DON Harassment feel trapped

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Ok y'all, I honestly don't know what to do and I need advice. I'm an LPN and work agency but my current position is a contract. I've been working at this same location for a year and a half. When I first started everything was great, never had any complaints, got along with everyone perfect. Then a new DON took over about 9months ago and she is EVIL. Since she's been at this location I have seen her literally bully on nurse that has been there for 25years out of her job, caused another to go into therapy, and now she is laser focused on me. I know I'm technically agency but Christmas is coming up and there is no where else around where I live to go right now, after the first of the year I'll go elsewhere but I'm a single parent and with the bills and holidays i can't walk out yet. She is literally the most unprofessional DON I've ever worked with. She talks about her employees like dogs, I've had numerous coworkers tell me she's saying I'm incompetent, she calls me at home saying she's got reports I'm not doing anything, that I'm not charting vital signs even though it's a brand new computer system, it's a prison and being an LPN I can't do sick calls so I have NOTHING to chart on. I have never had someone make me feel so worthless. The speaking to everyone about how awful I am constantly is really bothering me, I've never done a thing to this woman. She called me today and literally was yelling on the phone about how she's tired of people not being"go getters and taking it upon themselves to get more things done". I have a long history of abuse, I was actually diagnosed with PTSD 8 years ago, and now I'm stuck here with this women and I feel like I can't take up for myself because she is the DON, and I can't not work right now, who do you go to being harassed when she's the top person there? I've never experienced this, being agency do I have any rights? Won't they say "why didn't you just leave"? I need advice bad.:(

No advice but sorry you're going through this. Head up... Christmas will be here and gone before you know it. **hugs**

It bad situations, I find it helpful to remind myself that I am choosing to be there. There are people elsewhere in the world who are treated even worse and don't have a choice.

As long as there's a payoff that makes it worth sticking around, think about that payoff. When it's no longer worth it, move on.

***And maybe don't answer the phone or return calls when you're not on the clock.

Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Have you contacted your agency to report this issue? THEY are your employer, so they need to know what is happening.

Yes contact your agency. Also, ask this pig just why she feels the need to be this way. Stand up for yourself. Don't feel worthless or afraid, get just a little bit pissed... Not all teary. Do you really deserve to be treated like that from this ugly pig? No? Then back her off.

Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
Yes contact your agency. Also, ask this pig just why she feels the need to be this way. Stand up for yourself. Don't feel worthless or afraid, get just a little bit pissed... Not all teary. Do you really deserve to be treated like that from this ugly pig? No? Then back her off.

I respectfully disagree. As an agency nurse, she needs to allow/let her agency handle it. Also, as an agency nurse, she does not need to allow herself to feel complacent in any place. It's wonderful that the location has suited her needs for so very long, but that is definitely not the norm. The DON should be contacting the agency about the OP's performance instead of contacting her personally at home. The OP is not an employee of the facility regardless of how familiar a face she's become.

If she's made a Do-Not-Use, which I anticipate is where this is headed by such an unprofessional individual, she will lose the income anyway. So, she might as well give up the position with her mental stability still intact. This will make it easier for her to be able to focus more clearly on how to survive the holidays, as opposed to being thrown out at the last minute by the DON. Now, she has nearly a month to devise an alternate plan.

It's time to move on; so get going. Her emotional well-being is at stake here. She should not risk any possibility of a mental breakdown because of money. The agency will, undoubtedly, send a replacement into the facility before they challenge the DON and risk losing that account.

BSNbeDONE I do see your point, being agency. I've no experience in that regard. Thank you.

Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
BSNbeDONE I do see your point, being agency. I've no experience in that regard. Thank you.

:up:

Specializes in ER.

Excellent idea. Refer her back to the agency. Repeatedly. Like a broken record. And don't answer your phone- they should teach that in nursing school.

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