Help please...new specialty. Awful nurses.

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Jun 3, 2013

Go back to your old unit. See if you can get per diem in the specialty at another hospital.

LandD_RN_chica · Jun 4, 2013

I'm afraid I won't have enough experience to get per diem at another place since I've only been there a few months. Thank you for your input though. I appreciate it. I'm stuck because there were also cons to my old job that I don't know if I would want to go back. Extensive call, etc. but I've never had a problem with nurses at my old job and actually enjoyed going to work.

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Jun 4, 2013

I'm afraid I won't have enough experience to get per diem at another place since I've only been there a few months. Thank you for your input though. I appreciate it. I'm stuck because there were also cons to my old job that I don't know if I would want to go back. Extensive call, etc. but I've never had a problem with nurses at my old job and actually enjoyed going to work.

Then maybe the answer is just do your job, put your attention into the patients, and unless it becomes an issue of letting you get in and stay in the weeds without helping you when you need it, let em talk.

I like to bring a book with me and when I am on lunch catch up on some reading for fun while I eat. As I have said many times before, some people have no filter, still others have no professionlism. And finally, these are not your friends outside of work. They don't need to be your friends in work.

As long as they don't dump on you patient load wise, they let you struggle to the detriment of the patient, or professionally set you up to fail. I

f that becomes the case, then I would bring it up to the NM or the DON, specifics, meaning not "they don't like me" but rather "I had 2 critical patients and the staffing was unsafe, as my team members declined to assist when asked to"

It absolutely stinks to be the butt of someone else's sick sense of entitlement and scorn. Brings one right back to the Jr. High lunch room. But be confident in what you do for your patients, if you are unsure of what you are doing, ask for some more education with the nurse educator, and use your resources available to you on the unit to learn.

If your life is such that a great deal of mandatory overtime/call is not feasible, then stay right where you are. If you have to learn on your own, do so. Best of luck!

allnurses Guide · Jun 4, 2013

A toxic workplace is a tough one. Thank God I only experienced one in my career. Sometimes a group will attempt to destroy any newcomer, sometimes there is an identifiable ringleader who manipulates the weaker personalities who you might get along fine with in another environment, and sometimes it is an issue of personality clash.

If there are more recent hires there who receive similar treatment any changes most likely will not be a result of anything you do. If there is a personality problem it might help to have your manager get everyone together and attempt to clear the air.

If none of that is feasible I agree with Jade - keep your head down, do your job and do your best to ignore the negativity. I wish you the best - jobs like that can really suck the life out of you.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 4, 2013

One thing to keep in mind: the main reason you are at work is to WORK. It's not to be the social butterfly, to makes lots of new friends, or to be Mr/Ms. Popularity in the center of every clique. If friendships happen to develop along the way in your job, that's great. But that's not what you're there for.

So, like the others already told you, focus on the job and ignore the drama. And be sure you CYA in anything you do there.

Best of luck.

LandD_RN_chica · Jun 4, 2013

Thank you everyone for your responses. I have plenty of friends and don't need anymore, but the problem is they are just mean I guess. Going to managers about me. Everything I do. I'm going to have to walk on eggshells and cover my butt like one of you said. It just sucks and makes the workplace environment toxic like another said. I love the patients and love what I'm doing. It just hurts me that it seems they are setting me up to fail. I got in trouble for not talking to anyone. And keeping to myself. I can't do anything right.

LandD_RN_chica · Jun 4, 2013

I also think it's a mix of personalities. I have a strong personality and so do these nurses. I have also talked to new people and there is one nurse who is mean and talks about everyone. She gives everyone a hard time. Not just me. She's just miserable with her life and wants to make everyone else miserable. She's single, divorced and bitter. It's sick and twisted. Many of the nurses have said they used to leave crying when on orientation. They say sometimes nurses walk off and never come back. Like if they know they are this way, then why hasn't anyone tried to change it? I don't know I guess I'm just venting. I've gotten in trouble at work, had my probation extended, and the things that were written in my extended probation were crazy. Like literally my every move. It just sucks when it feels like there are so many people against you trying to set you up to fail.

ked20 · Jun 4, 2013

This has happened to me several times. Kill them with kindness. It has always worked for me. Apologize for everything. Thank everyone for everything. Help anyone with anything. Bake cookies. I have worked in places where I felt hated. By the time I announced I was leaving, one nurse cried and everyone asked me to stay. And after I left, people begged me to come back. I left one job that started badly and when I left I was taken to brunch in a very expensive restaurant and given a diamond bracelet!

LandD_RN_chica · Jun 7, 2013

Thank you for your advice and sharing your experience. I just can't bring myself to be nice to people who are trying to set me up to fail. Ill try, but it's not in my personality. :/

OCNRN63, RN · Jun 7, 2013

Maybe try one of the things ked20 said: bring in a treat like cookies or bagels for the break room as a kind of glacier-breaker. If it wins you even one or two people who are more friendly to you it will be worth it. I know what you mean about not feeling like being nice to people who are trying to set you up to fail. I still have bitter feelings about someone who did that to me, and that was five years ago.

Sugarcoma, RN · Jun 7, 2013

It makes life miserable when you find yourself on this type of unit. I wish I could tell you some sure fire way to handle this, that would make your work life easier. I cannot. I have dealt with this on my current unit for 2 years. It makes a hard job even harder. I survived by keeping my head down and my mouth shut, unless confronted directly and then I stood up for myself. After awhile the nurses I worked with started to treat me better when they saw I could handle the difficult assignments etc. If I overheard coworkers talking about me I would make some remark such as "wow I never realized I was so interesting before, you guys just can't stop talking about me." etc. I never reacted with anger, although there were plenty of times I wanted to. I will say that while things have improved significantly it still isn't a great place to work.

You need to decide if the opportunity to work in this new specialty is enough to keep you here. Know that these types of coworkers do not get better. They really do not. Management is most likely well aware of the problem and is probably the reason why so many of these types of people have managed to congregate onto one unit. I tell you this so that you are aware that your manager will most likely NOT be a source of support. Eventually what will happen is that newer people will come along and your coworkers attention will move onto them making your work life a little more tolerable.