Hi guys, I haven't posted in awhile but that doesn't mean I don't read at least once a week. The reason why I'm posting is this...I've got a problem at work. I graduated a little over a year ago. Got a 'verbal warning' a few months ago about some 'minor' issues (not being strong enough in my enthusiasm for a bath for my pts, some charting errors, not helping others like I should, not really having the whole picture when giving report), I was told I would be followed up with if there were any problems in the meantime while I waited for my 3 month 'checkup' from this problem. I tried to follow the plan of action that my nurse manager and I planned and about 3 weeks ago, I got my follow up. This time it was a written warning because (I still am not helping others as much as I should , and that the night prior I should have called ___ dr instead of ___ dr). So this time, I'm a little upset, tell my nurse manager so and take the write up even though I feel like its not right. I tell her that somehow I feel that i'm getting singled out (c/o me doing homework ). She gives me the excuse of "once your name is brought to certain ppls attention, you have to work that much harder to keep them from having a problem with you." So I ask her to keep me informed with updates AS they COME to HER attention so that I can actually related them to an issue/pt etc and have some sort of idea about "WHAT is EXPECTED of ME" from my co-workers. Well, I got my first update, it was that I did my baths early (work in an ICU and do our own baths with our 1 PCA as we can ) and that at the other end of the unit (I couldn't even see this room from my area), they had to restrain a pt, and then they got an admit while I was doing my baths). I've responded to my nurse manager but as its the weekend I haven't gotten another response from her. I feel that I'm being singled out (for whatever reason, I don't know) as there are sooo many other issues going on in this unit, like going to joke sites on the internet, using the printer to print out funny pictures and then papering everyone that is in the clicke's locker, like laughing and cutting up about who got drunk, with who, how much, how sick they were, cussing and then laughing and leaving the unit because they found out a family member was in a room and problably heard...I don't know what to do. Should I keep 'plugging at it' or 'throw in my towel' and give up. Its gotten to where I don't enjoy being here and I'm afraid it's going to color my view of nursing but at the same time, I know I'm a good nurse and that most if not all of these issues are unfounded and I want to prove it (but so far am unable!)...
Is your hospital hiring? We don't have PCA's at my work...and we're usually full (47 bed). And they have banned us from internet access....and I sometimes don't sit down my whole shift.
I could go on and on.
You've been singled out, do whatever you can to protect yourself. Do not log onto any sites, even if you clear history there are ways to see whose been on what. Even if you cannot find anything to do, which shocks me in an ICU, look through the manuals to review procedures not often done. Double check the Red Cart equipment, make sure supplies are stocked, if they're running low, inform whoever is in chart of ordering supplies.
You do all these things to make yourself standout, they are certainly going to be looking elsewhere.
It sounds like you have time to do this extra stuff anyway.....
I am actually reminded of this one LVN job I got, I was hired a few weeks after another nurse because she was not working out, and they were basically going to be comparing the two of us and see who to keep at end of a one year probation (neither of us knew this). .
I worked my butt off EVERY day. I learned all the morning set up before we opened even though I wasn't the early nurse, and I did it every day. If I was done with my work, I asked other people if they needed help. Always stocked supplies, would go take charts back to medical records and put them away myself. Would help check patients in, etc, anything. In the meetings we had, I would suggest ways to make our forms/paperwork more streamlined to save everyone time, I got involved in some of our committees.
While I was doing this, she spent a lot of time on the internet, making minor mistakes, complaining every day at work about how hard work was, reading magazines in our "down time."
I had a lot counting against me to keep that job, she had 15 years experience to my two. She had connections, mainly the biggest connection, being the director's friend.
This sounds like my first unit. Manager would tell me there were complaints about me, but never specifics, and never who from. It was a toxic unit, and I left after 1 year, worked a med-surg floor for a while (where I got along with everyone, never any complaints, etc. Funny how I was a bad nurse in one unit, a good nurse in another unit).
Now I am a specialty nurse, and the shrews and harpies in that first ICU actually speak to me now, because I wear a white coat. Pretty pathetic.
Best advice--find another unit or floor. These folks have singled you out, and probably won't quit. I also didn't fit in their clique, so they reported every wrinkled sheet on every patient I had.
Get out before your self-confidence goes down the toilet.
Even if you do find another job, it's always helpful to have a good reference from your last job. Follow the advice posted here and you will be seen as more professional, which in time will hopefully help with getting respect from the people who may be reporting you.
I don't have much advice to add with regard to the problems with your coworkers, being a fairly new grad in the ICU myself- started just at a year ago, but I do have a thought with regard to your free time. I work days in an extremely busy ICU. On the rare occasion that I end up with "free time" the very first thing I do is make my way around the unit asking if any one else needs any help. I'm even happy to help with small tasks so the nurse can get caught up on charting, for example, if no one needs help and I noticed something going on in a room that I am not familiar with- be it a piece of equipment, a drip, etc. I take the time to ask questions and try to learn a thing or two. If none of that consumes my time I read through my pt's history paying attention to labs and such and look up everything that I don't know. There is SO much that I don't know after only a year. You might as well be productive with the time you are given and utilize it to do something that is going to benefit you on the job, especially since you are getting paid. I see people doing other things but that is none of my business.
My simple advice, get out now while the getting is good. Do all that you can right now to improve your situation/status on the unit you're working so you have a good reference for the next job and move on. Once you get a new position at a different facility look back on what you had problems with at your current job, learn from them and don't let them happen again, strive to be the best and always do your best. My point of view is this: if they have it out for you there is nothing you can do, if you stay you will always be on the outside looking in, this will create alot of stress not only for you, but your co-workers and the unit overall, and it isn't worth it. Move on before it gets worse and you end up getting fired or quit leaving you with a poor work history........
I'm going to have to agree with some of the above nurses: Get out while the going is good. And don't whine or tell others about your plan. Just start interveiwing and sending out resumes. You have almost a year of ICU experience and that should count for something. Unless you have a contract with them there is no reason to stay. Even if you do have a contract, it sounds like it may be up soon. So start working hard at work, put a smile on your face and butter up the manager, because you might need her as a reference. Then get to stepping.
Specializes in Flight, ER, Transport, ICU/Critical Care.
I am not thinking the whining thing is the problem.
You are 40 in a unit of younger folks that you cannot find common ground with - and they are doing you in. One complaint here and you fail to do this or that and BOOM - write up or complaint (most likely - mgr "hears" a lot of stuff - can't recall specifics and then you get the "vague" complaints in a written discipline) goes to the manager.
I'll go so far as to even predict that your "co-workers" are really nice on the surface and decline any offer ---- after all if you offer and they accept help, then you have some use to them - so, if they do not take you up on an offer - you are "not helping" and then the B^@#(%$# continues to feed.
As for the downtime issue - if you think that this is the biggie you are missing something. A BIG something. Off the net, others give good "busy" work advice - but, this is not you problem. It is just not.
"THEY" want you gone. "They" are working at it and have the managers blessing - the harder you try, the more they can enjoy watching you work your bumm off while "they" know they will get you in the end. In short - I think you are entertaining them. STOP. NOW.
Let's review.
No specifics, getting worse - not better (verbal to written --- now) and you are the odd one out in most all situations.
I am not trying to be cruel - just have seen this before and even had the honor of being the "target" one time.
GET. OUT. NOW.
What do you think will happen here? They will magically stop targeting you and see the err of their ways and suddenly realize that you are "just one of them" and then welcome you to the fold. Maybe they will realize that you are a great nurse and feel really bad for all the crap they heaped on you. Perhaps the manager will decide that 4th grade mean girls are working in her unit and make 'em stop it - even so, you are labeled.
Move on - before this gets worse. If they really need you to go (for any or no reason) they will see to it that you get the crap work and you will keep plugging away until they can set you up in a proper manner. Don't risk it.
It is what it is. And what it is - is a losing situation.
Let's go with - I have learned a lot and will always have amazing memories of this amazing place.
I agree with the posts that push for a good reference - that way be the best you can hope for now.
I had a work environment like this where I was being written up for things that weren't my fault (such as my then-boyfriend/now husband's ex-wife called me ONCE at work to harrass me, but I absolutely did not talk to her, just hung up on her. How do I control who calls the facility?). They wanted to send me a specific message when writing me up, but the witch hunt was coming from MANAGEMENT, not my coworkers. However, they had cronies on my shift who would tattle on whomever they were witch hunting that week, not just me. This is also a facility that would drop a person's hours when you got on their "bad side" so that you could no longer qualify for benefits, but once they felt you got the message, then they'd bring your hours back up. (They never dropped my hours, just wrote me up for petty things.) Again, there was a very specific reason they were trying to "get" me, but it was nothing to do with with work.
Anyway, the way I handled that management witch hunt was to quit. Since their problem with me revolved around something they do not legally have the ability to have any say about (which is why I got the petty write-ups), I have had no problem with job references from there.
So, after that chattering, I can say that I think I've "been there" where you are currently. My advice? First, stay off the internet. Second, if this witch hunt is coming from your manager, get your applications out and don't look back. HOWEVER, please do not fill out applications or perform a job search while you're at work. You don't know what means they use to "spy" on your internet activities, considering that you are probably using the hospital computers.
Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
I think we ought to add that this type of behavior is not uncommon in other professions--lest we scare off the younger, new nurses.
This is part of being in a profession. This can happen in advertising, supervision, etc.,
I would definitely heed the advice these experienced people give. I used to work with a group of nurses we called the "hair and nails club." They tried, tried, tried, to target people and luckily were never able to "do them in."
Vicky Laursen
19 Posts
@maxthecat
that was excellent advice.