Hi, Just wanted to run this by everyone. Let me set up the scenario. At my hospital, like everywhere else, the economy is bringing things down and there are a lot of changes being implemented. Work has become a little crazy. Recently there were layoffs and people seem to be hyper-concious these days about OT and scheduling. The patient case load is becoming more heavy and more inappropriate.
Where people used to gain a lot of overtime, this has been reduced and I see a lot of people unhappy with the fewer hours they are scheduled. On the other hand, I am a full time employee and do not wish to work full time hours (32) and have asked to have my hours reduced to 16 hours or per diem. I have asked this repeatedly since August and thus far I get a lot of empty promises. I remain scheduled the full 32.
Ideally, I do not wish to leave my hospital, as I like both my colleauges and the experience I get (I've been a nurse for almost 2 years now and this was my first job.) However, I have another full time position with better hours and better pay. I also have several per diem positions - all which pay more than the first place.
My dilemma is that I feel loyal to this job and the nurses I've met there. I've made a lot of good friends and mentors. However, the evenings (3-11) are killing me. The floor is heavy and we take a lot of inappropriate patients in order to fill the beds. There are a lot of changes going on, in attemtps to keep the ship afloat, if you know what I mean. Most of the staff is resistant to change, and it's become a miserable environment.
As far as I am concerned, I would prefer less hours. I am never home and can have no life outside of work. I have done the evening shift for almost two years now. Recently, with all these changes, I have mentioned to my manager that I do want to reduce my hours and she promised me twice that this would happen by the new year. January's schedule is out and nothing has changed. Except - I have been told that I am no longer allowed to trade shifts (I am an LPN so therefore I am paid less than 1/2 of what RN's make and therefore save money) and I am also scheduled to do the job of 2 people (As an LPN, I also do personal care and thus remove the need for one of the PCAs). My manager would never schedule an RN to do the same nor would the majority of them do this. I can honestly say 9 out of 10 nurses I work with on the evening shift, while nice people, are lazy nurses. On one recent shift, I was scheduled for 8 assignments. I had 5 patients as a nurse, and 3 as a PCA. The RN had 3 patients (I did the personal care on those 3) and the PCA had my 5. My 5 patients, by the way were total care, so I had to help the PCA with those anyway. She did ask the RN for help once, and was told that the person was "Not her patient," and to ask me instead.
Needless to say I am burnt out. I worked the last holiday and was told I would have this one off. (every other holiday is the rule). Now, I am scheduled for this holiday as well. I spoke up, reminded her I worked the last one and explained I already had plans and was informed "Too bad, there's no one else, you HAVE to work." There are however, per diem people who would love the hours and the holiday pay. My manager just doesn't want to pay them to do it. I don't see this as fair.
Call HR, you say? I have. They claim they don't know the policies on my floor, that LPNs aren't in the union, yada yada, yada, so basically I must abide by what my manager tells me.
The final straw is that after a horrendous evening last night at work, I was not able to sleep. I feel horrible today, sick with a sore throat starting. I called early this morning to report I was sick, and spoke to the secretary - which is normal protocol. The reason for calling at 830 was to give them time to replace me (there are plenty of people although maybe it might be a double shift and hence OT for some). My manager called me 2 minutes later and left me a message stating that I HAVE TO COME IN. TAKE SOME COLD MEDICINE. I NEED YOU HERE AT 3!
Is that appropriate? I don't know, but I don't think so. And I like her - by the way - I feel bad that she is in a jam. But I can't handle this! I am ready to forgo the 2 weeks notice and the hope for going perdiem and throw in the towel!
I agree! Why are nurses so loyal to their abusers? Quit, quit,quit! That's why you have more than one job, why I always did. So if one turns into the job from hell you can walk away. They will use you up and spit you out.
You know what... thank you all so much for responding. After I posted yesterday I felt very relieved, because writing it helped me vent. I had no idea so many people would post with so many positive remarks. I thank you all especially because I am the type of person that really needs positive reinforcement (for some reason) that I am making the right decision. I appreciate all of the input! It helps to know I'm not the only one to have gone through this. Thank you!!
please please take care of yourself first and foremost. the best thing a nurse can ever give to a patient is a healthy stress-free nurse. (a bit of an oxymoron i'm sure)
organizations will use a person as long as they allow them to. a sick nurse spreads infection and only makes themself sicker in the long run. if not physically, then it can bite you in the butt emotionally and mentally. nurses have so much on their plates already. feeling bad and being sick causes an increase in the burn-out and believe me, other people do not give out awards if you martyr yourself coming into work sick. they want and expect you to carry a full load just like they do and to be fair, we are all in this together. we have to take care of ourselves first.
a burned out nurse decreases patient safety, patient satisfaction, and increases the potential for errors. not to mention the cost to his/her family. when you are physically tired and spread so thin it increases the burn out and breeds bitterness and frustration and drains the very life from you. you can get to the point you resent the patient for even being there, passing judgement in the back of your mind on who is "really" sick or who is here "sucking up the pain meds". (i have been there and done that myself...guilty as charged in the burn-out department)
just as the best thing a mom and dad can do for their child is love them, the best thing a nurse can do for their patient is give the patient a nurse who feels good, is healthy, and who really wants to be at work.
burn out strips you of everything and seeps into all the other areas of your life until depression sets in. it will increase your frustration levels, decrease your patience, cause you to even say things that you don't really mean. it destroys you like a cancer eating from the inside out and sometimes you don't know it until it is almost too late. depression is a hard battle to come back from.
take care of you first. take a step back and give up one of the jobs if you need to, switch to another field for a while. do something, but take care of yourself. we are all own worst enemy but can be our own best friend.
Riseupandnurse
658 Posts
I agree! Why are nurses so loyal to their abusers? Quit, quit,quit! That's why you have more than one job, why I always did. So if one turns into the job from hell you can walk away. They will use you up and spit you out.