Hazed during orientation

anaoj89 · Dec 16, 2012

Hello everyone,
During orientation is it not unusual to be tested to see if you have what it takes to make in NICU? Tested I mean getting yelled at, told your skills are not good, told that you are not a nice person, and this may not be the right place for you.

Thats just wrong

prmenrs, RN · Dec 16, 2012

I agree. WRONG.

flycat · Dec 16, 2012

I am a nurse with ten years experience as an adult nurse and pediatrics. I transferred to NICU, and was really excited, but as time went by I left, and went back to my old unit.

flycat · Dec 16, 2012

I thought about going to HR about my experience.

Sugarcoma, RN · Dec 16, 2012

Tolerance of that sort of behavior is a clue of what the culture of that unit, and what the management of that unit is like. Never a good sign. I would agree with the others that say it is wrong.

I am on a unit like that right now and it is not a good place to work. Think about it this way do you ever think you could count on those nurses who hazed and belittled you to have your back when things go south? The answer for me has been no. In fact some of my co-workers have purposely done things to make things harder for me.

Precepting is an art-form. Some times you may have to tell someone that their skills aren't up to par for certain tasks, but their is a way to do that without crushing that person's ego. It is kind of like parenting. Fair but firm, praise when they show growth, point out and help them work on areas where they fall short. Not everyone can precept effectively.

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Dec 16, 2012

I'd get out of there pronto and tell HR all about it at your exit interview. The only problem with you being new and taking this up with HR would be they could make it worse for you. Did you confront these people? Sometimes that is all it takes and they will back down, but it sounds pretty toxic there.

Calabria, BSN, RN · Dec 17, 2012

Absolutely not. I've felt nothing but support while on orientation. There's a difference between constructive criticism and harassment, and what you're describing seems to be the latter.

flycat · Dec 21, 2012

Yeah, I did leave the unit, but decided not to go to HR. I had several people warn me about the unit. I shouldhave listened.

prmenrs, RN · Dec 22, 2012

It's incredibly sad they did this--no one springs to life as a fully functional NICU nurse; everyone has to start somewhere. Maybe you could look for another unit in your vicinity you might want to take a look @--one that doesn't waste nurses. Best wishes!

twinkletoes53 · Dec 22, 2012

That is not hazing, which is inappropriate in a professional environment, anyway. That is harrassment. It is unethical, unprofessional and absolutely not to be tolerated.

I see that you have left the unit where this behavior occurred. Good for you. You cannot learn or work in an environment where you are not nurtured.

The only reason I would have reported the staff's behavior to HR would be because they may be treating other new employees the same way. The offecnding staff need to be identified and corrective action taken so that this self-defeating, negative attitude does not continue. I cringe to think of how they treat their infants and families, if they don't have the maturity to respect their own staff.

flycat · Dec 23, 2012

When I had an interview with the manager the second time, she talked to my co-workers. I had a couple of co-workers who do not like me. I can be blunt and assertive, and they did not like it.

The manager said that I was a bully, but she would hire me, the only way I would not stay if I did not have the skills to make it in the unit. I never forget when my preceptor told me that not everyone make it in this unit. I was determined to make it. Everyday the preceptor would get meaner and meaner each day. She tell what to do with my patient, and then she would leave the room. I would get yelled at if something was done wrong. Also, our growers and feeders are on a different unit, I went there for one day, when I got there the nurse I was with told me which patients I wanted, I told her I am here to orientate and please let me see what you do on this unit. The unit reported me said that I had an attitude when they asked for my name, my manager said at that time told me that see knew it was me. I was in a no win situation.