I've been at my job for 3 months now on a Medical/Onc unit. I had 2 weeks orientation with another nurse before I was on my own (3 12 hours shifts/week). Ok. My first day by myself:
I had a VERY difficult load. I was expressing this to the asst. manager, whom sits at the station and acts like she is very busy but she isn't. Honestly, a lot of us don't know what she does all day. She doesn't have patients....a new rule is that we floor nurses have to report off to another nurse when we go on break....not her.
I rarely get a break....and I work 12 hour shifts that normamally turn into 14 hours. I am lucky to get a 15 minute lunch.
The pallative care nurse is VERY nasty and made me cry.
We have a agency nurse who refuses to carry a phone with her. I told the asst. manager that it is boloney that she won't carry a phone and she snapped at me "Raindrop, I'm just happy to have her here. What, am I supposed to tell her she can't come back if she doesn't carry a phone. Do you realize how busy WE would have been if she didn't come it to help, WE would have been running around like our heads were off." I responded......"I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off because everytime she has a phone call, I am running around looking for her. And I have worked as a agency nurse before, you still have to follow the rules." She didn't have much to say after that.
I put in for time off 7 weeks in advance. A Monday and Tuesday. I was told I didn't get those days off.....that typically, if you want time off you have to put it in at least 8 weeks in advance. I grioed about that..and the asst manager stated....I have over 200 hours of PTO and I rarely get to use them...HaHA. I took that comment as if, PTO is a privelege....?
Is this normal? The last hospital I worked at....in a different town...it wasn't like this. Maybe this is the norm for large teaching hospitals and my old (mid-sized) hospital was an exception? Or is this WAY off?
There are many units like this, but not all are. Agree with some posters here that it sounds like this is a leadership problem and is originating somewhere above your manager and it's affecting the whole culture. I suffered 7 years on a unit like this and finally got out. Leaving a bad unit is kind of like leaving a bad relationship- you keep running back to it because it's familiar and it's all you know and you keep hoping it's going to get better. Finally, you get out when it becomes a matter of survival. Nurses not getting their breaks it just WRONG. I know we've come to accept it as the norm, but it's still WRONG. We're human beings- we need to eat, we need use the bathroom. Why are there federal laws governing hours of service rules for truck drivers because it's a "safety sensitive" job, but no such thing for nursing?
Leaving a bad unit is kind of like leaving a bad relationship- you keep running back to it because it's familiar and it's all you know and you keep hoping it's going to get better.
I think thats why i was where i was for 10 years. I finally got burned out and was really ready to go to walmart lol. The sad thing about burnout is that the pts suffer from losing all the experience that nurse had...
The PTO thing is pretty typical in my experience. I was a career changer and I was prepared for most of nursing but unaware of how hard it would be to take (earned) time off. Especially working nights. I sucked it up for a few years and paid my dues. Then I spent a few years looking for a job that allowed for vacations as a long term goal while doing hospital work.
Glad to hear it is better elsewhere. It was always like the OP for me at a variety of hospitals.
Specializes in med-surg, teaching, cardiac, priv. duty.
This place does sound like it has problems....But I'd say to give things more time. Likely when you've been there longer and have developed a routine, you'll be able to take breaks and get out on time. Things are always slower when you are new. At least for me. It takes me awhile to adjust to new places and routines....But once I get things down I am fast.
Since you are a new employee, I am not surprised your PTO was denied. I usually wait until I've been somewhere at least 6 months before I take any PTO. That's just me - I like to establish myself somehwere before making requests for time off and such. But that comment about having 200 hours PTO and rarely getting to use it - is ridiculous! PTO is not a privilege! We all need time off! America is so backward with this! Did you know that the USA gives its employees the least time off of any country in the industrialized world? (that's another topic...)
From your post, there does seem to be some ominous signs that this place is toxic!! But hang in there - give things more time. Maybe you are just misunderstanding some things since you are new...
country mom
379 Posts
There are many units like this, but not all are. Agree with some posters here that it sounds like this is a leadership problem and is originating somewhere above your manager and it's affecting the whole culture. I suffered 7 years on a unit like this and finally got out. Leaving a bad unit is kind of like leaving a bad relationship- you keep running back to it because it's familiar and it's all you know and you keep hoping it's going to get better. Finally, you get out when it becomes a matter of survival. Nurses not getting their breaks it just WRONG. I know we've come to accept it as the norm, but it's still WRONG. We're human beings- we need to eat, we need use the bathroom. Why are there federal laws governing hours of service rules for truck drivers because it's a "safety sensitive" job, but no such thing for nursing?