ICU RN: Honestly this is more of a 6am drunken rant than anything else. I pretty much spent the whole night crying about this.
A day shift co-worker has a target on my back. To provide background info: this coworker has the boss wrapped around their finger, and ANYTHING this coworker says the boss will believe.
So, said coworker decided to write a 2 page email to the boss telling him all the things I "didn't" do. Now the boss thinks I don't do *** meanwhile I've been breaking my back and killing myself to ensure everything is as close to perfect as possible during my work shifts.
List of things the coworker said I didn't do: I didn't change tubing labels (the time was never listed and I was tripled), I didn't empty my canisters (I receive partially full canisters all the time from day shift so I thought 200cc wasn't a big deal), I don't empty foleys (which I always do-so don't know what she's lying about there-but now the boss thinks I don't do this either), I didn't hang the calcium rider (this was ordered at 6:30 and since I was tripled I didn't have the time or energy to walk down to pharmacy. Otherwise I always hang my riders, which now my boss thinks I never hang), she also said my patient's chest tube was kinked (this could have been a lie from the coworker or it could have happened, the patient moves in bed so I'm not sure how I could have prevented this from happening. I also tip/tilt tubing, change my dsgs, check for air leaks, ensure proper suctioning/or water seal, and ensure petroleum gauze is taped on the wall at bedside...chest tubes freak me out cause I'm afraid they're gonna get ripped out so I always ensure patency.)
I just feel really discouraged. I love my job dearly, but now the work environment is toxic and depressing AF. Like, no matter how hard I work and try to be perfect I feel like there's always going to be something I didn't do right. It makes me wonder what's the point of even trying....I'm only as good as my last mistake. My hard work will never be valued, and instead I'll keep having to go to these "sit downs" to be told how I'm not working hard enough.
...I'm not sure I can endure being undervalued for much longer....I'm going to look for an internal transfer.
Read through twice; did your manager actually SAY anything to you? She or He may not be as wrapped as you think; you say this isn't this nurse's first time undercutting someone; could be they are known complainers and this is just another example. Get a meeting with your manager and discuss these things, and show your side of the story; then based on how that goes you can make a decision.
Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.
On 4/7/2022 at 8:13 AM, Been there,done that said:
Be prepared though, travel nursing will be similar. You will be under a microscope in a difficult position.
My sister did travel nursing for a while. She said that there is a reason that certain hospitals need travel nurses - mainly because they have such a poor reputation in the community that only people who know nothing about the hospital will work there. This isn't the case with every travel assignment (a buddy got a job at UCLA Medical Center after working there as a traveler), but travel nursing is a minefield.
Tell your boss that you were tripled and did everything humanly possible. Also, tell them that if they are not satisified with your job performance that you will gladly seek oportunities elsewhere.
It does sound likely a situation in which you should seek joy elsewhere.
Specializes in M/S, LTC, home care, corrections and psych.
This situation will never be resolved as you don't work with the supervisor. I've worked primarily night shift for the last 30 years and this is what happens. Day shift has the opportunity to develop a relationship with supervision/administration that the night shift will never have. If your supervisor puts that much stock in to a toxic co-worker, you are better off leaving the situation as nothing you do or say will make any difference.
Nursetom1963, BSN
68 Posts
Read through twice; did your manager actually SAY anything to you? She or He may not be as wrapped as you think; you say this isn't this nurse's first time undercutting someone; could be they are known complainers and this is just another example. Get a meeting with your manager and discuss these things, and show your side of the story; then based on how that goes you can make a decision.