Career Advice Please

[rnrn1]

I am a farily new nurse and I have been working on a Med/Surg floor for four months. I absolutely love working as a nurse and am learning alot but my problem is the hospital I work in is the most unprofessional place in the world. When in nursing school, the hospital I did clinicals at was organized. Where I work, nurses are very unprofessional, make inappropriate jokes, take their shirts off and walk up and down the hall claiming to be "a model" and many other things. We don't have a manager and when I made administration aware, they treated me like I was annoying them. My question is, Does it really look bad to look for a new job after just four months and should I stay and ignore these things and many many others even if I am unhappy? I was contemplating staying for a year so it does not look like I am a job hopper. Please Please advise cause I am beginning to dislike working there a lot but dont want to seem like I cant hold a job.

[OCRN]

Your unit really needs a manager. Is that position up for hire? Do they have an acting interim manager? If not then go to the Director and/or HR, tell them what's happening on the unit, voice your concerns, and ask what is going to be done. What about the charge nurse? As the floor leader, a charge nurse should step in and counsel those acting unprofessional. Does your hospital have a pt satisfaction team? You could speak with them as well. I guarantee pt's are not satisfied with the care given by nurses acting so unprofessional. Patients see, hear, and pick up on much more than we think they do. It seems to be a nursing rule of thumb to have 1year experience in one place especially when it's your first year as a nurse. However, you seem passionate about nursing and I don't believe any other hospital would turn you away at this point either. If possible, consider transferring to a different unit or the nursing float team at the hospital you're currently at. If not, pursue another hospital. I wouldn't worry about coming across as a job-hopper yet. You're looking for the right fit & this doesn't seem to be it, so do what's best for you.

[shah]

The question is how well they are training you?

If the internship program is good and the hospital in general has good reputation, then I would say, stick it out.

As far as the nurses' behavior is concerned, you have already informed the administration and they are not interested. I gather, it is a smaller community hospital.

If you can get an offer at a better hospital, by all means, jump. The problem is that if it is not bothering the patients, then what you think is immaterial.

[diane227, LPN, RN]

You have an obligation to become the thorn in their side regarding the unprofessional behavior. When a unit does not have a manager they have to have someone sitting in for that person and you need to find out who it is. You also might make an appointment with the head of HR. I would try to get this problem solved before you leave. It is really not a good idea to leave a job before a year. So try to get someone to assist you with this. If you have a patient advocate person or a risk manager, you can discuss this with them as well.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I think you have an obligation to yourself and to the nursing profession to NOT become a thorn in anyone's side at this point of your career. Work to solve the problems -- but do so in a way that is politically astute. Sometimes new nurses charge in full steam ahead to "change the world" and end up either burning out or ruining their careers in the process. Don't deprive yourself or the world of the long term, successful career that will allow you to make many positive changes over time.

If you want to make real and lasting changes in the culture where you work, you will need to put yourself in a position of influence. Demonstrate your competence and your value as an employee. Earn the respect of those around you. Get to know some senior people in positions of authority -- maybe an educator or middle-level manager or person in Human Resources. Ask for their advice on how to handle the politics of the situation. As insiders, they can advise you on the politics -- so that you can make smart moves without shooting yourself in the foot. You'll need the support of people in key places, so invest some time and effort in aquiring that before you risk your reputation and your job.

Play it smart and you may succeed. Rush in without having first done your homework and laid the foundation for change -- and you could hurt yourself in the process. Keep in mind that most people remove thorns and throw them away. Don't become a thorn. Become the rose that they treasure and pay attention to -- or better yet, the roots, stems and leaves that nourish the plant and remain intact from year to year.