BEING PICKED ON

Nurses General Nursing

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      any help appreciated
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      I really need help on this

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I am a 65 year old nurse. I am a RN. I work in geriatric facility. I have been a nurse for 20 years. I have CCU and Geriatric experience. I feel like I am being picked on by a ADON is a LPN. I always being called in to her office and being told that I need to work on my notes etc i write on my charting. I went through all of the reports that were written on the topic she told me about. Other nurses in our facility make the same errors I do and they are never told about their errors. I am only human and my ADON says since i am a RN I am held to a higher standard then the OTHER nurses are. I feel like i am being singled out. I have taken 4 sick days this year and the ADON gave me a lecture on sick days. the other nurses with kids etc call in because their kids are sick and that is ok and they are never told about taking too many sick days. I feel like i am being singled out and picked on. Any help on handling this matter would be appreciated..

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

I had a similar situation, cabinman, with our director and I called her out in a meeting where I was called to HR for not completing a superfluous form. She had complained about other superficial things previously. I initiated a grievance process, citing harassment.

It's been over a year and she hasn't bothered me since.

Good luck to you, cabinman!

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Hello cabinman -

There really isn't enough information. The question is, are you performing well or not?

Biggest mistake is using your coworkers as your yardstick. I'm sure you don't mean to feel good about your performance solely as evidenced by being better than people who don't even meet your own standards. Right?

You might be being picked on, or this person might have a more legitimate problem with your work. Only you know what kinds of things they're saying to you and whether those are true or not. Is your charting lacking? If so, you gotta change that, even if you have to take independent steps to improve. I say take stock of the situation and step up your game. Have excellent intentions with regard to performing your job, and do your best to carry out your intentions.

The good thing about taking this tack is that your efforts will be to your benefit as much as anyone else's - which will certainly help you if it turns out that you need to find a new position.

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Specializes in Surgical, Home Infusions, HVU, PCU, Neuro.

Were you given specifics related to your charting on what needs to change? Have you worked on them? Unfortunately the other nurses behaviors, and lack of whatever they may or may not be doing, is not here nor there with the issues involving you. It seems as though you may need to find employment elsewhere, especially for your sanity. Best of luck!

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If their treatment of you disturbs you too much, then it is time to dust off the resume and find another job. But be forewarned, jobs are not as easily available to people that are already 65. If you want a lower stress environment while retaining the nursing paycheck, I would recommend checking out home health agencies for a position in extended care. Perhaps lower pay than your facility job, but only one patient for your shift. A good way to wind down a nursing career.

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Specializes in Travel, Home Health, Med-Surg.

We probably need more info but based on what you wrote here goes. You say you work at a geriatric facility, is this like a nursing home/SNF. Most have LVN's, so if your ADON is saying you are to be held to a higher standard in your charting because you are an RN and the "other nurses" are LVN's then that is perfectly acceptable and you should be (held to a higher standard) because you have more education, higher license etc. If the ADON is saying that to you and they are RN's, then yes, I would want to know why and go from there. As far as the sick days go, what is the policy, are you "sick" too many days according to that or not. I know places I have worked have given a "lecture" when you are getting close, just so they can document they notified you. Maybe they have done the same thing with others and you just don't know it, maybe they have a FMLA or something like that, no way for you to really know. And, yes, sometimes some people just get preferential treatment for no reason that we (as the employee) can see. You are 65yo and it will be difficult to obtain and/or start a new position. I would really consider the "being picked on" before you do anything. Is it something you can document, if so start so you have something to take to HR if you decide to do that, is it something you can live with until you retire, please consider all the options and consequences before you do anything, you don't want to make it harder for yourself. I had a job like this once and because of past experience (of seeing bad outcomes for others) just lived with it until I was ready to leave the facility for my personal (life) situation. I hope it all works out for you, I know it can be very hard sometimes, good luck!!

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A hell of a mess. I retired... so can you.

Best wishes.

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This sounds like they may be trying to push you out. It's unfortunate. I worked with a 62 year old LPN and management wanted to get rid of her 1) because she made more than everyone and a new nurse wouldnt be paid near as much 2) higher ups had given the okay to replace her with an RN position. They nitpicked this poor woman and she was a damn good nurse. Finally they ran her out. I never respected management after that and luckily was not working there much longer

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

As an RN, your charting should be held to a higher standard than that of an LPN. But, what makes you think you know whether or not anything has been said to LPNs who are making the same mistakes you did? Discipline is supposed to be confidential. Your manager cannot discuss it with you, so the only way you would know is if the LPNs complained about being talked to about their charting.

As for the four sick days - I'm an RN in a hospital, and we get counseled for more than three sick days. Again, it doesn't matter what the LPNs are doing, and. You wouldn't know whether they're being counseled about their sick time usage or not. It's confidential. If your policy says you are counseled for four days of sick time used, then that's what you should expect regardless of whether or not other people are doing the same thing.

It doesn't sound, from what you're saying here, as though you're being picked on. My advice would be to stop worrying about what other people are being counseled for and clean up your own act. Improve your charting, keep your sick time usage within expectations (unless, of course, you have a serious health issue and need FMLA) and understand that RNs ARE held to a higher standard.

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