New Grad Being Eaten Alive

Nurses General Nursing

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I am a new grad RN, graduated in Oct 2004 been working since Novemeber. I am struggling to say the least! It is not the work that is necessarily too hard (although I am just barely keeping up) but I am finding that the staff is what is getting to me.

Some of the other RNs are very snotty and do not help me at all. I may ask a question and they say they are too busy to answer it. Or if they do answer it, they will look at me like I am incompetent and should know this already. Truth of the matter is, I am a very good nurse but am still being treated like an incompetent fool. At times, even the nursing attendents are refusing to help me turn or wash pts (I work neurosurg). I am left to turn total care pts on my own! Then one shift I already had the full pt load and the charge RN insisted that we were short staffed and that I had to take another pt. I told her that I could not do that _ I did not feel comfortable but was told that I had no choice. So I received this fresh post-op cervical discectomy on PCA morphine. NVS q 15 minutes X 12 hours. Needless to say betwen all the pts and meds and assessments and charting and turning I was running around like a madman. NO help at all. And I missed filling out one section on a sheet (for charting) and was almost written up. I was almost in tears.

I am not sure what to do. I am completely unhappy and dread going to work. This is not what I pictured my career being. I am not sure if this is a normal phenomenon and I should just stick it out or should I look to work somewhere else with more supportive staff?? Any advice would be appreciated for this overwhelmed new grad!

Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

From Zacarias "I'm not too far out of school and I can say the real world of nursing is sometimes tough."

No disrespect intended whatsoever...just a little wink here..from a nurse that ISN'T new....Nursing is always tough, if it isn't..your missing or overlooked something!!!!!!:uhoh21: :uhoh3: :eek:

Even in the smoothest of cases...there is always something a nurse can be doing...I mean look at a list of NANDA Dx and that alone will tell you...we deal with it all...everything in a humans life. It is tough..and if you have idle time or think you are done...you will find by experience..you are far from!:uhoh3:

Just a little pearl of wisdom I have found along the way...and yes, usually by trial and error (more trial though! LOL!):chuckle :rolleyes: ...

thanks for the quick replies!

i love neuro, i am fascinated by it, but can't imagine working like this for long-term. i am not on contract, i am casual, but i have kids at home to support so i end up working almost full-time (they call every day!)

orientation was 5 days of classes followed by 10 shifts with a mentor. i am completely on my own. unfortunately, i feel that if i find a new job that i would just be jumping in to the same thing! from what i have heard, this kind of thing is commonplace almost everywhere.

the set up is also primary care, however, due to the number of total care pts, they staff 2 nursing attendants around the clock. but they end up helping everyone else and not me (cause i am the newbie). can you imagine turning 4 heavy pts yourself evry 2 hours? i have been doing it for weeks, have even had to ask family to help me because nobody else will. some of the nurses giving me hassle aren't even the old ones! there are new grads that have been there only a year that are just as bad. they make rude comments to me and glare and basically it is not a friendly environment. i am so terrified of being written up all the time that i never take my breaks. we are supposed to have 3 on a 12 hour shift and i literally chart in the report room on my breaks.

any other tips for dealing with nasty, unhelpful co-workers would be great. i would love to offer my help but it is not reciprocated and i am too busy that if i were to offer help to others, i would be compromising my pts!

i feel for you! hang in there!!! do u have a nurse manager on the unit? perhaps you can talk to someone about this problem if u refuse to talk to your 'nasty' coworkers....you know that saying: "in the bottom of every barrel is a rotten apple". like you, we have a couple of hot-headed nurses on my unit who have no patience for new-grads or 'newbies'.... i never asked those nurses for help during my orientation but went directly to my nurse manager if there was a problem. they took notice that i never asked them for help again, and then after when my 2 month orientation ws done, they told me that i should never hesitate to ask them for help! can u believe that? i said "thanx, but no thanx!" :wink2: for i knew who to go to, and who not to go to so they backed off.

but other than that, i really love my oncology/med. unit that i work on; the doctors are great to work with, and i am blessed to be working with a majority of understanding nurses- 70% of our patients are med-surg, 30% are oncology pt's. i used to work at another facility where i hated the nurse/pt. ratio and the manager did nothing about it, so i left. it was the best decision i had ever made. sometimes if talking doesn't healp, re: nurse/pt. ratios and the workload, then perhaps u should look @ another place to work. they will realize their loss- because the other place i left called me back to work, but i turned them down!

mzkitten :p

Hey you can come work with me also... I'm in critical care - lots of neuro pts - and the staff is stellar. However, I'm at a teaching hospital so the culture is to always learn, always teach -- you have to be this way when there are constantly nursing students, med students, residents, PT students, RT students, etc. etc.

First, 10 shifts of orientation is ridiculous for a new grad - even considering all other factors. At my hospital, med/surg new grads get 8 weeks orientation with a mentor and critical care new grads get 12 weeks -- both time frames can and have been extended for those new nurses who feel they need a little more time.

I'm a year out of school and on the job and still get the constant "can I help?" or "do you have any questions?". And guess what, that attitude rubs off because guess what I do for RNs who are newer than I.... "can I help?" and "do you have any questions?".

NO ONE knows everything. I know nurses who have worked for years and still have questions...and, more importantly, aren't afraid or ashamed to ask those questions. Arrogance breeds mistakes and poor pt care. IMHO, nursing is all about working as a team -- I'll help you because later in this shift I'll probably need some help. You respect me and I'll respect you.

My thoughts...cut bait and run. You don't want to be indoctrinated into such a hateful, snotty culture. Nurses eating their young is NOT okay or to just be expected.

I too felt this way when I was new. Through standing ones ground and making sound nursing decisions, peers will gradually trust and respect you. It's taken me a year to get to this point. Don't give up, your time will come too. If it doesn't get any better at the facility, find another place where you are apprieciated. Good luck, hang in there, and hugs to you.

Specializes in Critical Care/ICU.
Some of the nurses giving me hassle aren't even the old ones! There are new grads that have been there only a year that are just as bad.
This tells you right here that it's not you. These nurses also went through what you're going through and they're just "carrying on tradition."

How awful for you. You are going to kill your back and your body at the rate you're going.

I know this is difficult to hear, but there's got to be something better for you. I would NOT stay at this place for too much longer. I wonder if you have another choice of hospital or another unit or floor within the hospital? Go to ICU!

The environment is not going to change. You shouldn't have to learn to deal with it. Unless you're as strong as Hercules and feel you want to stick it out and be the one who is available for those who come after you, you should take care of your back, your mind, and your license and get out. Otherwise, the chances are you will become just like them.

Specializes in Rehab, Step-down,Tele,Hospice.

I am really sorry to hear this is going on. I have not experienced any of this "nurses eat their young". I am on my own (graduated in August) but anytime I ask for help it is always there for me. (and believe me I ask ALOT of questions!) None of the older nurses have ever been rude or mean to me. Maybe they do think I'm a pain in the a-- but at least to my face I have never seen any of that.

I really think it boils down to the enviroment and the management. If I were you I would find a more supportive area to work. Life is too short and really all you are trying to do is be the best nurse you can be.

It's a shame that people have to be so snotty, I swear I will NEVER treat anyone new like that, its just not called for.

Good luck to you

Just stick it out for awhile. Then you can go to the Vickie Milazzo Institute and work at home at your leisure making $100-150 an hour. No patient care, no tudes, no hassle. :)

First of all, even though you're a new grad, you have to stand up for yourself. What is going on is not acceptable.

Some of the other RNs are very snotty and do not help me at all. I may ask a question and they say they are too busy to answer it.
The unit is obviously dysfunctional. The trick now is to protect yourself, your license, your work record, and your patients...(not necessarily in that order.)

The NEXT TIME you ask another nurse a question and they refuse to answer, ask: "Wait a minute - are you REFUSING to answer my question?"

Then pull out a paper and pen. That ought to wake them up. There is always time to answer questions, unless you've involved in a code or something like that....if they refuse to answer your questions, write them up.

At times, even the nursing attendents are refusing to help me turn or wash pts (I work neurosurg). I am left to turn total care pts on my own!
You must not tolerate this. Tell the CNA working with you that the patient needs a bath or to be turned - if they refuse, tell them you will write them up. Do not allow this to continue; it is dangerous.

Turning total care patients on your own is ridiculous - it not only jeopardizes YOUR safety, it jeopardizes the PATIENT'S safety. There is no reason ANYONE working on the floor should refuse to help you turn patients - certainly not the nurse aide.

You must put a stop to all this at once. If you are turning a total care patient BY YOURSELF and God forbid, something happens to that patient (slips out of bed, etc.), THE BLAME WOULD FALL ON YOU.

Think about it.........:uhoh21:

Hey you can come work with me also... I'm in critical care - lots of neuro pts - and the staff is stellar. However, I'm at a teaching hospital so the culture is to always learn, always teach -- you have to be this way when there are constantly nursing students, med students, residents, PT students, RT students, etc. etc.

First, 10 shifts of orientation is ridiculous for a new grad - even considering all other factors. At my hospital, med/surg new grads get 8 weeks orientation with a mentor and critical care new grads get 12 weeks -- both time frames can and have been extended for those new nurses who feel they need a little more time.

Orientation:

I worked PICU for 8 mo then moved to the ER and eventhough I had been working for 8 mo as a nurse I still had 3 full months of orientation including classes, then I worked in the ER for 2.5 years and moved to Montreal, Quebec, Canada and the orientation for experienced nurses is 23 shifts + classes. I didn't requiered extra orientation but I knew if I needed extra I just needed to ask.

I'm a year out of school and on the job and still get the constant "can I help?" or "do you have any questions?". And guess what, that attitude rubs off because guess what I do for RNs who are newer than I.... "can I help?" and "do you have any questions?".

NO ONE knows everything. I know nurses who have worked for years and still have questions...and, more importantly, aren't afraid or ashamed to ask those questions. Arrogance breeds mistakes and poor pt care. IMHO, nursing is all about working as a team -- I'll help you because later in this shift I'll probably need some help. You respect me and I'll respect you.

My thoughts...cut bait and run. You don't want to be indoctrinated into such a hateful, snotty culture. Nurses eating their young is NOT okay or to just be expected.

I would have to agree with this reply, I have also started on a teaching hospital as a grad nurse, literally they took me under their wing.

Turning neuro pt by yourself is not ok, you can hurt your back.

Orientation:

I worked PICU for 8 mo orientation was 12 weeks, then transfered to the ER and eventhough I had been working for 8 mo as a nurse I still had 3 full months of orientation including classes, then I worked in the ER for 2.5 years and recently moved to Montreal, Quebec, Canada and the orientation for experienced nurses here is 23 shifts + classes.

What you are experiencing is not right, nursing is a profession we must act like professionals and not maltreat the new kid on the block.

My advise is to look another unit, and next time spent time 1-3 hours on the unit prior to accept the position, that way you can get a feel the culture of the unit, ask questions, talk to nurses about what do they like and dislike about the unit.

Good luck and hopefully you don't have to go thorugh this any longer

just stick it out for awhile. then you can go to the vickie milazzo institute and work at home at your leisure making $100-150 an hour. no patient care, no tudes, no hassle. :)

?? 'vicky malazzo'?? who is she? and do u know who has ever done this with legit results? extra $$$income is always good on the side! (if i'm contemplating on having kids in the future and can't work the same hours like i used to) :rolleyes:

mzkitten :p

Shame on those nurses. In this time of nursing shortages they should be very willing to help train the "new kid" to make their own load easier. Our NM fosters good relationships and deals with any personality problems PRONTO. I've been at the same hospital for 27 years and wouln't think of going anywhere else. Our administration's requirement is that new employees are a "good fit" and if it turns out they aren't they usually don't stay very long anyway.

GET OUT NOW...you are risking your license and your patients...

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