her nurse say they were going to test the mom's and baby's urine for drugs. Of course, the doctor shows up for 9 centimeters woman and tells me she is complete and needs to start pushing, meanwhile, her epidural pump is beeping on empty and her pitocin needs to be restarted. I call out the door I need someone to watch the delivered pt. Who shows up but the yelling preceptor. I start pushing with the patient and then her primary nurse returns. I go into the computer room to document and the yelling preceptor is there whispering about me and saying shut up here she comes. Bleah. I went back and documented in the pushing patient's room and stayed there until she delivered a purple baby that I suctioned and stabilized.

I come out of the room and hear I am supposed to give report to an LVN on the delivered patient, whose fundus I had checked once and I was certainly not her primary nurse. I told yelling preceptor that she knew more about the patient than I did. She replied with a smirk that didn't I remember I had never given her report so she couldn't give report-this was said in a voice you would tell a two-year old something. I asked where her primary nurse was and found out she'd gotten another patient. The LVN and I walk away and she tells me not to worry it will be alright-I almost started crying, I am so tired of this. Sympathy from the LVN almost did me in. Then I find out I was supposed to have ordered and sent to the lab the urine tox tests for the mom and baby!?! What? Why does this come out of the blue all the time? I think I am very stupid.

Just some background on me. I am a new grad who is old-just turned 50! Obviously, a second career. My first career was in TV which I thought at the time was cutthroat but it was male-dominated and I figured out how to manage it. Now I am just constantly thrown for a loop on the meanness of these nurses. I am not handling it well and feel like a rotten nurse, which I may be but I have to figure out how to handle these people. Any advice?

Teensmom---thanks for reading!

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That's okay teens mom, i have something to brighten your day. I will be a new grad soon enough. All this talk lately about job unemployment even hitting nurses now, in a year or 2, those hateful, snooty, experienced nurses will probably be replaced with a little less experienced and new grads who are willing to do the job for less. see, in the economy now, hospitals are in finiacial turmoils too, and if they can get less experienced, or new grad nurses, they will. Hopefully we will be able to do just as good a job as them with time. Think of that next time. Also, i try to do the best I can with the best knowledge i have, with the little time that I have. Make the best of everyday. Seems to me you just need to focus all your enrgy on time management, maybe get one of those little notebooks,and, hell..smile, that witch may not be there that longer and maybe she will, but she cant put you down as long as you know you have and are doing your best. Good Luck!:up:

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Specializes in LTC, MDS, Education.

Hi teensmom! I am so sorry this is happening to you. I went into L&D after 11 years med-surg experience as a float. Boy was I dumped on! 3 at a time in active labor. Couldn't trust anyone to watch my other 2 while I was catching a baby. One time I found my pt. with the mag sulfate turned off!! ( Barely saved the IV). After several months I realized I couldn't win. So I quit. Too bad, so sad....If you really like L&D, try it at another hospital. Good luck! :nurse:

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I think you need to learn to speak up for yourself and defend yourself. The situations that you described are quite common happenings on an L&D floor. Sometimes things are moving so quickly the last thing you can worry about is what is mom's blood type. It sounds like all you need to do is explain why you did what you did to this yelling preceptor lady. Nothing you described to me indicates you are incompetent, you are prioritizing which is what an L&D nurse has to do. You ensured the delivered pt wasn't bleeding, checked baby's vitals then went next door to take care of 10cm dilated patient? That sounds perfect to me. And I would have insisted that the primary delivery nurse give report whether or not she had another patient or not. Sounds like you are doing a fine job. I think yelling preceptor lady was mad that she hadn't been guiding her preceptee correctly, that's why she yelled at you.

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It sounds to me like it is not you-it is her. I would say, read some books about boundaries and assertiveness, and try setting some serious boundaries with this lady. If that does not work, I would set a timeline in my mind of how much longer I would put up with it and wait for it to improve, and if the situation doesn't turn around, you may have to start looking elsewhere.

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That's okay teens mom, i have something to brighten your day. I will be a new grad soon enough. All this talk lately about job unemployment even hitting nurses now, in a year or 2, those hateful, snooty, experienced nurses will probably be replaced with a little less experienced and new grads who are willing to do the job for less. see, in the economy now, hospitals are in finiacial turmoils too, and if they can get less experienced, or new grad nurses, they will. Hopefully we will be able to do just as good a job as them with time. Think of that next time. Also, i try to do the best I can with the best knowledge i have, with the little time that I have. Make the best of everyday. Seems to me you just need to focus all your enrgy on time management, maybe get one of those little notebooks,and, hell..smile, that witch may not be there that longer and maybe she will, but she cant put you down as long as you know you have and are doing your best. Good Luck!:up:

:angryfire As one of the "experienced nurses" I'm not real impressed with your response. While there are some "hateful,snooty" nurses, not all of them are the ones with experience. Would you prefer the hospital with the experienced nurses or the one who "replaced" all the experienced ones with new inexperienced grads for your loved ones? What happens when your best with the knowledge you have(right out of school) is not enough and results in a dead baby or mama? Doing your best does not mean much to the family of that patient or to their lawyer.

FYI- hospitals are not "replacing" the experienced nurses, they are asking them to take cuts in pay1-5%, taking away shift diff, and asking them to take furloughs as ways to save money. Which I might add most of us are cooperating with so that our patients will receive the best possible care and so we have a job.

To teens mom I am sorry you're not having a good experience. You'll find that nurses in specialty areas are territorial, and can be very overbearing at times. I suggest you #1 do not repeat any of the post about replacing them #2 Talk with the yelling preceptor- ask her to tell you how she would've handled these situations and request she share any tips with you. #3 If that conversation does not go well talk to your nurse manager. Don't "complain" about the other nurses but ask for her guidance in how to handle some of these situations. #4 Concentrate on your patients and giving them the best care, which sounds like you're doing. You have prioritized and that's one of the biggest challenges of L&D. Sometimes everything is important all at the same time! I agree that you need to stand up for yourself- let them know that you WILL NOT be intimidated- you are there to care for your patients- when you're being reprimanded just look at that nurse and ask, well, since I'm still learning can you tell me what you would've done differently. Ask questions, lots of questions, you might find her to be helpful after all. You have to earn their respect,you'll do this by standing up for yourself in a professional manner,and taking great care of your patients. Good luck to you!

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sorry riern, but thats the way i feel and i am standing up for my opinion and thank you for yours. Yeah, i'm sure im wrong about the replacements being made, im sure thats not everywhere, and im sorry for putting experienced nurses down in that way. Experienced nurses are my teachers at school and i love them so much. teensmom, like i said do the best you can with what you've got, and my post #1 i stick by, piern, that's my area as of now and that's what i know and i was trying to give another new grad hope and inspiration that it might happen in hers.I apologize once again for making the idea of letting go the experienced for the replacement of new grads a point.It is offensive to you and i realize that.now:heartbeat

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Wow, I'm sorry to hear about your experience. I have been in L&D for 2.5 years now, 1.5 years as a new grad nurse and before that a year as an extern. I unfortunately, had a similar situation happen to me, that you've described. I took a job at a new hospital as a new grad and found out that the nurses there were the most cutthroat people I've ever dealt with. They constantly set me up for failure. I too, am an older new nurse. This is a fourth career for me, lol. At that hospital no matter what I did, I could do nothing right. It made me question why I went into nursing and why L&D especially!! A good friend of mine (who posts on here often) gave me some good advice and said she believed this is where my heart really is. She had worked with me while I was an extern and knew that I loved L&D. With very low self-esteem in place I managed to find another hospital. I wasn't sure I'd make it there even. My first week my preceptor worked with me in triage. She asked me a bunch of questions "what would you do if...". I was able to answer all correct and she looked at me and said "you'll do great here". I started crying, I hadn't realized how stressed I'd really been. But she was right. I've been there almost a year and I'm excelling (if I can toot my own horn). I'm even looking into starting on my Masters in midwifery soon. I love it where I'm at now, I'm supported by my peers, the doctors have confidence in me, my managers praise me and my patients get excellent care and a birth experience they'll cherish for a lifetime. Those snooty nasty nurses at the last place I worked at lost a valuable RN in my opinion.

So to make a long post short, sometimes where you're at isn't the right fit. For you or them. Maybe you should look into other hospitals in your area that may mesh with your way of doing things. You've got a lot of life experience to draw on, anybody would be lucky to have you working for them.

:twocents:

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.
sorry riern, but thats the way i feel and i am standing up for my opinion and thank you for yours. Yeah, i'm sure im wrong about the replacements being made, im sure thats not everywhere, and im sorry for putting experienced nurses down in that way. Experienced nurses are my teachers at school and i love them so much. teensmom, like i said do the best you can with what you've got, and my post #1 i stick by, piern, that's my area as of now and that's what i know and i was trying to give another new grad hope and inspiration that it might happen in hers.I apologize once again for making the idea of letting go the experienced for the replacement of new grads a point.It is offensive to you and i realize that.now:heartbeat

you do realize that if you are lucky enough to get hired, some day you too will be an experienced nurse...your post was a bit silly! AND who do you want as a preceptor...one of your buddies or one of us experienced nurses..be nice, you couldnt afford to buy the knowledge that you get from us for free.....:coollook:

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for free? just on your nice days when you are willing right? thinking about clinicals.

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

Just thinking of how much fun it is to precept a brand new nurse, that already knows everything and is having such a great time chatting at the nurses station that she declines my invitation to join me in caring for my sick mag pt..because "i've already done that". hahahahahahah..still laughin, and yes, i'll bail her lazy, unmotivated, knowitall butt out when she cant handle things down the road...not for her sake, for the safety of her pts......still laughin

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Specializes in Birth center, LDRP, L&D, PP, nursing education.
Just thinking of how much fun it is to precept a brand new nurse, that already knows everything and is having such a great time chatting at the nurses station that she declines my invitation to join me in caring for my sick mag pt..because "i've already done that". hahahahahahah..still laughin, and yes, i'll bail her lazy, unmotivated, knowitall butt out when she cant handle things down the road...not for her sake, for the safety of her pts......still laughin

Age old new grad vs experienced nurse battle.

Can't we all just get along?

Teensmom, I am sorry about what you're going through, but I'm on my 8th day in L&D after 1 year of med-surg and I'm so happy, it feelsl ike home. I agree with everyone else, speak up and talk to her, let her know that you appreciate being corrected and you want to learn all of her tips nad tricks, but you need to be spoken to like a profesional. If things don't get better, there's management as a last resort. Finally, I'd look elsewhere for a job... L&D doesn't have to be what you're experiencing-- there are really fabulous teachers out there. And I am in NO hurry to replace the, I know they're going to be saving my butt and teaching me tons in the next few years!

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