Internal job transfer- how to not ruffle any feathers

[Mrokayrn]

Hey all,

I recently relocated and began a new position at a hospital. I thought the new position would be a perfect fit for me while I was adjusting to all the other changes in my life. I've been in this position for approximately two months now and it is VERY different from what I was told in the interview when it comes to what types of patients i would care for. I thought I must have misunderstood during the interview but I have been told by other nurses that everyone was told the same thing. I could live with that (although it bothers me to be told false information by a manager) however since coming off orientation I have held several near misses where I have almost been given (in my opinion) an unsafe assignment. Talking to the other nurses, I learned this is common and the supervisors will end up threatening nurses jobs if they try to refuse a patient.

I was very fortunate to have a wonderful mentor when I was a new nurse who taught me that I can always find a new job, but I only get one license. I will stand up for myself and if a supervisor tries to bully me I will gladly let them fire me before I put my license in jeopardy. Rather than wait for this to happen(from the way my co-workers talk, it is inevitable) I'm looking to transfer to a different unit- specifically hospice/home health where I can enjoy much more autonomy. There is a policy that an employee must be in a position for 6 months before transferring, but new hires were also told that a lot of resources go into training new hires and they would rather work with someone than have them quit or be fired.

How do I talk to HR about why I want to leave my current position without telling them I was lied to/I'm being put in unsafe situations- each of which I'm sure makes management very defensive/angry.

Thank you for any advice you can offer

[Postpartum RN]

If management lied to you in the interview about what sorts of patient population is on the unit, seems like they are desperate for bodies and will say anything to have someone accept the position....so in my opinion they will not be too happy if you try to transfer after 2 months, Esp if the policy states 6 months.

I personally would not go and talk to HR behind the managers back so to say, but if you really can't stand being there you can try talking to the manager and letting them know you had a completely different impression of what the unit was when you accepted the position. Honestly don't know how well that will go over though. And you are still in your probationary period right?

[Mrokayrn]

It bothers me being here but my deciding factor was finding out that I will be bullied into taking unsafe patients. It's the 24 hour observation unit and they'll send us hospital overflow including patients that belong in the ICU. Like I said, if they threaten to fire me, I will let them rather than jeopardize my license.

[twilatwiddle]

Do we work on the same floor? Getting overflow must be an ongoing issue with observation units. I started my first job on a newly opened obs floor in August and I should have known better to run.. But I didn't. I wanted experience. What I got was a terrible orientation, which set an uneven foundation for my career- and endless anxiety resulting from trying to function on a unit that is all over the place. Now like you I want to transfer but am not "eligible" until May. What to do..

[Mrokayrn]

I've decided to stick it out. For now. Just have to closely investigate every single patient and question the doctor if someone really does not belong there. Once I called the doctor and asked if this patient should be on a cardizem drip. Next thing you know they changed the status from observation to CIC(critical step down.) I'm just tolerated the all manners of crap they send to us. All the altered, drunk, demented, and whatever else people.

Lesson: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I took this position because the hospital I came from had just opened a CDU and all the nurses I talked to looooved it. Guess every where is different.