How many of you had to make a change recently?

joanna73, BSN, RN · Sep 30, 2012

For various reasons, we all need a change at some point. At this very moment, I am researching the job market in the city I wish to move to. With or without a job, I'm relocating next spring. I moved from a large city to a small town 2 years ago for work. The job is great, the politics are bad. In addition, I can't stand living in a small town. The change is long overdue. Your well being is first and foremost.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Sep 30, 2012

I am. I'm moving nearly 1000 miles away to start my first nursing job. There was nothing for me in my current city. It's scary, but it has to be done.[/quote']I moved 2000 miles away for my first job, which I am still working. Although I am leaving this job, the move was well worth it. I left everything and sold all my stuff, gave away my clothes. The material things can be replaced. Hopefully, you will be working enough not to feel too homesick. It will be ok.

Ms_ILLRN · Sep 30, 2012

Hi.

Quite a few of us have made changes or are seeking such.

As an R.N., and a worker's advocate in all realms of workplaces, I have heard numerous stories of the overall poor treatment of employees. Worsening, I believe, due to our economic times.

Unfortunately, nursing has had an ongoing issue with such.

Poor management, bullying either laterally or from management and M.D.'s occurring and is not being addressed despite Joint Commission Zero Tolerance standards.

My best advice is to DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. Save emails from management. Document dates, times and content of convos as if you do need to pursue future litigation, you will be need such.

Utilize any so called unbiased resources available for your facility. Some offer hotlines to file grievances. Utilize your EAP to let it b known your environment is UNHEALTHY.

Nurses have rights. One is to be treated with respect and to work in HEALTHY environments. Our profession is noted for ongoing bullying and it is time this issue is halted. There are those of us who wish to work cohesively, come to our jobs and not feel defensive and have to battle. Instead, to give QUALITY care to patients under a civil non-intimidating environment.

I personally lost my position after being bullied out when speaking up for both myself, but my peers. Unfortunate, but it happened.

We DO need to speak up if we desire change.

Union or not, we all have the right to be treated with dignity and respect.

Peace and good luck!

LisalaRN99, BSN, RN · Sep 30, 2012

I know there are nurses out there that have stayed with their first nursing job and never left! I find this amazing! I know our parents and grandparents worked for the same employers for 20-30 years and that was considered the norm. I don't see that much anymore. I started out in nursing as a second career in my 40's. I worked med/surg, then cardiac telemetry for 4 years, and then ICU for 1 year. I did not like ICU at all!!! I found the nurses there to be clique-ish and were not accepting of those of us who had transferred in via a preceptorship program that the hospital offered. I enjoyed the knowledge that I gained, but I hated the environment. I left and returned to my pre-nursing area, psych/mental health, but this time as an RN. I always knew that once I felt the physical nature of nursing would begin to take its toll on my body, that I could go back to psych with all my previous experience as a mental health counseling and case manager. I was right. I have moved a few times: 3 years one place, 6 years another place, and now have a great job in a new psych unit in a major medical center closer to my home. I love it!!! Eventually I plan to get my Master's and teach, but I may stay on at least part time where I work now. Change equals growth as far as I'm concerned.

lockheart678 · Sep 30, 2012

I just recently made a change after five years due to very poor management. I loved my coworkers, but I couldn't deal with all of the stupid drama anymore. The only problem is, I was lied to in my interview and I actually discovered that my new job was even worse than my old one. Now I've got terrible management and very rude, unprofessional coworkers. As much as I hated my first job, it was nothing compared to the new job. I just want to cry every single day at the thought of having to go back to that place. I know that the type of work I do is not too bad, but with the experiences I've had, I can't help but think I made a huge mistake going into nursing. I've been looking since my second week at my new place for yet another job, and I really feel like it's about to happen soon for me, but it makes me have no hope that another place will be much better. I sure hope I'm wrong, but in the meantime, I'm actually trying to get out of nursing. The problem is, you can't exactly make any kind of decent money with no experience in other areas.

Ms_ILLRN · Sep 30, 2012

I am SO sorry you have had to experience this type of management and atmosphere as a new nurse.

This is exactly why we need cohesiveness, and, for people to SPEAK UP to management and any outside work ethics resources representing establishments.

It IS costly to replace nurses!

Please, hang in there. Speak up. Be professional and present the facts.

Hold your ground. Treat others as you would wish to be treated. Both peers and patients.

You CAN make a difference with your patient care, and, advocating a positive change in your toxic environment.

Do not jump ship on nursing yet. We NEED you!!

There are employers who are fair. Perhaps far and far between, but out there.

BookwormRN · Sep 30, 2012

I just finished my first week in my new surgery position. I left a med/surg unit after 5 1/2 years as an RN, total of 9 years on the unit (started there as a CNA). We moved to a new hospital in May, and the morale of the unit has gone downhill. Staff isn't happy with the layout of the unit; concerns are not taken seriously; and I was tired of trying to take care of too many sick people at one time, on top of having to worry about phase II surgical pts. Life is so much better!!!!! It was very hard to take the leap into the unknown, but soooo worth it. There is a lot to learn in the OR, but it sure is interesting. My new coworkers are so helpful, and hey, I don't mind taking call every 5th weekend or so, instead of working every other weekend! I have more energy (even though I'm working full time for orientation and I usually work part time); my attitude is very positive, and finally, the weight is off my shoulders. Yes, change is good!!

Ms_ILLRN · Sep 30, 2012

Good to hear someone who HAS persisted and found a positive new change!

:yes:

mombabyRN96 · Sep 30, 2012

Absolutely! I recently accepted a full-time 7p-7a position on a Med/Surg floor that I thought would be a great, long term thing. I have several years of Med/Surg experience, so the problem wasn't that I was a new nurse and felt like I was drowning or anything, the problem was the entire culture of the unit. A manager who was so sweet and kind that the employees would have walked across broken glass for her but got very little respect, day shift nurses who had been on the unit long enough that, between feeling like they owned the unit and our sweet but pushover boss, would spend their shift sitting at the nurses' station laughing and joking, often loudly discussing off color topics for the patients and their families to hear and in between complaining that they didn't have enough staff, a poorly laid out floor plan where the kitchen, the med room, and the supply room were nowhere near any of the patient rooms, etc., etc., etc. I think the final straw for me was the night that I came in to work and the day shift nurse, who was sitting on her rear end at the nurses' station joking loudly about the dirty parts of a movie she had seen recently, told me with a straight face that I had a new admission waiting for me that had arrived on the floor almost two hours earlier but she hadn't "had time" to get to her yet. I still had to get report, but I checked on the new admission anyway, and she was having difficulty breathing...alone, in a private room at the farthest point possible from the nurses' station, and didn't know how to use her call light. I...was...FURIOUS!!! Talk about patient neglect! The patient ended up being okay, but I still told the manager what had happened after I resigned from the position...after only four months. I felt guilty quitting so soon, but I knew that I could not work in that kind of environment. I have since been hired by the hospital system where I worked previously for a number of years and, not only am I loving it, but my job in the internal agency pays $11/hour more than I was making at that awful place.Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith when your heart is telling you it's time. You are NOT a failure for leaving that position, you are doing what is right for you. Nursing seems to attract people who feel guilty acknowledging our own needs and too often bite the bullet, even when we know that we aren't happy or doing what we want to be doing. I used to subscribe to that philosophy, but not anymore. Life is short, and no matter where you work in nursing you are helping people, so you also need to help yourself by doing work that makes you feel happy and fulfilled. Best wishes to you.

Well stated!!!!! Love this!

mombabyRN96 · Sep 30, 2012

Absolutely! I recently accepted a full-time 7p-7a position on a Med/Surg floor that I thought would be a great, long term thing. I have several years of Med/Surg experience, so the problem wasn't that I was a new nurse and felt like I was drowning or anything, the problem was the entire culture of the unit. A manager who was so sweet and kind that the employees would have walked across broken glass for her but got very little respect, day shift nurses who had been on the unit long enough that, between feeling like they owned the unit and our sweet but pushover boss, would spend their shift sitting at the nurses' station laughing and joking, often loudly discussing off color topics for the patients and their families to hear and in between complaining that they didn't have enough staff, a poorly laid out floor plan where the kitchen, the med room, and the supply room were nowhere near any of the patient rooms, etc., etc., etc. I think the final straw for me was the night that I came in to work and the day shift nurse, who was sitting on her rear end at the nurses' station joking loudly about the dirty parts of a movie she had seen recently, told me with a straight face that I had a new admission waiting for me that had arrived on the floor almost two hours earlier but she hadn't "had time" to get to her yet. I still had to get report, but I checked on the new admission anyway, and she was having difficulty breathing...alone, in a private room at the farthest point possible from the nurses' station, and didn't know how to use her call light. I...was...FURIOUS!!! Talk about patient neglect! The patient ended up being okay, but I still told the manager what had happened after I resigned from the position...after only four months. I felt guilty quitting so soon, but I knew that I could not work in that kind of environment. I have since been hired by the hospital system where I worked previously for a number of years and, not only am I loving it, but my job in the internal agency pays $11/hour more than I was making at that awful place.Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith when your heart is telling you it's time. You are NOT a failure for leaving that position, you are doing what is right for you. Nursing seems to attract people who feel guilty acknowledging our own needs and too often bite the bullet, even when we know that we aren't happy or doing what we want to be doing. I used to subscribe to that philosophy, but not anymore. Life is short, and no matter where you work in nursing you are helping people, so you also need to help yourself by doing work that makes you feel happy and fulfilled. Best wishes to you.

Well stated! Love this!

LVN2RNMom, ASN, BSN, LVN · Sep 30, 2012

I admire you for doing what is best for you. When getting my 1st nursing job was becoming difficult (I live in So Cal), I thought of doing the same but I couldn't leave my family. I have an aging father & I help my sisters with him. There is no way I could leave them on their own & I couldn't live with myself if something happened. All my hard work paid off & I got my nursing job. Soon I will be leaving it (after 7 months) for a hospital job as an LVN in So Cal, it is hard but I did it. So, I want you to know I understand and I admire your tenacity. It will pay off.

xoemmylouox, ASN, RN · Sep 30, 2012

My husband and I are thinking about moving. I NEED a change in my life. I don't like my job anymore, I don't want to live in the area anymore, etc. I am BEYOND scared to death to do it. I know nursing jobs are tight everywhere. I just need some sunshine. We are thinking either the Carolinas or Florida. It is good to hear some changes work for the best.