Nurses secretive about getting another job

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in ER.

We have a Per Diem nurse 'Karen' who also is Per Diem at another hospital where I used to work. There's others from there and a lot of back and forth. Another coworker who also works both places let it slip to me that she thought Karen was now orienting at a 3rd nearby hospital. There's some of our nurses who work there as well, lots of openness, no restrictions from management at all.

So I sent a friendly text to Karen asking how she's doing, that I hadn't seen her in awhile. She said she's been really busy with her daughter's graduation. Mind you, she and I have been workplace friends. I later confirmed with a nurse that went to that 3rd hospital fulltime, staying Per Diem with us, that Karen has been there a lot orienting.

So, Karen is being secretive, which is ridiculous since nursing is a small world where it's going to all come out in the open anyways. No one would ever bat an eye about her picking up another job since there've been fewer of the day shifts that Karen likes available lately.

So, why would someone be secretive about this?

4 Votes

Hmmm. Maybe she decided not to put her business out there so much?

39 Votes
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
16 minutes ago, Emergent said:

So, why would someone be secretive about this?

Maybe because Karen knows you only text her, Emergent, when you want to delve into her business and she didn't want to go into a lot of detail, being busy with her daughter's graduation and orienting at another job and all.

Besides, if she were up front with you, you wouldn't have anything to post on this forum about secretive nurses.

Karen's looking out for you, Emergent.

She's a good workplace friend who's got your back.

37 Votes
Specializes in ED.

Just a thought---why is it anybody else's business what she does with her spare time?

33 Votes
Specializes in Addictions/Mental Health, Telemetry.

Maybe Karen is being secretive because she also knows that nurses are very good at gossiping about each other and she is tired of it!

22 Votes
Specializes in ER.
7 minutes ago, LisalaRN99 said:

Maybe Karen is being secretive because she also knows that nurses are very good at gossiping about each other and she is tired of it!

Karen is actually quite gossipy herself, LOL. She constantly complains about people and management at Hospital A. She is highly critical of patients from the lower socioeconomic strata. She's openly expressed her jealousy that some newer Per Diems are getting the day shifts that she feels entitled to.

1 Votes
Specializes in ER.

What surprises me is that she even feels the need to be secretive and, even more surprising, that she thinks she can hide this. She's an experienced nurse! She's gravely underestimating the nursing grapevine!

1 Votes
2 minutes ago, Emergent said:

She's openly expressed her jealousy that some newer Per Diems are getting the day shifts that she feels entitled to.

Sounds like a great reason to have multiple per diem jobs; more opportunities to work one's desired shifts.

I can't believe "Karen" didn't keep you in the loop with her employment plans. What could she possibly have been thinking?

16 Votes
Specializes in ER.
52 minutes ago, Davey Do said:

Maybe because Karen knows you only text her, Emergent, when you want to delve into her business and she didn't want to go into a lot of detail, being busy with her daughter's graduation and orienting at another job and all.

Besides, if she were up front with you, you wouldn't have anything to post on this forum about secretive nurses.

Karen's looking out for you, Emergent.

She's a good workplace friend who's got your back.

Karen and I exchange friendly texts. I've always realized, though, that her friendliness to me I'd somewhat self serving, since I give her the plum day shifts she wants.

But, beyond Karen, we have another new Per Diem who works fulltime at a 4th hospital where until recently I worked Per Diem. I was talking to a former colleague from there who had no idea this nurse had a Per Diem position. So there's another secretive nurse.

I guess I have always seen no reason to hide a second job. Lots of nurses have them, it's no big deal.

2 Votes
Specializes in ER.
5 minutes ago, vanilla bean said:

Sounds like a great reason to have multiple per diem jobs; more opportunities to work one's desired shifts.

I can't believe "Karen" didn't keep you in the loop with her employment plans. What could she possibly have been thinking?

No need to be sarcastic. It's unproductive. I'm bringing up the general subject of nurses being secretive about their second jobs. Karen is only an example.

2 Votes
Specializes in ED.

"I guess I have always seen no reason to hide a second job. Lots of nurses have them, it's no big deal."

Then why does it bother you so much that you're rubbing your hands together that she "underestimated the nurse grapevine".

She's shown you that it's none of your business. I'm not sure why this is an issue for you.

11 Votes
Specializes in ED.
19 minutes ago, Emergent said:

Karen is actually quite gossipy herself, LOL. She constantly complains about people and management at Hospital A. She is highly critical of patients from the lower socioeconomic strata. She's openly expressed her jealousy that some newer Per Diems are getting the day shifts that she feels entitled to.

Not an excuse to be in her business.

9 Votes
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