gipeggy

A year or so ago I had a patient's sister call the manager of the GI office , in the building where I worked , not the department. She emailed my own supervisor at the clinic's endoscopy center. Apparently this woman said that I apologized too much while admitting her sister (the patient) for a procedure. I wanted to call her and say "Sorry I said I was Sorry so much!" but tempting as it was, I just tried to let it go.

Hi beckster, You are wise beyond your 25 years! I appreciate seeing your perspective on things. I am guilty of ranting about bad management, having left a job I had for over ten years due to disagreements with her. But I certainly would NEVER want her job either. She had to deal with the powers that be and manage a large group of MAs and RNs with strong personalities. I'm grateful to see someone out there who stays accountable for her own mistakes. It's true, this culture is very blame - oriented. I have a feeling you are an excellent nurse. We all make mistakes, unfortunately in our line of work they can be life - threatening. But you demonstrate exactly what should be done when we make them. Admit it immediately, do something about it, and take steps to help ensure it doesn't happen again. One of my favorite clinical instructors , way back when, told me it that we will make mistakes, but it is what you do about them that counts. Thanks again for a very refreshing take on this issue. Best of luck in your career! Peggy

Hi Kathy, I'd like to join the others here in sending you my best wishes. I can empathize with you for sure. I graduated with my BSN in 1995, and this is the only career I've known. I'm the one who family members / close friends proudly announce, "is the Nurse". It's like my identity. Now in my late forties, I am also unemployed. In April of this year, I resigned from the GI clinic I worked at for the last ten + years, due to increasing difficulty getting along with my direct supervisor, being repeatedly told it seems I'm no longer a good fit, that I can't keep up with their "brisk pace" (this clinic started as a sort of "mom and pop" employer, but in the last few years grew very big, hiring a new GM who I think has been pressuring this same supervisor to clean house, so to speak.) They obviously favor the young twenty to thirtysomethings. After years of good reviews and no discipline this supervisor wrote me up twice in the space of six months and the second write up was enough for me. I didn't want to end up getting fired, though honestly I'm not sure they would have because it would have cost them $$$$. But at the time I just had it. Thought as you did I'd have no problem finding another job where I'd be a better "fit" and have lots of experience to offer. What a rude awakening. Now I'm living off of what's left of my savings (fortunately I had some) but running out of money, thinking of cashing out my 401K even though everyone I discuss this with says I'm crazy to do that. But I'm at wits end. I am considering going back to school and changing careers. We can't change our chronological age, but we can make the best with what we have, at least that's what I'm trying to do. I am so sorry you are going through this now. I hope it helps knowing you are definitely not alone here. Hang in there. I'm here anytime you need to vent. I am grateful to have others like you on this site for support / understanding.

Hello all, I'm reaching out here... has anyone been the victim of "behind the scenes" bullying by a physician? I only worked for this MD ten weeks (she fired me, or I should say she had the office manager fire me for her, which honestly was a relief !) but it was ten weeks of hell. This physician is LOVED by nearly all of her patients, has her own practice, a very small core staff. I was "warned" by her staff that she could be difficult, but never in my eighteen years as an RN have I endured such mental / emotional turmoil. She was very nice to me when she interviewed me, but soon as I was on her clock, the claws came out. I was hired to replace her prior RN, who left after just over a year (? wonder why). While this MD wasn't an outright yeller or loose cannon, she was very , well, just mean to me, making comments like, "oh, you aren't writing this down... I will wait for you to take notes as you obviously don't retain anything" I could give more details, but this is already getting long. Let me put it this way... it felt like I was working with a DIVA actress, you know, the type that berates all of her staff, then goes onstage as a different person. I almost wish she was a consistent bully, to everyone i.e. her patients, so I wouldn't feel so confused. Hope this makes sense. Oh, and the reason I was let go, I kid you not, is that I was "too nice to the patients, took too long on phone with them, and Dr. xxxxx wants to be the nice one". Guess she wanted her nurse to be the "bad guy". I am a good nurse. I took this job because I left the GI clinic I worked for after nearly 12 years because I wanted to move to part time work in a smaller clinic so I could return to school (this is another long story , I'll spare the details) But I always had good performance reviews from the physicians there. Oh well. Any validation or reality check is appreciated! Meantime I am recovering from that mental Chinese Water Torture!