Need help on resigning!

[Snr1003]

I posted awhile ago about the situation I'm in at my new job. I transferred from one dept to another under the same director and manager.

Long story short, I was hired for PACU and made the move from outpatient services a few weeks ago. I have previous experience in ICU and PACU, but it's been about 4 years. The patients here are a lot sicker and complex than what I'm used to.

From day one I was told orientation was 3 days. I brought up my concerns that this wasn't enough time and they said 3 weeks. I was unfamiliar with charting in this new area, plus taking care of these critical patients after not having been in the area for awhile.

I was brought into the office my second week. Asking too many questions, being unsure of myself and being slow. My preceptor from the first week went on vacation and I was hooked up with the charge nurses who were already busy doing other things. I think they just expected me to jump right in and be at their level and unfortunately I wasn't meeting their expectations. I was asked by my manager if my experience on my resume was even true. Needless to say, I have been crushed and mad.

I was asked if I wanted to go to the ICU for a few weeks as a refresher and I agreed. I got the impression that they thought me going back to the ICU might be better for me. I spent two weeks in ICU. It helped me feel more comfortable, but still wasn't exposed to the kind of cases that I would need in recovery.

Last week I was brought back into the office and told I shouldn't apply for ICU because even the ICU manager felt I wasn't up to snuff and would need to start all over with ICU training which he doesn't want to do. Funny thing is.....I never even spoke to him and the preceptor I was with for 2 weeks said she hadn't even spoken to him about me. She in fact told me she was going to write him and give me a great review.

At this same meeting I was told that after this week in ICU I was going to get 2 more weeks in recovery and after that I would have to find a job back where I used to work in outpatient if something opens up (if I can't hack it).

I have since applied to other jobs. I just have a feeling that I'm getting pushed out. My husband thinks I need to go and speak to HR. I'm kind of tip toeing around until I get another job, but this is causing me so much anxiety. I know I'm a good nurse, and it's killing me to hear that my manager and supposedly this other manager think I'm unexperienced. The nurses I was working with in the icu were asking me if I was going to apply for a job with them and I'm on the verge of tears because I was told by my manager not to bother.

I can't even believe I'm in this situation. I have been a nurse for 14 years. I'm technically still on orientation so if I give my notice she might say just to leave. I don't know. I'm waiting to hear if I've gotten this new job before I do anything. Would you go to HR?

[Swellz]

How does going to HR benefit you and what do you expect to get out of speaking with them? I'm having trouble understanding how that would help you.

[Snr1003]

I don't really think it would do anything. My husband thought I should speak to them so that they know my side of the story. At this point I just want to leave.

[cleback]

I would just quit, unfortunately. Your manager could be lying about the icu or planting an impression about you into the icu manager's mind. I don't see a good way around your current manager. It's a good learning experience--next time they say you'll only need 3 days of orientation, just assume they have unrealistic expectations.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

Sounds like the "well has been poisoned", so stop drinking the water...

HR is not your friend or ally, so don't count on anything from them. If you do resign, do it according to their policy so they don't blacklist you. You never know when you'll want to work for an affiliate or some such down the road.

[Jerrysdogmommy]

I could have written your posting myself, almost down to the time as a nurse. Because of this, I have decided to leave nursing. I love the profession dearly however, it's full of negative people that poison the well (such a great analogy). I tried travel for a while but the negativity never changed (I did meet some great people along the way though). So, while deciding between some type of counseling degree (psych NP or drug and alcohol counseling) or teaching special education, I have decided to leave the profession altogether. Perhaps leaving our profession needs to be your choice too. I'm so sorry about your experiences.

[kp2016]

Three days of orientation to a PACU that does critical care is completely unrealistic. The manager who hired you obviously wanted an incredibly experienced PACU RN who could just be shown around and be ready to go almost immediately, I don't think even a seasoned ICU RN could be up to speed that quickly. Sadly it seems the manager is looking to punish you for her incredibly bad judgement.

I'm really not sure what you would achieve by telling HR that your manage wants to fire you for unsatisfactory performance. At best all they would be able to do is talk to your manager about a remedial plan, which your manager is bound to ensure you fail, which will most likely result in you being fired for poor performance.

I think your best move would be to keep applying for jobs. Given that it is much better to resign than be fired I would ask to talk to your manager and let her know that you understand that the unit has not been a good fit for you and ask her if you can stay on the roaster for a little longer while you find a new job or see if you can in fact move back to the outpatient department.

Good luck and try not to be too hard on yourself, this really is the fault of your managers completely unrealistic expectations.

[Snr1003]

This whole situation just sucks. I'm back in the recovery for my two weeks and I'm just not looking forward to it. It sucks feeling super anxious to even go into work. I'm hoping I hear soon whether I got the job I applied to closer to home.

The thought of putting in my notice is freaking me out too. I know that the manager is going to be pissed. She doesn't want to lose me to the hospital, she just wants to move me back to my old area I think. I'm trying to prepare myself. Since I'm on "orientation" she might just tell me just to leave.

[JKL33]

Is it possible to move back to outpatient? Not perhaps what you want to do - but it would be a safer spot from which to find a different position. This experience (in itself) says nothing about you. Even if someone were incompetent or unable to succeed for their own reasons (rather than workplace reasons), that wouldn't be proven by administering completely unrealistic expectations, KWIM?

Don't take on an emotional load for a situation that really has very little to do with you. Now you know something about (this place/this person) you didn't know before and can use that information to make a decision about how to handle it. And you've gained life wisdom about how nursing rolls and what it means when you hear certain information (such as "three days of orientation"): Someone's BSCrazy, and it's not you. Stay away.

Next life lesson: Never worry more about how someone's going to take your reaction/solution to their own choices than they worried about their own choices when they made them. You can/should try to ease out by being kind and professional ("I'm sorry this didn't work out the way we both hoped" Etc.) but beyond that? Others have to take responsibility for their own actions and their own feelings.

[Have Nurse, ADN, RN]

How does going to HR benefit you and what do you expect to get out of speaking with them? I'm having trouble understanding how that would help you.

It may help H.R. to know what goes on in how new staff are being treated and made to feel unwelcome.

[Have Nurse, ADN, RN]

Is it possible to move back to outpatient? Not perhaps what you want to do - but it would be a safer spot from which to find a different position. This experience (in itself) says nothing about you. Even if someone were incompetent or unable to succeed for their own reasons (rather than workplace reasons), that wouldn't be proven by administering completely unrealistic expectations, KWIM?

Don't take on an emotional load for a situation that really has very little to do with you. Now you know something about (this place/this person) you didn't know before and can use that information to make a decision about how to handle it. And you've gained life wisdom about how nursing rolls and what it means when you hear certain information (such as "three days of orientation"): Someone's BSCrazy, and it's not you. Stay away.

Next life lesson: Never worry more about how someone's going to take your reaction/solution to their own choices than they worried about their own choices when they made them. You can/should try to ease out by being kind and professional ("I'm sorry this didn't work out the way we both hoped" Etc.) but beyond that? Others have to take responsibility for their own actions and their own feelings.

I agree.

[Have Nurse, ADN, RN]

This whole situation just sucks. I'm back in the recovery for my two weeks and I'm just not looking forward to it. It sucks feeling super anxious to even go into work. I'm hoping I hear soon whether I got the job I applied to closer to home.

The thought of putting in my notice is freaking me out too. I know that the manager is going to be pissed. She doesn't want to lose me to the hospital, she just wants to move me back to my old area I think. I'm trying to prepare myself. Since I'm on "orientation" she might just tell me just to leave.

Just be calm, pleasant and professional. This is what they get for not handling you properly. You might speak with H.R. and make sure you document just what you've told us, particularly regarding the Orientation period. In the meantime, keep your patients safe and your charting complete while you are still there. Be helpful do what you were trained to do. When you are ready, give proper notice. You will leave there smelling like a rose.