Return to nursing-Fear of new facility-options?

[sjlang]

I have been out of nursing for over 8 years due to health problems. I'm well now and after a struggle of finding a fit after my long absence, I decided to try a job with adolescent offenders that requires more therapeutic relationships and conflict resolution, paperwork and supervision than the critical care skills I had used in the past. I have taken the academic portion of a "refresher course" and am finishing a 100-hour preceptorship with an excellent (agency) nurse in the facility that offered me the job.

My problem: I'm having some serious concerns about the organization. (1) The handling of meds is sloppy, to say the least. I don't know all of the legalities of what they're doing, or not doing, but it isn't safe. (2) The non-nursing staff "orders" the nurses (who are supposed to be supervising) when they think that clients need medications to help them control their behavior (basically chemical restraints, although they avoid the term), or when they think the client should be on precautions. One worker became very angry a couple of days ago when the RN refused to follow the worker's demands because it was not warranted in the nurse's judgement. While any nursing job requires independent judgement and conflict management skills, this seems like a way of life here. (3) The DON quit (over politics?) after I started. Her replacement has been an RN for less than a year and seems to be more interested in pleasing her new boss than protecting her or our licenses. She's doing things that my preceptor and I consider highly disturbing. Also, my preceptor has a history of coming in early or staying late to help out at this facility, but when she asked if she could take off an hour or so early because of some pressing issues, the DON gave her a very sarcastic and rude reply instead of professionally stating that it wasn't possible. (Something like, "I don't know why the f*!@ not!!! .....No.") (4) We run out of supplies. I understand that even the docs haven't been paid in months. The turnover is high, even for nursing. It's a small place, but almost all of the nurses are agency nurses, because everyone else has left that could leave. The more I see, the more worried I am.

Many basic nursing skills aren't done here, so my preceptorship hasn't prepared me for more clinical nursing. I'm also not sure how I feel going back to that. My last job was a nightmare where my DON said that national standards were developed by people in ivory towers and didn't apply to us. I felt that I was witnessing negligent homocide or dangerous situations every day, and every avenue that I pursued to correct the situation proved to be a dead end (pun, unfortunately accurate.) It was a small rural hospital with no where else that I could reasonably drive to with my family situation.

Sorry this is so long, but if you have any advice, please help. Part of me loves nursing (in theory, and the clients :) ), but in real life I want to run from it. I haven't found other options for making a living with my training/education/experience. I have a BSN, was top in my class, and was a very conscientious ICU and PACU nurse with certification.

Thank you for "listening." Please help if you can.

[Rena RN 2003, RN]

you know all of these things to be true ahead of time yet you are still willing to work there?

i can't speak for you but i would be looking elsewhere for a place of employment if i had that many concerns before the job actually started.

[sjlang]

you know all of these things to be true ahead of time yet you are still willing to work there?

i can't speak for you but i would be looking elsewhere for a place of employment if i had that many concerns before the job actually started.

I am looking for work elsewhere. I'm just trying to figure out what that might be doing. Although I was an excellent nurse in the past, I'm afraid that after 8 years my skills may be rusty, and I know some equipment, standards, and practice have changed. I'm studying, but lack confidence. Any thoughts?

[MissPiggy]

I have been out of nursing for over 8 years due to health problems. I'm well now and after a struggle of finding a fit after my long absence, I decided to try a job with adolescent offenders that requires more therapeutic relationships and conflict resolution, paperwork and supervision than the critical care skills I had used in the past. I have taken the academic portion of a "refresher course" and am finishing a 100-hour preceptorship with an excellent (agency) nurse in the facility that offered me the job.

My problem: I'm having some serious concerns about the organization. (1) The handling of meds is sloppy, to say the least. I don't know all of the legalities of what they're doing, or not doing, but it isn't safe. (2) The non-nursing staff "orders" the nurses (who are supposed to be supervising) when they think that clients need medications to help them control their behavior (basically chemical restraints, although they avoid the term), or when they think the client should be on precautions. One worker became very angry a couple of days ago when the RN refused to follow the worker's demands because it was not warranted in the nurse's judgement. While any nursing job requires independent judgement and conflict management skills, this seems like a way of life here. (3) The DON quit (over politics?) after I started.

My God! That sounds like where I am working... where are you? In my situation, rumors are flying that we are about to close our doors because they haven't been paying their bills, so therefore we have to do our jobs without supplies on top of it all - if you are at the same place, I suggest you join the rest of the staff who are actively job hunting as we speak. Sorry for the pessimism, but I prefer to think of it as reality. :uhoh21:

[sjlang]

I have been out of nursing for over 8 years due to health problems. I'm well now and after a struggle of finding a fit after my long absence, I decided to try a job with adolescent offenders that requires more therapeutic relationships and conflict resolution, paperwork and supervision than the critical care skills I had used in the past. I have taken the academic portion of a "refresher course" and am finishing a 100-hour preceptorship with an excellent (agency) nurse in the facility that offered me the job.

My problem: I'm having some serious concerns about the organization. (1) The handling of meds is sloppy, to say the least. I don't know all of the legalities of what they're doing, or not doing, but it isn't safe. (2) The non-nursing staff "orders" the nurses (who are supposed to be supervising) when they think that clients need medications to help them control their behavior (basically chemical restraints, although they avoid the term), or when they think the client should be on precautions. One worker became very angry a couple of days ago when the RN refused to follow the worker's demands because it was not warranted in the nurse's judgement. While any nursing job requires independent judgement and conflict management skills, this seems like a way of life here. (3) The DON quit (over politics?) after I started.

My God! That sounds like where I am working... where are you? In my situation, rumors are flying that we are about to close our doors because they haven't been paying their bills, so therefore we have to do our jobs without supplies on top of it all - if you are at the same place, I suggest you join the rest of the staff who are actively job hunting as we speak. Sorry for the pessimism, but I prefer to think of it as reality. :uhoh21:

Thanks for the "dose" of reality. I'm afraid that you've got the right client, dose, etc. I'm hunting, too.

[stidget99]

Run!! Run!! Run away as fast as you can!!! There are other jobs out there that will fit your comfort level. It would be horrible if you lost your license after putting all of the extra effort into getting it back.