Need opinions quickly please

[Stitchie]

Hi!

I started a job at a private facility which treats medically fragile pediatric patients. The concept is great. They do great work with little direction. The execution of said concept ... not so great.:stone

My largest concerns are the controlled substances counts (nonexistent). The other concern is the apparent worship of a long-time employee (RN) who has no hospital experience other than what she was exposed to in clinicals during nursing school. She doesn't know how to perform common procedures -- sterile central line maintenence, doesn't know what a Port-a-cath is or what it is for, can't access it, doesn't know what a huber needle is for. The facility does clean procedures, not sterile.

I took this position because I am bored at home; my DH is working from home now three days a week and it is difficult to balance husband time/work time and kid time. We have sitters who come to our home to watch our twins so my husband can concentrate on work.

I have finally received a start date for an ED position at a local hospital -- a Magnet facility with a new ER and expanded facilities. I'm starting in a transition program since I've been home for a year with my kids. In the past year we've adopted our twins (we came home Dec 2004) moved, rehabbed our current house, straightened out my father's probate estate, sold our first home, solved a case of identity theft and gotten rid of the houseguest from hell who was at the bottom of the ID theft ($3K in internet pharmacy charges on my credit card -- even the cc people were sympathetic). I've also buried my grandmother and administered her estate after the rest of my family refused to have anything to do with it -- long distance from the midwest to Arizona. It's been a tough year.

Now my time is my own. I'm looking forward to starting at the ED -- I've been after this hospital for over a year for a job. My choice is clear -- I want the ED position and it will be full time, starting in mid-February.

My dilemma is: what do I do with this first position? This isn't what I bargained for. There is no accounting of controlled substances (it really bothers me) and I feel that is a giant red flag should the state come to audit. Heck, I feel it's a giant red flag to anyone who signed their name on the MAR's when the patients were given benzo's which weren't account for.

Am I being sensible or overly sensitive? Do I stick it out until February and give my notice, or should I (as my DH and non-medical friends say) run like my butt is on fire? I don't want to waste their money when my heart isn't in this; I don't want to burn any bridges either.

Anyone with any insight to offer, please respond.

Thanks for reading this.

[Katnip, RN]

I would definitely run. It's unsafe and it will be your butt on the line along with everyone else's if something should go wrong with one of your patients and there's no accountability for the drugs.

[Stitchie]

I would definitely run. It's unsafe and it will be your butt on the line along with everyone else's if something should go wrong with one of your patients and there's no accountability for the drugs.

Thanks CK. That's my instinct as well.

[purplemania, BSN, RN]

Iwould leave but let the state know about the situation before a patient is hurt. SOunds like a great place for an impaired nurse to work!

[SFCardiacRN]

If you can afford it give 2 weeks notice now. If you already have the other job, explain your fears about narcotics to the new employer as the reason for not giving 2 weeks notice. I would be tempted to bail immediately. If you have not been at first job for very long, I would not even put it on a resume.

[leslie :-D]

i too, would run like the dickens from your current employer and make an anonymous report to your bon re: their practices.

best of luck on your new job!

leslie

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

big red flag alert

:angryfire

i'd also make the report to anyone who will listen and make sure your practice insurance is intact. the bon, the health department, medicare, medicaid no end to the frauds there. please get out now. i really don't see the need for 2 weeks notice.

[Stitchie]

big red flag alert

:angryfire

i'd also make the report to anyone who will listen and make sure your practice insurance is intact. the bon, the health department, medicare, medicaid no end to the frauds there. please get out now. i really don't see the need for 2 weeks notice.

i like this one. short, to the point,and emphasizes my worst gut feelings about this place. seems to be unanimous amongst my collegues here at allnurses.com -- run while i can.

thanks for all the responses -- i really needed a reality check tonight. it seems that i get crappy jobs pretty easily and now that i've got one i really want, i don't want to foul things up by anything stupid -- like a bon meeting or jail time:p

thanks again everyone. goodnight!

[tweetyd]

Seems to me if you lost this new job or for other unforeseen problems you had to leave you would not go back to the first one.

RUN!!!!!!!!

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Stitchie,

Get the heck out of their now. If anything goes missing the merde will hit the fan and you will be tarred by that brush. I believe in never burning bridges, but i would not even give notice unless they would agree to do and document a nartcotic count while you are still there. If not then that would be documented in a letter to them about why I was leaving without notice and that letter would be sent return receipt requested. I would hold onto that documentation for a long time.

[KatieBell]

Yup, I agree with everyone, there are problems at the facility, and some odd ones.

February is not that far off, I'd get out, and then use the time to relax a little, since you will not be feeling very relaxed during your first few weeks of ED orientation.

Best of luck

[Stitchie]

well, I wussed out and faxed my two-sentence resignation letter. I don't feel particularly good about short notice but I do feel better having made the decision.

Thanks for the reality check, everyone. It seems that the vote was unanimous.

Thanks to all those who replied.

Sharon