Im being blackballed!..experienced nurses please reply

[1styearsucks]

Please all with experience in the following matter respond!

Hello all,

I graduated nursing school with my BSN in May 08". I immediately took a job at a large,prestiges, hospital. 21/2 months into my preceptorship I went to my manager and told her that i did not think this floor was a good fit for me and would like to pursue another floor. She gave me her opinion that I should pursue non-surgical floors with post-op patients.At my facility one is to stay on there floor for a year before transfer.After speaking to HR I was granted an early transfer. this took place on oct.1. Since then I have applied for 15 jobs! Yes, it is my managers opinion that I should not work on surgical floors but that is not her decsion to make for me.

I began to notice that I was being turned down for position the same day or the next day of me putting up my application.When I would call the managers of the floor I was denied a job and asked them why they simply said,"we are interested in other applicants." The recruter for surgical floor positions must have gotten tired of seeing me name.She called me and said,"You might want to apply for positions that are not surgical.What about another hospital all together". She went on to say that," Managers are a tight circle..they talk." What does that mean? I know what that means. I went to HR who in turn spoke to my manager who tried to assure her that she was not saying anything adverse against my character. I have so many reasons( the above being one)to not believe that.So ,I can get to the point I will not point out other evidence.

Bottom line...

Upper authority intimidates me. I am scared to approach her or any other upper managment with my alligations. I was always tought to stand up for myself but this manager can make my carrer hell? I have tried to talk to her and she does not return my calls or e-mails. I have no choice but to go to her manager. Is it wise to go against managment? I am a new nurse and

I do not want to make waves. But she is interfering with my lively hood and taking oppurtunities away from me that I deserve.

[NursePaula]

First, let me say that I am sorry that you are having a bad time of it.

With that said, I can say from experience that I also learned the hard way. I actually was trying to go back to a place that I had previously worked without any difficulty, was offered the job, and then found out that someone had blackballed me and the offer was withdrawn. :angryfire Managers can be very tight and if this is the case for you as it seems to be then really the only choice you have is too lay low and work hard and try to stay off the radar for a while, or start looking at another facility. Is it right? No, but unfortunately that is the way it is. Making waves and fighting it will only get into a he said/she said, and no way to prove it. You will be the only one to lose.

Hang in there, nursing is a great place to work, just find your spot where it is a good fit.

Good luck,

Paula

[Farmer Jane]

You definitely need to seek an outside position.

That said, you need to take an honest look at yourself--find your weakness and improve those areas.

[CHATSDALE]

i know it isn't fair but sometimes it just doesn't pay to continue the struggle

if there is another hospital maybe applying there would be a good idea and put this all behind you

for your own information make a list of why this floor was nt a good fit and what you want to do in your next assignment

good luck i hope you find the ideal job for you

[RockyCreek]

What it sounds like to me is that you don't really know exactly what is happening so the best solution would be to get the information you need before you assume anything. Don't assume anything until you have ALL the facts.

Ask for a meeting with your present manager. At this meeting, calmly ask for a list of things that you could do better -- listen to the list and do not argue. It really doesn't matter if you agree with their assessment -- you are just asking for the information. Next, ask him/her to work with you to design an action plan to correct or improve each of the deficit areas -- just like a nursing diagnosis. Before you leave, set another meeting for a reasonable point in time for you to adequately show progress in all areas. Follow that plan and make it your number one priority.

If you really had a problem with policies/procedures -- this will fix it because you will learn how to do everything better.

If you really had more of a staff problem -- this will fix that, too because the staff will see you making a positive out of a negative -- it is hard for them not to respect youi for that.

If you really just need to prove that you are not an unflexible nurse -- this will fix, too. Maybe you were never 'wrong' - just different and doing things a little more like the rest of the floor will make you seem like more of a team player.

After you have shown progress, then apply again for new positions -- until then I would try to make the best of a 'bad fit' situation. We have all been in one at some time and you can grow from the experience!

Best of luck!

[Jolie, BSN]

You've given very few details, so it is difficult to respond to your post. Why did you feel that your original unit "was not a good fit?" Did you not like the patient population? Were you struggling with patient care, prioritization, time management, getting along with others? Had you completed orientation? Was it sufficient? If not, what was lacking? Did you make any attempt to work on the things that you found unsatisfactory (with your preceptor, unit educator or unit manager) before deciding that you wanted to transfer?

Hiring and orienting a new graduate is an incredibly time consuming and expensive process. When a manager decides to do so, s/he needs to have a reasonable expectation that the new employee intends to commit to the unit for a period of time, in order to recoup the expense and realize the benefit of the new nurse's contributions to the unit.

Since I don't know the details of your employment or your manager's mindset, I can only guess that s/he believed it best to "cut her losses" by allowing you to pursue other positions within the hospital. That may be because she believed that you lacked the aptitude to work that unit, or lacked the commitment to stick around for a year. Either way, she is trying to salvage the investment the hospital has made in you, even if her unit won't realize any benefit from it.

Is she badmouthing you to other managers? Possibly, but not likely. It is possible that she is honestly informing other managers of her disappointment that you were not willing to keep your one year commitment to her unit. That will give other managers pause to wonder if you will do the same on their units.

That is why I believe it is imperative that new grads accept jobs thoughtfully, and with reasonable certainty that they will stick with them for a year or two (barring unsafe working conditions, of course.)

If you have the opportunity to interview with another unit manager, it will be important to emphasize that you realize the importance of staying with a unit for an agreed-upon period of time. If you find that you are not receiving interviews within your own hospital, it may be necessary to start from scratch with other facilities, but be prepared to discuss your short tenure on your unit during those interviews as well.

Good luck.

[caliotter3]

Welcome to the world of nursing work. When you were told that managers are a tight circle and they talk, you were being told the truth. I was told the same thing when my manager told me that "you will see the same faces everywhere you go". And she said this in an obviously threatening manner. I got what she meant (and I can be dense!). You would do well to find a new hospital to work at. Or stop trying to move around, and make a go of it where you are. Sounds like you cooked your goose to me. Sad thing is that you will still be remembered for this three or four years from now. Managers not only talk, they have memories like elephants. They never forget a slight.

[Melinurse]

Similar situation happen to me too. I got a few of the RNs to write me letters of recommendation and then I left. Got a job the next day and so far it seems a better fit for me.

[RNperdiem, RN]

At 2 1/2 months, the other nurse managers might have hired all the new grads they plan to hire for the time being.

[cafenurse1112]

I have had this same thing. Left a hospital system, tried to return about 3 years later. Was offered a job and had orientation set up. Got a letter in the mail about 1 week later telling me the job offer had been recinded.

Called the manager who told me flat out that she was told hot to hire me and there was nothing I could do about it, that my file was 'flagged" and I would never be allowed back in the door. Since then, the er director changed, Nurse CEO of the hospital changed, head of personel has changed but my file remains "marked" and I can never return there.

[Midwest4me]

So sorry to hear of your situation.:icon_hug::icon_hug: Get some references from other RNs and leave the place. From here on out, "paste a smile on your face" (just a piece of advice given to me many years ago) and don't disagree with ANY management personnel. Best of luck to you.

[Southern Fried RN]

Welcome to the world of nursing work. When you were told that managers are a tight circle and they talk, you were being told the truth. I was told the same thing when my manager told me that "you will see the same faces everywhere you go".

Isn't that the truth!!!! And that's not just in the hospital where managers talk. You never know Jane worked with Susie 15 yrs ago in ICU, so-and-so's sister works in the department you want a transfer to, etc, etc. A nurse manage actually admitted to me that she blackballed another nurse from a unit at a competing hospital. They knew each other from nursing school and the new manager called the old one unofficially for the scoop.

Cut your losses. Go to another hospital and don't say anything about the old one. It may come back to bite you in ways you couldn't imagine.