Has anyone else experienced this? I just accepted a new position in an acute rehab facility. During the interview I was told that I would be replacing someone who wanted to work a different schedule within the company. I was also told that I would only rarely have to stay past my scheduled shift but that most days I would get out on time. I told the interviewer that I will work my five days each week but do NOT want to be called on my days off, as I am not interested in any overtime and she said she would make a note of it and wrote it down.
I am now a few days into orientation and I have learned from the other nurses in the facility that a.) I am replacing a nurse who got fed up with the working conditions and left the company without a two week notice, b.) I will end up having to stay over the end of my shift pretty much every time I work in order to get everything done, and c.) I received a phone call this morning at 6:30 where I was pressured to come in and work to cover a call off, even though I told the caller that I do not want more than five days a week and I am still on orientation to boot. She was not very happy when we hung up.
I feel duped and scared that I have gotten myself into something that I will regret. I do not appreciate being lied to and I think it was unethical to do so. Part of me wants to run before I get in any deeper and part of me feels like I need to stick it out, except that I'm worried that I will decide to do so only to find that I am constantly pressured into picking up overtime, being forced to stay over, and getting nagged to come in on my days off, in which case I will kick myself for not getting out right away. I am not afraid to say NO to the requests for overtime, but if this is an ongoing thing, it will make my life miserable anyway.
Thanks to all of you for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate your feedback.
I did receive an email a couple of days ago from a dialysis facility of one of the Big Two dialysis companies that is literally two minutes from my house (I have a year and a half of recent dialysis experience with that same company) and it is a dream schedule: MWF 5:30-5:30 with no weekends. I would jump on this opportunity in a New York minute except that my work ethic tells me that since I committed to the rehab position, I have to try to stay and make it work. This dialysis company was not bad at all to work for, and I regret leaving. If I had it to do over again, I would not have given up my position with them, and now they are contacting me with this position that I could almost walk to!
It's really hard to commit to the rehab facility after being lied to, that is the problem, plus I actually did tell the dialysis manager when I replied to her email that I had accepted a position at this facility and had already worked a few days. If I contact her today and ask if she is still interested in me for the dialysis position, will she not think that I am a flip flopper and disloyal? If not, I could be tempted into pursuing the dialysis job.
But the rehab place did not make a comittment to you!!! Accept your dream job ASAP!!! :-)
You need to find a clinic or doctor's office. Where they close and set the phone on answering. Most other situations will have extra hours to think or believe otherwise is not realistic.
Many years ago, when I was a new grad out of university, I was head-hunted by a Director of Nursing, interviewing for nurses, in my case --- to come to work in a "state-of-the -art"Med-Surg ICU.
She told many lies about the set up of the unit & educational opportunities with options to rotate through CCU and learn more.
It was a permanent evening shift. It was out of state, so it was a major move for me. The contract was signed & I was supposed to be locked in for one year. If I broke the contract there were penalties to be paid. NB I kept all documentation in a file.
When I arrived at my new job the unit was NOTHING like what had been described. In fact the Med-Surg ICU was archaic. If you stood at the nurse's desk you couldn't even see a patient. There were 2 private rooms & 4 semi-private behind doors.
By the end of 4 weeks I was second nurse in charge, meaning that when the evening charge nurse was on her day off, I was it! I was dedicated & learned a lot, but the stress was beyond reason. In the interests of partial disclosure this was in 1971, NY state.
If a patient died on evening shift the nurse had to wash the bed to prepare for a new admission from Emerg. We all worked as a team --that was the best part. Most of us lived in a residence on the hospital grounds. And yes there were occasional demands to work overtime on night shift. (total 16 hrs) There are many stories, including nurses who just packed up & left in the middle of the night, but I will not bore you with details.
In the end I made the acquaintance of a woman whose husband was a lawyer. I shared my story with her. She took my file & her husband kindly wrote a legal letter to the Director demanding my release from my contract. The hospital had clearly misrepresented themselves & let me go with my pay in hand. I had spent 8 months there, but never regretted leaving. I returned home to work in a CVT-ICU in more equitable circumstances. My career progressed from that point on.
Each of us must make our own choices regarding what it acceptable in our work environment. There is compromise & hard work, but then there are a myriad of other potential issues we may face that will require some serious soul-searching & choice to be made.
I am sorry for your circumstances. Just know that you can choose the path that is best for your needs without feeling like a failure. There are other nursing positions out there. Best of luck as your career progresses.
Give two weeks notice and take the dialysis job. Document, document, document. Don't let your work ethic make you a doormat. Make sure you have joined your professional organization. Your state nurses association is looking for practice issues so they can advocate on your behalf. Allegorically speaking, Don't stay in a failed marriage for the sake of the kids because the children will learn it's better to be alone. Your "work ethic" could backfire into bitterness and no paycheck. it's easier to explain to the new position a month-long stent that didn't work out rather than quitting after six months. Don't most places have a 90 day probationary period that allows either party to terminate without penalty?
RUN, don't walk! I had a similar situation several years ago working in an ICU. I finally quit after 6 weeks when I was assigned 7 different patients in one 12-hour shift, including a fresh open heart. I never regretted that decision. Since it sounds like you have another opportunity, I would take it in a heartbeat.
When an employer lies that gives me the impression they are contradicting and not worthy. Being that I do not believe in loyalty to any establishment only to the clients I serve I understand that as long as I am a nurse doing my job to my fullest, I will not work where I am miserable. No job is worth misery.
Yes I was hired in a long term facicility, suffered through the extra long hours etc, until I wrenched my knee. When I told nursing superivsor that my Ortho wanted me on light duty for two weeks, I was told there was NO light duty. I could resign or make myself inactive for those two weeks. Get out while the getting is good, at this point you would not even have to put the job on your resume. As Ia have nursed for over 35 years, I can say that you always need to protect your self AND your nursing license. God will make a way for you. Good luck
armyicurn
331 Posts
Start looking for another job. But before you leave, ask the interviewer why are they not honoring their word???