Discrimination Against Relocaters

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Hi everybody,

I am a registered nurse who graduated this past May of 2011, and I have observed a very disturbing phenomenon that is taking place. About two weeks ago, I began orienting on a medical-surgical floor at a hospital in a new town about 3 hours from where I lived previously. I was interviewed over the phone and relocated for this position. The hospital itself is in a small little town about 40 minutes from where I am renting my apartment, which is in a larger suburb of a nearby city.

After a few days on the floor, I have noticed things. (1) The hospital has recently gone on a hiring binge to replace people who have left. Many, many new graduate nurses have recently been hired at this small-medium sized hospital. (2) I have heard staff complaining about high turnover and "people leaving after a year." I overheard a male LPN in the cafeteria ruminating over people who leave and treat the hospital as a "proving ground" before moving on to greener pastures, as it were. (3) The new graduate nurses from the local two-year school here are treated favorably by the other staff, who also were trained at that school. These are people who were born and raised in this town and tend to resent outsiders. People who relocated to the hospital, like myself, are viewed with high suspicion.

I have already been questioned by LPNs and to a lesser extent, RNs, about why I would move from my perceived-to-be nicer area (a wealthy, cosmopolitan area) to this tired, old factory town to work. "Could you just not get a job back where you were?" Or, "Do you plan to go back there?" And, "Why did you choose here?" And also, "Are you one of the people who moved here?" People have probed me for information, asking dodgy questions in the hope that I will "out" the fact that I intend to leave after a year.

It is true that I moved here for a job, and that the area isn't the ideal for me, but that doesn't mean I will leave right away. I don't know about all of you, but I think it is rude to assume that new graduate nurses who relocate to find jobs have secret intentions to leave the area after exploiting the facility for its experience. That may be true for many, many people. However, generalizing an entire category of people based on prior negative experiences that happen more than is common flies against what nursing philosophy. That is discrimination. Imagine if I started asking a black person "Do you plan to commit a crime here? I've seen a lot of people like you commit crimes, so I just figured that's what your intentions were too." People would be outraged, and rightly so. Well, if it is wrong in one situation, then it is wrong in ALL situations. I am an employee of the facility I was hired at, just like everybody else, whether I relocated and they didn't, and I do not deserve to be labeled based on a category I belong to. I don't need it and I don't deserve it.

Who agrees?

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Specializes in FNP.

I think as a new graduate and a novice nurse beginning a new role in a new community, you have bigger fish to fry. I also think it is a logical and reasonable query. Let go of the hostility, it will only weigh you down and prevent you from forging relationships and learning.

Good luck.

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Specializes in Med Surg.

I can understand their concern, since they've been bitten by people using their facility to get experience and then moving on. You're from out of town, they're naturally going to lump you in with those who've come and gone. May not be right, but it's human nature.

Try to be as positive as you can--once you become part of the team and get settled into your new life in this town, the questioning will stop. Until then, try not to let it bother you.

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In my honest opinion, it may just be plain curiosity and have nothing to do with 'fear' that you will leave soon. Nobody knows what the future holds for their career. Who's to say that those 'local' new grads will stick around the hospital. People move around to different jobs all the time.

Looking at the positive side, maybe people are just curious about you - which can be a good thing! Since you say it is a small town, it may be unusual that people move there for that particular job, so it is natural for people to ask questions. It's just natural curiosity. I wouldn't take it is 'grilling' you to find out if you are going to leave after a year.

As far as the locals being treated better, it may just be perception - i'm only guessing - but, maybe some of those new grads already worked there or did clinicals there and built a rapport with some of the staff during their tenure as aides, students, etc. I wouldn't worry about that too much.

Once you get to know some of the people and are ingrained in the culture of the hospital, you will fit in just fine.

Try not to sweat the small stuff! Good luck with the job!

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Have you tried disarming them with a big smile and a line like, "i've always wanted to live here, i just love it and i love xxxxx hospital. I like the more relaxed lifestyle here and the lower cost of living, i am so glad i moved here from xxxx city!"

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I agree with all of the above.

I also think there is a difference between assuming something IS true, and being suspicious that something MIGHT be true. You fall into the category of people for whom this suspicion could be true, so it's logical and understandable that your co-workers will wonder and question you.

There could also be something of the small town culture that makes them more close-knit and suspicious of anyone they consider to be an "outsider."

You also need to understand that there are many new grads who ARE using that first job as a stepping stone, so it's reasonable to wonder if that would apply to you as well.

All new grads have to prove themselves to some degree, and you shouldn't be any different. I think you need to focus on doing the best job you can, be friendly and helpful to all, and show them that you are not someone who plans on leaving as soon as your "dream job" comes along. If you do that, they will come to accept you in time.

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Smaller towns have their own thing going on. When I moved from a city of about 500,000 to a town of about 20,000 it was a bit unnerving. Granted, they'd had a serial killer nurse (no, I'm not kidding) in their midst, and didn't trust people with good reason. It might just be small town stuff- in my experience, they loosen up :)

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You get to decide where you live and if your employer continues to meet your standards. I will tell you this, if the hospital and town were full of good people to work and live around, they'd be retaining more employees. I read posts of flabergasted RNs here on AN who do live and work in little podunk towns but have practically no stress from work (other than patient care type) are able to save money since cost of living is low, and feel that the town people are pretty great. They are flabbergasted to read of how bad other RN's situations are, as they have NEVER even so much as witnessed or heard tell of the kind of crap that goes down where I live. I say it's up to the town to prove to you it and it's hospital are worth a few years of your life, not the other way around.

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I know it's frustrating. I work in a unit that cannot keep new employees more than a year. They treat people very badly and so they leave in droves. The older employees that are staying resent the new people because they hate constantly training people just for them to leave. I understand that is rough on them....but don't take it out on me! Every single day they ask when I am going to leave, where I plan on working, etc. It's so annoying.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
Smaller towns have their own thing going on. When I moved from a city of about 500,000 to a town of about 20,000 it was a bit unnerving. Granted, they'd had a serial killer nurse (no, I'm not kidding) in their midst, and didn't trust people with good reason. It might just be small town stuff- in my experience, they loosen up :)

This is very true. I grew up in a rural town, and outsiders aren't met with suspicion necessarily; it's just a weird way of expressing of curiosity.

I even have the "old ways" ingrained in me. When I went back to my hometown for a visit with my husband and kids, we were talking to a stranger near the pool of the hotel we stayed at. My husband was very surprised when I introduced myself with my married name, but then quickly told the stranger my maiden name and my father's name and where my parents lived. Then, we went on with small talk.

My husband and I talked about it, and he said, "You were letting him know you weren't an outsider and that you were 'ok' without even consciously thinking about it."

We small town people are a breed unto our own. Don't worry about it. They'll warm up to you if you don't misinterpret their interrogation of you.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

It may be curiosity and they are trying to get to know you.

People may ask question that may seem intrusive and just not know it.

During nursing school and everytime I start a new job and meet new people, they ask do you have kids, then evenutally they find out I am a single mom, the next question is always, "who watches your kids when you are at work?"

"Does their Dad see them?

Really it is no ones bussiness who watches my kids and many times I have felt like saying Oh I just leave some food out and the TV and hope there okay when I get home, just to see the reaction.

Point is people ask what you may feel are inappropriate questions all the time, just how you deal with them

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It may be curiosity and they are trying to get to know you.

People may ask question that may seem intrusive and just not know it.

During nursing school and everytime I start a new job and meet new people, they ask do you have kids, then evenutally they find out I am a single mom, the next question is always, "who watches your kids when you are at work?"

"Does their Dad see them?

Really it is no ones bussiness who watches my kids and many times I have felt like saying Oh I just leave some food out and the TV and hope there okay when I get home, just to see the reaction.

Point is people ask what you may feel are inappropriate questions all the time, just how you deal with them

That is SO something I would say ! :D Or, 'they're in the trunk, so I can check on them at lunch"..... :D

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