Thinking of quiting after 2 years

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi all.........I work for a major healthcare org in rehab medicine. I've been there for over 2 years and really 'loved' going to work. I don't anymore, I'll try to make this short.

In 2 1/2 yrs, we have gone through 5 managers. We've lost alot of good nurses/techs and we are treated like 'you-know-what' by our 'mother hospital'.

We have been filling out our own schedules for almost a year and since we have weekend option nurses, we only work 1 weekend every 4-5 weeks. Now before some of you make comments, I know this is a rare thing and believe me, I'm thankful for it!! When our latest manager quit (stress from higher ups), the 'mother hospital' took over our scheduling and when it came out friday, all #@&& broke loose. We were put down for shifts we don't normally work....ie: I do 12hr days and they have me doing 8hr days and evenings. They gave a PD nurse all my 12hr shifts and I'm also working 2 weekends in a row...one nurse is not working ANY weekends. I requested off the weekend before my son ships out, but guess what?? I'm working plus I'm working the evening before his plane leaves.......I was hired for 12 hr days and have been working them, until now. They didn't even ask if I was avaliable for evening shift?? I'm losing hours.....one week I'm getting 32 and the PD is getting 44!!

They said they 'tried' to be fair for everyone..........well, I was so mad I cried and honey, that is mad! We get called off so nurses from other hospitals can 'get their hours' and PD/PRN nurses can get extra hours. We are full-time. We have voiced our complaints and they say they are 'concerned and listening', but the same things keeps going on.

Well, I have put in my apps for about a dozen other places. I just can't work there anymore and the hard part is........I love working with the other nurses and the physicians. I know EVERYBODY there and the thought of 'starting over' again is about to eat me up.........

I need some feed back about this...........should I stay and 'ride it out', wait for a new manager........win the lotto????

Thanks for listening and thanks for your opinions, I really need some input here.

Specializes in ICU/CCU (PCCN); Heme/Onc/BMT.

My heart goes out to you. It seems very unfair what they're doing to you.

Besides working full-time at one hospital, I work per diem for another. In both hospitals, the full-time people get priority over the per diems with scheduling issues. . . as it should be. Hopefully it will remain that way!

I don't have an answer for you, though. Well. . . maybe one. Is your facility unionized? If so, is there a grievence (sp?) process that may help you?

Good luck. . .

:o

Ted

No union........we have already tried the greivence thing...........goes a long way to nowhere........thanks for the thoughts!!

You sound miserable -- I'm so sorry this is happening to you and your coworkers.

Since you say the schedule just came out Friday and this is just Monday, there may be time for it to get fixed - especially if everyone's schedule got as messed up as yours.

Anything that you signed saying which shift you were hired for might help.

No employer can just assume that it is possible for their employees to change schedules, childcare, family and transportation arrangements on a whim. Key word here is possible.

If it were me, I would tell them that I cannot work whichever shifts that I was not hired for. If they won't change the arrangement (for everyone- not just one nurse!) I would be prepared to leave. Employers like that are not worth the grief they bring.

My guess is that they will be looking for a lot of new staff before long.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Thank Heaven for unions. I have no complaints since working for unionized hospitals. I can't advise you much except, the biggest clue to me is FIVE MANAGERS in 2 years? Seems to me you have an adminstration/management problem, and that translates to misery for the workers. I would be checking around for my options away from this hari-kari work environment. I don't think good things lie ahead for you there. Best wishes and I hope you can work things out!

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

If I were you, I would be making preparations to leave, but I would not be quick to do so. Since you have a little seniority and have enjoyed the staff, patients, and work in the past, it might be worth it to stick it out for a few weeks to see what response the hospital makes to everyone's complaints -- and to a few others who leave quickly.

However, if you don't seem some sincere efforts to improve things within a couple of weeks, then I would leave. Five managers in 2 years is strong evidence of problems high up the ladder that need to be fixed before that unit will have any chance of a long-term improvement. Look for signs of changes high up the ladder.

llg

I am so sorry you are having this problem. I know you will make the right decision for your career, just be there for your son before he leaves. I would address this need immediately. Hope things work out for you and the other staff soon.

The management there does not seem to have their priorities straight. It should always be with the stable core staff. If the schedule was workig out why fix something that isn't broken??? Perhaps they are trying to anger the current nurses to get them to leave.

Your first priority should be to your family and to your own career. Dont waste another week of your valuable time working for a company which is this out of control and not in contact with their staff. Nurses vote with their feet. In general management wont get a clue until the staffing vacancies start piling up.

If the problem isnt resolved to your staffs liking in a reasonable amount of time, find another place with better management.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Good luck! Sorry things have gotten bad. Sounds like they just don't get it. :(

Gosh, I can't tell you all how helpful you have been.....my emotions right now are really in the crapper......I do have several interviews coming up next week and I'm really looking forward to it. I won't totally quit where I am now, I'll be going PRN if I find another job.

I've talked to several people and they all say the same thing........the schedule is set and there is nothing we can do about it. Well, I'm very much a 'team-player', but I'm almost to the point that if these other nurses who have the 'wonderful' schedules (no weekends, 3day weekends) I won't go out of my way to help them.

We have lost alot of people becuase of this and that is sad. We are left to work short all the time and we get the same response..........'do the best you can'.........I'm so sick and tired of hearing that stupid remark!! Wish I had a nickel........ :rotfl:

Again, thanks for your support and kind words........emotions are really on a all time high now and everybody is snappy at work.....something that is not like any of us, but how much can you take before you just give up?? One of the girls walked out friday evening after being told that she had 9+ patients.

Again, the 'mother' hospital made sure they were adequately staffed by pulling one of ours to fill their needs, which left us short..........go figure.

Oh.....we also have to put up with a Intake Coord. who assesses patients for admission into our rehab unit who is NOT a nurse, nor has a nursing degree or background........how's that?? sad, sad, sad................... :angryfire

If you were not hired for what the "mother hospital" is doing to you now, I don't understand why you and the other nurses don't just say no. If my shift was changed without my permission I would certainly not work it. I don't need a union to stand up for me. There would be no nursie to work, that's all.

You can't be taken advantage of unless you allow it. This would royally pi$$ me off . . . .

My heart goes out to you . . . what a mess.

steph

You know, I've suggested this very thing for some time now.....I think that all of us should 'call in sick' on the same day, for all 3 shifts!! There are some there that are 'suck-ups' and will do anything that comes from 'mother'.....one nurse, the one who is NOT working weekends, has been there for 20+ years and she is their 'pet'..........Some of us are thinking of contacting an attorney for a class action suit.........I know that there are alot of suits out there, but darn it, sometimes you just have to do what you feel you need to do.

I'm working on getting out as fast as I can!!!

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