Med/Surg is Kicking my Butt

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

I've been an LPN in LTC for a little more than a year. Left to go to a hospital. I'm on a rural med/surg unit where we get a little of everyone and do a little of everything. Tele, peds, and the ubiquitous old folks with the ubiquitous old folks exacerbations of various comorbidities. I'm entering week 4 on the floor. I come from a BIIIIG city and have been told more than once that this a a big part of the problem - including by my NM, who comes from the same city and had a lot of the same problems when she started up here.

After working a few days with my first preceptor I posted an "I Love Nurses!" thread. My NM changes my preceptor. Come to find out the she said I am unsafe and overconfident. No examples, just a "feeling," and she doesn't want to be responsible for me.

I am assigned random preceptor for the next few days. Five preceptors in two weeks. Preceptor two is a great fit. I'm happy. Preceptor Three not so great. I was syaing all day, "I'm not doing well," and all day she's telling me, "It's all good."

Next day I'm back to Preceptor Two. She's off with me. I ask what';s wrong, she tells me she has been told by Two that she has to take this "very seriously" and she's cold. Blows me off for break and lunch. By the end of the day she is yelling at me in the nurses' station. This goes on for a week. She is treating me so badly that I at one point end up sobbing in a vacant room. All of the other nurses are reporting her behavior to the charge and NM. I tell my charge, who agrees, that I need a new precptor. She agrees. Turns out Two has told the NM I'm unsafe. She had to remind me to use a wipe on a port once and once to wash my hands before I got a chance to. She has no examples other than these. She "feels" that I'm overconfident and unsafe.

I get a new preceptor (four). I really like her although she is the most anal nurse with whom I've ever worked. Preceptor Three, who poisoned Two against me, was charge this weekend. She gives us incredibly high acuity patients, even mentions that she shouldn't have given them to us together, and gives the same ones to us ystdy. I am LOUSY with IV's. Of course, these guys all have multiple meds and solutions running, and one had an MI while there (on nights) and is getting her orders changed every 10 minutes. Four ALSO has a second orientee for a total of six patients. One patient can't be left alone on the commode and I spent over two hours of my day ystdy watching to see that she pooped.

I got off of my 7 - 3 shift at 1745.

So my job IS in jeopardy, according to my NM, because 2 have said that I'm unsafe, and even without examples their "feelings" count. I have to make this work.

Help!

Please. And thank you.

[nightmare, RN]

I come from a BIIIIG city and have been told more than once that this a a big part of the problem - including by my NM, who comes from the same city and had a lot of the same problems when she started up here.

Ask for a meeting with NM,ask her what the problem is and also how she solved her problems when she first started.It's possible that the problem is that you are city they are country and they may feel you are "above" them somehow.This is a common prob.between town and country here,as if we in the country are less experienced than the town because it's a smaller place.Maybe they feel threatened by you,sometimes city attitudes don't sit well with country attitudes!

[ebear, BSN, RN]

Yet more politics! In such a large city, can you not look for another job?? I personally would not try to fight this battle. Some things are just not worth it...

[EmmaG, RN]

So my job IS in jeopardy, according to my NM, because 2 have said that I'm unsafe, and even without examples their "feelings" count. I have to make this work.

Help!

Please. And thank you.

Bull. Demand documentation. Just because some nurse gets the vapors is not cause for termination.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Yeah, we've talked about this already. The big pieces of advice are to keep my mouth shut, don't kibbitz around (her words, meaning kid around or be at all relaxed or joking), and keep my mouth shut. And did I mention keep my mouth shut? She got the exact same thing - cocky, know-it-all - and it took her two years to lose the reputation. But meanwhile, she's already told me my situation is "tenuous" because she has to consider what they've said. Even though they have nothing to back it up.

Pffft.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Bull. Demand documentation. Just because some nurse gets the vapors is not cause for termination.

And do they get the vapors here! We're rolling someone to change her bed and Four keeps catching her breath, I keep saying, "I have her." You can't roll someone without their, you know, rolling.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Yet more politics! In such a large city, can you not look for another job?? I personally would not try to fight this battle. Some things are just not worth it...

No, I am FROM a big city, in a rural area.

[EmmaG, RN]

'Course you could always play it sneaky-like.

Bring in a big pan of [insert mouth-watering goody here].

If all else fails, chocolate!

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

'Course you could always play it sneaky-like.

Bring in a big pan of [insert mouth-watering goody here].

If all else fails, chocolate!

I don't think sucking up will help.

What I said to NM is that she needn't worry about my getting along because clearly, the other nurses like me enough to stick up for me. She told me THAT wasn't fair because their information was limited. I told HER that yes, it was limited to watching me be abused, and that speaking up about that to the bosses was certainly fair. My (usual) charge likes and praises and defends me, so there's at least that.

[EmmaG, RN]

I get a taste of this as a traveler. They always give me the hairy eyeball for a while... until they see I'm not some know-it-all. I try to find something to be "amazed" at, something that I can honestly tell them I'm impressed with, or that I have learned. Even the little things are important. Schmooze a little (but don't lie). I also think it helps that I'm a bit of a klutz

Interesting that you say your NM went through the same ordeal, and yet doesn't seem to have the cojones to stand up to these people and demand they give her concrete documentation rather than just their "feelings". Do you suppose she is afraid her own situation might reverse and she'll end up being suspect in their eyes if she backs you?

[EmmaG, RN]

I don't think sucking up will help.

Not sucking up, just showing you're willing to be friendly and a part of the group :)

[ebear, BSN, RN]

I wouldn't feed the biddies, but that's just me. UGH! small rural hospital doesn't leave a lot of options, does it? I agree with Emmanuel: documentation required

Could it be that you are coming to them from a large city and they are threatened or intimidated??? :uhoh21: