I quit my job (long)

[Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN]

I quit my job as a hemo and peritoneal dialysis nurse.

I didn't want to do it. However, my boss has been getting meaner, more and more inappropriate and behaving aggressively. This last incident, she went too far.

I submitted in writing my concerns about the way the hemo unit is being run. As a hemo charge nurse, it is my responsibility to report anything that I feel jeopardizes pt care.

Well, my boss went ballistic. Yelling, screaming and putting me down- to make matters worse, she did this in front of other staff. I had expected that she would be concerned about problems on the unit and would respond professionally. I was totally shocked at her behavior. It was really an awful scene.

I gave my notice after this episode- then had to go back to the hemo unit, and continue charging! We were having a rough day, all kinds of things happening. I had pages out to three doctors at once. However, I was proud of myself at how I handled everything on the unit, after having just been verbally attacked by my boss and resigning from my job.

At the end of the day, my boss called me in to her office saying that I could change my mind and stay, and that I could come back and work for her in the future if I wanted to.

I told her that her behavior had been really unprofessional, and that she should not have insulted or yelled at me- especially in front of other staff. I also told her that she was "messing up the unit."

She really hit the roof when I said that. Her face turned red and she started yelling "How dare you say that to me! How dare you tell me how to do my job!"

She then ran out of her own office, and left me standing there.

I went back to my office to do some paperwork, and she came in and told me that I didn't have to finish my notice, since I am "prn" (I'm not prn, I was part-time 30 hrs a week, per our oral agreement).

She then said "I can cover your shifts. You can just leave today, and we'll call that good."

I replied. "Okay. We'll call it good."

I stayed another two hrs to finish my paperwork, to pack up my stuff, and say goodbye to some of my totally shocked co-workers. I passed my boss in the hall several times. She would not make eye contact with me.

I enjoyed dialysis, but the situation at the unit was becoming intolerable.

Two nurses who still work there have contacted me and told me that they, too, are looking to leave. However, they have families to support, and one has a very serious on-the-job back injury, which she is going to be having surgery for.

Ironically, when this nurse was injured, the company discovered that they had neglected to purchase any insurance of any kind to cover workers injured on-the-job. (Texas does not require Workman's Comp).

This nurse was threatened with loss of her job by our boss, when she had to call in after getting cortizone injections in her back. However, a tech who is one of the boss' pets was injured (NOT on-the-job) and the boss created an administrative position for him when he told her he could no longer work on the hemo unit.

This is just one example of the cronyism and favoritism that goes on.

A couple of weeks ago, a tech came on to the hemo unit and turned all the lights off. This was with 21 pts dialyzing! This tech said "I talked to (boss' name) adn we're going to be turning the lights off to save money. "

There are windows on the unit, but it was raining, very dark and cloudy. I told her this was not safe, and that we had to turn the lights back on. This tech just walked away from me. I was not charge that day. I approached the charge and told him we had to have the lights on. He said "I can't deal with this right now." I then approached the boss and told her that if a pt were injured or had a complication during tx, all they would have to tell a lawyer is that "It happened after they turned off the lights on the hemo unit" and it would be all over for us.

She said "Okay, I guess you'd better turn the lights back on."

This is just one example of the rediculous things that go on there.

I am grateful for all the training and skills I obtained from this employer, but I just could not deal with being treated the way I was.

It was so hard seeing the pts that last day, knowing I would not be seeing them anymore. They must have wondered why I was more huggy than usual with them.

The first couple of days after I left, I was very proud of myself for having stood up for myself. I have let employers walk on me in the past, and have regretted it.

Now, however, I'm feeling mad and sad.

I miss my patients.

[hypnotic_nurse]

All I can say is WOW! You had a rough time. Hugs to you -- and I hope the next job is as good as this one was bad.

[oramar]

This is a perfect example of the stuff nurses put up with. Is this person a nurse? I will tell you what is likely going on. She was hired to cut cost and if she does she is going to get a nice bonus. Everyday, everywhere nurses deal with this situation. It would have been better if you did not make general statements like "you are ruining the unit". Stick to actual specific facts when you confront managment. However, at this point you angry and quiting so it did not matter. Good for you for not putting up with it. I bet this is a privately owned company that gets most of its reimbursement from the state. The more they sqeeze the more profit they make. It produces a lot of unethical situations.

[Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN]

Oramar-

This person is an RN. In fact, she was the director of my old dialysis unit, and asked me to go with her when she accepted a job at this new unit.

She had made a lot of mistakes at the old unit, and things were really bad.

However, I felt that she was basically a good person, was trying, and that maybe she had learned from her mistakes at the old unit, and would do better at the new unit.

She ended up being much worse.

I thought I knew her pretty well, but apparently I didn't.

I guess I made a mistake in going to the new unit with her. I worked my butt off for this company, and I did let them push me into working more hours and doing more jobs than I wanted to.

I think the boss was used to being able to minimize and blow-off my concerns, and was thrown off when I didn't allow that to happen this time.

[Jo Dirt]

Stress can bring out the worst in a person. It sounds like she needs to find a less stressful job. Chances are she would be a different person.

The DON where I work has been the DON for over 30 yrs. and when she gets mad watch out. If she gets mad regardless of where it is she will start ranting an raving (in front of patients/family/staff) and you want to just crawl under the desk. Once time she jumped all over an aid who changed a persons diaper without cleaning them. She was yelling out "I'll FIRE you if you do that again ________!!!"

On the other hand this same DON has been known to be compassionate to a fault.

Anyway...sorry for what you went through. Except I think your boss should probably be the one looking for another job, if not for her own sense of well-being then for that of the other employees.

[Blackcat99]

It sounds like you did the right thing by resigning. I don't blame you. I hope you will find a better working environment at your next job. Good luck :)

[renerian, BSN, RN]

I am sorry that happened. I hope she put that in writing for you.

renerian

[kim93079]

Stick to your guns baby and good luck on your next job!!!

[HarryPotter]

I quit my job as a hemo and peritoneal dialysis nurse.

I didn't want to do it. However, my boss has been getting meaner, more and more inappropriate and behaving aggressively. This last incident, she went too far.

I submitted in writing my concerns about the way the hemo unit is being run. As a hemo charge nurse, it is my responsibility to report anything that I feel jeopardizes pt care.

Well, my boss went ballistic. Yelling, screaming and putting me down- to make matters worse, she did this in front of other staff. I had expected that she would be concerned about problems on the unit and would respond professionally. I was totally shocked at her behavior. It was really an awful scene.

I gave my notice after this episode- then had to go back to the hemo unit, and continue charging! We were having a rough day, all kinds of things happening. I had pages out to three doctors at once. However, I was proud of myself at how I handled everything on the unit, after having just been verbally attacked by my boss and resigning from my job.

At the end of the day, my boss called me in to her office saying that I could change my mind and stay, and that I could come back and work for her in the future if I wanted to.

I told her that her behavior had been really unprofessional, and that she should not have insulted or yelled at me- especially in front of other staff. I also told her that she was "messing up the unit."

She really hit the roof when I said that. Her face turned red and she started yelling "How dare you say that to me! How dare you tell me how to do my job!"

She then ran out of her own office, and left me standing there.

I went back to my office to do some paperwork, and she came in and told me that I didn't have to finish my notice, since I am "prn" (I'm not prn, I was part-time 30 hrs a week, per our oral agreement).

She then said "I can cover your shifts. You can just leave today, and we'll call that good."

I replied. "Okay. We'll call it good."

I stayed another two hrs to finish my paperwork, to pack up my stuff, and say goodbye to some of my totally shocked co-workers. I passed my boss in the hall several times. She would not make eye contact with me.

I enjoyed dialysis, but the situation at the unit was becoming intolerable.

Two nurses who still work there have contacted me and told me that they, too, are looking to leave. However, they have families to support, and one has a very serious on-the-job back injury, which she is going to be having surgery for.

Ironically, when this nurse was injured, the company discovered that they had neglected to purchase any insurance of any kind to cover workers injured on-the-job. (Texas does not require Workman's Comp).

This nurse was threatened with loss of her job by our boss, when she had to call in after getting cortizone injections in her back. However, a tech who is one of the boss' pets was injured (NOT on-the-job) and the boss created an administrative position for him when he told her he could no longer work on the hemo unit.

This is just one example of the cronyism and favoritism that goes on.

A couple of weeks ago, a tech came on to the hemo unit and turned all the lights off. This was with 21 pts dialyzing! This tech said "I talked to (boss' name) adn we're going to be turning the lights off to save money. "

There are windows on the unit, but it was raining, very dark and cloudy. I told her this was not safe, and that we had to turn the lights back on. This tech just walked away from me. I was not charge that day. I approached the charge and told him we had to have the lights on. He said "I can't deal with this right now." I then approached the boss and told her that if a pt were injured or had a complication during tx, all they would have to tell a lawyer is that "It happened after they turned off the lights on the hemo unit" and it would be all over for us.

She said "Okay, I guess you'd better turn the lights back on."

This is just one example of the rediculous things that go on there.

I am grateful for all the training and skills I obtained from this employer, but I just could not deal with being treated the way I was.

It was so hard seeing the pts that last day, knowing I would not be seeing them anymore. They must have wondered why I was more huggy than usual with them.

The first couple of days after I left, I was very proud of myself for having stood up for myself. I have let employers walk on me in the past, and have regretted it.

Now, however, I'm feeling mad and sad.

I miss my patients.

God! Have u gone to the website www.bullysatwork? Have u gone to polls about bullying on this site?

My advise to u is u need to give a written "exit interview" about this situation.

I would also go to human resources and have them investigate this (u have witnesses), You don't want this bad record following u around (like a bad eval).

Write down everything that happened...the 5 W's: Who, What, Where. When, Why." Organize it, put in it writing, then insist that this be looked into

using words like "retaliation", "harassment", management must respond to those types of words. Cover your a..

I am sorry that u felt u had to quit. In California, I am starting groups and giving seminars on workplace bullying...find out what is available in your area so u don't feel alone and get support.

I will put u on my buddy list so that when I have my web site up, I can contact u.

Read the book "The Bully at Work."

Take care of yourself. Be careful not to gossip with ex-co-workers as this could get put on your record, as on theirs. You need to find a way to talk about this situation in a discussion/forum way. Gossiping is considered to be part of bully culture, and u don't want to be part of that I am sure.

Consider educating yourself about bullys, then take on educating others. Take on Legislating.

Hope this helps.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Best of luck to you. It sounds like things would have only gotten worse there.

[kristylee]

I just thought I would mention something that I recently learned about giving your 2-week notice. If you give your employer your 2-week notice and they decide to let you go on the spot, by law, you are entitled to the 2-week notice pay PLUS any un-used sick or vacation time. I know the money is nothing compared to what you are/have gone through at this place, but since it just recently happened to me, I thought you might find it interesting.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

You've got a good head on your shoulders. Kudos to you for quitting and for saying what you needed to say.

Hope something better comes along soon. :)