Regular staff members are so snotty to me, the traveler

Blue IIs · Oct 21, 2007

Take heart as not all staff at other hospitals are like that. I think a lot depends on where you work. I have worked in very traveler friendly hospitals more than not. I hope this does not change your mind about traveling because it can be a great experience.

Take care,

Tricia

loricatus · Oct 21, 2007

You might be surprised to find out that some of the staff are treated the same as you (a traveler). At least, at my place it is that way. I actually get along with the travelers because we are being treated the same way by the old timers (RNs & CNAs). You really have to see the look of disgust on their faces when I choose to assist a traveler and never them-PRICELESS. I don't know how long you are into this assignment; but, if you just got there, try to keep your eyes open for the disgruntled staff. They will not be that apparent because of the consequences for them to be discovered by the abusers. And, remember that you are there for limited amount of time & it will be over and done with.

I will start traveling soon to get away from the very thing you are talking about (and because of the positive relationships I have had with travelers vs. staff at the pit). No matter how bad it gets, my recruiter reminded me that I do not have to be sucked into the politics and it is only like 39 shifts that I have to be there. If your company has a clinical liason, try calling them and have them discuss your having to do unpaid overtime with the nurse manager. Start insisting that you receive payment for all time worked-you can't be responsible for having to have a workload that does not permit all the tasks to be completed in the scheduled time. You aren't the hospital's employee, so if you talk to your employer and start rocking the boat, they may call your nurse manager to have the others back off a little, because the waves you are creating will cost your company money.

Bottom line, these people are probably jealous because they think you are making the big bucks that they think they are entitled to. Just keep smiling and don't let them think that they are getting to you. Hey, join them outside for a fresh air break. Never let them see you sweat. You will be out of there in a very short time and they have to continue on in their miserable existance

PS: Would you mind telling us where this place is, so we can avoid it?

ERRNTraveler, RN · Oct 21, 2007

Hang in there- it's only 13 weeks. If things get really unbearable, talk to your unit manager, if he/she isn't any help, talk to your recruiter. Before your next assignment, research the hospital by talking to other travelers on this & other nursing boards. Also, http://www.nursesconnect.us lists reviews of different hospitals posted by other travelers, and you can post reviews there as well. You can also look at hospital reviews on http://www.ultimatenurse.com Hang in there!

P.S. Which hospital are you at???

cvryder · Oct 23, 2007

It really varies with the unit, not so much the hospital, and I believe the attitudes come from above (usually the manager, who is either part of the clique, or is isolated/uninvolved/incompetent or all three). My last assignment was in a hospital that has an excellent reputation, on a floor that was pretty harmonious and on a shift where everyone really worked together. Once, however, I got pulled to another unit, where people wouldn't help you if you were on fire. I was surprised and appalled that this unit could exist side by side with mine, but I was told by staff on my unit that it was always that way and that it was basically because of the manager, and that "they can't keep staff up there." Gee, wonder why?

Hang in there, it's only 13 weeks!

Selke · Oct 24, 2007

Welcome to the world of traveling ... You will never be smart enough, fast enough, cute enough, knowledgeable enough, compared to the regular staff, who of course know everything, are supernurses, and how to do it all correctly, unlike you, because that's how they've ALWAYS done things there! You will never get glowing evaluations, fair assignments, all your breaks, credit for what you do know, or treated as one of the team. You will always be an outsider. Unlike you, many nurses have never worked anyplace else than the facility in which they currently work and have absolutely no grasp of how things are done in other parts of the country/city/rural/teaching/community hospital/whatever. You will be snubbed, left out of conversations, talked around, not asked to socialize with the other staff, ignored when not being told to take another patient, insinuated that your clinical skills aren't up to snuff, and in fact if you come from a different philosophy of care (as in L&D) you may be basically told you don't know what you are doing, period.

OTOH you experience how a unit/clique treats strangers and will inform you whether or not you want to remain there or recommend the place to other RNs. These staff nurses don't realize how much travelers talk and that a good number of travelers are looking to permanently relocate .... And if you are working in a lovely place you do get to experience that and explore this beautiful continent.

Welcome to the ambivalent, yet wonderful world of travel nursing.

Rage, RN · Oct 26, 2007

Excuse me.........but isn't this sort of mentality (abusive nurses) counter productive for the facility? I guess I still have a "business" mind but if you look at the equation..............regular staffing doesn't help+catches an attitude+takes longer breaks=the need for traveler nursing.

I would think that behaviors you see aren't new to the floor, just redirected to you, ensuring the need for traveling nursing to adequately staff the floor. If you take the traveler nurse out of the equation then the formula still exist and just equals something else.

Now if you want to push a few buttons...........document what you encounter on a daily basis. list events, names, dates and time. When you have sufficient data (oh say several weeks) then ask for an appointment with the nurse manager and request that budgeting/appropriations, risk management, and your company rep. be there. Just be ready not to have a re-assignment to that hospital........but you might get offered a permanent position as well.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Oct 26, 2007

Excuse me.........but isn't this sort of mentality (abusive nurses) counter productive for the facility? I guess I still have a "business" mind but if you look at the equation..............regular staffing doesn't help+catches an attitude+takes longer breaks=the need for traveler nursing.
I would think that behaviors you see aren't new to the floor, just redirected to you, ensuring the need for traveling nursing to adequately staff the floor. If you take the traveler nurse out of the equation then the formula still exist and just equals something else.
Now if you want to push a few buttons...........document what you encounter on a daily basis. list events, names, dates and time. When you have sufficient data (oh say several weeks) then ask for an appointment with the nurse manager and request that budgeting/appropriations, risk management, and your company rep. be there. Just be ready not to have a re-assignment to that hospital........but you might get offered a permanent position as well.

I've been a nurse for fifteen years and a traveler for three. I have to disagree with the above post.

Hospitals do lots of things that end up costing them staff and money, but they keep on doing them, no matter how counter-productive or counter intuitive they may be. This is one of the main reasons behind the nursing "shortage". Most seasoned nurses are well aware of this.

Many units need travelers only because they are disfunctional toxic environments. The culture and attitudes of the unit were there long before the traveler arrived and will be there long after she leaves; she is not going to change them.

A traveler who speaks up is considered a trouble maker, and speaking up will only give her a bad rep as a traveler.

If you piss off mgmt at one hospital, they can have you barred from working at any of their facilities ever again, if they wish.

I've had both great and awful travel assignments, and many that fall somewhere in between.

The beauty of traveling is that if the unit is bad, in 13 weeks you're outa there and on to the next one.

Evangeline2000 · Oct 27, 2007

LOL, this thread reminds me of the "us vs. them" mentality we just got lectured about on another thread.....I've NEVER felt animosity towards travel nurses when I was staff, and I've done travel nursing.

Staff nurses who are mean to travellers are just....well I really can't say as I'd probably be banned. LOL.

I was always GLAD to see a travel nurse - figured it was extra help - but what do I know??

Conqueror+, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2007

I've been a nurse for fifteen years and a traveler for three. I have to disagree with the above post.
A traveler who speaks up is considered a trouble maker, and speaking up will only give her a bad rep as a traveler.
If you piss off mgmt at one hospital, they can have you barred from working at any of their facilities ever again, if they wish.

I agree 100% I have seen clauses in my travel contracts that FORBID me from doing the very things that the other poster suggested. I wish you would keep a log of the facilities shortcomings and then ask for a meeting with your recruiter and the facility. They might show up just to make sure you aren't at your apartment while they are having the furniture picked up and the cable turned off. You are there to fill a short term gap and they aren't going to jeopardize 100 contracts for one "nosy" nurse. Sorry, it's just not how the travel game is played. I am from the school of "eight and skate" Do your shift and get out !!

llg, PhD, RN · Nov 4, 2007

If you are at all interested in getting a permanent job somewhere, the last thing you should do is make trouble and "not fit in" with the regular staff. That's a sure way to get yourself a bad reputation. The management will give you a negative eval (about how you had trouble blending in and working with the staff) and that on your record will make it more difficult for you to hired by anyone else.

There are ways to bring the problems to the attention of the management ... but the advice of "Rage" is not the way to go about it. First, prove yourself competent and develop a good reputation. Then, after the management is happy with your performance, gently let the key people know that you have experienced some problems.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Nov 5, 2007

......I am from the school of "eight and skate" Do your shift and get out !!

How about "twelve and delve"? Do your twelve, then delve into your car and split, lol.

Also "sixteen and split the scene"...oh, I must be tired cuz I'm getting goofy.