I need an attitude adjustment- HELP!

gonzo1, ASN, RN · Nov 1, 2006

You don't need an attitude adjustment. You have a great attitude, you just need hugs. Hugs to you. Focus on the great and exciting future you will have when you are an RN. I hope your job is paying for your education.

nurse_clown · Nov 1, 2006

you don't need an attitude adjustment. you have a great attitude, you just need hugs. hugs to you. focus on the great and exciting future you will have when you are an rn. i hope your job is paying for your education.

:yeahthat:

there's a lot of manager turnovers where i work too. ya, we worry about who's going to take over and what it's going to be like, but a positive attitude is the best thing.

TiffyRN, BSN, PhD · Nov 1, 2006

I'll listen in cause I haven't been able to stick it out that long anywhere. After nearly 14 years as a nurse the longest I've worked one place was 4 yrs 10 months. I plan to stay longer at my current job (been there just over 4 years). I think the key (and I wouldn't listen to me) is to not care too much about the job. I cared WAY too much what they said the first few jobs I'd worked.

Moneypitt · Nov 1, 2006

I'm an RN with a very similiar situation. Our new Unit Manager (4th in 5 years) gave me hope. But now it is the same old, same old, but with veiled threats to staff in an attempt to improve performance. But of course us hard workers get really stressed, while those with a poor work ethic just skate by.

I am just biding my time and hope to get out of nursing within the next couple of years. Until then I just do the best I can. I used to work hard at promoting change, but got burned on that. So when our UM starts the veiled threats during staff meetings, I just think that I have outlasted the other UM's, and I will probally be here when she is gone.

General E. Speaking, RN, RN · Nov 1, 2006

thanks for the nice comments. My usual is 5 yrs at a job. I am paying for my own education, but the hospital does offer $600/semester tuition reimbursment (no strings) Doesn't pay for all, but it helps. I have been off for 2 weeks and I think it will help!

General E. Speaking, RN, RN · Nov 1, 2006

I used to work hard at promoting change, but got burned on that.

:yeahthat:

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Nov 1, 2006

I worked on a stepdown unit for 5 1/2 years. For 5 of those years we had the same head nurse. It was a stable, well-run and cohesive unit. And, then the head nurse was offered the nurse manager position in ICU and took it. Our new head nurse was a jerk and our stable, cohesive staff starting dropping like flies. It was sad to watch. You can't help getting caught up in the drama of this as co-workers confide their feelings about the dealings and problems they are having with a new leader. We also had a change in director of nursing at the same time and then a couple of head nurses who had been working in the hospital for years--years--were fired out of the blue. You just want to hide somewhere as you see all this stuff going on and the morale going to hell.

Honestly, I didn't stay around for much more of the fallout. I started nosing around to see what other units or departments seemed like they would be nice to work on. A group of nurses from another unit figured out what I was up to and started working on me! Within 6 months their head nurse had me transferred over to her unit. I was wanted, greeted with open arms and had a terrific relationship with these people as well. Meanwhile, heads were continuing to roll in the remainder of the hospital.

Over the years I've learned that what is most important is the very immediate group of people you work with. If you can live and work with them, you can get through most everything. Having been on the "other side of the fence" myself since then, I can tell you that one of the reasons management people come and go is because of the very harsh demands and accountability placed upon them by upper management. The nurses working with patients on the units don't really see this because it's not part of their job description. However, some places make unit managers accountable for everything on their unit and the incredible stress of that gets to you after awhile because we were never taught some of these administrative things in nursing school. You can only function for so long in the dark and get criticised for errors before you call it quits because of the stress build up.

If you feel you can stick this out, then go ahead. However, something is going on with management since they are unable to keep someone in a management position for your unit. The chances of them allowing untrained managers to take that position just to fill it are very good. You never know what kind of person an inexperienced new manager is going to turn out to be. If there are other units that will take an LPN, you might try nosing around to see if they might be willing to take you on. Look at the outpatient areas. Many outpatient areas that are doing invasive testing utilize LPNs.

General E. Speaking, RN, RN · Nov 1, 2006

I agree with the problem going beyond my managers and leading to upper managment. My current director has been at the hospital for about 3 yrs and recently took over our unit in addition to his current duties. My options for changing to another unit are limited because I need a weekend program. However, I always keep my eyes open. The weekend program does help because there is less managment BS to deal with. No offense, managers!