Soooo frustrated and confused

SFCardiacRN · Nov 25, 2005

Hang in there and do your best. Start looking for another job now. It sounds like you may not have a choice. Learn from these two experiences and look inward to see if your attitude needs a little "tweaking". You'll need a thick skin to be a nurse and sick patients in pain can be mean not to mention stressed staff. Take the "high road" and maintain professionalism when confronting racism or other verbal attacks. Good luck getting into nursing school. You will have gained invaluable experience as an aide as you move through clinicals.

giada23 · Nov 25, 2005

I thank you for your reply. I have looked inside to see if it was just a problem with my attitude and I haven't seen anything sooo far that I think I need to change as far as that goes. I am very receptive, I try to ask is there anything for me to do instead of just sitting around and looking dumb founded and it just seems like nothing that I do puts me and my efforts in a positive light. I have no problems with dealing with nasty patients because there are a lot of factors influencing their behavior, but I can't deal with nasty, unprofessional co-workers. I am really trying to be mature about this and just think that everybody isn't going to like you so just face it and move on, but it is affecting everything that I do. The job I had before that was just horrible. I worked for a private practice doctor, and she started me off making a lowly 7.00 an hour, and I am a certified medical assistant!!! She offered no benefits, and she was paying under the table. I took the position because I needed more medical assisting experience and I knew that I needed to start somewhere. I worked my way up to being office manager in just 7 months so I know that she felt I was trustworthy and professional. I was cleaning this womans house on the side for extra money for crying out loud. Nobody is going to let you into their home unless they really trust you. She got rid of me because she didn't want the person to come back and try to sue her, and I was named in the suit. The patient did threaten to sue after the police removed him from the premises, and she also didn't want to pay me any more money. She had been promising me a raise and I never got the raise in the time frame that she had promised. So the time came when she could no longer come up with more excuses as to why I couldn't get my raise. I asked for 9.00 dollars an hour, which was also an under payment, and she reluctantly gave it to me, and said that because she was giving me 9.00 dollars an hour she could not afford to pay me over 40 hours a week, which is fraud. I am just tired of not being able to find a good place to work. This is just really getting ridiculous now. I know I am a good worker, but I am tired of being walked and trampled on by uncaring employers. To make matters worse, I feel like I am trapped between a rock and and a hard place because I have two children to clothe and feed.

Fun2, BSN, RN · Nov 25, 2005

It seems to me that if the doctor gave you permission to have the patient thrown out, she should have given you a name and number of another doctor to give to the patient.

The doctor can be sued for abandonment.

As for your whole situation, you may be giving off signals that you are not aware of...rolling your eyes or stance....body language is a powerful thing.

It's hard to go into a new practice and not be fully educated, I understand. Try carrying a pocket pad with you and write down things to refer back to later. This will help you remember codes, directions, etc so that you won't have to keep asking the same questions. I found that helped when starting out at new jobs.

Even people who know and love you will say hurtful things, so why expect any less from someone who is ill and doesn't know you at all? Try to ignore any rude comments and make sure you kiss butt to keep a job until you can get through school.

Good luck! :)

giada23 · Nov 25, 2005

Hi, and thank you for your reply. I think you are a little confused about my post. I am not talking about patients, I don't have a problem with rude patients, only if they are verbally abusive and violent, I don't have to take that. I was talking about the patient in reference to my last job that I got fired from. The patient incident was the reason behind me getting fired. He was being extremely verbally abusive and was in my face and yelling. He was so close that I could smell his breath. He was very threatening. As far as the patient abandonment issue, he was given info on another doctor and a record release form. The job that I am currently on, I make it a point to be very conciencious of my demeanor, posture, and overall attitude because I have been waiting for a good job like this for soo long that I don't want to screw it up. I consider myself to be very timid and careful on the job. One of the problems the preceptor told the RN manager was that I ask to many questions. She said that if I am writing the stuff down, she doesn't understand why I am asking her again what she just went through with me. I call myself just wanting to be sure and just being very careful. I carry around a note pad with me and I write down everything that the other MA's tell me, but to no avail. We had a pt come in straight from the ER s/p MI. She was c/o SOB, tightness in the chest area, heaviness in the chest area, lightheadedness and generalized weakness. She also c/o some brusies that just popped up on here leg and she said that she didn't hit herself on anything. The pt was on coumadin. Anyway the MA ran out the room and obtained a pulse ox on the pt and put it on her, as well as measured the width and the height of the bruises. Her initial assesment of the pt to me was more nursing than medical assisting. I have never been in a situation like that to know that I could do something like that. It has never been in my scope of practice. So because I don't have those skills that they have they look at me like I am an idiot or something. I have broken down and cried on the job in front of the manager and I cry everyday that I go home after work. I want this job to work soo bad, but I don't know what to do and I don't know what I am doing wrong. I am always upbeat and I speak to everyone when I come to work. When I speak to the other MA's, they don't even respond back, so I don't say anything to them anymore. It is just killing my spirit there. I am usually a happy go lucky type of person, but now, I am quite and very unsure of myself. They critisize everything that I do, almost in a way that I feel like they are antagonizing me to leave. I try to be thorough when I am checking the pt in before they see the doctor, and just when I think I am doing good, the MA tells me you are too slow, so you just need to watch me againl. If I ask them to do something for the doctor, they will do it, by slamming stuff around and making it a point to let me know that they have an attitude with me. I don't even know what I can do anymore because if I do something on my own, I get chewed out about it. I just don't know what to do anymore. Sorry about the long rant again.

giada23 · Nov 25, 2005

And also fun2care, I like what you said about how people who love and care about you will say mean things so why should I expect more from someone that doesn't even know me. I never thought about it like that!!!! Thanks!!!!

Fun2, BSN, RN · Nov 25, 2005

God knows it's not right, but we all know it happens. It hurts so much, but we all need to learn how to brush off anything rude when someone is ill or upset. ;( I think everyone has probably said things that aren't meant at one time or another.

I can understand your situation. My medical assisting education consisted of 9 months. I was fully prepared for injections, EKGs, venipunctures, and I did well with the patients. I also had to deal with the "problem" employees, and patients. Actually in two separate places I had to deal with "on the job trained" assistants. I really think it was a jealousy issue there.

Other places, I dealt with not knowing enough.

I really think I found it easier to fit in a Family practice, and not the specialized practices. If I had stayed working longer, then I probably could have went into a specialized practice more easily. I did work in a Dermatology office, but found it rather boring. I really liked the Family Practice settings the best...more variety. :)

I just say, don't settle for a mediocre work environment. There are better places out there where the employees will be happy to teach you.

Also, if you know you know something, don't continue to ask. You have to step out of your shell and be able to perform on your own. In nursing, you're not going to have someone holding your hand all the time. It is scary, I know, but do the things that you know you can. If you are able to do something as a medical assistant in your practice, and you know how to do it, then show that you are catching on. They won't keep you if you can't show improvement.

Good luck.

SFCardiacRN · Nov 25, 2005

Giada, I can really feel for you. I also had very difficult times working my way through pre-reqs toward my dream of becoming an RN. I had a sick toddler and multiple low paying jobs. There were days when I thought I couldn't make it. I did make it through (somehow) and have a healthy son and a great job. You will make it too. Keep your spirits up and your eye on the light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck!!! I'll pray for you.

giada23 · Nov 26, 2005

Thank you fun2care and sfcardiacrn, your words were very helpful to me. Its nice to know that I am not the only one who has been through a trying period on a new job. I just have to grow a thick skin and just realize that this won't last forever and to just stick it out. If I don't keep the job and for whatever reason they decide to not keep me then it won't be because I gave up and quit. I have been giving them the power to control my emothins and if I don't give them that power anymore, then they can't have me in tears and have me feeling inferior. All I can do is do my best, thats all. I do admit that I need to come out of my shell and start doing the things that I know that I can do on my own. I know that they can't babysit me forever. I just feel so intimidated, and I don't want to do the wrong thing and get chewed out for it. Thanks for everybody's support.

Little Panda RN, ASN, RN · Nov 26, 2005

I am so sorry for what you are going through Giada23. Hold your head high and know that you are giving it your best. When your best is not enough, then maybe it was not meant to be. You are in my prayers!

pedinurse05 · Nov 28, 2005

wow giada23 that is stressing! I wish co-workers would remember that everyone is new sometime and need that mentoring to grow to their full capacity. We all don't walk out of school knowing everything. Sometimes we learn things in theory and never have the opportunity to actually do them. If you have already analized your attitude and decided it doesn't need "tweaking", then I suggest you analize the way your co-workers are interpreting your words and actions. Maybe you are merely having a little misunderstanding--what you mean is not how they take it or vice versa. I would stick it out, hold my head high, and seek all the learning opportunities I could. I really think if you work on your communication tactics that this could be resolved. Most tension and frustration is related to misunderstandings in communication. Hang in there Giada.

Missy

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Nov 29, 2005

You are proof that things do happen for a reason. Don't let the other MA's step on you or get in your way. Do what you have to do. May the Lord be with you.