discouraged and want to quit nursing

Specialties Geriatric

Published

i am so disappointed with my eval this am. i have been charge for almost a year now, and i have worked so hard to do my best job as a nurse. i know i am not perfect. i know i am human. i got slammed on my eval so hard because of interpersonal communications. i was never oriented to charge. i was expected to jump in with both feet and as usual they expected me to sink or swim, i have tried so hard to swim. the thing i am so upset about is the fact that the interpersonal examples were known trouble makers. they are total back stabbers. i stood my ground and reprimanded them, as i felt was appropriate. the dns never talked to me about any of my disciplinary actions nor did the immediate supervisor. the employees that had issues with me were allowed to complain about me, but i was never even approached. therefore, i thought i was doing a fair job. then this morning i am hit with examples from months ago. i honestly feel like giving up. i feel like the heat from the back stabbing of fellow nurses is too intense. i never felt this miserable when i was a secretary, or a phlebotomist. i am so wounded . i don't even want to go back tonight. i am supposed to orient a new nurse and i don't have any confidence whatsoever. i feel totallly stripped naked, and vunerable. please give me strength.

Sounds like you are in a pretty tough spot!

I understand your reply, but agree with you... that is not fair! It is hard enough to go to work every day... but, having to go in with that kind of stess really sucks!

I feel like giving you all kinds of advice as how to proceed... but I will not do that. It sounds like you are in a pretty tough spot and I would never forgive myself if I gave you bad advice.

All I can tell you is that an evaluation like that is not fair. Have you considered sitting down and writing a reply. Do you have a Human Resource department? If so, you might want to set up an appointment to talk with them. They can be of great help and are supposed to look at these sort of issues objectively. You can also request that your written reply be attached to the evaluation in your personnel file.

On the other hand, if you were to go for another job, they cannot give the details of one evaluation. They usually only verify dates of hire, so probably no one will ever read your evaluation again. Into the archives it goes! (Eventhough, you still know it exists!)

The only real advice I would give you is to act rationally... don't let them drive you to the point of reacting inappropriately... sounds like they would enjoy that just a bit too much... whatever you decide to do, I wish you the very best of luck and hope that it goes very well for you.

Good luck... take care... Tim

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:D WAY TO GO, GIRL !!!!!! YOU HAVE SHOWN YOUR TRUE COLORS AS A NURSE AND THAT IS "TAKING CARE OF THE PATIENT" ANYTHING ELSE IS SECONDARY. YOUR SHELL IS STILL A LITTLE THIN BUT IT WILL TOUGHEN UP BELIEVE ME, NO MATTER WHERE YOU WORK YOU WILL FIND THESE PEOPLE. IGNORE THEM, IT WORKS FOR ME .BE CORDIAL, BE APPROACHABLE BUT ALWAYS WATCH YOUR BACK.iT'S SAD THAT IT HAS TO BE THAT WAY, BUT IT'S REALITY. YOU SOUND LIKE YOU HAVE "SKILLS" AND THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT :p
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;) There's hope! I am a DON at a LTAC and ENCOURAGE all my staff to have a BRAG BOOK with them during their evaluation. This reminds them that even I am human. If the staff member is unhappy with their evaluation, the BRAG BOOK comes out. If the staff member is HAPPY with their eval, the BRAG BOOK still comes out (this way I can praise them even more than I have already!) Nobody took me seriously until the first time I had to reconsider a nurse's evaluation. I found out This nurse was worth a bit more. I am a firm believer in self-affirmation, and honey, I think you need some! I know this is months from your unhappy eval, but maybe you can start now and be ready for the next one!
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NADONA! National Association Directors of Nursing Administration

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Mission Statement:

It is the charter of this association to promulgate and foster a network of Directors of Nursing and Assistant Directors of Nursing in long term care.

To that end, this association endeavors to provide education, communication and service to the members it serves.

Through the NADONA/LTC Code of Ethics, Constitution and Charter, this association will support and promote quality of care for those individuals receiving long term care, and concern for those delivering long term care.

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Code of Ethics:

The Members of this Association, committed to the education, health and well being of nursing administrators in long term care and to those they serve, do hereby establish this Code of Ethics.

To Develop oneself both educationally and professionally within one's ability, in the practice of long term care

To promote the standards and objectives of this Association

To educate and nurture those individuals who are under ones jurisdiction and to utilize ethical and professional guidelines when directing those individuals

To stand in opposition to any and all efforts which violate or attempt to violate nurse Practice Acts

To collaborate and join with other professionals, in promoting and developing quality care

To promote, within the long term care facility, considerate, empathetic and respectful care

To consistently strive to preserve the dignity and well being of those residents and personnel entrusted to oneself

To promote and support research projects directed toward the care and well being of the long term care resident

To represent this Association and the profession of nursing administration in long term care with courage, consistency and care.

"All the results of good nursing, as detailed in these (notes) may be spoiled or utterly negatived by one defect, biz: in petty management, or in other words, by not knowing how to manage that what you do when you are there, shall be done when you are not there." - Notes on Nursing: Florence Nightingale, 1859

Your DON/DNS needs too receive this as it's a warning for those in administration suffering from 'Tunnel Vision'. I'm a DON and a member of NADONA with a responsibility not only to the care of the residents but too the staff as well.

Each staff member,alone,is a Star but,all staff members working together,are a Galaxy!

DO as the others advised and add your comments to your evaluation; keep a copy and also submit one too the Human Resources Department. Believe it or not, and with the problems of retention,you will get your evaluation revisited. If they didn't feel you capable of the job,you'd NOT be in it 30 days much-less a year.

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Specializes in Medsurg, Rehab, LTC, Instructor, Hospice.
Originally posted by Ric

;) There's hope! I am a DON at a LTAC and ENCOURAGE all my staff to have a BRAG BOOK with them during their evaluation. This reminds them that even I am human. If the staff member is unhappy with their evaluation, the BRAG BOOK comes out. If the staff member is HAPPY with their eval, the BRAG BOOK still comes out (this way I can praise them even more than I have already!) Nobody took me seriously until the first time I had to reconsider a nurse's evaluation. I found out This nurse was worth a bit more. I am a firm believer in self-affirmation, and honey, I think you need some! I know this is months from your unhappy eval, but maybe you can start now and be ready for the next one!

Please explain how the BRAG BOOK works.

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well it has been interesting since i first added the initial post. due to the shortage of nurses, not only am i the only lpn as charge but since this all started they have added two more lpns for the opposite days of rotation from ours. there is only one rn on dayshift that is permanent now. the rn's that are inhouse refuse to handle charge and don't want the responsibility and have all threatened to resign. so adm finally plugged in the nurses that were willing to do the job. my rcm still does not appear to like me but she is listening to my judgement and the tension is way down. the interesting thing is that i have been on medical leave for a total hyster with ovaries and tubes. i have been off for 4 weeks. they are hoping that i will come back for 8 hr shifts currently, my staffing nurse went ahead and put me back on the schedule for 12 hr shifts, full time as of the 4th, and my 4 wk appt is today. i am so aggravated that they don't care if i am ready to come back early post-op. literally they just want a warm body. and believe me right now that is all i am.:rolleyes:

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First of all, what did your Doc say? It's up to him whether or not you can return this early. I would think 6-8 weeks for recovery. If you're not ready to go back, then don't. Remember, you're #1!

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Even I keep a Brag Book. Everytime I go above and beyond, make a recommendation that actually saves money for the company, take CEU classes, receive a special note from a patient "to me", etc...I put it in a special folder that is labeled a brag book. This has helped me more times than not in acquiring the evaluation I believe I deserve. It's hard to ignore positives. I recommend that negatives, hey life happens, be turned around. By either researching, attending a conference, or reading a book that applies to those negatives, you actually NEGATE the impact on your eval because you have "seen the light" and taken personal self-growth steps. IT REALLY WORKS!!! I had some doubters who actually work two jobs and they tried it out on their other job to see the affect! MARVELOUS!!!!

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