I need advice on management's reaction to resignation/notice

[Magsulfate]

I wanted to ask a question of you all... it is difficult for me to explain the whole situation without writing a book. But, basically, let me give you a little background before I ask the question.

This place I've been working for a little while is,,, different,, to say the least. There is such a huge disconnect between management and nursing staff/patients. It is more obvious than I have seen it anywhere. So MANY things have been going wrong with this place. It all comes down to the disconnect, and management's will to run patient care even though they are not licensed or certified in any healthcare aspect. For example, we had a Physical therapy assistant standing in as the nursing manager. ,,, what the heck!!, right? You can't do that! But, they did.

SO many things have been done wrong at this place, and it is to the expense of the patients. So, two weeks ago, me and a few other nurses there went to a job fair somewhere else and were all hired with huge bonuses and higher pay. We were all scared to put our two weeks notice in because this management has a history of walking the staff out of the building the minute they put their notice in.... I don't know about the others, but I cannot go two weeks without working.

So, I didn't put my notice in. Neither did anyone else. This last weekend, again, at the expense of the patients (more than one) something really bad happened. Several processes failed. My friend put her notice to resign in, and two minutes later was being escorted to her locker and then out the building. Like a criminal, she might as well have been in handcuffs. She didn't do anything wrong!! They didn't let her work the last two weeks.

She was crying so hard when she called me that I jumped up and drove to where she was to help her calm down. I honestly believe that management was threatened by this nurse because she is smart, and she doesn't kiss butt over taking care of the patients. Her number one concern is the quality of care of the patients. NOT kissing butt to the management.

I can't bring myself to go back into that place. It is BAD. So bad that I can't even walk back in there. I've never walked away from a job before, no matter how bad it got, but this is a new all time, bad.

Okay, now that I've got that off my chest,,,,,, here's the question..

Is it okay for a hospital to make it standard procedure to make their staff leave the moment they've given their two week notice? Why do you think they do that? Are they afraid the staff might bring more people with her? Are the feeling threatened?

This isn't the only person they've done it too. They do it to EVERYONE!

[RN1982]

The only thing that ticks me off is if they are walking people out like that are they paying out people's CTO/PTO?

Anyhow, I am glad you are at your new job. People like your former manager sound unstable.

[Magsulfate, BSN, RN]

They are not paying those last two weeks notice. And, they are not paying ALL of the pto, just half of it. I only had a few hours of pto, but my friend had a lot more than that. I'm not sure what I can do about it. Contact the labor board I guess.. But I'd want the others on board too, because like I said, I'm still afraid of retaliation. Not sure if a few hours pto is worth it.

I'm not sure if they had a policy on the pto or not, because I can't look up the policies now can i? lol

Thanks,, I am sooo glad I'm at this new job too! GEtting ready to go to work now! Starbucks here I come!

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

It never ceases to amaze me that nurses are treated like crap during the entire school process and animals at the workplace. I don't know about you guys, but I didn't sign up for this.

Magsulfate, I am glad you had a chance to move on. Not worth the headache.

[AlabamaBelle]

Generally, the only people who've been escorted out of our facility are the MDs or administrators who have been relieved of their positions. The RNs generally give a 2 week notice and work it out.

Glad things are much better for you, Magsulfate.

[vamedic4, EMT-P]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I've been at a new hospital for exactly a month now. Much much better. I'm not afraid of going into work anymore. All three of us are happy, and very glad that we moved on when we did. The facility in question is doing very bad from what I've heard, but there's nothing more I can do about it.

I'm still afraid of retaliation, so I haven't contacted the management company. I'm just glad to be gone and glad that nothing bad happened to my license while I was there. That goes three fold for all of us.

So good to hear the update, thanks!! Not being afraid to go to work is a great feeling, isn't it? You no longer need to worry yourself with your former employer, so don't lose any sleep over it. You're in a better place.

If they're not paying you PTO, then they're violating the law. If you feel that a few hours is worth it, pursue it. PTO is earned money. It belongs to you, not to the company.

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

It is important to remember too, unless you are under a contract of some sort, you are NOT required to put in a notice. Its the polite thing to do, especially in a field where scheduling is difficult to begin with, but you are not required to do it. Not like if you quit over the phone and tell them you are done, the cops are going to come to your house and drag you to the unit to work your two week notice.

The two week notice is a means of exiting from employment respectfully. If being respectful to these people is not a priority to you, dont worr about it.

If escorting you away at the first sign of having intentions to move on are how they treat people, its their own fault if they get no notice. People gotta take care of themselves first, and like you said, you cant afford to not work for two weeks.

Its a matter of cause and effect. They mistreat workers who are moving on to other opportunities, the effect is people go into a cloak and dagger way of quitting. If they want a notice, don't mistreat people when you get one.

Its also an issue of mind over matter. "I don't mind cause you dont matter". Its that simple. Thats what I'd be telling myself after I quit showing up cause my new job started and they are crying about not getting notice. The dont matter anymore. They no longer employee you, you dont want to be with them and you are moving on. Let'em steam about it. Its their problem.

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

Ooops. Didnt see that you had already moved on. N/M.

[Scrubby]

Wow that's just bizarre escorting people out like that. I can understand from the point of view that if someones angry enough they may do damage but it just sounds bizarre.

If anyone here is worried about this my advice would be to clear your locker, belongings and everything before you hand in your notice and even say your goodbyes to workmates privately or something.

[ICAN!]

You could have given them two weeks notice on the day you had planned on quitting. They never would have known you were leaving that day anyway. :)

Glad your in a better place!

[Magsulfate, BSN, RN]

Ooops. Didnt see that you had already moved on. N/M.

hehee thats okay,, I still have one friend left there and she called me wanting advice yesterday. I think the only reason she's staying is because she's an LVN and it's the only acute care that will hire lvn's around here...

It was an exhausting conversation.