Depressed and beginning to hate my job

[KaroSnowQueen]

I am so sick of being a nurse at this point I am ready to quit. It seems like every single day for the past month, someone somewhere out there has gone to complain about me. Actually it has only been twice but of course due to management's anality -is that a word? - it drags on until it makes me turn blue.

First a dr. says I didn't call him about a K+ level of 6.1 on a pt. I called, no return, next shift didn't follow up, the NEXT shift didn't follow up, dr. finds where I charted it but says he didn't get the call. If he doens't answer his pages, it isn't my fault, is it? It was probably after 2100, 2200 at night when this all started, and I went home at 2300. And yes , he WAS on call.

Secondly, finally that is all done, and two nights ago I came in on 3 to 11 again, get report that abd films ordered on a pt in am, to be done today. Day nurse called xray at 1430 to remind them,, said they were swamped. Doing rounds, meds, etc. Family asks about xrays after supper. Call to xray, takes them literally six or seven minutes to get a real person on the line, they have the automated answering thing, and after so long and so many rings it hangs up or you leave a message. SEnt messages, finally got someone to answer. In the end xray came up to the floor around 2030. Family very sweet and pleasant to my face, as they leave, they find house supv and give a "very nasty complaint" per supv words. Supv comes and chews me out, says I should have called her and SHE would have gotten them up there ASAP.

Maybe there is more I could have/should have done, but I felt like I was doing the best I could do. The first night with the K+ level, it was hectic, very hectic, major winter storm, people coming and going and trying to go home early, overhead announcements SEVERAL SEVERAL times during the shift that we could not go home until supv released d/t weather conditions and people calling in, etc, trying to get things done in case no one came, or we had to stay or we did get to go home, wanted to get all things done, etc. Very nerve wracking/brain frying.

I am so sick of it. I am sick of pt families being so sweet, very nice and then complaining behind my back. If they were THAT upset, why didn't they say so???????? The reason for the xray was because no one was sure, for whatever reason, that the pt had a bm in the last week, although she had been quite ill and on cl. liq for past several days, had bowel sounds although a bit hypo.

Also on first situation, unit mgr highly p.o'd, she wants the people on the floor to suck up to the md's, posted a note in break room about what md's wanted from nurses and one of the items we were to seriously remember was "the importance of the physician". Anyway, she has banned me from the unit while she decides what to do with/to me. Both these pts were new to me, and I don't know if I am losing it or if I have suddenly become greatly inept or if I am burnt out or if I need to just go hide and forget about nursing a while or what.

[Pretzlgl]

Karo - I agree with everyone else. Find a new job! Hopefully one where the NM respects his/her staff. I have a NM who is very similar. But recently when the shyt hit the fan, she did support me. Surprise, surprise! I think middle managers are "stuck". They have to do what is best for the profitability of the facility. (This is why I would NEVER be a manager). And some get sooo wrapped up in this that all they see is how to please the MD's so that they keep admitting their patients, etc. Instead of supporting you, your administration immediately believes the families! Or chooses to. It is just so frustrating when all we are trying to do is what is best for the patient.....Good luck to you...

[Chuckie]

We have a nursing shortage. Change jobs there is nothing more invigorating than going in to a new position. Nurses that work for 30 years at the same old position I find grow boring and stale they are unwilling to change, go with the flow of moving on and for the most part they criticise everyone but themselves. No one can do the job and no one is as good as them. They do guality work (Never quantity). Someone always has to pick up there workload because they are too busy thinking about how it use to be not how good it is in the future. Move on and keep right on going don't look back and don't let any of them get the better of you. Better yet just let them gossip, I doesn't make you look bad it makes them look bad.

[Agnus]

Originally posted by Allison S.

One family member complained for days that the patient was losing weight, needed more feeding, etc. and then wanted to take him for a walk when it was time for his tube feed. I reminded her of his schedule and priorities and then she did what she wanted. Later she complained that I was rude, telling her how to take care of her family-memeber, AND that I was late hanging the tube feed.

When they left our facility, she gave me a big hug and thanked me with tears in her eyes, yet I still have a complaint in my file.

How do you put a damn hug in a file. Should have asked for that is writing. Ha.

[Agnus]

Hospitals now days are hung up on kissing up to Docs and patients. They don't seem to understand the basic concept that you are a customer too. That you are their most critical asset and with out you they have no business. They cannot meet thier "customer's" needs nor demands.

I read something on this this week, it come from Steven Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. "I was in a group once where someone asked, 'How do you shape up lazy and incompent employees?' One man responded, 'Drop hand grenades!' Several others cheered that kind of macho management talk, that 'shape up or ship out' supervision approach.

But another person in the group asked, 'Who picks up the pieces?'

'No pieces.'

'Well, why don't you do that to your customers?' The other man repied, ' 'Just say, 'Listen, if you're not interested in buying you can just ship out of this place.' '

He said, 'You can't do that to customers.'

'Well, how come you can do it to employees?'

'Because they're in your employ.'

'I see. Are your employees devoted to you? Do they work hard? How's the turnover?'

'Are you kidding? You can't find good people these days. There's too much turnover, absenteeeism, moonlighting. People just don't care anymore.' "

[KaroSnowQueen, RN]

Thanks so much you guys! I posted this am and went out to spend all the money I had on Christmas for the kids - great treatment for depression.....Walmart, the Mall, and Cracker Barrell!!!!!!!!!!!! I kind of worried what posts I would find when I got home, because you dwell on crap like this and decide maybe that you (me) really ARE the dimwit that they say you are.

I really appreciate all your input, and think I will spend my days off the next couple of weeks playing with my resume and go out looking after the holidays. I do feel really supported by you all. I did call someone over her head and am going to try to transfer to a sister hospital in the same city while I figure out where and when I am going, maybe it will be better. Thanks again!!!!!!!!!!:kiss

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by Pretzlgl

Great advice 3rdShiftGuy. (For me that is). When I read your post, I thought "hmmm". I have been guilty of getting angry at my peers when mistakes are made. I think if we were all a little more tolerant in these busy, busy days then we could present a more unified front - and maybe gain a little more respect. Thanks for the thought provoking response!

Beth (pretzlgl)

Thanks Beth. When a person makes a mistake, or are getting hung to dry for whatever reason, they feel bad enough. They don't need their coworkers judgement too.

When I'm in the hot seat, I beat myself up enough. LOL

[RRMLPN]

good for you karo!!!!!!!!!!! i wish you the very best and a very Merry Christmas!

[cargal]

I am sorrty this is happening to you, and I know how you are feeling. I also know that I would not be nursing today without the support of allnurses.com. As I have learned, there is a nursing shortage. There is no reason to stay in a job like that. Good luck, hold your head up and smile. It will get better!

[emily_mom]

Originally posted by Susy K

If the physicians are so important, then I guess we can all go home and they can provide 24/7 nursing care.

Amen Susy!!!

Kristy

[treecy]

Karo, what happened to you is so typical of nursing. Everyone's shortcoming is nursing's responsibility. You documented the elevated k+, called the MD, documented that and although you didn't say, I presume that you endorsed that to the next shift. What else could you do? An order for xray is entered. Radiology doesn't do the xray in a timely manner and that too is your fault. Management places these burdens on our shoulders. The supv. that said you should have contacted her about the xray is full of it. She probably wouldn't have been any help, but for the family conplaining. And who says the complaint was about you. It was about xray, and she decided it was your fault. The manager doesn't want you on the floor? Tell her you agree 100%, your nursing expertise can be utilized elsewhere.

[ZORYA]

Well Karo, I think your tag line "for everything there is a purpose" states it perfectly....Think hard about what the purpose is, and why you're going through this....I personally(and don't everybody get all mad at me for disagreeing) would make sure that walking out the door isn't a rash thing to do...There's definitely something to be said about perserverance...I mean, maybe you're supposed to be learning something through all this crap you are being forced to wade through??

Anyway, just my two cents worth...Good Luck:)

[rstewart]

At risk of appearing unsupportive, here is my opinion:

A serum K+ of 6.1 (assuming this is not a dialysis patient) in most facilities would be a panic/critical value----prompt medical attention may be required. Your obligation is not to make an attempt to notify a medical provider but rather to actually accomplish notification. Now, I do understand your feelings: I am a staff nurse myself, not nursing management. Physicians who are on call need to be available; the situation should be remediated when they are not, particularly those who are chronically slow to respond or do not respond at all.

The solution? Notify the charge nurse or house supervisor, (ie utilize the chain of command) document the calls in the medical record, and complete an occurance report.

Frankly, I think the situation with radiology was a crock....totally unfair to you. But for now you obviously work in a facility where the nurses are blamed for everything. (You don't really expect management to admit that the cuts in support /ancillary services which they made resulted in a reduction in the quality of care, do you?) So my previous advice holds here as well: Utilize /notify the chain of command, document your efforts in the medical record (objectively/no commentary, of course) and prepare an occurance report.

I'd leave that place. After all, we all make mistakes. And it's much easier to just blame the nurse rather than examine the system. But that said, I hope you will accept my advice. The ball was dropped on the lab notification and if harm resulted you could have had some legal as well as employment problems.