ViviRN

I don't think they are beneath me, but where I came from we worked together. The ultimate goal is to move the pt to treatment quickly. So we all did our part, what is in our scope, to move the pt quickly. No, they are not allowed to line & lab at out hospital. So procedure was they'd do ekg & vitals while the nurse would throw in the triage & medicate. Because our census is high, nurses have 6-8 patients at a time. We were supposed to go in together and get the time sensitive stuff done quickly for the better outcome. I don't mind doing anything and I answer call bells all shift long. I've always done things myself because it's faster than finding someone to do it for you. I am one to NOT delegate because it's just faster and I'd just as soon do it myself. When I tell you that I've done everything by myself since I've started, that's the truth. I haven't asked a tech or anyone to do it because they aren't anywhere around. I don't think I am above anything. However when I have a brain attack and a stemi and an elderly patient climbing out of the stretcher every 20 mins to use the bedside commode, I wonder why the techs aren't utilized to assist with such things and why they are sitting at a station just waiting for patients to transport to a floor. So I inquired what the job description is for them in this hospital, if I was allowed to delegate some tasks or if the nurse was expected to do everything as I have been doing. To which the response I got was "yeah better get used to it." I was friends with all the paramedics & techs at my last job and we worked together great. If I was there, I just did it. Likewise if I answered a call bell 100x for the same thing I could say to them "hey so & so is really driving me nuts I just need 15 mins to go take care of my other pt, can you answer their bell & buy me some time?" Or if there was a pt they didn't want to transport or a task they were assigned to do but didn't want to, I'd do it for them if I had the time. It's all about teamwork and best utilization of resources and time for the better outcome of the patient. I would never ignore a task or call bell because "it's not my job" or I'm above anything. I am there for the patient. Youre misinterpreting what I said, taking it the wrong way. If we have resources- techs and paramedics sitting on cell phones waiting for a patient to transport, i was wondering if I could delegate time sensitive tasks. I was wondering what the policy was here. Again not because I am better or above anything, but to get the fastest care for the patients when I have several critical patients at one time.

Peachtreern, thank you for the conscientious reply. I decided to provide my notice tomorrow. That's a great way to do it. Hopern84, I agree some places are like this with the personality and culture of the nurses. And you can tell when it just won't be better. My initial preceptor was great. Then I moved to my shift preceptor who was awful & downright rude the entire 12 hr shift. I gave it 2 shifts and could not handle it, i couldn't ask a question without getting a rude response. So I requested a different preceptor stating just personality mismatch, different learning / teaching styles. I was placed with another person to precept and given a new schedule that went from bad to worse and while the personality was more approachable, there are passive aggressive things to make my job difficult. I'm in the ER and the techs/paramedics don't answer call bells or respond to STEMI's or code strokes? I don't mind doing it all, I am not above anything but i am used to the techs / paramedics being a right hand man and assisting the nurse by doing EKG & vitals while I triage, line & lab, and medicate for a STEMI. Or grabbing the monitor and connecting it for transport to CT while I triage, line & lab for a code stroke. These are time sensitive things. I thought that's what er techs are there for. I've only seen them transport patients here. For me anyway, that's all they do. Charge nurse even called me while I was in with an ambulance she had just sent me to answer a call bell two doors down. She didn't call the techs to answer the call bell. She called me. Knowing she just sent me a critical ems rescue. I haven't even had anyone clean the room after transporting a patient. Not once. I clean every room after every admission and discharge. Again I don't mind but it's odd to me. It doesn't seem right. Again, I am not above anything. I clean rooms all the time & don't care. But when it's busy those little things help and I am used to a facility that the techs and nurses work together. So I cant imagine that their only job as an ER tech / paramedic is to transport patients to their assigned room. It doesn't make sense. I walk by their station and they are just sitting there playing on their cell phones... yet we could coordinate patient care faster for better outcome if we work together and they do little things like the EKG or fingerstick so we can get patients to the Cath lab or CT faster, and have intervention faster for the patient. Yet when I ask about it, to see if I can delegate tasks to the techs for faster care, I get told "that's just how it is, get used to it" But I wonder if that's really how it is or if that's just what they are telling me to make my job harder because I'm the new person. So I suck it up and have been doing it all while my preceptors disappear for an hour at a time, wondering if everyone is in on it to give me a hard time and leave me to fend for myself as the new person. One of the docs even called my preceptor out on it the other day. So I know it's not entirely in my head.

I've been through pretty much every one of the top 10 life stressor events and more than half of them occurred in the past 3 years. So I am trying to keep my stress level low and I am not willing to take on anything over the top for a job. I've been there, done that. I really need to keep added stress to a minimum & stay healthy & try to enjoy life. I am not trying to prove anything to anyone at this point in my career. I am a full time only parent to top it off so I need to be able to leave work at work and take care of my kids while home. I need to get decent sleep and have time to exercise. Those are the things that keep my stress level down and this job interfering with that and my ability to take care of my kids & it isn't worth it to me. Nurses in general stretch themselves thin and I always did as well until I had multiple tragedies and life changing events occur. Now I'm at my limit and I am not willing to accept anything that's heading towards toxic for me. I am giving notice and going to sleep sleep sleep lol

I called off my shift and will give notice on Monday. It is toxic. I know I'm complaining now but I did not meet one nurse that was happy in her position there. It kinda scares me away knowing that's to come. Causal conversation with my co worker "how did you adapt to night shift? Any tips?" "I am constantly sleep deprived and it's like a loaded gun, something is going to happen it's just a matter of time" was her response. I don't want that to be me.

I don't complain at work. I will do whatever is asked of me or thrown at me because I want to learn & get comfortable & think just doing it is the only way to get there. I know I'm letting it all out here but I promise I keep my mouth shut at work, I try to be humble and suck it up and take what's handed to me. I am def not cut out for nights though, I am not meant for it. I agree it's inhibiting my ability to handle stress.

Unfortunately in contract most facilities have a "adapt to meet the needs of the department/facility" clause that excludes them from sticking to any particular schedule or hours. I'd look for another job.

Hey I'm in a similar situation! I like what I do but I hate the hours & the co workers haven't been very welcoming. Are you giving notice? I am fearful of being black listed.

The point to that was, I feel used & taken advantage of. I really don't like the way I am treated there. Perhaps they want me to quit lol it kind of feels like that. They all work OT. Maybe they don't want a full time person because it'll interfere with their OT ?

I need to come to a decision tonight as I am due to go in. I am on the verge of saying "eff it" Agreed about looking out for myself. The night I got no break at all, I documented an IV in the right AC instead of the left. Silly little mistakes but that's what lack of sleep does. I apologized and corrected my error when pointed out and said "wow I'm tired I'm starting to make little mistakes like this" The nurse said "It's your third in a row? Wait until you're on your fifth in a row." I would never work 5 in a row. I know my limits. The last shift I worked was my second night in a row and I had a mandatory training that morning after my shift work so I was awake over 24 hours and got a 3 hour nap prior to my next shift. They knew half of us had this mandatory training yet they put a fresh crew on an easy assignment (the ones who did not have the training & it was their first shift on) and put me on the critical assignment with my preceptor. At this point i'm doing everything alone and just using the preceptor as a resource if needed. So at no point is it "2 for the price of 1" in nursing care. The preceptor double checks charting and takes extended breaks. I am discouraged from using my preceptor. At no point does she assist with my assignment, I am expected to just handle it.

I guess I'm just pushed to the edge with stress level. Relocating is stressful in and of itself so add to it adjusting to a night shift and new negative work culture is breaking me down. I think being awake all night is affecting my hormones and making it harder to handle. I'm just like why am I doing this to myself? I don't know if I can handle another week or two. I am debating giving notice this weekend before I have my next job lined up although I'm sure they will say don't bother because like you all said, I am still technically orientating. Which I see as a relief because this week is going to be terrible if I work without any sleep in both my home & work life. I'm afraid going 24 hours without sleep. I had to do it for a mandatory class last week and I was falling asleep sitting upright in class, don't remember the drive home, and I was falling asleep sitting upright watching my kids when I needed to be attentive, 2 days AFTER I had worked. I can't shake the exhaustion & mind fog.

Don't let a man affect your future & what you worked so hard for and are capable of. In the words of Muhammad Ali "I'm gonna show you how great I am"

I just realized how crazy that is. I am on 12 hour nights and I don't get a break until 9 hours into my shift. On orientation. There is physically another nurse there and responsible for the assignment with me. Yet I am unable to take a break of any sort until 4am. And two shifts ago I got no break at all because it got busier and so I didn't get to step away or off the floor at all "better get used to it". I am used to not being able to take a break or even pee because as a nurse that's the way it goes sometimes. But on orientation ? The one time you should be able to take a break.

I am worried about that... "do not hire" The company I am working for now is huge. There is 5 hospitals in network. I planned on transferring to another one in 6 months but it's getting more & more difficult to deal with. I don't think I can make it 6 months. I basically have had to talk myself out of walking out on my last three overnight shifts. I cry before work and talk myself into going. And then I get there and try to have a good outlook and attitude. Get treated poorly and then talk myself out of walking out. I guess it's a good thing I am so busy with patients because I am almost too busy to even walk out and by the time I actually get to take any sort of break it's 4am and I'm like "ok just hang in there for 3 more hours and this shift will be over and you can think about it some more tomorrow". Even though I am orientating I am working the floor & my preceptor is just checking my work behind me on the computer and nearby in case of an emergency I guess.

I made sure I had a couple of months income saved before I moved Incase I didn't get a job right away. Ended up having 3 offers within a week and starting working within 10 days of move so I am ok. I was really worried about the job market which is why I pursued employment very hard when I moved and started working right away. The hospital is a really good network to be in, it's one of the best in my area. I was happy to get in but this shift and the co workers are killing me. If they were just a little bit nicer, it wouldn't be an issue. I'd suck it up and deal with it for 6 months and then transfer. But they are the worst. Very clicky and obviously don't like new people. My kids start school next week and instead of getting them ready with their sleep patterns and spending time with them, I am working the next 3 nights straight and taking job required classes during the day leaving me with no sleep and trying to squeeze their school orientation into the 4 hours I have between getting off work and going back in for the classes. Basically I am torturing myself because it's a good company to work for (despite my specific unit & shift being bad) and because I have this fear of "what if no one else hires me" ... even though I had the other job offers when I moved and have the two interviews already. One hospital just called me two weeks ago & left me a voicemail message upping the sign on bonus and upping the pay staying "we know you accepted at another hospital but just wondering how that's going and if you'd come on board here for x pay rate and y sign on bonus. Call us back" Kicking myself for not calling them but I kept telling myself "it's going to be uncomfortable while you get used to the new job and people, you don't grow unless you are uncomfortable" Haha but some nurses are just plain mean... learning that the hard way!! Guess I've been lucky so far to only work with lovely nurses in my career until now.

Two types of stress- Stress of not having a gaurenteed income & stress of not sleeping & caring for patients while being tortured by preceptors. I'm just dreading this week of no sleep and what it brings from my co workers. Trying not to let it get to me & effect my income / career but it really is troubling me.