Resign now??

[femsmahus]

I am a fresh and shiny new RN and getting slaughtered in the ICU. I worked there as a tech for a year before I finished school and thought it would be an easy transition as an RN. Boy was I wrong!!

Here's the deal....I had a particularly crazy morning; crazy high maintenance family in one room and an admit (at 0745) from the ER (found unresponsive- drug OD) in the other. The admit was nothing like the ER nurse reported to me. Pt was vented, b/p in the 200's, couldn't tell if she was seizing or posturing, etc. While trying to complete the 3 pages of doc orders on the new admit I get a dirty needle stick (as her ex-husband calmly informs me that she has a life long history of IV drug use). Needless to say the morning was so insane that I didn't have a chance to sit down and do ANY charting. Charge calls a RN from home to come in and cover for me while I go get my blood work done. I feel HORRIBLE about the whole situation....I waited until the last minute to take care of myself so as to not leave so much work for the oncoming RN. Well....she comes in ******. I apologize all over the place, trying to explain what the morning was like. During report I had to go look at vent setting as the RT was in there changing them throughout the morning. Fast forward....come back and approach the RN and she basically tells me to do my charting and stay away from HER pts. Fine! Whatever!

Go into work the next day and have been taken off the schedule for the day and then am subjected to a 2.5 hr meeting with the nurse manager. This RN hand wrote 6 pages of notes detailing stuff that she thought I had done wrong, mind you nothing life-threatening....no pillows in admits rm (no need to turn her that morning as she was bucking all over the place), no oral care done (no time as I was trying to control her b/p and figure out her mentation), etc etc etc. She also printed off all of my charting and circled things that she thought I was lying about. I received a hefty write up (level 3...4 is dismissal).

When I was working this week I took my lunch break and came back early....to find her going through all of my charting (she was charging).

To say that I feel threatened is a gross understatement. The nurse manager told me that if I make one more mistake then I will be dismissed. Yicks! I am an absolute nervous wreck. Things get out of control very fast in the ICU. And we are currently so short staffed that most RN's have to take 3 pts each. My nurse manager told me that I was not using my resources appropriately but it is hard when everyone is as busy or busier than you are!

My intentions are to move within the next 4 wks...but I am wondering if I should go ahead and resign now to avoid the chances of getting fired first.

And one additional note....if I were to do it all over again....I would never never never take a position in an ICU right out of nursing school. There is just too much that you DON'T know!!!

[Fribblet]

Sounds like you aren't getting the support you need. It takes time as a new grad to really get your footing and build your confidence. Even longer in a specialty like ICU.

How long was your orientation?

[fungez]

Get a lawyer. Seriously. Accusing someone of fradulent documentation is a serious charge and if it's not true, then it's slanderous. He/she can tell you what to do as well as quiting or waiting to be fired.

And yeah, ICU is difficult but any place is difficult when you are short staffed.

[femsmahus]

My orientation was a cluster. 5 different preceptors due to the first moving on to a new job, new preceptor was a nasty harsh woman that felt it was her obligation to "break-in new RN's like they did in the old days", and 3 fill-ins. At the time I thought I was prepared to work on my own and most days I do great. But recent events have freaked me out. I have talked my situation over with a few other RN's and they say that my scenario happens to us all....they just have the opportunity to get caught up. I readily admit that the situation was out of control and I should have demanded help from the charge and I DID ask for help, but like I said the unit was so hectic that day.

We currently have about 70% new grads working on the floor. Most of the seasoned RN's are/have moved on because it is not a pleasant place to work right now. Our doc are even leaving!

[caliotter3]

You did not get the support you needed and deserved. The ICU where I did my preceptorship at had a nurse who started there right after graduating. She was in training for nine months. If you are moving in four weeks, then do yourself a favor and resign now. You can resign due to "relocation" and just be done with them. Good luck.

[Fribblet]

I wouldn't take this too hard if I were you, although it's hard not to. You're not getting the support you need, you had a sh***y orientation, and now you're in **** poor working environment.

ICU is tough. Being a new grad is hard even in ideal conditions. Don't look at your current situation as a personal failure, because it's a failure on the part of the facility you're at. You're taking the best care of your patients as best you can. If you truly think you're going to be fired, I would resign as termination looks bad for future job prospects, but in the meantime I would be aggressively looking for employment elsewhere.

An ICU staffed with 70% new grads who are in a hostile, unsupportive environment is a scary prospect.

I think once you are in a more supportive environment you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much you can "handle" in regards to nursing.

I'm sorry you're in such a terrible situation.

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

new preceptor was a nasty harsh woman that felt it was her obligation to "break-in new RN's like they did in the old days",

We currently have about 70% new grads working on the floor. Most of the seasoned RN's are/have moved on because it is not a pleasant place to work right now. Our doc are even leaving!

I presume the "seasoned RN's" are those who have weathered this platinum-plated B***h. If the manager had any brains he/she would be asking why the staff turnover is so high, figures like that do NOT reflect well on management!

I agree with your own conclusion, ICU is a heavy responsibility for a newly-qualified sister, but it's a pity this person seems intent on working you out instead of building you up. As one of the previous posts suggested, get legal advice. You are certainly a victim of "workplace bullying."

[femsmahus]

Caliotter--9 months would have made all the difference in the world. Our ICU preceptorships are only 12 weeks. They of course tell you that you can request additional time, but few do because we get a $1 raise once off of orientation.

[caliotter3]

Everything about that one nurse's situation was the exact opposite of what you describe. She stated that the nine months made it doable for her and also that she was welcomed and accepted in the unit. Makes for a big difference in the outcome. Hope your next job is better.

[heron, ASN, RN]

Most write-ups I've been involved in provide an opportunity for employee comments/reply. OP, you made some good points in your post to the effect that this was an inaccurate report, probably malicious and thus qualifies as bullying. Did you make this reply in writing? Or did it come up in the meeting but not get included in the paperwork?

It can be hard to think on your feet in a meeting like this, but getting your side of the story on paper and in the report is the only way to start kicking this nonsense upstairs.

I have been known to refuse to sign a malicious write-up ... don't know if it ever triggered any change, but that idiot never tried it again.

Besides, pushing back is good for the morale.

[carluvscats]

Oh goodness................ save yourself some stress and get out as quickly as possible. It's pretty clear things aren't going to get better and very likely could get worse!!!!

So sorry...... what an awful thing to go through for your first nursing job.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

OP, If you find those actual words of "lying about" or any facsimile thereof in your write-up, I'd certainly lawyer up!

Make sure before you throw it down, that you get copies of what you can. Feels to me, that this NM is just making sure she gets no guff when she terminates you. I cannot see how that would not be her intent based on what you posted. Of her many glaring mistakes, her overzealousness in her "case-building" efforts should cook her. Be careful to say nothing of your intentions if you do this. Best to keep them "barefoot" etc. so you can have manuvering room.

A response to a previous poster in a similar situation, gave the advice to say OK, ICU is not for you at this point in your career and realize this (tho not true). Say that you would like some time to find another job, and could you get a recommendation from this NM...maybe job could be within the same facility...