Published Sep 13, 2007
Never say "QUIET"
7 Posts
Sorry it's so long and most likely incoherent I'm writhing out of anger.....
I decided to go back to school and became an LPN and have been one for a short time.
LPN school was pretty easy for me, I got a lot of job offers right off the bat, the facility I chose pays well and is located close to my home but that's where the smooth sailing ended.
I work with nut cases.
I feel like the Dr's personal secretary, my NSG Supervisors shrink, my NSG co workers referee and my CNA's babysitter.
I'm far from a shrinking violet and can hold my own but this is like working for the WWE.
I'm embarrassed to admit but this has to be one of the most UN professional professions I have ever seen.
Gossip, backbiting, fighting (sometimes physical) , power struggles, lazy co workers, threats of your licence getting taken away from you if you don't everything a supervisor tells you, it's a regular soap opera every day. My staff spends most of the time dodging call bells, sleeping, smoking and trying to "hook up" with anything male or female that walks through the door.
I have about 10 hours worth of paperwork to do along with caring for my patients and I have to do this within my 8 hour shift. I come early, leave late and don't get a break.
If my teachers told me there would be this much paperwork I would have NEVER gone through with the school really I have never seen such a waste of time as redundant paperwork. I have been told to my face unofficially by my Supervisor that the most important thing on the two floors is the paperwork, it comes before anything else. Like a smart a** I said "even before the patients safety" and I was told Yes, as long as the paperwork is written up properly they will "look" safe.
This scares me and makes me sick in the stomach at the same time. Most of my patients have no family so they really don't give to much thought to them and their well being.
I'm not looking to be a martyr and I want to leave this place but I feel like no one is going to look after my patients if I go and the guilt is killing me.
I've tried writing letters with nice suggestions and they are just blown off, if you complain they find a way to screw you, write you up then report you to the Union.
I do have it better than several of my school mates who have it worse.
I mean what do I do? Do I report the place to the State? The Union? The board of labor?
I dread going in to work everyday.
sassiebaz
614 Posts
Unfortunately, I do not have any advice as I haven't even started my LPN program yet. But, what you just said is exactly what I have been fearing all along! I worry about how the job will be once Im out there working. I have heard this time and time again even from R.N's about paperwork, paperwork, paperwork! Not to mention all the other drama! I will tell you one thing, the same drama happens everywhere. It happens in the Dr. offices, in the staffing agencies....where there is a group of women working together, there will always be drama! I guess nursing isn't everybody's cup of tea! Im not sure if it will be mine either, we'll just have to see....
pagandeva2000, LPN
7,984 Posts
Sorry it's so long and most likely incoherent I'm writhing out of anger.....I decided to go back to school and became an LPN and have been one for a short time.LPN school was pretty easy for me, I got a lot of job offers right off the bat, the facility I chose pays well and is located close to my home but that's where the smooth sailing ended.I work with nut cases.I feel like the Dr's personal secretary, my NSG Supervisors shrink, my NSG co workers referee and my CNA's babysitter.I'm far from a shrinking violet and can hold my own but this is like working for the WWE.I'm embarrassed to admit but this has to be one of the most UN professional professions I have ever seen. Gossip, backbiting, fighting (sometimes physical) , power struggles, lazy co workers, threats of your licence getting taken away from you if you don't everything a supervisor tells you, it's a regular soap opera every day. My staff spends most of the time dodging call bells, sleeping, smoking and trying to "hook up" with anything male or female that walks through the door.I have about 10 hours worth of paperwork to do along with caring for my patients and I have to do this within my 8 hour shift. I come early, leave late and don't get a break. If my teachers told me there would be this much paperwork I would have NEVER gone through with the school really I have never seen such a waste of time as redundant paperwork. I have been told to my face unofficially by my Supervisor that the most important thing on the two floors is the paperwork, it comes before anything else. Like a smart a** I said "even before the patients safety" and I was told Yes, as long as the paperwork is written up properly they will "look" safe. This scares me and makes me sick in the stomach at the same time. Most of my patients have no family so they really don't give to much thought to them and their well being. I'm not looking to be a martyr and I want to leave this place but I feel like no one is going to look after my patients if I go and the guilt is killing me.I've tried writing letters with nice suggestions and they are just blown off, if you complain they find a way to screw you, write you up then report you to the Union.I do have it better than several of my school mates who have it worse.I mean what do I do? Do I report the place to the State? The Union? The board of labor?I dread going in to work everyday.
Hate to say it, but this is not a battle that you can fight yourself. You have to protect your own interests first, and if another opportunity opens up, run away with the quickness. If you do choose to report them, wait until you leave. There is nothing worse than being known to have reported this people and having to still work with them. Especially when you are new, and are not sure how to cover yourself just yet. Right now, I would write down dates and times of certain things, and once you leave, then, compile a nice letter to send to the state. Until then, be careful. You worked too hard to get your own license.
TheCommuter, BSN, RN
102 Articles; 27,612 Posts
Welcome to the club! Here's a hug! (((hug))) :icon_hug:
The nursing profession sems to attract a fair share of women with low self-esteems and other personal issues. People who live with chronically low self esteems desire a whole lot of of validation and ego-boosting in order to feel better about themselves. Unfortunately, the quickest way for some of these nurses with low self esteem to feel temporarily better about themselves is to gossip, tattle, start catfights, snitch on coworkers, throw their weight around, write other nurses up, make idle threats, bully people around, or report petty wrongdoings. The troubled nurse feels a sense of control every time she does something to affect someone else, and her low self esteem receives a false lift upward.
Thank you for the support.
I have a couple of things that the state really needs to be aware of. I just have to find out who to speak with at "THE STATE" I'm in NY so I can only imagine the red tape.
There are quite a few job opening where I live and I have already started to look, I hope it's better else where.
Welcome to the club! Here's a hug! (((hug))) :icon_hug:The nursing profession sems to attract a fair share of women with low self-esteems and other personal issues. People who live with chronically low self esteems desire a whole lot of of validation and ego-boosting in order to feel better about themselves. Unfortunately, the quickest way for some of these nurses with low self esteem to feel temporarily better about themselves is to gossip, tattle, start catfights, snitch on coworkers, throw their weight around, write other nurses up, make idle threats, bully people around, or report petty wrongdoings. The troubled nurse feels a sense of control every time she does something to affect someone else, and her low self esteem receives a false lift upward.
it's scary but you hit the nail right on the head.
I am working on leaving this facility as soon as I can and I hope I have some dignity left on the way out the door LOL.
FireStarterRN, BSN, RN
3,824 Posts
Get out before you get further sucked into the psychotic alternate universe that nursing consists of, and totally lose your sense of perspective and eventually your sanity. Get out before it's too late!!!!
After a day spent with a few of my old classmates I may not have it as bad as I thought LOL. I guess it's not only where I work but what is attracted to this profession.
Instead of a thanks, I wish I had an icon to applaud you.
gt4everpn, BSN, RN
724 Posts
;)hello! i'm a new lpn, i've been working for about 2months now! one thing my preceptor told me is to not let any problems on the unit get to me. my advice to you is that you don't deserve that treatment, especially as a new grad. you have plenty of other job offers, you know it! your work environment seems very unhealthy, how are you expected to grow if there is nothing but threats, abusive behavior and unprofessional conduct! my mother actually has a similiar workplace environment but she's been working there for years and knows her co-workers are crazy, (hehe) and what did she do to get out of the madness! she switched shifts! what i'm saying is find somewhere better, believe me you'll find something!