Do I stay on this unit or go elsewhere?

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Specializes in Med Surg.

Sorry, this is long. I am coming off nightshift and I am ranting but needing advice on if I stay in the current MICU, go to a different MICU, or just leave and go elsewhere?

Hello good people of reddit I took a dream job in the MICU seven months ago at a level 1 hospital and I am looking for some advice on how to handle the bullying I am receiving on this unit. I have 4.5 years' experience prior to starting in the ICU which includes: Medical/COVID (3 years at a different hospital than I am currently) at and 1.5 on a cardiac ICU step down (Same hospital I currently work). 

I have been off of orientation of orientation in the MICU for 4 months and I love working with the vents and the overall critical thinking that goes with being an ICU nurse. This is truly a dream come true and I worked very hard to get where I am. However, I am constantly being bullied, intimidated, talked down to, gas lit, micromanaged, and frequently have had many rude/aggressive comments thrown my way. I have experienced bullying before but it has never been to this level. I have come home crying almost every day to my husband. The job additionally has been affecting my mental health where I have gained close to 15lbs, have increased anxiety/depression, and have been way late with my menstrual cycle (not normal for me and sorry TMI). I also have always tried to rise above bullying on any unit I have been on and address it if I need to. With this unit only being 12 beds I feel it makes it worse because I feel like everyone is against me and I really have not connected to make any real friends. Some examples of the bullying/incivility that I have been receiving include:

-When still on orientation I had a very busy patient that I was 1:1. This was my first time with a lot of drips and one of my first times with multiple pressers. My preceptor was making me feel horrible/talking down, intimidating, yelling at me most of the day. I didn't say much as I didn't want to upset her too much as I had her for the next month and half. About halfway through the day I got behind and had just told my preceptor that I was going to check compatibility. When I was checking compatibility (I did not say anything to my preceptor for about 4-5minutes) and out of nowhere my preceptor yells and says, "I'm talking now so quit disrupting me." I stared blankly at her as I didn't disrupt her at all throughout any of our conversations that I can remember. I just apologized to her at that point and said I would try to do better. 

-Throughout my entire orientation, I really felt that I was not taught well and more micromanaged. I had a lot fear of getting yelled at and it was not a very teacher friendly environment

-I was giving report on a pt-very simple pathophysiology. I gave as thorough of a report as I could. The only two things I forgot to do were d/c precautions and recheck a temp. The nurse was scoffing the entire time at my entire report. I then as I am giving my other report hear the nurse tell another nurse gosh she didn't even d/c the precautions and the results already came back negative and why didn't she question the resident on retesting (did but the resident still wanted it retested).  She's just terrible. The other nurse goes oh I know she is terrible and continued to things I could not hear.

-When I was excited to have a cardiology primary patient as I came from the cardiology floor, I was telling one of my other coworkers about it. I then later hear two of my other coworkers talking about what I said down the hallway and that any of my experience is insignificant.

- I have attempted to talk with my nursing educator multiple times especially through the orientation process on how things were going/how I was feeling. I was told that I could not switch preceptors and that everything that I was going through was pretty much my fault. She also would bring things up that had happened 3-4 weeks ago and were not relevant to current situations.

- I had one conversation with one of my nursing managers and they said I was doing well (annual performance review, I had to have one even though I had been on the unit 2 whole months at that point). I explained a few things of what had been going on and she did listen/take a few notes. She really didn't give me any advice on what to do about the bullying/practical tips on how to approach the people that were bullying me. I was told that I basically need to ignore the bullying and that I will grow once I settle in more. 

-I got a call on my day off about my vacation and it was from one of the dayshift charge nurses who are the head of the PTO committee.  The day before I got a text stating I needed to be available between certain times in case they needed to contact me about vacation in case anything needed to be changed (To me this is ridiculous because its my day off).  I was one who got a call because I was one of the one new to the unit and I could not have my vacation I originally put in for. Furthermore, the phone call itself was very short, abrupt, and rude. The call lasted about 2 minutes. She did not give me time to speak, and I had two minutes to pick a different vacation date and did not have time even look at my calendar.  

I could go on and on as there is so much which to me is sad because I don't hate them, so I do not understand why they treat me so poorly. I love working the patients and love learning/want to grow. Any advice on how to handle these situations? I know at the end of the day they are my coworkers, and it is the job that is important. There is a point in being respectful and kind. Moreover, do I go and talk with manager again on how I am feeling, try and go to a different ICU, or do I just leave entirely? I am at a loss of what to do. 

Thank you in advance for advice 😊

 

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I would 100% leave. I felt bullied as a new grad at my first job but I stuck with it for a year and eventually did travel nursing once I got one year experience. It just felt like just about everyone in that hospital was miserable and since becoming a travel nurse I have been so much happier. No job is worth that mental abuse that they are putting you through. Trust me there are better places for you to work where you don't have to put up with that stuff and you will thank yourself later.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

If you don't want to quit, then you need to get some allies and fight back. You can't rise above bullying on your own. You need help. Go to HR and report it. Keep reporting it until something is done. Good luck, many of us have been there.

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