I am new to nursing (1 year) and I am working exactly in the field I want to. I love what I do and I try my best to be a great nurse. The majority of staff on my unit are very nice and supportive but I feel as though there is very little management support and feedback. On my unit, the people with most seniority rule and some of these people are so incredibly hostile that it overshadows all the other good people there and these people aren't even hostile about my nursing practice, but just angry in general and they outright tell me they don't like new people. Sometimes these people will even go as far as to request having different patient assignments because they say they only want to work near their friends. They also tell me outright how I should expect nothing as a new nurse and how I should be forced to work the hours they don't want. I don't feel like I can say anything to management because anytime I've approached them with anything they seem overwhelmed and irritated and some of them can be really mean as well. I'm also afraid that I could lose my job if I started complaining and I am not protected by any kind of union. My question is, how much is too much? Is this the normal environment for nurses out there who are new to nursing? What should I do?
I don't feel like I am asking too much of anyone there. When I have sought back feedback from the few management that are nice, they have offered me nothing but positive feedback. At least, if I knew of things I could do better than maybe I could change that, but I really have nothing to go on. It's gotten to a point where I dread work. Maybe I am just not cut out for nursing? Am I suppose to just grow a thick skin and expect to have a career where I'll always be walked all over? And if not, what are my rights? Who do I go to?
If other nurses treat you unfairly, you have to stand up to them immediately. If you let them get away with it, they may try and use you as an emotional punching bag every time they have a bad day, which in a lot of places could be many of them. Let them know straight up that you arent one that is going to take their crap.
Switching assignments to have rooms next to their friends is pretty juvenile. I would lose respect for them for being so petty, and with that also their meaningless opinions of me. But mainly, i wouldnt take their garbage for one second. That is the most important thing to learn in nursing, not just regarding other nurses, but mgmt as well.:)
I do not agree. Yeah, its nice to work with friends, but everyone on the floor needs to learn to work with each other/everyone as a team. It isnt the same as highschool and wanting to be on the same "team" as your friends during a game. As a nurse, the whole floor should be a team and work together, no matter who it is. Thats the only way a floor can flourish and be civil and work-friendly. Yeah, the seniority should rule...but only to a certain extent. The newbies shouldnt have ALL crappy hours. Weekends/holidays still need to be rotated among ALL employees. If someone gets pulled to another floor, seniority should rule and the newbie should be the one pulled. But newbies shouldnt be eaten by the senior nurses.
On our floor, the senior nurses get first pick if they want to go home early (if census goes down during shift). They get first choice of being placed on call or called off when census goes down prior to their shift. But the hours/days/weekends get rotated among us all. Thats only fair in my opinion. We all have lives.
If the OP is being bullied, then document each time it happens and take it to the dept head. Stand up for yourself. All newbies are "tested" to see how far they can be pushed. Its sad, but it happens. Dont let anyone talk bad to you or make it hard on you.
The main thing is BE A TEAM PLAYER and work well with coworkers, but dont let people run over you.
I completely agree. You don't go to work to socialise, your there to do a job. You can't work certain shifts? If it's in your contract well that's just tough. If you don't like it go work somewhere else.
We have several wards where there are seniors who have been there forever, the new nurses are given the worst shifts, treated like idiots and what tends to happen is that new nurses leave, graduate nurses don't want to go back after their placement and they end up having trouble attracting staff. The float nurses draw straws on who goes to these particular wards and unit ends up with a bad reputation around the hospital. I was a grad nurse in a place like this, they tried it on me and found that I'm not frightened or in awe of them and after a while they grudgingly gave me respect because I refused to be treated like an idiot. Once my placement was over, I was outta there!
To the OP while I can understand that you don't want to rock the boat, if you feel that you are being bullied, having to forgo your lunch while the seniors get theirs then IMHO it's time you demonstrated a little backbone. People like this rely on you to just do as your told. Maybe it's time for them to realise they can't have it all their way.
If she says she downright doesn't like new people, give it some and you won't be "new people" anymore.
Some folks are territorial and don't like change. In my experience with people like this I just back off and give them their space. Go about your business then one day they start acting like you've always been working there and you're one of the gang.
In the meantime if she's bullying you or harrassing you in any way by all means don't take it. Confront her with it in an unemotional way, just stating the facts. If it doesn't change then document it and finally report it.
Not every method of dealing with mean people works for every situation. It takes trial and error to figure it out, and unfortunately I've had quite a few situations not work out so well until I got good at it. I guess it's up to you to decide if it's worth hanging in there or not. There's a lot to be said for leaving versus staying, but in the end you have to decide if you like your job enough and dealing with her crap is just part of the package, or if the situation is truly so intolerable you'd rather do anything if it means you don't have to deal with her anymore
I originally worked on unit wasn't seniority wasn't everything, it as the ONLY thing. It was a pretty miserable experience. I would suggest you start trying to find a new job, one that is a bit more balanced.
In this economy? Take what you can get and don't complain unless it violates a clear stated policy. MHO.
If you don't like the hours- start interviewing at different locations and ask for the hours you want/need up front.
As for the hostility- don't take it personally- realize that they are overworked, underpaid and their hostility probably has nothing at all to do with you. Killing them with kindness often works- be nice, maybe bring in some snacks to share or something- learn to flip the switch- when you feel like telling them to go F themselves, smile and be as sweet as you can possibly be- ingrain that as your response to hostility- it will serve you well. :) Because really- what is the objective? To curtail their poor behaviour or to bite back? If it is to curtail the behaviour- you need to snap them out of themselves and their anger. Does anger reflected stop their anger or does it escalate the scene? Likewise- does piling more frustration on them by going to the DON or over their head because they're being a prat do anything to solve the problem or does it build resentment and further under the radar hostility? I don't mean that you should roll over and let them be hostile to you- but I'm suggesting this as a first line of defense- see if it works- if it does- great, you've solved your problem. If it doesn't- then it may be warranted to try other methods- such as mediation, talking to a supervisor, leaving for "greener pastures" (and other issues) etc.
If she says she downright doesn't like new people, give it some and you won't be "new people" anymore.
Some folks are territorial and don't like change. In my experience with people like this I just back off and give them their space. Go about your business then one day they start acting like you've always been working there and you're one of the gang.
In the meantime if she's bullying you or harrassing you in any way by all means don't take it. Confront her with it in an unemotional way, just stating the facts. If it doesn't change then document it and finally report it.
Not every method of dealing with mean people works for every situation. It takes trial and error to figure it out, and unfortunately I've had quite a few situations not work out so well until I got good at it. I guess it's up to you to decide if it's worth hanging in there or not. There's a lot to be said for leaving versus staying, but in the end you have to decide if you like your job enough and dealing with her crap is just part of the package, or if the situation is truly so intolerable you'd rather do anything if it means you don't have to deal with her anymore
Or you can say, well I don't like old nurses so now we have something in common.
And I agree, walk in like you own the joint. Don't be a know it all, but don't act like a scared puppy or they will get you. I don't tend to let people step over me unless its no big deal to me, but once you get me started the Latina gets the best of me, and unfortunately you will always run across someone who is hostile towards you no matter how nice, good, charming, etc you are, you just have to let it go. Its not worth letting them ruin your life over it. You do your job and every one else can do whatever they think they should.
Well, you do have to grow some thick skin, but not to be bullied around by your co-workers. Patient's, families, and people in general are just mean. That's where you need your thick skin. I hate when old nurses treat new nurses like crap. We were ALL new, scared nurses at one point, and we should never forget that feeling. People's lives are in our hands, and the last thing a new person, with that new responsibility shoud feel, is fear. Fear to ask for help, ask questions about meds, procedures, etc.
And DO NOT skip your breaks so they can take theirs. They are old nurses, they should have better time management skills since they are so "much better than you". That is a sure fire way to burn yourself out, quickly. You take your lunch, your breaks, do your tasks, then if they need help, offer it. I know too many nurses who take advantage of newbies trying to help them out. I want to type more, but I have a crying baby. This topic really gets under my skin.
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Simba&NalasMom, LPN
633 Posts
That does not sound like LUCK to me at all!! You busted your A$$ to get her gone.