Lied to in Interview

I respectfully disagree. I have been a nurse for many years and after too many years of allowing myself to be manipulated and made to feel guilty if I did not do everything in my power to solve my employer's staffing problems, I have finally grown a backbone. I do not want to work more than five days a week and I do not want any overtime, period. My obligation is my scheduled shifts only, for which I show up on time and work hard, and yes, I am a team player, often helping the aides with patient care that "isn't my job" if it means that patients will get better and more timely care. They aides act like this is a big deal and really appreciate it, so it must not be the norm. I would rather do my job for 40 hours and do it well than pick up overtime left and right and drag around all burned out and resentful and doing the minimum that I can get away with.

If an employer cannot keep staff and are consistently short staffed because of it, how is this my problem to fix? The more nurses give in to this kind of manipulation, the less willing a facility is going to be to admit that they can't keep staff because they don't treat employees right and be forced to do something about it. I have worked at facilities in the past that didn't "get it" until they were forced to hire agency staff. When it hits them in the pocketbook is generally when they are finally ready to do something about it, and agency nurses cost much more than paying existing employees overtime.

There are nurses in the rehab facility where I just started who work 16 hours, go home for eight hours, then turn around and come back for 16 more hours. The faciilty does not care, they just want a warm body with a nursing license. I should have never accepted a job in a place with this kind of culture. I can already tell that some of the staff will resent it if I do not want to work seven days a week and leave them short staffed and just assume that because they are willing to spend their lives at work, everyone else should be too. Again, how is this facility's staffing shortage my fault?

I couldn't agree with this more!!!

Been there did that. Believe me. Trust your first instincts, your gut. Look out for yourself, do what is comfortable for you and what you can safely handle. Nurses have the right to say no to assignments. The stress will become overwhelming after a while and will wear on you. Nursing homes or their administration; are notorious for leaving nurses out to dry. They will NOT support you if you make a critical mistake. They will say you should have said something or not taken the job. They are there to protect the company. Protect your license and livelihood!

PLEASE think really hard about this... nurses leave jobs all the time, heck, PEOPLE in general leave jobs. Employers expect this. I am only writing because I have let a lot of amazing positions pass me up and missed opportunities to grow all for the sake of being "loyal". I can assure you that the employer has had this happen before and you won't be the last. Please reflect about what you really want and make a choice that serves you! Best of luck :)

Why oh why we stay at jobs that are rude and mean to us? Find another job and be clear by having them put it in writing.

Dont pick up the phone. I get called to come in almost everyday that Im not scheduled. I am part time and have another job. I let them know numerous times that I am not available for extra shifts but they pretty much told me they cant take me off the call list. Im currently pregnant and finally begged them not to call me and wake me on my days off. Finally and only bc i somewhat knew the guy who places the calls and he felt bad he stopped calling. Now I have the manager call me directly to ask. I simply ignore the call! They need to respect your off time and shouldnt use it against you.

I would give my notice. They most likely did not want to tell you the truth and will continue in the behavior that has been displayed thus far.

Your a big girl you can say no thank you I prefer not to take overtime duty...they can "pressure" you all they want but if its just this that makes you wanna run, your in the wrong world!! your gonna get pressure no matter where you work! You will eventually get down a routine where your not working late every nite, I know you can do it, just keep telling yourself that!!

Don't just walk but RUN to this job! Do what you love life is too short.

IN your dreams. I was hired for my current clinical spit and told four 10 hour days. Ha. Try 12 hours routinely. I am in overtime by Friday and that's with an entire day off elsewhere in the week.

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.

I am meeting with the dialysis manager next week...yippee!! So now...how do I walk into that interview and feel confident, as opposed to feeling like a loser for quitting my rehab job while still in orientation? She is aware of this, I didn't try to hide anything because I had to explain why I couldn't meet with her a couple of weeks ago when she first contacted me and before I knew what the rehab job would really be like.

It will be hard to hide it if I am feeling like a big job quittin' loser, so how do I overcome this and walk in there like I am a great dialysis nurse (I was when I did it before, or at least a competent one) who would be an asset to her and her facility? What if she asks me about leaving the rehab job? My thoughts are that I will just explain that I care about my license, I am an experienced enough nurse to know when things just aren't right/unsafe, and that I chose to walk rather than stay and accept the culture there. Does that sound okay, or like I'm a whiner who just wants an excuse to bad mouth the place?

Any feedback is much appreciated!

I am meeting with the dialysis manager next week...yippee!! So now...how do I walk into that interview and feel confident, as opposed to feeling like a loser for quitting my rehab job while still in orientation? She is aware of this, I didn't try to hide anything because I had to explain why I couldn't meet with her a couple of weeks ago when she first contacted me and before I knew what the rehab job would really be like.

It will be hard to hide it if I am feeling like a big job quittin' loser, so how do I overcome this and walk in there like I am a great dialysis nurse (I was when I did it before, or at least a competent one) who would be an asset to her and her facility? What if she asks me about leaving the rehab job? My thoughts are that I will just explain that I care about my license, I am an experienced enough nurse to know when things just aren't right/unsafe, and that I chose to walk rather than stay and accept the culture there. Does that sound okay, or like I'm a whiner who just wants an excuse to bad mouth the place?

Any feedback is much appreciated!

You may require an RN license to believe this, BUT... You are NOT a "loser" for walking away from a god awful job!! I'm impressed you've stuck it out this long. Stop feeling bad- this is not your fault. Others have stated that bad companies have a reputation and this new one will probably beware of that.

I have left a job once and did the ethical thing and gave notice during the probationary period it bit me in the butt. I didn't have a new position waiting as promised. It was a costly error. I don't want that happen to you.

This is not a licensure issue, this is an ethical one and it is OK to leave a toxic environment. I would suggest you look at it from that perspective. It's also OK to let the interviewer know that it just wasn't a good fit and that your passion is in this specialty. You will be surprised at how often this happens... being true to yourself is not being a bad person. You have qualities that are hard to find these days and I think that will come through rather than your feelings of being a "loser"! Believe that.

Regarding not wanting to be called for overtime, read the contract. I can't imagine any hospital or facility that would put that in the contract and that's what you have to abide by. If that's the case, I want straight days, 8 hours, 3 months vacation and 6 months maternity leave with 1 hour for lunch and 4 30 minute breaks each shift.