had job offer but NM had "CONCERNS" about me, should I accept??

[holdensjane]

i'm a new grad who got an RN offer in the hospital I'm working in as a CNA. The potential manager called my manager for a reference and she told her that she has "concerns" about me regarding communication. Now The only instance I can think of was a miscommunication between my manager and her assistant manager who I have kept in touch with the whole time since she schedules people for work. In that situation I got an angry call from my manager stating that she was still my manager and that if I no longer wanted to work for her she could transfer me. Even though I have kept in touch her with asst manager, I guess that was not communicated to her. meanwhile she thinks I have NOT been working all this time, when in reality I have and have even been floated to other units because they did not need me. Apparently they have needed me and the asst. manager did not schedule me. anyway, that was cleared up. I guess she was also upset about the fact that there was a period in time that I haven't worked for a few months because I can only work on fridays and they don't need me on fridays. But I told them this in my interview! I feel like my manager had an overall bad impression of me and related that to the potential manager. SO now the potential manager has offerred me a position and I got an official offer from HR. if i take this job i would turn down my other one, but even though I got the official offer I am nervous that they will rescind it later. Can they do that? I want to call the manager and ask her again if she is completely comfortable with her decision to hire me, would that be too annoying of me? She said "i will take this chance with you, but you're gonna need to ask questions and be a part of the team, you can't be standoffish". I had no idea where this is comming from or what my manager told her but I have NEVER had issues with the ppl I worked with now my new manager will think I'm not a team player. I don't want to start off being already the trouble child, I don't think its fair to me. what should I do? I feel that now I have to prove myself and it is not fair to me.

[bluesky, BSN, RN]

No i had no idea. SInce it was the same hospital the manager interact regularly. The new manager just told me she was going to contact my current manager. Never really asked my permission, she just did it. This makes me mad but I guess there's nothing I can do about it now.

Listen. You need to GET OUT of that hospital ASAP unless you are vested with 5 yrs or more of experience there with many dependents. This experience you have had is merely your first taste of their abusiveness and lack of professionalism. Mark my words you are blessed for being shown their true colors early so you can get the heck out.

As a new grad, you can go to any other hospital in your area with recommendations from your school alone. Your old manager's behavior is not just a sign of poor character on her part... it is a clear indicator of an unhealthy nursing culture and management structure at that hospital. Please don't settle for a sick work environment like this.

Your current manager is probably mad at you for one major reason. When she hired you as a CNA for one shift a week or less, she felt she was guaranteeing herself a newgrad RN. If she is a real grade A hag, she probably tried to make you feel like she went on a limb for you. Now that you're leaving, her plan is botched and instead of supporting a brand new nurse in her profession, she is punishing you for protecting your carreer and your sanity. The fact that the new manager was not able to read what a first class beeyach the old one was AND, played on the old one's nasty behavior by making you feel lucky to even be considered is just INFURIATING to me. These are people you need to get away from.

As a new nurse full of hope and ambition, you are the jewel and the future of our beloved but ailing profession. Please don't let these people dampen your enthusiasm or your self-confidence. I am not just refering to the managers, by the way, if you know what I mean...

Take care and please feel free to PM if you need any support.

[nanacarol]

You did accept the job offer. You were aware of the negative information the new manager had before accepting so I am not sure what the real issues are. You mentioned you had been a CNA, I have found it very difficult to rise above ones previous work station when working with people who knew me before. That is just a barrier to overcome. Are you hesitant because you recognize the potential problems? If you have an offer somewhere you are not known intimately, I'd go with that one. Assimilating a new career is challenging alone, don't add to it.

[holdensjane]

in your experiences, should my current manager have brought the issue up first with me sometime before now? or do they just spit these things out on reference calls? Nothing was mentioned in my evaluation. this kinda came out of left field for me.

[holdensjane]

You did accept the job offer. You were aware of the negative information the new manager had before accepting so I am not sure what the real issues are. You mentioned you had been a CNA, I have found it very difficult to rise above ones previous work station when working with people who knew me before. That is just a barrier to overcome. Are you hesitant because you recognize the potential problems? If you have an offer somewhere you are not known intimately, I'd go with that one. Assimilating a new career is challenging alone, don't add to it.

wells heres the story on that, she made me an official offer weeks prior and told me to think about it and get back to her. when I finally get back to her and asked if the offer was still good, she became hesitant and proceeded to tell me what my manager said. she knew very well that i had a family situation that I would turn down another job to take this one. She knew I was on a time crunch. She was sooo understanding about it and even tried to persuade me to chose her job. So when I called to check on the offer it kinda caught me off guard that she was potential going to rescind it. GOOD THING I HADN'T TURN DOWN MY OTHER OFFER YET! so about a minute after i got off the phone with her, HR called me with the details of my job. at this point I felt so lucky to even have been considered again, I didn't say no. also my current manager didn't know i was applying for this job, could that have been part of what she thinks is my communication issues? Would a manager be mad about that? many ppl applying for other jobs don't often tell their current managers they're looking for jobs, I preferred her not to know because frankly, i didn't think it was any of her business. Could that be a reason too?

[nanacarol]

If you were leaving your current employer I would suggest you speak to HR because your current manager violated several of your employee rights and the manager that you are moving to also violated confidences. Since you are staying, I would politely ask to speak with my current manager, saying what you stated in your post. I was shocked and concerned that you feel I have issues with communication. My performance review and past experience with you hasn't identified any problems. I really would appreciate your help in identifying issues I need to work on in my new position. As a new nurse, I hope my colleagues will be up front with me as problems surface so that my potential career goals will not be hampered.

This places her on notice that her peer violated her confidence and that you disagree with the information since your performance review failed to identify these concerns and that you are now a nursing colleague, and equal in the profession. Be professional, non accusing, matter of fact. The outcome will be an eye opener for you and will raise your self esteem as a competent nurse, worthy of new opportunities.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

I have re-read the entire thread, and I disagree with those who say that the OP's rights were somehow violated or that the manager who was her NM while she was a CNA somehow did something improperly.

As I understand it, OP was an employee of the hospital who applied for a new RN position pending her graduation from nursing school. This is a common situation. It is an internal transfer, and there is no legal or other reason that I'm aware of that managers of various departments within one organization cannot communicate frankly about personnel matters as long as there is no discrimation as defined by local, state or federal law. (and that would be discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religious affilation ... etc.)

There seems to have been a situation in OP's past position as a CNA with confusion over scheduling. OP's nurse manager seems to perceive that at least part of the difficulty of that situation involved some lack of appropriate communication on the part of the OP. None of us here can possibly evaluate that - we weren't there, we don't know the details, and it's really not important at this point. NM has communicated her concern about OP's communication skills to the NM of the department who has extended an offer of an RN position to OP. That conversation was just that - one manager to another. There was no violation of any confidence that I can see. IMO, former NM simply said to new NM: "I've given OP positive performance reviews, however there was this situation which caused me concern." That is her perogative to do so. I know of no legal or ethical principle that she violated by doing so. New, potential NM has communicated to OP that she is willing to hire her, but has clearly advised OP that repeats of the previous situation, whatever the problem was, will not be viewed favorably.

OP seems to be disturbed by this, and seems to be weighing whether to accept this position or take another one at another hospital where she has no prior history and is therefore starting with a clean slate. That is the decision OP must make.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

You know what? These two manager types are having a pissing contest and they've put you in the middle. They're arguing over who got staff to work and who didn't. I was a manager. I know this game and they put you in the middle and are making you the scapegoat. How dare they. It isn't your fault. I wouldn't want to stay there and be their patsy because that's what they're making you. Apply with another manager on another unit of this hospital. Or, go look for a job in another hospital where you'll be treated nicer. You don't need to start a career with this going on. This has red flags all over it.

[incublissRN, BSN, RN]

I agree with Daytonite. I worked as a student nurse and wanted to transfer to a new unit after I graduated and the situation was similar to yours. I ended up accepting a job at a different hospital that treated me better.

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

I wouldn't take the job. We all know that not all managers are good ones. It sounds like the OP's former manager is the vindictive type-probably upset because she couldn't work all the hours that she wanted her to work, so she decided to play sneaky. IMO, it sounds as though the manager has communication problems!

There are plenty of oppourtunities out there-you don't have to take the first job offered to you. Keep looking and whatever you do, don't use your wenchy ex NM for a reference. Think of it this way, as a new nurse, you'll make plenty of mistakes along the way(as long as they don't kill or hurt anyone, you're fine!) but if you have this little cloud hanging over you from Nurse Nasty, things could go badly for you. That is the way to burnout. There are better hospitals out there and better jobs. Keep looking and good luck!

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

I agree with Daytonite. I worked as a student nurse and wanted to transfer to a new unit after I graduated and the situation was similar to yours. I ended up accepting a job at a different hospital that treated me better.

I stayed for a year at the place where I trained as a new grad. Did I feel I owed them anything past that? NOPE..I worked 2 years prior to that as a surg tech-worked 32 hours a week and took call on weekends while going to NS full-time. It was like pulling teeth to get my hours down from 40 hours to 32 hours and then they had the nads to complain that at times I seemed "tired". Yah think? After going to clinical from 7-3 and then working 3:30 to 11pm? They heard a rumor that I wanted to learn trauma type cases(and it was just that-a rumor. Probably heard it from one of the techs that was PO'd that I was uppity enough to continue my education) and after that I was a marked woman. I had the last laugh though-it turns out a large hospital offered me a job at significantly better pay, and they're union too.

I agree that it can be hard to work for someplace where you worked in a different capacity, especially if you were lower down on the food chain. The other nurses just see you as a former CNA, tech etc and the other CNAs or techs see you as a "traitor". Go where you have a clean slate. Oh, and just because you accepted the job means nothing. You can back out although I would do so before you start working there as a nurse.

[trist89]

I wouldn't take the job. We all know that not all managers are good ones. It sounds like the OP's former manager is the vindictive type-probably upset because she couldn't work all the hours that she wanted her to work, so she decided to play sneaky. IMO, it sounds as though the manager has communication problems!

There are plenty of oppourtunities out there-you don't have to take the first job offered to you. Keep looking and whatever you do, don't use your wenchy ex NM for a reference. Think of it this way, as a new nurse, you'll make plenty of mistakes along the way(as long as they don't kill or hurt anyone, you're fine!) but if you have this little cloud hanging over you from Nurse Nasty, things could go badly for you. That is the way to burnout. There are better hospitals out there and better jobs. Keep looking and good luck!

great advice, wow!

[nanacarol]

In the state where I practice, all references are channelled through HR. One reason is to prevent organization liability. Had the current manager used the proper channels to share information the employee would not feel confused. Yes, we managers do talk off the record with each other and when that is the case neither party should "share" what is said with the individual about whom it refers. Could the employee file suit, yes. Could there be an element of discrimination, yes. All of this hinges on the fact that the employee's performance reviews did not address information that was negative under the element of "communication". Perspective employees, according to current labor practice, are to be chosen solely on the ability to perform the elements of the job being offered. I would suggest those who have questions about the appropriateness of the interactions consult the individual human resource personnel.