Monkey off my Back!! Vent

[grinnurse, RN]

So, I am nearing the end of my first official year of being a nurse and have been at a hospital (small, rural) the entire time. In the past 3 months, since we have aquired a new DON, things have gone from really bad to deplorable for the patients and staff as well. Our normal staffing is 7 pts (usually at least 2-3 total care) per nurse, rarely an aid (avg census being 21-25 pts). When our new DON came in she met with everyone as a group and then was to spend at least 1/2 day with each nurse in every deptartment to see what our frustrations/needs were (never happened) and stated to us "If ever you feel like you are drowning, come get me and I will do all that I can to help". For the past month, we have nearly drowned on several occasions and when asked if she would help do this and that what happens? All talk no action!!!!

There are too many numerous "occasions" to mention, but, to make a long story short, I found another position at another hospital and gave my letter of resignation stating my final day was to be May 30th which was more than 2 weeks. The day after I turned it in, she came up to me and asked what the day was? I told her, and she stated "We will make it 2 weeks from yesterday". OK-fine with me. So that would have made it this past Thursday. So, when I saw her Wednesday morning, I was just verifying that Thursday is when she had my final day as being, she said "NO, it's the 30th". At this point, I just shook my head and tried to refresh her memory about the conversation that we had and she stated "We never talked about that":confused: I walked off from her in dismay!!

Well, Thursday, on what was to be my final day, again, I started off with 7 pts and got an admission at 0830 for a r/o GI bleed who ended up being the patient from hell!!! As usual, I had 3 tc pts, 1 walkie talkie awaiting a lap/chole, and the other 3 were over the age of 85. No aide, no help, no nothing all the while the DON is walking up and down the hall trying to "straighten up" while we are literally in a state of panick all the while our Charge nurse is trying to get it through to the DON that we need help NOW!! Finally, at 10:00, she sends out a "floater" from ICU to help. She did my assessment and history on my new admission, who refused to give any past medical history. At 11:00, floater gone, new admit starts w/ CP and is demanding to get nitro SL, Doc to room, stat EKG ordered, nitro given, pt has bigemenies/trigemenies, and obvious MI on EKG. Refuses to go to ICU instead goes AMA. I finally got to open 2 charts at 16:00. 17:45, 2 IVS infiltrate and one is painful to patient (b/c of position of which she was noncompliant all day of trying to keep it straight) and refused to have a new one. Left the IV starts for next shift, gave report, and began charting changes and doing new orders that I couldn't get to so I would not leave everything for the oncoming nurse to do. Finally got out at 23:15. At this point I was too tired to get P/Od.

I called the HR manager yesterday afternoon, after much deliberation and loss of sleep, and told her that I would not be back on Monday for regulary scheduled shift that my last day was Thursday. When asked why, I told her exactly what the problem was and all she could do was make excuses!! Then she asked should she put me on the PRN status!!!!! HELLO!!! I would love to know how people get jobs in HR that have no college education what so ever!! What part of the conversation did she not hear??

Anyway, I feel so much better to be totally out of the situation. That one little phone call has made me smile again. I start nursing orientation at my new hospital on the 31st and am very excited.

Thanks for letting me vent, getting it out to people who will understand makes all the difference in the world!!

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

Wow - I'm glad you're able to get the heck out of there. Sounds like it really wasn't working out!

Good luck in your next position.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Wow! You're not kidding--the monkey is off your back! As I was reading your post it did cross my mind that this new DON is just that--NEW. An experienced manager wouldn't have come into a place bragging, and it was an ego trip on her part, about making promises she couldn't keep. And, based on what you've written, this one doesn't seem to know how to muster her resources which is basic to the job of supervision in hospitals. This, unfortunately, is sometimes one of the problems that can come up when working in a smaller place. Keep your ears open. It will be interesting to see if this DON lasts very long in this position.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Good riddance to them. Good luck at your new job.

Word from the wise when a VP says they care about your day to day frustrations, that they have an open door policy, to come see them anytime you need anything...........it's BS. Just nod your ahead and say "that's nice".

[grinnurse, RN]

Wow! You're not kidding--the monkey is off your back! As I was reading your post it did cross my mind that this new DON is just that--NEW. An experienced manager wouldn't have come into a place bragging, and it was an ego trip on her part, about making promises she couldn't keep. And, based on what you've written, this one doesn't seem to know how to muster her resources which is basic to the job of supervision in hospitals. This, unfortunately, is sometimes one of the problems that can come up when working in a smaller place. Keep your ears open. It will be interesting to see if this DON lasts very long in this position.

That was just the thing-she wasn't new at all to management or at least according to her. Supposedly she has "years" of experience at being a DON. You know what? She probably will last for awhile unfortunately. The hospital had 39,000.00$ profit according the COO and it is all I can do to not tell him that it has been off the blood, sweat, and tears of his employees!!

Glad I won't be going back!!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Honestly, be glad you're out of there. Remember that for every action there is a reaction. The facility as a whole can't continue to take advantage of their employees without consequences. If it is in an isolated area where it will be hard for them to get staff, it will come back to bite them when all their profits have to be spent on getting and retaining staff. Just keep in mind that when the people in charge focus primarily on the bottom line and forget about their employees they will have employee problems. Unfortunately, as long as they are making money they will stay in business.

I was in a hospital where something similar went on. I got out. I was shocked but not totally surprised when they were the center of the national spotlight for some wrongdoing a couple of years later. Turned out there were several administrative people who had also left and who blew the whistle on the new bunch that was running slipshod over the place. It just took time to complete an investigation and gather support. It probably could have been worse--a patient who got severely hurt and sued for millions, but they weren't that unfortunate. The hospital is still in operation and thriving very well to this day. Go figure! Bottom line is you can't concentrate on doing your best work in a place where there is too much controversy going on at the same time.

[grinnurse, RN]

honestly, be glad you're out of there. remember that for every action there is a reaction. the facility as a whole can't continue to take advantage of their employees without consequences. if it is in an isolated area where it will be hard for them to get staff, it will come back to bite them when all their profits have to be spent on getting and retaining staff. just keep in mind that when the people in charge focus primarily on the bottom line and forget about their employees they will have employee problems. unfortunately, as long as they are making money they will stay in business.

oh, i am so counting on them having agency for quite some time loosing that comfy little nest egg they have built!! i just got a call from 2 more nurses that work there that they are also leaving. the sad thing is that they are loosing good nurses that not only would work (prior to 2 months ago) their regular shifts, but we were the ones that they could call in a pinch to come in and pick up slack if needed. i will definately be standing back watching to see how it all falls into place. i don't necessarily blame the don totally for running the hospital in the ground, i also place that on this small management company out of ga for it's demise. this is a small rural hospital who had nurses from with in the community that truly cared about it's success. we really "know" our patients and their families and that is just so sad to me to know that are going to have people taking care of them that have no vested interest in the hospital.

go figure! bottom line is you can't concentrate on doing your best work in a place where there is too much controversy going on at the same time.

amen to that statement.

thanks to everyone for the support, it really means alot to know that i can talk to people at allnurses.

[grinnurse, RN]

I am so FURIOUS (sp)!!!!:angryfire :angryfire :angryfire So, I just talked to the aide that was supposed to have worked last Thursday (day from hell) only to find out that she was cancelled!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then, she said she was home the whole day and never once got a call to come in and work and the whole time we are drowning the DON is telling us she has made all these phone calls and can't find anyone to come in. I am really having a vision on pencils sticking out of her eyes!!!

If I didn't have a clue before that they just don't care, this confirms it!!

[grentea]

Wow....that is messed up. I mean from the hospital short-staffing your floor to the DON claiming ignorance and trying to make you stay longer when you had something IN WRITING with the date that you gave your notice. I'm happy you're going to a better place, but at the same time it makes me angry to hear about how you (and your co-workers) were mistreated at your old hosptial. I wish you lots of happiness at your new job. You deserve it!

[grinnurse, RN]

Wow....that is messed up. I mean from the hospital short-staffing your floor to the DON claiming ignorance and trying to make you stay longer when you had something IN WRITING with the date that you gave your notice. I'm happy you're going to a better place, but at the same time it makes me angry to hear about how you (and your co-workers) were mistreated at your old hosptial. I wish you lots of happiness at your new job. You deserve it!

Thanks. I started at my new hospital earlier this week and am so excited to go back tomorrow I can hardly wait!!