I started at a psych unit a couple months ago and this is my first job as a nurse.
I don't like the way I hear staff talking to/about the patients.
Examples:
One patient had a history of domestic abuse, and a coworker told me "her boyfriend probably hit her because of her mouth".
Another nurse joked about how fat a patient was and that she was an "***" then this nurse proceeded to be nice to her face.
An 18 year old was put in 4 point restraints and one guy "joked" they would let her *** the bed and they could just change the sheets when she started yelling she had to go to the bathroom. Same guy talked about how "dumb" all the patients are
Worst coworker called a developmentally delayed patient "***" and a "***" in the break room.
One schizophrenic patient, old skinny guy, threatened to beat up a female staff member. The charge nurse, very tall heavyset man, got in this patient's face and started yelling at him and threatening to hurt the patient, then when he was done yelling he turned to me and told me to give him a shot. I felt like this charge nurse just wanted to feel tough so he started threatening him. When a tall heavyset woman was combative, this nurse put in a mouth guard and let me give the shot, like he was afraid to do it or something.
All of these people are my fellow nurses.
I have seen coworkers give the "nursing dose" where they give extra ativan and haldol. Or sometimes they give an injection, then leave the med vials out and tell me to scan and chart it in the computer for them, which terrifies me because I was taught "don't chart it if you didn't give it" in nursing school. Got into a fight with a coworker today about that.
Please resign as soon as you can. You can put in your resignation that it is a hostile work environment and you have had issues with some of the staff. The HR department may want to interview you. You have co-workers that will deny anything you say. I hope you have documented everything in a notebook with signed , dated and timed notes.
This sounds like a group of healthcare workers that have become hardened about their jobs and the people they care for. They have a certain culture that has evolved (negative) and you don’t have a place in it. It should be reported for the sake of the patient’s. I don’t know your state and whether you can do this anonymously or not to your PHD or your Nurse Board I suggest londonflo’s advice to check with Davey Do.
I have edited this to include: Technically if it is known by HR, they should be reporting this? Also is there a Director of this unit? I am assuming you have already gone this route or don’t trust this route.
So my boss wants me to come back. I feel like they kinda guilt-tripped me by saying the patients need me. They said I can call out abuse and refuse to let other RNs from scanning meds into my MAR.
I have considered going back, but it feels like a stupid idea; I already "tattled" on a lot of my coworkers and made a report to the dph. If the investigation goes anywhere (I hope it does) I am sure they will know it is me.
Truth is I do wanna go back because I love the job itself (talking to patients, charting, giving meds) but I do not want to deal with staff gossip or patient abuse. To top it off, I do not trust a lot of my coworkers, and it is hard to function as a team because of this.
Gratefulbutnotstupid, ASN, LPN, RN
50 Posts
Please resign as soon as you can. You can put in your resignation that it is a hostile work environment and you have had issues with some of the staff. The HR department may want to interview you. You have co-workers that will deny anything you say. I hope you have documented everything in a notebook with signed , dated and timed notes.
This sounds like a group of healthcare workers that have become hardened about their jobs and the people they care for. They have a certain culture that has evolved (negative) and you don’t have a place in it. It should be reported for the sake of the patient’s. I don’t know your state and whether you can do this anonymously or not to your PHD or your Nurse Board I suggest londonflo’s advice to check with Davey Do.
I have edited this to include: Technically if it is known by HR, they should be reporting this? Also is there a Director of this unit? I am assuming you have already gone this route or don’t trust this route.