Should I look for another job - advice needed

Nurses General Nursing

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I am a new grad and began employment on July 10th on a telemetry floor. On the same day I went to work, an experienced RN was promoted to the floor education director. Anyway, to make a long story short, she has made me feel like a child the entire time. I am constantly reprimanded at the nurse's station, of course only if there is a crowd standing around, for something. It would be one thing if I was actually in the wrong each time she did this, for example, she raked me over the coals one day because a patient, not mine, was off the monitor the day before! The best example is an incident report with my name on it for a patient's blood bracelet being cut off. The patient was not mine, and the signature on the admission was clearly not mine. I have tried to make the best of it, but she is making me miserable. It has gotten to the point that I am wondering if I made a mistake by becoming a nurse. The facility is short staffed with CNA's and I am constantly being pulled to work as one instead of receiving my orientation. Out of my 3 days this week, I was pulled every one of them. That means that I am not getting the orientation I need. I did talk to upper management yesterday, but the issue with being pulled from orientation to be a CNA is not going to be solved anytime in the near future. The only option I have as far as dealing with the education director is to transfer to another floor. I am supposed to "think about it" until Monday, and decide what I want to do. I feel like a failure for not being happy with my job, but I really hate to go back there. The only reason I hate to leave is my schedule - I don't work weekends, but is that really worth being miserable? :(

Specializes in Everything but L&D and OR.

Wendy,

I completely agree with all the above posts! With that type of treatment on many different levels, you can not expect anything different. You are there to work as a nurse and you have earned it. Don't let them belittle you b/c that is all they are doing and they will continue to do so. This is not an encouraging environment and I know another facility would be more than happy to employ you and give you the orientation and respect you deserve.

I also agree with giving the facility specific info for why you are leaving. Do they give exit interviews? Just be honest.

Got to agree. Get out. That organization is kooky. You deserve better.

Specializes in Telemetry, Med Surg, Pediatrics, ER.

Thank you all for your advice. I know that I HAVE to find another job. I don't think going to another floor is a viable option. For those of you that mentioned the obvious problem with management, you nailed it. There has been a change in CEO's (within the past year) and he has made a lot of changes. New grads were hired in droves, bonus pay was eliminated, and ancillary positions have been cut. There is a lot of animosity among some people, apparently the nurse educator on my floor is one of those. I am going to go in Monday morning and turn in my badge. I just hope I don't have any trouble finding another job. I post again and let you know what happens. I don't expect to receive a $5.00 gas card for taking the time to drive there though - haha! I will just settle for a sense of relief and a chance to build my self confidence again!

Please give at least a two week notice before you quit. If you don't, you won't be eligible for rehire in the future (forever- even if the place changes for the best). Also, you won't be able to use them as a reference.

I know you are thinking you want neither of these things now, but someday that may change as forever is a very long time. Plus you never know when one of their staff willl transfer to another place and be in a position to hire you.

I learned to never never never burn bridges no matter how much you think you won't ever need them.

Best of luck with a new jon elsewhere, too. I will be hoping you get the caring and supportive team you should have been getting all along.

To have a BSN working as an aide continually is a bit demeaning I would say, not to say we are ever above aide work but darn I know if you wanted to continue as an aide you would have never wasted the money on your education!

Best to you!

Specializes in Telemetry, Med Surg, Pediatrics, ER.

I appreciate your response and your advice. As much as I have wanted to just walk out of that place and never look back, I would never do that. I have an HR background, and I know how poorly that can reflect. During my discussion with HR last week, actually when I was giving my resignation, they explained the process. If I resign prior to the end of my orientation, no notice is required and I will be eligible for rehire. If I resign after I am out of orientation I will be required to work a 4 week notice and may or may not be eligible for rehire. I know I sound really frustrated, but I have tried to handle this as professional as I can, and to not do or say anything that I will someday regret.

Wll it sounds like you have considered all options and have this well thought out. I have an HR background too!!!

Best to you in the future and keep us posted about your job search! I will be hoping for the best!

Specializes in Emergency.

Good Luck!! Sometimes change is hard even when it's for the better. Be brave. I'm excited for you - that you're going to get a position that you enjoy and that is more suited to you. And I know that you will. It's just around the corner for you! Keep us posted. I know we all want to know how this turns out. :icon_hug:

Specializes in cardiac.
I am a new grad and began employment on July 10th on a telemetry floor. On the same day I went to work, an experienced RN was promoted to the floor education director. Anyway, to make a long story short, she has made me feel like a child the entire time. I am constantly reprimanded at the nurse's station, of course only if there is a crowd standing around, for something. It would be one thing if I was actually in the wrong each time she did this, for example, she raked me over the coals one day because a patient, not mine, was off the monitor the day before! The best example is an incident report with my name on it for a patient's blood bracelet being cut off. The patient was not mine, and the signature on the admission was clearly not mine. I have tried to make the best of it, but she is making me miserable. It has gotten to the point that I am wondering if I made a mistake by becoming a nurse. The facility is short staffed with CNA's and I am constantly being pulled to work as one instead of receiving my orientation. Out of my 3 days this week, I was pulled every one of them. That means that I am not getting the orientation I need. I did talk to upper management yesterday, but the issue with being pulled from orientation to be a CNA is not going to be solved anytime in the near future. The only option I have as far as dealing with the education director is to transfer to another floor. I am supposed to "think about it" until Monday, and decide what I want to do. I feel like a failure for not being happy with my job, but I really hate to go back there. The only reason I hate to leave is my schedule - I don't work weekends, but is that really worth being miserable? :(

OK , let me ask this, if you were in any other profession other than nursing, for example you were an actor and some director was acting this way, what would you do? Sorry but in nursing there are alot of nurses with dirt-low self esteem.I am not sure if its a female problem, but when confronted with such, you can take that as a sign that there are greener pastures out there, and yes there are. For new grads, there are hospitals out there giving sign on bonuses up to $17000 just to get hired, and there are even reimbursements for your education and promises to pay for your further education. one such hospital is the st.lukes hospital system in houston texas. www.sleh.com is their website, and you can even apply online. call and ask for a recruiter, and by the way, write a long note to the upper management detailing the nonesense this nurse has made you endure and tell them that is exactly why you have decided to go elsewhere where they will treat you in a more professional mannr. i cant believe this is still happening.

Specializes in Telemetry, Med Surg, Pediatrics, ER.
OK , let me ask this, if you were in any other profession other than nursing, for example you were an actor and some director was acting this way, what would you do? Sorry but in nursing there are alot of nurses with dirt-low self esteem.I am not sure if its a female problem, but when confronted with such, you can take that as a sign that there are greener pastures out there, and yes there are. For new grads, there are hospitals out there giving sign on bonuses up to $17000 just to get hired, and there are even reimbursements for your education and promises to pay for your further education. one such hospital is the st.lukes hospital system in houston texas. www.sleh.com is their website, and you can even apply online. call and ask for a recruiter, and by the way, write a long note to the upper management detailing the nonesense this nurse has made you endure and tell them that is exactly why you have decided to go elsewhere where they will treat you in a more professional mannr. i cant believe this is still happening.

You are right about the self-esteem issue. That was actually brought up during one of my "confrontations" with this individual. I did not have an issue with my self-esteem (or at least I did not think so) until I endured the circumstances she created.

And to answer your question, no, I would not put up with this in another profession. I think that is one of the biggest issues I have with myself over all of this - the fact that I did not do something about this sooner. I have never let anyone walk over me like that. I really tried to just make the best of a bad situation, and to handle things appropriately. Looks like I could have done a little better with it though.

don't put up with that nonsense!! you are not a cna... you are a registered nurse! believe me ..one day she is going to do that to the wrong person, but its too bad you wont be there to watch!!

Specializes in ICU, ED, Transport, Home Care, Mgmnt.

RUN WENDY! RUN! Any hospital that takes a licensed nurse off of orientation to work as an aide has major problems! What are they thinking!?

Agree with pp, run don't walk out of this hospital! (You did mention there are two more where you live.)

I was also in a hopeless situation as a new grad (different, but just as absurd as your circumstances; another case of nurses eating their young :( ), and my biggest mistake was not getting out in time; I saw the red flags, but chose to ignore them (denial - this couldn't be happening?!)

Big mistake. The evil head nurse (no exaggeration, I assure you) obviously had tried to run me off and when I didn't take the bait she told me in no uncertain terms to either quit or get fired. There I had it - 11 weeks into an "orientation" that was a joke. And if that wasn't bad enough, she also promised me that I would not be able to ever work at that hospital again (I guess she didn't want anyone to know that the lies whe wrote in my "evaluation" weren't true). For years, I was convinced I was blacklisted because their nurse recruiter wouldn't give me the time of day when they had 100+ RN positions listed in the paper... It was probably true - at least she had "not eligible for rehire" noted in my file :madface: I assure you, totally unjustified.

My point (sorry so long): I should have quit before she made me! For years I had to admit to this in my applications for employment (after all, they would call there for a reference); it haunted me. Perhaps I would have been able to transfer internally if I had requested a transfer sooner; as it was, by putting up with the abuse too long I ended up paying a very high price.

Remember: You will find a better opportunity (actually, anything would be better; weekends are simply not worth that much!)

Good luck to you!

DeLana :icon_hug:

P.S. Finally, 8 years later, I just got another job with that same hospital. I now have experience in a speciality area much in demand (dialysis) and I bypassed HR ;) They also no longer ask the dreaded question...

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