Leaving current contract because half the staff are disrespectful

Specialties Travel

Published

Hi there I'm a new traveller currently on my 2nd contract -but not thinking about leaving it. I'm in the OR -hired as a circulator and currently on my 3rd week. I have made a couple of friends so far but the staff doesn't seem traveller friendly as I am the only day person traveller so far. Anyway I usually don't pay attention to small nasty comments that have been made by staff in my situation -that I was not trained in scrubbing- but today just broke the ice. 

We had a staff meeting today and a couple people had brought the attention of "why they were hiring travel OR nurses that don't even scrub" and that they were making more money than us and so on and so forth. Me, being the only traveller there at the meeting, felt so embarrassed and angry that someone had the audacity to bring it up infront of the entire OR staff, when it could of been a private conversation to the manager(my manager was not there during the staff meeting). 

Like I'M SORRY, I was told the job offered circulating only and that was why I was offered the job in the first place. I went directly to the manager's office in tears explaining why I didn't even want to come back the next day and felt like my help was useless. I do not feel welcome anymore and feel disrespected about my current skills. I told my recruiter I did not want to return this facility. And she had said that I would put on DNR from Right Sourcing. Not sure what that group is but does anyone have a similiar experience?

 

 

0 Votes

Right Source is a vendor manager with a contract with your assignment hospital to manage, well, their vendors, specifically travel companies. Effectively the hospital has outsourced HR to the "VM". Yes, since they are not the employer of record (that would be your agency) they could blacklist you for all their client hospitals. That by itself is not really an issue, they not especially large and there are tons of other assignments.

I can understand how you might be offended, I wouldn't have been in the same position. It happens I can scrub, but even if I didn't it is irrelevant. I'm not offended by staff complaints. There are lots of staff complaints about travelers and are part of your cross to bear. "They don't even do neuro (or open hearts or whatever) and are getting paid three times as much as we are?" Whether it is said to your face or not, that is always what some of the staff will be thinking. Just stay professional and do your job. Let the pain settle in a bit and shrug it off. I don't see a reason to quit.

Only thing odd I see is that your manager was not present at the staff meeting. That is so wrong!

3 Votes
13 hours ago, NedRN said:

Right Source is a vendor manager with a contract with your assignment hospital to manage, well, their vendors, specifically travel companies. Effectively the hospital has outsourced HR to the "VM". Yes, since they are not the employer of record (that would be your agency) they could blacklist you for all their client hospitals. That by itself is not really an issue, they not especially large and there are tons of other assignments.

I can understand how you might be offended, I wouldn't have been in the same position. It happens I can scrub, but even if I didn't it is irrelevant. I'm not offended by staff complaints. There are lots of staff complaints about travelers and are part of your cross to bear. "They don't even do neuro (or open hearts or whatever) and are getting paid three times as much as we are?" Whether it is said to your face or not, that is always what some of the staff will be thinking. Just stay professional and do your job. Let the pain settle in a bit and shrug it off. I don't see a reason to quit.

Only thing odd I see is that your manager was not present at the staff meeting. That is so wrong!

 

I was staying professional for up to 3 weeks and then you start to feel like your losing respect for yourself and your mental well being starts declining. Management hasn't even done a thing other than saying "I apologize for my staff's attitude" blah blah blah. It's no wonder I'm the only traveller there. Will not be going back. 

0 Votes

Sorry for that experience. I’ve never seen it exactly like that but it is common for a traveler to have to earn respect and trust and that usually takes time. I’ve also many times been the sole traveler (sometimes first ever to be at a facility). And there is a wide range of reactions. At some facilities I feel like I’m walking on water and can do no wrong, and I’ve actually been terminated from other for a lack of trust (never about my skills though). 

0 Votes
Specializes in ER.

I've come off a couple of travel assignments, and in both I found the staff pretty brutal. It's like bullying and hazing all rolled into one. I think that's why we earn the $ is because we have to tolerate unprofessional, insensitive nonsense from coworkers. Good luck and I hope you find a better fit. 

0 Votes
Specializes in Corrections, Surgical.

The travel assignment that I just completed the staff was extremely nice to travelers and even thanked us for helping out the facility. But with this facility it seemed like half of the nurses were travelers and the rest new grads or new hires. I've seen travelers even precept new grads which I never seen before. The place was desperate so I guess they couldn't really afford to be mean. The few long term staff members are thinking about quitting to become travelers because they are fed up or are going PRN from burnout. But I did have a travel assignment in a correctional setting that had one nurse that would just pile on work for the travelers because we were making 2-3 times as much as she was and she would even say this to us. She just didn't want to work it seems like. I always tell people if they are unhappy they can become a travel nurse as well. No one is forcing them to stay. Honestly I'm not sure if I want to risk being on a do not rehire list if that place has a lot of hospitals like HCA. How long left do you have on your contract? Always put your mental health first though. If it does become unbearable no one will fault you for it.

0 Votes
38 minutes ago, bluescrubs said:

Honestly I'm not sure if I want to risk being on a do not rehire list if that place has a lot of hospitals like HCA.

That's a good risk to take! Who wants to work at an HCA hospital? No doubt there are some good units at some HCA hospitals, but there are too many other places to work with better odds.

0 Votes
Specializes in Corrections, Surgical.
6 hours ago, NedRN said:

That's a good risk to take! Who wants to work at an HCA hospital? No doubt there are some good units at some HCA hospitals, but there are too many other places to work with better odds.

I've never worked for HCA but I've heard from multiple people how bad it is. I actually had an interview for an OR position as a new grad but unfortunately I didn't get it. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise but I was just using them as an example. They own a lot of hospitals so you want to be 100% sure before you burn those types of bridges.

1 Votes
Specializes in OR SCRUBULATOR, Nurse Practitioner.

This is your second assignment so you likely got lucky with your first. People complain in the OR. I found myself telling people I was an agency nurse not a traveler (I am a local traveler) and that helped to ease the sting. I’m in my last week and they are begging me to stay. So it gets better in time.

0 Votes
Specializes in Med-Surg.

I have put in a two weeks notice at a contract after the staff started getting very unappreciative of me. Comments, bad attitudes, giving me the worse assignments. 


 (1) they don’t see the expenses we have to go through to get there. From housing, commuting, missed time with family, car repairs etc.

(2) if they had the skills and gull to be a travel nurse, they would have by now. So that’s their choice. Not your problem.

My advice would be to put in a two weeks notice, let your recruiter know why you’re leaving and yank one of the many well-paying assignments elsewhere. 
 

Maybe after they figure out they are scaring away the people that help them, they might change, but most likely not.

0 Votes

That is an unusual travel contract that allows a two week notice! I hope you avoid contractual penalties.

But if you present yourself on the job like you do in this post, I get why you are having issues. Just to say, the world doesn't owe you a living, and most staff are tied to their family and community and are not traveling for good reasons (for them).

0 Votes
Specializes in Med-Surg.

Absolutely no penalties whatsoever.

0 Votes
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