Bullied at work

[eelise11]

I'm going to try to make this as short as possible but I'm not sure it's the type of situation that can really be edited down.

I just started a new job as an LPN in a nursing home. This particular home has a TERRIBLE reputation in all aspects but where I live, there isn't much option and the pay is really good for our area. After being out of work for nearly 5 months, I felt that I had no choice and I went to this home.

On my second day on the floor, a staff member (non-medical) came into the room I was in and said, I need a nurse. I asked her if she could give me a minute and she said okay. I was in the middle of a tube feed. The aide in the room with me asked if I wanted her to see what was going on and I said sure.

She returned approximately 5 minutes later and said "So and so was on his floor mats." I stopped what I was doing and was about to go to the room. The aide then said "It's okay, we put him in his chair." I asked if she had told anyone and she said "so and so (another aide on the floor) said that he is careplanned to be put back into his chair as long as he is on his fall mats." I figured they probably knew more than me but to be safe, I asked another nurse on the floor if I should do an incident report. She told me to ask the supervisor. I asked the supervisor who then threw a fit because these aides were supposed to have an RN assess the resident. (which I rightly assumed in the first place.)

Recap: A resident slid out of bed, aides picked up him and THEN informed me of the situation. I didn't know what happened until it was over with.

The supervisor reprimanded the aides, telling them they know better and the facility had just been sued over the same type of thing. The aide that incorrectly told everyone that they were allowed to pick him up said to the supervisor "I just didn't have an extra 20 minutes to wait for an RN" when she was asked why she didn't notify anyone.

A few days later, on Monday afternoon, the aide that said she didn't have time to wait was fired and the other one was suspended for 3 days.

I made it very clear to them the day it happened that I didn't want them to get into trouble and I meant no harm. I believed them when they said they were allowed to pick him up. I was innocently trying to find out if I had to complete an incident report and crap hit the fan.

Fast forward to Tuesday. During the day, multiple people warned me that everyone on that particular unit was mad and out to get me. I was told how I might get jumped, how they're intending to find a way to get me fired, and to stay off that floor if I could help it.

Wednesday: I was scheduled to be on the floor that this incident happened on but requested to be moved elsewhere. I was moved and things were great besides listening to people talk about me and the situation, even though they didn't realize it was me. This is when I found out that the aides are telling everyone they waited for more than 30 minutes for me and I never came.

Thursday: I went into work to find out that I was assigned as a CNA, on the hall of the aide that got fired, on the unit that is out to get me. I went to staffing and requested that I not be placed on that floor anymore. I was told, in as discrete of a way as possible, that since she got fired, and it's being blamed on me, that I have to fill her spot, indefinitely.

Needless to say, I was so stressed out I was having chest pains and I left work early. Now I'm sitting here thinking of calling off tomorrow. I haven't even been on the floor one full week and this is happening. I need a job because I have a family but is it worth this? I know how hard it is to find a job in our area and I just honestly don't know what to do.

I need advice. Please, anyone. I'm so confused as to what I should do.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

If they do not have security to escort you out they can hire one but you want an escort.

And who in the nursing home is going to pay for security to escort an employee to the car several days per week? Workplace politics are at play here...

Most nursing home administrators tend to be tightwads when managing the facility's budget. When faced with either incurring added expenses for security or allowing the nurse to walk to the parking lot without an escort, the typical nursing home administrator would never hire security.

After all, the administrator might lose their end-of-year bonus for staying under budget if they spend the money on a guard.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

So sorry to hear that you are going through this. Go to the DON and tell them that you have had someone threaten physical harm to you. Tell her this is a hostile work environment. If they do not have security to escort you out they can hire one but you want an escort. This is so wrong. Sounds like you work with a bunch of thugs.

Seriously? You really think they'll come up with money to pay for an escort for OP? They would find a reason to cut her loose before that happens!

[AdamantiteEnigma]

Have you talked to the RN about the situation? It may be that the both of you can have a brief discussion about the situation. Sounds like the opportunity exists to do some teaching in terms of what the facility policy is. And how important it is to make sure everyone communicates clearly that there has been an occurrence that requires both of you to drop what you are doing and get there immediately.

You can reinforce that it wasn't your decision to recommend discipline. And what your specific role is on the floor, and how you can help when it is needed. Given your description of your co-workers and their possession of a 'saucy' side, I'd go with the come to Jesus approach. Stand up for yourself. And follow up with your commitments to demonstrate you are serious. Not that you haven't already - it's just that it sounds like you've given them the impression that you are wishy washy and will throw them under the bus to save yourself if a situation arose. I'm guessing that's why they are hostile. I'm imagining the CNA's having conversations a la the telephone game, and embellishing some to keep the conversation going. Granted though, that's going to be a rough meeting. I'd take extra iron to fortify the spine beforehand

I'm only even discussing the possibility of a meeting because if what you are saying holds true - it really would appear to them to be a situation where you threw the two aides under the bus. Even though we know you didn't. It's really about what they are perceiving regarding things. And how out of control the rumors get following that. So, setting your position, then sticking fast to that is going to provide every opportunity for people to get past it.

Ulitimately, it might be good to take another position. Even if it has something of a commute. It'll take some time to resolve things where you are at right now. In the meantime, it's a good thing to clearly establish to them what you are there for, and how you can help. And also get some needed teaching in there. Because if the aides are picking people up from ground level falls without assessments from a higher license, there are surely some other practices going on that are no noes. And those aids could benefit from what you bring to the table.

[Paws2people]

Wait... so you are an LPN, yet they are short staffed with CNA's so now you're working as a CNA? I like how it's your "fault" they are short and your punishment is to be a CNA now. Gee that makes sense. Smh.

Honestly the best thing that could happen is you leave this place ASAP. You're always gonna be labeled as the nurse who threw her coworkers under the bus. Even though you did not.

There was a reason you avoided employment at this place in the first place. Always go with your first instinct.

[eelise11]

The day this all happened, the two aides involved kept saying they know I didn't throw them under the bus, they weren't mad at me, etc etc. Then after they actually were punished, then all of a sudden it was all my fault. And like one replier said, even if they had waited for me for 25 minutes, which didn't happen, it would be irrelevant because an RN is needed to assess a fall. I couldn't have done a thing besides got an RN, just like they are supposed to do. None of this is my fault and I didn't go tell on them. I actually stuck up for them and tried to get them out of it because I knew that if they got into trouble, it was going to be pointed at me and my life would then be hell. That is exactly what happened. I don't want to go back and my husband says I don't have to but we have a large family and small income as it is. I NEED to work, I just don't know where to go as there isn't anywhere around here. :/ This situation really sucks and it has me questioning if I want to stay in nursing. As an LPN, where I live, we only really get jobs in nursing homes and so far, my experience over the past two years has been that I never want to step foot in another nursing home again. That being said, I'm considering leaving nursing altogether. I love my job but not the environments I have to work in because of my title.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

The day this all happened, the two aides involved kept saying they know I didn't throw them under the bus, they weren't mad at me, etc etc. Then after they actually were punished, then all of a sudden it was all my fault. And like one replier said, even if they had waited for me for 25 minutes, which didn't happen, it would be irrelevant because an RN is needed to assess a fall. I couldn't have done a thing besides got an RN, just like they are supposed to do. None of this is my fault and I didn't go tell on them. I actually stuck up for them and tried to get them out of it because I knew that if they got into trouble, it was going to be pointed at me and my life would then be hell. That is exactly what happened. I don't want to go back and my husband says I don't have to but we have a large family and small income as it is. I NEED to work, I just don't know where to go as there isn't anywhere around here. :/ This situation really sucks and it has me questioning if I want to stay in nursing. As an LPN, where I live, we only really get jobs in nursing homes and so far, my experience over the past two years has been that I never want to step foot in another nursing home again. That being said, I'm considering leaving nursing altogether. I love my job but not the environments I have to work in because of my title.

What about home health or private duty/extended shift home health nursing?

[mariebailey, MSN, RN]

Seriously, you need to enlist the aid of your superiors at this time. I would specifically tell them you heard people want to jump you. Not seriously, you could train like Rocky, so you'll be prepared to kick some butt:

[video=youtube;Jy2-VMBk0Do]

[abbnurse]

I've worked at facilities like this, where a number of the employees had a "snitches get stitches" mentality.

Same here. I once worked with two CNA's who constantly bickered about a man they were both dating. One evening, after both had clocked out and were in the parking lot, one hit the other with her car..... ! Thankfully no one was seriously injured, but, sheesh !

I really feel for you, OP. Could you look into home care agencies, hospice, dialysis, doctor's offices, etc., in your area ? The facility you're working in sounds toxic. I'm so sorry you have to go through that....