Need some advice - am I that unreasonable?

[ACNPmomof2, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

I have hesitated to post this at all for fear of retaliation in a small town.

I work in rural America, I have my BSN, CCRN, CEN. I work in a cardiac cath lab and have taken up to 24 days a month of on call time.

Our staff consists of me (now cut back to part time since I am doing full time clinicals), one full time nurse, and one nurse that is split between ICU and cath lab. We have one CV tech who scrubs.

1 1/2 years ago I started back to school for my NP. I advised administration what I was doing and was told I had their full support "Whatever I needed"....

The lab is not yet staffed 24/7 but we are pushing towards it. The current A3 plan they have for 26 days of call/month included the addition of 4 staff members. We are no where near that.

We are being told to suck it up and do it. Our clinical coordinator/boss does not take call and has no plans to do it. Our CNO went to the rest of the cath lab staff and told them all that I refuse to take call because I am at ball games. Every weekend we have been on call - I am on. I take call 2 nights a week and every other weekend (and this is the part time schedule). She has been stirring the pot and talking badly about other team members behind everyone's backs.

I drive 50 miles one way to do clinicals yet still manage to take call and work and raise 2 teenagers. I am being told I am not a team player. I have never called in sick the entire 4 years I have worked there. I have worked other places, and have not seen such a toxic culture. I hate to leave as I really love the interventional cardiologist I work with, he is amazing and is counting on me to be his NP when I am done, but I just cannot stomach this anymore. Everyone else feels the same way, yet we are told we are a bunch of entitled nurses because we don't want to take call 24 days out of 30 with a 20 minute response time to the hospital.

There are other instances I don't want to mention as I could be readily identified in this post. But I have constantly put my life on hold and set my family life aside ~ putting my blood, sweat, and tears into this program we have built over the last 4 years. There is nothing more gratifying than opening arteries of patients experiencing heart attacks, especially when the nearest urban center was 50 miles away. But I fear that in itself is losing luster over my sanity and my desire to spend time with my family.

Am I whiny and just burned out? Thanks in advance for honest feedback.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

I'll cut to the quick.

ALWAYS ALWAYS get it in writing

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

And, no, I don't think you're whiny. Not at all. :)

[ACNPmomof2, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

yes. Should've known that. We were told - "We always knew the possibility of going 24/7 was there" - yes well we believed we would have more staff too!!! And thank you for not saying I'm whiny

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

yes. Should've known that. We were told - "We always knew the possibility of going 24/7 was there" - yes well we believed we would have more staff too!!! And thank you for not saying I'm whiny

Actually I was referring to them working with your school stuff, getting that in writing.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Taking call 24 days a month with a 20-minute response time to the hospital is utterly unreasonable. I'd stick it out as long as possible because you work with a great doc, but be prepared to exit this house of jokes at any moment in the near future.

Good luck to you.

[ACNPmomof2, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

Actually I was referring to them working with your school stuff, getting that in writing.

Got it. Yes, I should've. Unfortunately I didn't, but to be honest, I am not sure it would have made a bit of difference.

[ACNPmomof2, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

Taking call 24 days a month with a 20-minute response time to the hospital is utterly unreasonable. I'd stick it out as long as possible because you work with a great doc, but be prepared to exit this house of jokes at any moment in the near future.

Good luck to you.

Thank you. I am loving the house of jokes comment. I think I will need to use that in the future

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

Discussing you with other staff is so far out of line, your manager needs the flipping Hubble telescope to see it. I agree with TheCommuter...those call expectations are not reasonable at all. If they want to expand the program, they need to hire more RNs. Plain and simple.

You take your off time to be a mom to those kids. And enjoy cheering them on at their ball games. That is a good thing.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

Oh, and if her behaviors don't stop yesterday, I'd consider going to HR. After advising her that she is finished complaining about you to your colleagues, of course.

[ACNPmomof2, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

Discussing you with other staff is so far out of line, your manager needs the flipping Hubble telescope to see it. I agree with TheCommuter...those call expectations are not reasonable at all. If they want to expand the program, they need to hire more RNs. Plain and simple.

You take your off time to be a mom to those kids. And enjoy cheering them on at their ball games. That is a good thing.

Thank you so much. I did feel that the behavior was completely unprofessional and way out of line. Working on getting another job lined up now :)

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

Thank you so much. I did feel that the behavior was completely unprofessional and way out of line. Working on getting another job lined up now :)

Good for you!

Since you're developing such a good relationship with the interventional cardiologist, I would make sure to talk to him personally about why you're leaving and do something like give him a thank-you card for all the things he's taught you, blah blah blah, before you leave. Make sure to stay in touch!