Soo quick back story- I work 2 casual jobs one I love and a bedside one that pays for childcare, keeps my skills up, and gives me insite for my side gig nursing lobbying/activism ( Not joking, this is my true true passion!)
I am an experienced critical care nurse +3 years, came from an academic medical center..recently I started working at communitry hospital
The floor is not what Im use to, staffing is junk, 6 to 1, no CNAs, no unit clerk, and just 2-3 nurses. The doctors have you do everything for them (orders, consults, med recs, everything, etc ) and they very are disrepsectful.
Soooo a few days ago, Im at work, everyone was as mean as a snake. I got called stupid 5 times by 3 different doctors ( for not consulting fast enough, not knowing a patient's 5 year medical history blah blah blah). My patients and families were upset about various things out of my control- nursing home placement, garbage, poor prognosis etc.
I had 7 patients no CNA no clerk.
So I'm trying to get this patient a tray before it's too late and the computer deleted her. I made some calls and kept getting transfered around and around to different departments, until I reach a very mean person on the other end who would not listen to my question, I literally couldn't get a word out.
The person on the other end did not introduce themselves, and just kept telling me you need to call someone else over and over and over again. THATS IT, no other words.
So after a day of harrassment I finally decided to stick up for myself- I said:
"Ok I'll try elsewhere but can you take that tone out of your voice"
Person on the other end? A nursing director.
She of course got really really really angry. Stunned- I said Im sorry but you were really mean.
Once I hung up the phone, another nurse said " Oh her, she always sounds like that, but she's a director- I guess the truth hurt her feelings"
I immediately called back the administrator/house supervisor and explained I thought I was talking to a peer.
Then I called the director: apologized and said I was mortified/embarrassed and thought she was a peer and that I would never speak that way to a director, however I did feel attacked.
She of course then tore me apart, telling me I should be embarrassed and to "watch it."
who did I think I was.
I then called my manager, explained the situation, and asked if I was fired. She said yeah ***** does sound like that, thats just her personality. I asked if I was fired- she said no, just be more careful.
But for real, am I fired? I left feeling awful- and of course I keep going over my work from the day and thinking about how they can pluck apart my charting and fire me for something I missed or did.
What to do next? Resign cause she is going to be out for me? Just keep quiet and stay until 3 am charting to be perfect? Go to HR for lateral violence?
I don't need this job at all but I have quit another job previously for poor working conditions ( previous post: Pregnant and harrassed by management ). and I don't really want to make it a habit. I am also starting to think nursing is this way at 90% of places.
Oh my record- clean, no write ups. No previous occurances, at any hospital.
imintrouble, BSN, RN
2,406 Posts
The luxury of having two jobs is, you can say cram it to one of them at any time, and not end up in the poor house.
I'd seriously consider quitting.