New NP feeling discouraged...

Trauma Columnist · Oct 8, 2008

Glad you have made the decision to look elsewhere. I think that's for the best.

As to rotating shifts - never, ever! Did it for six months at a VA facility as an RN (and 20 years younger) and could never sleep! I worked straight nights for many years but I always worked 12's and always bunched them together.

I wish you the best - let us know how the job search goes.

JDCitizen · Oct 8, 2008

Glad you have made the decision to look elsewhere. I think that's for the best.
As to rotating shifts - never, ever! Did it for six months at a VA facility as an RN (and 20 years younger) and could never sleep! I worked straight nights for many years but I always worked 12's and always bunched them together.
I wish you the best - let us know how the job search goes.

I agree 100% rotating shifts really are rough. Every time your sleep patterns get adjusted that is when the rotation hits...

My first 6 months of nursing I did the swing shift thing; came close to being my last 6 months of nursing. When I went straight 3-11 that was an improvement but when the 12 hour shifts hit I went to 7p-7a for years. I never missed the day shifts much less the swing shifts.... Plus at night all those in your face, not helping, daytime only working supervisors are at home in bed...

I believe swing shifts were invented to keep people from living long enough to collect retirement..

Trauma Columnist · Oct 9, 2008

Yes indeed!

I have pretty much always worked nights - this is my first day job.

JDCitizen · Oct 10, 2008

OK add me to the discouraged list....

Poof: A marginally bad job goes to terrible.....

New rules: new doctor (medical director) but same overall state practice.

Yes, I work for the state so this actually does not affect all the NPs in Georgia (just to try and avoid that confusion)....

New state rule:

All outside consults, MRI, CT scans etc must have prior approval of the medical director. This also applies to other doctors in the group.

Local practice directive from my said medical director.

- Don't mention to the patient or document my inclination for needed consults/testing in chart.

- Don't mention my consultation or notation of second exam with/by said medical director in my notes.

All in all sound like prearranged deniability...

Add this: Extra workday w/o any extra compensation...

I can only pray that my plan B comes through soon...

Trauma Columnist · Oct 10, 2008

That's awful - will hope plan B works.

christvs, DNP, RN, NP · Oct 11, 2008

OK add me to the discouraged list....
Poof: A marginally bad job goes to terrible.....
New rules: new doctor (medical director) but same overall state practice.
Yes, I work for the state so this actually does not affect all the NPs in Georgia (just to try and avoid that confusion)....
New state rule:
All outside consults, MRI, CT scans etc must have prior approval of the medical director. This also applies to other doctors in the group.
Local practice directive from my said medical director.
- Don't mention to the patient or document my inclination for needed consults/testing in chart.
- Don't mention my consultation or notation of second exam with/by said medical director in my notes.
All in all sound like prearranged deniability...
Add this: Extra workday w/o any extra compensation...
I can only pray that my plan B comes through soon...

That really stinks. Hope your plan B works out for you. I gave my resignation to my supervisor yesterday. I am so miserable right now, I don't even care that I don't have another job lined up right now....I just know 100 % that I want out as soon as it is possible. On a happier note, I went on an interview yesterday for a Cardiology NP position. It would involve seeing consults in the hospital, and I'd be working closely with a cardiologist, like a team approach to the patients. And it is M-F 8-5. I really hope I get this, I like so much about this new position....I hope I get it! :) And the pay and benefits are good, equal to what I am getting now. I really just want to work more closely with the medical team, since I am a new grad NP still. This job sounds like it is more tailored to my needs, versus the NP position I am now, with covering 55+ patients/night, and plus I feel so sick on those 12 hour night shifts...like I do right now. Ugh...

Trauma Columnist · Oct 11, 2008

Fingers crossed for both of you.

RNBillie · Oct 11, 2008

That really stinks. Hope your plan B works out for you. I gave my resignation to my supervisor yesterday. I am so miserable right now, I don't even care that I don't have another job lined up right now....I just know 100 % that I want out as soon as it is possible. On a happier note, I went on an interview yesterday for a Cardiology NP position. It would involve seeing consults in the hospital, and I'd be working closely with a cardiologist, like a team approach to the patients. And it is M-F 8-5. I really hope I get this, I like so much about this new position....I hope I get it! :) And the pay and benefits are good, equal to what I am getting now. I really just want to work more closely with the medical team, since I am a new grad NP still. This job sounds like it is more tailored to my needs, versus the NP position I am now, with covering 55+ patients/night, and plus I feel so sick on those 12 hour night shifts...like I do right now. Ugh...

I hope you get this position...I will be sending good thoughts your way :)

Joan Z · Oct 11, 2008

That does not sound like a safe work environment, esp if you're covering in areas like urology where you don't have training! Working nights is hard enough without that added stress, I'd be doing the BID PPIs prophylactically if I was in your shoes.

While you're looking for the next job, maybe you could bring it up to the administration that they have potential legal issues at this time? In the meantime, if you can't reach the consulting physician, document that you tried--when, how, how many times.

My friend's daughter is starting nights as the PA hospitalist, she has done nights and is okay with them but she is nervous about exactly the kind of situation you describe--all the orientation was on days.

Good luck--if you want to move to the upper midwest there are jobs for NPs here!

christvs, DNP, RN, NP · Oct 13, 2008

Ok, so I gave my notice of resignation to my supervisor on Friday, and I will work the rest of my scheduled shifts for the rest of October, and then I am done (phew!). But when I gave my notice, my supervisor was so mad!! Also not helping the situation is the fact that another new NP who was hired the exact same time as me (2 months ago) also gave his notice right before I did! His complaints are very similar to mine....Anyhow, I feel bad I am leaving, but feel I am being fair by giving 3 weeks notice, and I am sorry, but if I am miserable and still feel physically ill from working 12 hour night shifts constantly, and truly HATE my job, why would I stay? My boss was saying how since we are leaving so abruptly, now the other NPs will suffer because they will have to work to cover our shifts for next month. But what am I supposed to do? I feel this position is not a safe one, we are expected to cover services we were never trained for, and the attendings on those services never call us back during emergency situations with their patients. Plus, I dont' even feel like I am a hospitalist during the night shift, because all we do is put "band-aids" on issues. We spend sooooo much time trying to correct typos, omissions that the daytime MDs forgot to do...that is not very satisfying to me! So I told my supervisor I would work the rest of the month (which I think is fair) and that I am very sorry, but I have to do what is best for me at this time. I jsut don't like it when I am as honest as I can be and as fair as I can be, and someone still tries to make me feel guilty. What am I supposed to do? I am not staying somewhere where I feel it is unsafe, and a horrible job, and the hours stink! Sorry, I had to vent...By the way, the other NP who is leaving was given the same exact guilt trip as me, that we didn't give it long enough, we are screwing over the other NPs, etc...etc...

Joan Z · Oct 13, 2008

Hi Chris

Must be nice to have DONE something... and you know it's not you (if you didn't know that before). The guilt trip seems to be a pretty common ploy.

Maybe you could make up a written list of why you are leaving, and make suggestions for improvement--like orientation on nights, more staff for the night pts--whatever. In the long run we are trying to improve pt care and you would be doing them a favor.

Some people just can't do nights and it really helps to have a week or two of orientation just to see what it's like--since it isn't like partying when you're young! So at least you got that out of the job that you aren't cut out for night shifts and can tell that to the next employer.

christvs, DNP, RN, NP · Oct 13, 2008

Hi Chris
Must be nice to have DONE something... and you know it's not you (if you didn't know that before). The guilt trip seems to be a pretty common ploy.
Maybe you could make up a written list of why you are leaving, and make suggestions for improvement--like orientation on nights, more staff for the night pts--whatever. In the long run we are trying to improve pt care and you would be doing them a favor.
Some people just can't do nights and it really helps to have a week or two of orientation just to see what it's like--since it isn't like partying when you're young! So at least you got that out of the job that you aren't cut out for night shifts and can tell that to the next employer.

I guess the part that bothers me the most is that I told my boss all of the reasons I am leaving, and let him know over the course of the past several weeks how things weren't going very well (and I let him know details too! ) and he still gave me the guilt trip. Geez! I really don't know what he wants from me-but I am so happy I am almost done here.