How would you feel?

[stashiaj]

Hello :)

Opinions please. I have been an ob nurse for 4 years now. I don't officially have an ob position though, so I still have to go work medical floor if they are busy. I never used to mind, but its getting so few and far between that I don't feel like I am as good as I should be when working medical, its hard to keep up on the skills. A few months ago there were ob positions posted as 12 hour shifts, I can not do 12 hour shifts because I do not have daycare for overnights so several nurses with less seniority received the positions. I blew it off, but the other day more positions were posted. I applied and was called back. Since I am not available for night shifts they would not offer me the position. Instead a young cocky nurse with 1.5 years experience received the position. She refuses to work dayshifts, pm shifts and also refuses to attend c-sections because she is "not comfortable" with them. I have much more seniority and experience, but now she has an actual position just because I am not available for night shift. They knew I wasn't available when they originally hired me. I'm really upset. This position means she can work charge nurse and I still can't. This means I still have to work medical.....which probably isnt fair to the patients (don't get me wrong, I try my hardest!!). One of our doctors even told me that she was upset that I didn't get the position and asked if I minded if she talk to someone about this. How should I handle the situation without making things worse?

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

see this is why i'm upset. she really truly refuses all this stuff. she has been arguing and in the don's office on a regular basis throwing a fit because she wants an ob position. i'm upset because i keep my mouth shut at work and behave like an adult. she whines like a child and gets the position?? that's really all i can think of. the posted position was for 8 hour shifts and not posted as a nights spot. i'm really not trying to be difficult....just truly frustrated.

It is clear by your postings that you are frustrated. You mentioned something about your contract.....does the make you Union? Call your rep. Even if the position was posted for eight hours with no shift specified.....the shift available is nights and you can't do nights. Budgets are funny things there may be other people that don't so nights but they already have a position.

You just can't switch around FETUs when the need is on nights. She may complain a lot but she will work nights. If you can't work nights right now then you will have to continue the way you are. You can talk to the DON but it probably won't have any affect on the outcome right now. There is a good reason why you didn't get the job. The hours are for nights and you can't work them.

Now what to do.......spend a couple of days being upset and angry. Have a few sips of you favourite beverage. Then take a deep breath and keep on trying for that position.

If at first you don't succeed .......try try again. I wish you the best.

[BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN]

Ok, let me approach this from a TOTALLY new, fresh, and POSITIVE LIGHT.

APPROACH YOUR DON, OR SUPERVISOR, AND TELL THEM IN A PROFESSIONAL AND STRAIGHT-TO-THE-POINT WAY.

All of this anger, resentment, and frustration is LIKE DRINKING POISON, and expecting that COCKY LIL' NEW RN TO DIE!!!

I mean think about it, while your are feeling soooooooo upset, THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE THE LEAST CLUE YOUR UPSET.

YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED AT THE OUTCOME IF YOU TELL THEM FEELINGS.

1. I WOULD NOT SAY ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER.

2. I WOULD HAVE ALL MY DUCKS IN A ROW, GOOD ATTENDENCE (LOW ABSENCE, NEVER LATE, HELP OUT WHEN SHORT-HANDED, NO WRITE-UPS, NO BACKBITING, and AT LEAST 6 MOS AT CURRENT POST).

3. I WOULD WRITE DOWN A LIST OF CLEARLY DIFINED INCIDENTs THAT I WAS UPSET ABOUT.

I have had soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many staff members approach me and look as if they were 1/2 inch from a meltdown, yet I NEVER KNEW THEY WERE UPSET about something, they looked fine on the floor.

YOU CAN ONLY GAIN, and on the brightside, YOU NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BOSTON TAKING YOUR OB SLOT.

YA'LL CAN HAVE OB !!!!!!! HAVE FUN WITH IT, I'll SEND EM' UP FROM THE ER !!!!!!!!

Once Again,

BEST OF LUCK!!!!!

[BelgianRN]

OP I think you started this topic so you could feel validated in your feelings, however honesty bites back sometimes. They might not have specified that they wanted 8 hour shifts overnight but I hope you realize by now that's probably what they wanted.

If the process of picking the next person to fit openings was as simple as looking at a list and picking the one that has the most seniority why would they hold interviews at all? Apparently you didn't fulfill their needs either because you weren't available for the shifts they needed or because your performance/qualifications were not up to the standards for the function. I don't mean this in a rude way but generally those are the two major reasons for not getting an job opening.

I suggest you reign in your negative feelings, accept you weren't picked and decide if you want to continue working for this facility and wait for another opening and try again or find another job altogether.

[msn10]

I am more confused after reading this entire thread than I was when I first started.

However, saying you can't work nights will never get you any sympathy from nurses, especially those of us who had to work straight 12-hour nights for more than 5 years to get enough seniority just to apply for a day shift - or for those of us who had to float once a week for years as well.

I know it is frustrating and it is really hard with kids, but don't focus on this "cocky" nurse. She is taking all of your energy and you are not getting what you want. Until you figure out your childcare situation, you may not get the job you want. People without commitments (or those who have other arrangements) will always win out. It is a choice we make when we have kids. The cocky nurse fills a need. Many of the other posters are correct in saying that the manager needs to do what is best for the whole unit and if that means he or she has to fill a straight night and you can't, well then....

Have you really thought about all of your other options??

[msn10]

Very true BostonT.

[stashiaj]

they dont hold interviews and according to contract they are suppose to give these "positions" by seniority. the only reason they post them is because some people dont want them. if they were looking for nights they normally specify.....which they should have instead of breaking contract. i havent said a word at work because i dont complain, i work my ass off and just wanted to let off a little steam here. you cant tell me it would be hard for you to see someone with less qualifications got a job over you. if they were looking for night staff they should have posted it as night staff. i dont think everyone with less seniority than me is inferior, this nurse seriously has an attitude problem and has been talked to many times. i have quietly listen to other nurses and patients complain and done the adult thing and just stay out of it. i guess i wanted to vent on here amongst anonymous peers and i still get my head bit off. its really stupid where i work, but when applying to specialize in a certain area, we do not interview. its honestly suppose to be next in line. i have never applied for a position that i can not handle, for example i did not apply for the nights position. as ive replied to many others, i am not the only nurse that does not do nights. i was asked to do straight pm shift for ob because that is where the need is......yet they will not give me an official position which means i still have tofloat to floors that i rarely work......not to fair to my patients agreed? dont get me wrong, i try my hardest, but they deserve someone with more experience on those floors. so basically im working what they asked me to yet i dont get the title and still have those float days. you wouldnt be the slightest bit upset??

OP I think you started this topic so you could feel validated in your feelings, however honesty bites back sometimes. They might not have specified that they wanted 8 hour shifts overnight but I hope you realize by now that's probably what they wanted.

If the process of picking the next person to fit openings was as simple as looking at a list and picking the one that has the most seniority why would they hold interviews at all? Apparently you didn't fulfill their needs either because you weren't available for the shifts they needed or because your performance/qualifications were not up to the standards for the function. I don't mean this in a rude way but generally those are the two major reasons for not getting an job opening.

I suggest you reign in your negative feelings, accept you weren't picked and decide if you want to continue working for this facility and wait for another opening and try again or find another job altogether.

[stashiaj]

so youre basically saying u cant see my point what so ever because you did overnights for awhile. ive done overnights. i didnt find it neccesary to post that i was doing overnight when my husband left me and my two small children......excuse me for not "figuring out my child care issue". maybe you can find me an overnight daycare. im not the only nurse at my hospital that doesnt do nights and i didnt know that not working nights gives all of you the right to bash on me. if the hospital was looking for someone for just nights then they should have posted it that way. we are contracted and in our contracts it states that when applying to specialize the position will be given based on seniority. there are no interviews. when the 12 hour positions were posted i didnt apply even though i was next in line because i couldnt do them, but this position was for 8 hour shifts, no other specifications. i was asked to do straight evenings on ob, i am doing what they asked me to do, the only difference is i dont have an actual position. so youre telliing me this wouldnt upset u in the least? if you gave up your day shifts and filled their pm shifts and then watched them hand a position to a nurse with much less qualifications you wouldnt mind?

wow.....im the bad guy and you were the one judging me cause you thought ive never done overnights.....

I am more confused after reading this entire thread than I was when I first started.

However, saying you can't work nights will never get you any sympathy from nurses, especially those of us who had to work straight 12-hour nights for more than 5 years to get enough seniority just to apply for a day shift - or for those of us who had to float once a week for years as well.

I know it is frustrating and it is really hard with kids, but don't focus on this "cocky" nurse. She is taking all of your energy and you are not getting what you want. Until you figure out your childcare situation, you may not get the job you want. People without commitments (or those who have other arrangements) will always win out. It is a choice we make when we have kids. The cocky nurse fills a need. Many of the other posters are correct in saying that the manager needs to do what is best for the whole unit and if that means he or she has to fill a straight night and you can't, well then....

Have you really thought about all of your other options??

[DookieMeisterRN]

If you have been working a "position" to help the unit out but you don't really have an official "position" I tend to think you're getting jacked around because you're being too nice. I would suggest going to your union rep and get the low down on this position that was posted without a shift. It almost sounds like they posted it just for her. Did your manager know you were interested in this position? I have always contacted the hiring manager after applying to let them know of my interest. It could have been your managers chance to say, " oh I'm sorry it should have been posted as night shift and I know you aren't available for those hours, etc". Could have saved all this headache and frustration for you. There could also be other reasons they wanted this cocky nurse on nights. I'm not going to speculate.

[stashiaj]

thank you!! i did contact the manager to apply for the official position. if they had intended the position for nights maybe they could have contacted me to tell me so, youre exactly right. then i would have turned it down. im in the unit filling the undesired evening shifts. we actually have more nurses willing to work nights than evenings in our unit. i never used to mind working med/surg, but now i feel like a fish out of water. and recently theyve been putting me on peds with absolutely no orientation because "i am a float nurse." i just want an ob position so they stop using me inappropriately I dont complain at work. I did the right thing and applied for the shift per protocol. some feedback would have been nice. is this union rep worthy or will it get me in more trouble?

If you have been working a "position" to help the unit out but you don't really have an official "position" I tend to think you're getting jacked around because you're being too nice. I would suggest going to your union rep and get the low down on this position that was posted without a shift. It almost sounds like they posted it just for her. Did your manager know you were interested in this position? I have always contacted the hiring manager after applying to let them know of my interest. It could have been your managers chance to say, " oh I'm sorry it should have been posted as night shift and I know you aren't available for those hours, etc". Could have saved all this headache and frustration for you. There could also be other reasons they wanted this cocky nurse on nights. I'm not going to speculate.

[cry me a river]

handing out pacifiers, see my name.

[BelgianRN]

they dont hold interviews and according to contract they are suppose to give these "positions" by seniority. the only reason they post them is because some people dont want them. if they were looking for nights they normally specify.....which they should have instead of breaking contract. i havent said a word at work because i dont complain, i work my ass off and just wanted to let off a little steam here. you cant tell me it would be hard for you to see someone with less qualifications got a job over you. if they were looking for night staff they should have posted it as night staff. i dont think everyone with less seniority than me is inferior, this nurse seriously has an attitude problem and has been talked to many times. i have quietly listen to other nurses and patients complain and done the adult thing and just stay out of it. i guess i wanted to vent on here amongst anonymous peers and i still get my head bit off. its really stupid where i work, but when applying to specialize in a certain area, we do not interview. its honestly suppose to be next in line. i have never applied for a position that i can not handle, for example i did not apply for the nights position. as ive replied to many others, i am not the only nurse that does not do nights. i was asked to do straight pm shift for ob because that is where the need is......yet they will not give me an official position which means i still have tofloat to floors that i rarely work......not to fair to my patients agreed? dont get me wrong, i try my hardest, but they deserve someone with more experience on those floors. so basically im working what they asked me to yet i dont get the title and still have those float days. you wouldnt be the slightest bit upset??

You are circle reasoning which doesn't get you anywhere. If you want to vent, just state it's a vent and don't ask for opinions. To me it comes across that you don't like it that other "peers" disagree with your viewpoint and you are trying to get your point across by repeating the same things over and over. And now that you see people are not changing their opinions all of a sudden you no longer want them and state you just wanted to vent. Do you know the TV series the Nanny back in the 90's? It's like mr Sheffield saying "I love you" to Fran and he then took it back...

I don't think it is fair that you feel picked on by any of the replies or feel your head is bitten off. Because if you are honestly thinking I just bit your head off, I'm afraid you wouldn't last one nursing shift with me or any of the other nurses in my hospital without feeling we just chewed off all your body parts.

There is a difference in being direct and being rude. And the replies here were mostly direct not ever rude or insulting. But I guess it's a matter of opinion.

If it is set in rules that the procedure for getting a position should have been XYZ and your management hasn't followed that procedure you have every right to complain and ask for clarification or even justification from your management.

Personally I think hospital systems that blindly hand out positions based on seniority without looking at individual accomplishment, skill level and productivity are rather archaic. That is the system that was in place in Belgium for many years when the roman catholic nuns were still running the places. One could only be a good nurse if you worked for years and years and these nurses got all the perks from the mother superior.

In my vision it's good that a new generation of nurses fought back, kicked out the nuns from the hospitals and are now approaching patients in a holistic view without forcing roman catholic values on our patients. But this part has the potential to go off topic and I don't want that.

If I feel strongly at work about someone getting something that I don't think is warranted I generally discuss it with my nursing manager. But in the end it's his call and if he uses poor judgment and places inept nurses in positions they shouldn't be in, the situation will fall apart anyway. And those situations always end with an "I told you so".

And to answer your question, yes I would probably feel bad if I was passed over for something I really wanted, that's just human nature. But in the end I either accept it and move on and continue working for this hospital or I continue to feel bad and leave this hospital.

[RNperdiem, RN]

A limited schedule availability will hinder your career. You are seeing it right now.

I know, I work per diem days only. Even though I have 13 years experience in my unit, I am not a senior nurse, and I see the careers of the nurses that came after me take off. I work with some awesome and ambitious people.

Seniority isn't everything, no matter what your union says.

If you accept your limitations, make peace with the trade offs.

Or if you are really bothered, investigate night childcare options.