(Long note)Recruiter said I was threatening!

applesRN · Jul 22, 2011

Here's my current situation:

1.around 10 years nursing experience, almost all in Med-surg.

2. Med Surg is killing me.

3. 8 years ago I started at my current hospital. I was offered a position on about 6 units. I chose the wrong one- and within months I found I had a very difficult manager. After my required 6 months, I attempted to transfer. None of those 5 units would even consider me- my manager had black-listed me. I eventually got a position on the float team and for the most part it has served me well, and I flourished on it. I currently have a great manager, but the stress of med-surg is, well, see #2.

4. Two years ago I tried to transfer, and was offered a few positions. After further thought, I decided to not accept them as they would complicate family life as a single mom with a teenage daughter (they were all late evening/night shift).I live alone now, and am trying to get one full time job instead of the 2 part time ones I have. Sure, I could work more in the float team, but then we are back at #2. Physically, emotionally, financially. It's not just me but many of the nurses I know on the float team. It is hard to call in for extra shifts when the shifts you are given beat you to tears.

5.I have applied to 7 positions in the last 5 months within my organization. The first job interview seemed awesome, at first. I had a great phone interview, he was very interested in me, and said I was one of 2 ( out of 20) he was calling back for a second interview. Long story short, the secretary was never able to "find time" for me to come in, and I made some polite emails saying that I was still interested and waiting to set up the interview. 4-5 weeks later I was finally told that they hired someone else. THey were very unprofessional. No other interview offers anywhere I have applied in the organization.

6. It feels like I have been blacklisted again. Despite a BSN, years experience, ACLS, PALS, certification, praises etc, I can't even get an application through to the interview process in my current large organization. At least not on a unit I would want to work on. Some of these units are the ones that offered me a position 2 years ago. I have talked to my manager to make sure there was nothing that would prevent her from giving a good recommendation, and she confirmed she was pleased to give me a good recommendation. I really do have a great manager now.:redbeathe

7. I had an incident about 6 months ago where a non-nurse miscontrued facts. My (float team) manager understood that it was innocent and badly misrepresented, but since that person had their unit manager in on it, it had to go in file that she talked to me about it. I now wonder if the potential managers are seeing this and deciding I am a risk.

8.I am professionally cordial with the nurse retention nurse. She has been great to talk to casually about continuing education, research, publishing, etc. About 5 months ago I emailed her a question about an open position. I wasn't very interested in it because of the drive distance, but curious. She emailed it to the nurse recruiter, who was more or less unhelpful.

9. This week I finally reached one nurse recruiter (of 2- both of which have been on vacation, or out, or never available for the last month.) I wanted to know why I had not been selected for an interview on all positions I applied for in last several months. She said she didn't know why.

10. I explained my frustration, nicely. I also said it felt like the last open position I applied for is my last hope for staying within this organization before moving to the one 45min-1 hr away. She said "I'm sorry, we'd hate to lose you but that's your choice". I said of course I wanted to try to stay here, but I was getting frustrated. She said WELL YOU CAN'T GO AROUND THREATENING THE MANAGERS! What?? :confused: What in the world are you talking about? I have never threatened anyone! She said You Can't go around threatening the managers in the interview that you will leave us if we don't give you a job. No manager is going to hire you like that. And I know you have been talking to the retention nurse, she emailed me (insinuating that I was about to quit). o my goodness. :mad: I corrected her that first, I never threatened anyone, second I never spoke to any managers about leaving, third, I never had an interview in the first place. I was casually looking into a job which I asked the retention nurse about, and I never applied to that one. I said that I was being left with no good option here and all I asked for was the reason why I was not getting interviews. After I had to reexplain myself, twice, she settled down and what do you know? looked at the positions I was passed over for- and then she told me why I wasn't interviewed ( or made it up , idk). For each position, there were 20-30 applicants, and interviews went to more qualified candidates. That's all I asked for. However, it makes me really wonder what is behind this system. :eek: A few nurse managers have been known to gossip here, and blame the float team for whatever they think is going wrong. My manager has tried to put a stop to this, and now we have to document why we clock out late (even 5 minutes) etc. A few have their own staff scared to clock out late so they clock out on time and then still work/ give report/ chart. Good nurses and not so good alike.

I have a second part time office job that I enjoy but does not offer me any benefits or the possibility of full time. If i get one of the two FT jobs left in my organization, I can still do the office job one day a week. If I have to leave the organization, I will have to give up this job too.

I know God is going to work something out, and I am trying not to what-if and worry about the past or the future. I just want to vent and see how I can improve from now on.

I don't want to drive an hour, but I am feeling the pinch. I need to get settled in a stable job before beginning NP school in the winter. I have had a good interview at the competition, with a few more applications in (all in areas I want to work). There are still 2 positions open for which I have not heard from here, I don't think I will ever talk to the nurse recruiters again. I was polite when the second one finally returned my call (weeks after I first called her). I know that they must be having a difficult time with lots of nurses looking for work due to the economy, but, accusing me? What would you have done?