I moved across country and got a job in a smaller unit than what I came from working nights (L&D). I worked nights at my last job. Granted, I am still a new grad, but I am tired of being treated like crap. I hate this new unit. There are people on dayshift who have never worked in another facility, ever, for 20+ years. This unit is growing fast and they can't keep up with it. It is so disorganized, there is one charge RN for M/B, NICU and L&D. That's waaayyy too many people to be responsible for IMHO. I came from a very busy unit but it was organized. Anyway...here's my problem. I have the older dayshift nurses come on and give me crap for the stupidist things, most of which are not my fault. I am still trying to figure out their jacked up system, especially when it comes to paperwork. This morning I had had it. I had a pt come in, in pain, GBS unscreened and the MD said lets just watch her, don't admit her, but give her IV, abx and x1 dose nubain w/phen. I do that...then I get another pt, SROM, writhing around in bed, takes 3 RNs to get an IV started, unit sec doesn't get her banded and this is at 6am. I didn't have time to get her consents, nothing. SO...the MD comes in at 6am and checks 4 pts, 2 are mine and admits both of mine..at the same time. I go out front to find the dayshift RN getting info from a chart that I hadn't made up, the sec did. I was behind because of the SROM pt and IV problems. I tell her, sorry, I haven't had time to get the consents signed yet and she starts rolling her eyes, slamming the chart, etc. I try to give her report and she just asks when her abx were given and walks away. I call her by name and ask if there is something wrong. She lays into me about how the consents should have been done, she's been here all night and I said, the MD just NOW admitted her, she was a clinical pt before. The RN walks off. I go to the CRN and she's like "what just happened?" and then I go to the med room and start bawling. I'm tired, I'm stressed, I can't take anymore crap for stupid things. The RN who was blasting me walks in to get meds and sees me crying. She says, don't cry, I didn't mean to get you upset. I said, that was completely uncalled for out there, you should not have acted like that to me. Its not my fault that the MD just now admitted her, I didn't have an order to admit her so that's why the consents weren't done. I had another pt that I was trying to deal with who is being uncooperative. She says I'm just tired of things not being done when day shift comes in...I said You know, I don't sit around on my butt all night, I work. She says, I know you do, I've worked with you. I said then why are you taking this out on me? I'm sorry I didn't get the consents done, everything happened at once. She hugged me but at this point I couldn't stop crying. The tears wouldn't stop. I had both day and night shift CRNs come and tell me she was wrong, they were sorry, etc.
Now, I'm just embarrassed that I couldn't stop crying and get a hold of myself. I was very tired and I didn't need to be treated like crap for no good reason. Something else happened as well with the day shift sec, she started laying into me and I just pushed back. I'm done being walked all over. I don't care if I'm "new", I don't deserve to be treated any differently. I do my job, I am a team player and I'm tired of this day shift vs night shift bs. As it is I have to drive an hour both ways to get to this stupid place. I'd rather fly back to CA and work one week out of the month than work here anymore. I never had issues like this where I worked before. I wish I never left.
If you've made it this far, thanks. I just really needed to vent.
I just read your account. It sounds like your crying was a wake up call for that nurse, she felt guilty and realized the error of her ways and apologized. It sounds like you were able to defend yourself in spite of the fact that you were crying, and that your coworkers ended up rallying around you. I think you did great and I don't blame you one bit for crying after a busy night shift.
A few things come to mind. First off, you are going to a smaller unit, probably a smaller hospital, and small hospitals are more cliquish and set in their ways. It's harder to be accepted socially in a small hospital I think, and they are suspicious of newcomers. And, as you say, some of them have never worked elsewhere so they can be very territorial and act a little threatened by those coming in from the wider world.
Another thing is, at the end of a night shift you are at your most vulnerable and tired, and sometimes the oncoming shift woke up on the wrong side of the bed, or got to bed too late the night before, or just got in a huge fight with their teenage daughter before rushing out the door, or is having hot flashes, is getting a divorce, teenage son just totalled the car, basement just flooded, etc, etc, etc...
First of all, I'd like to thank everyone of you for responding to my vent. I was still really upset when I wrote my post. I have taken everyone's words to heart. I do need to give this place more time. I'm still getting used to their routines. I really loved my last job and I liked how organized it was. Growing with this facility is a bit of a challenge for everyone, including me. But I will give it more time. I do need to get a bit of a thicker skin and that will come with time and experience. I thanked all those that rallied around me and they all said they've BTDT.
I am going through the same thing right now. Only the nurses invade my home time too by calling me at 9 or 10 am right after the night shift and asking stuff that could easily be looked up in the computer. It has been 3 months for me and I am not sure how much longer I can deal with it. I hope it gets better for you.
You can put a stop to this nonsense (the midmorning calls) by returning the favor a few times at 2300-2400. If someone complains, simply reply "Well, I assumed you were okay with being called a few hours after work, since you do it to me frequently". The other option is to turn off the ringer and turn on the answering machine. Make sure work has only your one number (either landline OR cell) and your family who may really NEED to wake you have the other. That way you can divert the work calls to the answering machine without worrying about missing family calls. Once off the clock you are under no obligation to be available to them.
FireStarterRN, BSN, RN
3,824 Posts
I just read your account. It sounds like your crying was a wake up call for that nurse, she felt guilty and realized the error of her ways and apologized. It sounds like you were able to defend yourself in spite of the fact that you were crying, and that your coworkers ended up rallying around you. I think you did great and I don't blame you one bit for crying after a busy night shift.
A few things come to mind. First off, you are going to a smaller unit, probably a smaller hospital, and small hospitals are more cliquish and set in their ways. It's harder to be accepted socially in a small hospital I think, and they are suspicious of newcomers. And, as you say, some of them have never worked elsewhere so they can be very territorial and act a little threatened by those coming in from the wider world.
Another thing is, at the end of a night shift you are at your most vulnerable and tired, and sometimes the oncoming shift woke up on the wrong side of the bed, or got to bed too late the night before, or just got in a huge fight with their teenage daughter before rushing out the door, or is having hot flashes, is getting a divorce, teenage son just totalled the car, basement just flooded, etc, etc, etc...