Jane has been looking to relocate back to her hometown after 3 years in the ICU at a major teaching hospital. She also has 3 years in a level 1 trauma ER.
She interviewed over the phone for a position that was POSTED AS ICU about a month ago. She was immediately asked for her references, which made her feel pretty confident that she would be hired. She told me that during the interview, she asked about how many slots were open, and was told "4".
Well, apparently, the Nurse Manager has written her half a dozen emails regarding her references not answering yet. Its been a week.
That isn't my main problem with this situation. It seems that the Nurse Manager has now changed the job description to....
You will relocate across the country, go through all of our "orientation" (she will not be specific on what that orientation entails) and then one of our educators will decide what unit you will be "eligible" for.
She also told Jane that there are "a dozen or more" nurses starting in a month and there is no way she could possibly give Jane an idea of which unit has openings.
Jane called me and told me all of this nonsense...and I advised her to tell the Nurse Manager to.....well.....file that job under....Uh....NO WAY.
This isn't the first time I have been hearing about this bait and switch in the past year. It's happened to me twice and I wasn't kind about telling the facility to take that job and....
Has this happened to anyone else lately? Is this the new trend in trying to cover the garbage shifts and positions that no one can fill? These positions are outright LIES and they want the highest qualified (3 yr ICU RN) for what....med surg???
Just want to point out, as a nurse who started their career years ago in ICU, that ICU is not the "highest qualified" position/nursing as you stated. You've had three people now, including myself, simply informing you that the way you worded your rant about your friend comes across as slightly insulting to med surg nursing, even if that is not what was intended. Perhaps you should humbly listen.
In terms of the actual issue here, I definitely wouldn't be cool with that as an experienced nurse. I've heard of similar type of setups for new grads which makes slightly more sense. Unless I were desperate for a job or super flexible about the job, that would be a hard no from me.
ETA: Many areas of nursing are "highly specialized" (ICU, oncology, cardiology, etc) and as has been discussed ad nauseam on AN in the past regarding if one is "better" or more specialized than the other. In my opinion the answer is no, they're all specialized in their own ways, and that is what makes nursing great. And I second what Orion said about some ICU nurses not being able to handle med-surg - when I transitioned over, it was a harder transition than when I started as a new grad in the ICU.
I know what she means and I didn't take it personally. I'm not that darn sensitive. I would not want an ICU nurse to do my job, she needs to be in her own specialty where her expertise is.
Agreed. I think its offensive that the nurse manager lied so blatantly to the best friend. It's really indicating that the nurse manager is the one who believes ICU nurses are better than med surg or whatever it was she was trying to fill when she put out false calls.
Sounded to me she was just trying to fill holes. So, she did the bait and switch, hope it works deal.
Finally. THIS is what I asked. Is this happening to anyone else.
It surprises me that the attitude is to divert from the original question and have panties in a bunch over wording that can and has been misconstrued into something that's not even intended.
I don't have to walk anything back. The fact of the matter is, that ICU, PICU, Cards, ER, OR---are highly specialized that take YEARS of specialty training to do. I have had floor nurse come to the ER and make it for one single day and then threaten to quit if they are floated again. I have had ICU nurses come to the ER and do the same. I personally would never, ever be a med surg-tele nurse because I feel that having 6-8:1 is NOT giving proper care to any patient. It's a disaster waiting to happen up there on the floors in my hospital.That's another conversation altogether.
My friend not only has the certifications in both ER and ICU---she has level 1 experience, 6 years of it. She can flex back and forth between Charge, Float and Staff. She can and has floated to MED SURG and aced that floor like a boss.
She deserves the truth---as do all nurses. ALL OF THEM. This nurse manager is a POS and I for one am sick and tired of the managers doing this crap.
I also haven't heard from any of the managers on this board---I find them to be conspicuously silent on subjects such as truthfulness, honesty, integrity and fairness (unless it's to ask..."what is that YOU consider 'fair'. which is just a backhanded way of saying...well...I, as the manager, since I want my bonus, think it's perfectly fair to cheat my employees.)
It chaps my hide that anybody would think that this bait and switch is okay because hey---she's an ICU RN and she thinks she's better than us Med Surg nurses.
She worked effing hard to get where she is--and she didn't deserve to be lied to, using her desire to be near her family and taking advantage.
I hear ya. I got the ole bait and switch. Was not happy. I was asked to interview for the job and after the interview they told me that the position had been filled, but hey, we got this other one over here, we can offer you that. I said no thanks and left. But, honest to heaven's, making people get all in knots over an interview, get ready, make arrangements and drive there, then you get this crap handed to you. It's disgraceful. I know what they are trying to do. They are desperate to get those positions filled. It is basically a scam to draw you in. If they need nurses have an open house for crying out loud!
It sure did. Is it my imagination, or is this phenomenon becoming more and more common on the site?
One thing my preacher used to say and it sticks with me to this day. Be difficult to offend and be difficult to offend. Meaning, you avoid offending others and you don't take offense. I guess I was raised a tough country kid and stuff like this doesn't bother me, but I have a little sister who is soooooo sensitive. We all got our issues.
It is common for new grads to apply, listing a first choice and a second choice. But even then they're told ahead of time, before they accept an offer.
Lunah, MSN, RN
14 Articles; 13,773 Posts
Honestly, who comes to work on promises anymore? I have had every nursing job salary in writing prior to accepting the job.