Managment is TERRIBLE

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I am an LVN and I work in ltc. Ive been at the same job long enough to see 3 different DON's and 2 different administrators come and go. We recently got a new DON and she is like the devil in scrubs. She goes out of her way to try and find errors in EVERYTHING we do. I mean everything. Its come to my attention that shes been watching our med cards making sure we're giving our meds which i always do no exceptions. She never "caught" me not giving meds. She did catch another nurse on another hall who later said she did not pull the meds because that person was sleeping at the time. This erked me. It told me that she already considers us unhonest and not capable of doing our jobs. This is just the tip of the iceberg. She has now banned us from eatinng or drinking anything at all in the facility... even in the BREAK room "because it has a computer in it". So according do my DON i can only hydrate myself on the 30 minute break i may or may not even get to take OUTSIDE the building. Yet she has tea snacks and all kinds of things sitting in her office every single day. She banned us from bringing our cell phones into the facility, if we are caught with it its an automatic write up, who cares that we have kids at home right? Then she went and hid laminated cards under our residents and IN our residents clothes that say when you find this bring it to DON immediately..... im at my witts end and constantly walking on egg shells at work. Can you guys give some words of advice or encouragement please???

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They are out to get staff instead of showing actual leadership... this has made me want to give up on nursing completely. So extremely exhausted with this entire situation. Its like their goal is to strike fear into the employees instead of working together for the residents. When you treat your staff this way you can literally see it in the employees faces. Residents begin to see how stressed you are and even begin commenting on it... i really don't know what to do.

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

You (and all your colleagues working there) probably should consider showing your new DON that each of you just happens to get two legs on which to walk out of there. Resignation en masse with doctor's note for the remaining 2 weeks (can be obtained in any urgent care - just complain on something stress-related like constant headache and insomnia and make sure to mention "intolerable stress" at work) usually takes care of the business.

Yes, you might feel that doing so would be bad for your clients... but you got life too, and health as well.

Overall, JUST RUN.

5
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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

What would I do? Depends on my financial situation. If I absolutely needed every uninterrupted paycheque I would start applying for other positions. As soon as I had a firm job offer I would give 2 weeks notice and count down every nanosecond.

If I had a nest egg or was not solely self-supporting, I would just put in my notice. If I started being plagued by sleeplessness, chronic headache or anything else stress-related I would follow KatieMI's advice above.

You and your coworkers need to vote with your feet. Good luck.

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Chances are this new DON won’t last long, but if you don’t want to wait it out, the only option is to move on, unfortunately.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

If I liked the job, I'd wait it out. This DON won't last long. But if I didn't like the job, I'd be looking now.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

Most of this seems pretty terrible and I would just start looking for another job. I do have to agree with management on the cell phone issue though. My last two jobs did not permit cell phones on the units for any reason. Anybody who might need to reach me in an emergency knows to call the facility and be connected to me. It's not that hard to do.

Hppy

1
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Specializes in ER.

Incredible! No eating or drinking? That actually sounds illegal. This woman sound evil. And, cards left under patients? What does that accomplish?

The woman needs a psychiatrist.

1
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Specializes in ICU, ER, Home Health, Corrections, School Nurse.

Agree with previous posters....RUN. Even if this one leaves, it doesn't sound like this facility has good luck retaining competent leaders, so chances are you're always going to be dealing with issues. It's not worth the hit to your mental health to deal with stress and anxiety every day. Believe me it will have more of an impact on you than you realize. (as my dear husband has reminded me the last time I was in a toxic work environment).

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Specializes in Telemetry.
On 2/19/2019 at 5:03 PM, Wish4goodstaffing said:

I am an LVN and I work in ltc. Ive been at the same job long enough to see 3 different DON's and 2 different administrators come and go. We recently got a new DON and she is like the devil in scrubs. She goes out of her way to try and find errors in EVERYTHING we do. I mean everything. Its come to my attention that shes been watching our med cards making sure we're giving our meds which i always do no exceptions. She never "caught" me not giving meds. She did catch another nurse on another hall who later said she did not pull the meds because that person was sleeping at the time. This erked me. It told me that she already considers us unhonest and not capable of doing our jobs. This is just the tip of the iceberg. She has now banned us from eatinng or drinking anything at all in the facility... even in the BREAK room "because it has a computer in it". So according do my DON i can only hydrate myself on the 30 minute break i may or may not even get to take OUTSIDE the building. Yet she has tea snacks and all kinds of things sitting in her office every single day. She banned us from bringing our cell phones into the facility, if we are caught with it its an automatic write up, who cares that we have kids at home right? Then she went and hid laminated cards under our residents and IN our residents clothes that say when you find this bring it to DON immediately..... im at my witts end and constantly walking on egg shells at work. Can you guys give some words of advice or encouragement please???

...........but why? What did that accomplish? Btw, I do not believe in using fear as a motivator!!

Let us know what happens!

1
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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
13 hours ago, GSDlvrRN said:
On 2/19/2019 at 5:03 PM, Wish4goodstaffing said:

This is just the tip of the iceberg. She has now banned us from eatinng or drinking anything at all in the facility... even in the BREAK room "because it has a computer in it". So according do my DON i can only hydrate myself on the 30 minute break i may or may not even get to take OUTSIDE the building. Yet she has tea snacks and all kinds of things sitting in her office every single day.

I guess her office is the new lunch room. You have to eat outside the building? I know you're not unionized. A call to the Labour Board is in order.

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None of them are still there.... however i was fired for saying i wanted to file safe harbor.... just for saying it... can i sue them for that?

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