I'm a tech (nursing assistant), not a nurse, but I'm certain that this topic is equally applicable to LVNs and registered nurses alike, so I wanted to bring it up.
I currently work two jobs (one full-time, the other PRN) at two separate hospitals, each a part of a different healthcare network. I've been at my full-time job for about two years, and I love it. I get paid well, I love the hospital culture, and I feel that my co-workers and are not only respectful and warm, but very collegial. About seven months ago, I was hired at my PRN job, but have mixed feelings about it. Most people at this PRN position are respectful enough, and I feel like that I my job competently and have no issues whatsoever with management. The only thing is, at my PRN job I feel like there's a lack of support and positivity between the staff members, and sometimes it's a bit depressing.
For instance, at my full-time job when a nurse asks me to do something, they phrase it as a question. "Can you get vitals on patient suchandsuch?" or "He needs an EKG. Are you cool with getting it?" Obviously, I never say 'no' and am quite compliant. Moreover, the nurses will say 'Thanks for doing that' if I help them out. So I do feel like I'm contributing to a team effort.
But at my PRN job, the nurses are more like, "Grab Room 214's blood sugar" or "He needs an EKG at 4 o'clock." I still cheerfully say "Sure!" and comply, but is it strange that the communication feels more hierarchical and less collaborative? Also, I don't feel like I'm ever recognized if I'm particularly busy and do a whole lot of things. I don't expect accolades, but many of the nurses could at least say, "Hey, thanks for doing that!" Is that too much to ask?
Also, at the PRN job it just feels like there's so much negativity among the nurses and other techs, as if they're burnt-out. I've never witnessed it myself, but I've overheard staff (nurses and techs alike) talk about how the doctors yelled at the nurses, or a nurse chewed out a tech. To me, that seems really unprofessional in a workplace environment, and it resembles what 'nursing culture' was years before. I've verbally conflicted with a particular nurse twice, over various issues, since I value my self-respect more than any pretensions to "hospital hierarchy". I'll stick up for myself if need be. Still, I hate conflicts and the perceived aggression, and afterward I always feel like my chest is beating fast and my eyes do get a bit moist.
On the one hand, I consider quitting my PRN job since I feel that I don't particularly need it (I make good money with my other job), already have a solid resume with work experience, and really don't like the atmosphere of negativity. I aspire to be a BSN-prepared nurse someday, and I really don't want to feel like what I do is "just a job". I want to be inspired. For the record, the patients at my PRN job love me (one guy told me he loved having me as his tech because I "treated him as a human", and another patient said I was really positive and they needed more people like me! Aw).
But on the other hand, I haven't hit the one-year mark that's traditionally used to quit a job. Moreover, I may do clinicals at the same hospital system (though probably not the same hospital) as a nursing student in the future, and I don't know if being a former employee over there would make any difference in me being able to do clinicals there. Also, I have doubts as to whether I just need a 'thicker skin' and be more detached from what I do.
Sorry if it's a long post. Just wanted to get all my thoughts out there!
I'm not a hypocrite. I practice what I preach. It's absolutely normal for me to thank a nurse for help or to say it was great working with them at the end of the shift.
Certainly not calling you a hypocrite.
Please re-read the "thicker skin" comments.
As you are aspiring to become a nurse.... you need to realize that you will not be thanked, appreciated , or asked nicely to do your job. It's not a requirement for a tech, either.
If you are so sensitive to these matters, you would consider quitting a position because "the communication feels more hierarchical".. it's a problem.
As you are aspiring to become a nurse.... you need to realize that you will not be thanked, appreciated , or asked nicely to do your job. It's not a requirement for a tech, either.
If you are so sensitive to these matters, you would consider quitting a position because "the communication feels more hierarchical".. it's a problem.
I'm dwelling on what you're saying. As a tech, I do recognize that I'm on the bottom of the totem pole of this hospital hierarchy, so to speak, but I have too much self-respect to let someone chew me out at their whim. If we have a disagreement, we can discuss it like grown ups, I feel. But perhaps I'm not fully loving this workplace because the culture at the hospital doesn't emphasize communication to the extent which I'd like. Sometimes before a shift, I'd be wishing to myself "Please don't let this shift go bad!" We're all already so busy with the patients, that we certainly don't need hostility between each other as it is.
A quote from the first post (I don't know why I don't have the quote function for the first post, but, oh well):
For instance, at my full-time job when a nurse asks me to do something, they phrase it as a question. "Can you get vitals on patient suchandsuch?" or "He needs an EKG. Are you cool with getting it?" Obviously, I never say 'no' and am quite compliant. Moreover, the nurses will say 'Thanks for doing that' if I help them out. So I do feel like I'm contributing to a team effort.
But at my PRN job, the nurses are more like, "Grab Room 214's blood sugar" or "He needs an EKG at 4 o'clock." I still cheerfully say "Sure!" and comply, but is it strange that the communication feels more hierarchical and less collaborative? Also, I don't feel like I'm ever recognized if I'm particularly busy and do a whole lot of things. I don't expect accolades, but many of the nurses could at least say, "Hey, thanks for doing that!" Is that too much to ask?
This may sound a bit harsh....
RNs delegate tasks to UAP (CNAs, PCTs, etc...). When an RN delegates a task, he/she is specific and to the point about it. While it might sound nice, such delegation does not always involve "when you get a chance, could you get a blood sugar on Mr. Jones?" What if the blood sugar is needed now and the PCT does not have a chance for 3 hours? The RN does not say to the tech "you cool with getting an EKG at 4:00 on Mrs. Johnson?" I'm not trying to make a divide between RNs and techs, and I'm not trying to say that the techs are just the laborers for the RNs, but the doctor does not write an order that says "If convenient to the unit, please try to get an EKG around 4:00."
The communication has to be blunt and to the point, or some stuff is not going to get done. The communication should be: "Please do a blood sugar on Mr. Jones." Tech: "I will do it right now" or "I have a patient on the toilet who is a fall risk, I will get it as soon as I am done" or "I am in a room with another nurse doing pericare on a complete patient. When I am out I will find you and see if the blood sugar still needs to be done." And just because the RN does not include "please," or the nurse and blunt and to the point about it, that does not mean the nurse is being rude, negative, cold, etc.
... I have too much self-respect to let someone chew me out at their whim. If we have a disagreement, we can discuss it like grown ups, I feel. But perhaps I'm not fully loving this workplace because the culture at the hospital doesn't emphasize communication to the extent which I'd like. ...
Then by all means, quit. Immediately. Another aspiring nursing student or other health care professional will gladly take your place.
And after you've quit jobs 4 or 5 times, because you have "too much self-respect" and/or you're not "fully loving" a workplace ... you just may see a pattern emerging.
Then by all means, quit. Immediately. Another aspiring nursing student or other health care professional will gladly take your place.
And after you've quit jobs 4 or 5 times, because you have "too much self-respect" and/or you're not "fully loving" a workplace ... you just may see a pattern emerging.
A quote from the first post (I don't know why I don't have the quote function for the first post, but, oh well):
For instance, at my full-time job when a nurse asks me to do something, they phrase it as a question. "Can you get vitals on patient suchandsuch?" or "He needs an EKG. Are you cool with getting it?" Obviously, I never say 'no' and am quite compliant. Moreover, the nurses will say 'Thanks for doing that' if I help them out. So I do feel like I'm contributing to a team effort.
But at my PRN job, the nurses are more like, "Grab Room 214's blood sugar" or "He needs an EKG at 4 o'clock." I still cheerfully say "Sure!" and comply, but is it strange that the communication feels more hierarchical and less collaborative? Also, I don't feel like I'm ever recognized if I'm particularly busy and do a whole lot of things. I don't expect accolades, but many of the nurses could at least say, "Hey, thanks for doing that!" Is that too much to ask?
This may sound a bit harsh....
RNs delegate tasks to UAP (CNAs, PCTs, etc...). When an RN delegates a task, he/she is specific and to the point about it. While it might sound nice, such delegation does not always involve "when you get a chance, could you get a blood sugar on Mr. Jones?" What if the blood sugar is needed now and the PCT does not have a chance for 3 hours? The RN does not say to the tech "you cool with getting an EKG at 4:00 on Mrs. Johnson?" I'm not trying to make a divide between RNs and techs, and I'm not trying to say that the techs are just the laborers for the RNs, but the doctor does not write an order that says "If convenient to the unit, please try to get an EKG around 4:00."
The communication has to be blunt and to the point, or some stuff is not going to get done. The communication should be: "Please do a blood sugar on Mr. Jones." Tech: "I will do it right now" or "I have a patient on the toilet who is a fall risk, I will get it as soon as I am done" or "I am in a room with another nurse doing pericare on a complete patient. When I am out I will find you and see if the blood sugar still needs to be done." And just because the RN does not include "please," or the nurse and blunt and to the point about it, that does not mean the nurse is being rude, negative, cold, etc.
Thanks for replying. I really liked it! Communication's a skill and an art, it seems.
I think we've all been in that situation where something is needed immediately, and if someone said "We need a stat Accucheck on patient 245", it's totally understandable. Using "we" instead of "I" conveys a sense of teamwork rather than hierarchy. And even when the question-based order, saying something like "Could you do an EKG on this kid?" carries the implication that you're not going to say "no".
As opposed to saying, "Hey, go in there and get his vitals". You might as well say "Go fetch that chew-toy and bring me some coffee".
Even from the RN's point of view, if the tech replies differently, I think it matters. Would you rather hear, "I can't right now, I'm busy in here with Mr. Smith (a fall risk patient)!" or "Sure. Could you come and look at Mr. Smith for a second while I go get it?"?
It's really a cultural thing. Let's say I'm really busy doing vitals and lab draws, and a nurse tells me, "I've already got that patient taken care of", I'll still say "Thanks for helping me out with that!" I definitely want to feel like patient care is a team effort, and I'll do my part to convey that.
You're overthinking it. If you don't need nor particularly want the job, then quit or keep minimal prn hours. You don't need to blame it on culture or anything else- working multiple jobs is tiring, and it doesn't sound like there's any pressing reason to continue doing it.
Why worry about whether you're "normal" Don't be "normal." Be the best you that you can be. If you don't think you can thrive in a specific environment, leave it.
BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN
3,520 Posts
Then to me it's clear. Leave your pt job. It doesn't sound like you need the stress it's causing you