Stressed out medsurg nurse

Published

My job is legit KILLING MY SOUL.

I started working in a city hospital on a MEDSURG and Telemetry floor. I had 6 weeks of orientation with a preceptor. Problem is my preceptor was horrible, she would yell at me and put me down in front of families and other nurses while on orientation. I toughed it out figuring once off things would be ok.

Now i am off of orientation and the people on my floor aren't helpful. I heard through the rumor mill that people say I ask too many questions and come off as too nice. I come into work with a smile with my best face forward. I believe in bring your best into work and leave the negativity home.

I find that I get the worst patient assignments, I am only off orientation for two weeks and already got written up for forgetting a stupid label. I don't know what to do. But i feel like i can't continue. My days off I am sad and miserable at work i am just trying to make it. I feel like a bother if I ask questions. But how else is a new nurse supposed to learn.

I feel that many of the nurses I work with are egotistical and arrogant. This KILLS ME on so many levels. I hated it while in school with classmates and now I work with a bunch of people that are just as arrogant. There is so much hazing and bullying on our floor and now I see other new nurses going through the same mess I went through.

Just because it happened to you doesn't make it ok. I hate people that act like everything came to them easily when I know you can't just bounce out of bed and be a nurse.

Nursing is hard why the arrogance why the bullying? Why can't people be nice? What do I do? I have been there about 3 months now, its not getting better. I am trying so freakin hard...

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My job is legit KILLING MY SOUL.

I started working in a city hospital on a MEDSURG and Telemetry floor. I had 6 weeks of orientation with a preceptor. Problem is my preceptor was horrible, she would yell at me and put me down in front of families and other nurses while on orientation. I toughed it out figuring once off things would be ok.

Now i am off of orientation and the people on my floor aren't helpful. I heard through the rumor mill that people say I ask too many questions and come off as too nice. I come into work with a smile with my best face forward. I believe in bring your best into work and leave the negativity home.

I find that I get the worst patient assignments, I am only off orientation for two weeks and already got written up for forgetting a stupid label. I don't know what to do. But i feel like i can't continue. My days off I am sad and miserable at work i am just trying to make it. I feel like a bother if I ask questions. But how else is a new nurse supposed to learn.

I feel that many of the nurses I work with are egotistical and arrogant. This KILLS ME on so many levels. I hated it while in school with classmates and now I work with a bunch of people that are just as arrogant. There is so much hazing and bullying on our floor and now I see other new nurses going through the same mess I went through.

Just because it happened to you doesn't make it ok. I hate people that act like everything came to them easily when I know you can't just bounce out of bed and be a nurse.

Nursing is hard why the arrogance why the bullying? Why can't people be nice? What do I do? I have been there about 3 months now, its not getting better. I am trying so freakin hard...

When everyone is drowning, you'll find that not too many people are helpful. They're just trying to keep their own heads above water. If you only got six weeks of orientation and are getting written up for labels, you're in a dog eat dog world. Get some experience and move on to greener pastures.

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Oh man- this truly sucks. My knee jerk is to say start looking for another nursing job NOW. These people sound toxic and possibly vindictive. Healthcare is ALL ABOUT THE TEAM. If you can't trust your team, you're going to be in a paranoid and unhealthy mental state. I'm already worried for you that the minute something goes wrong, your colleagues may try to pin it on you.

I hope someone else comments with something more productive.

Does your manager know about the verbal abuse on the floor?

Also- (if you haven't already) start documenting EVERYTHING now. Not only your work, but also the verbal abuse. Particularly the incidents where you are being humiliated in front of patient families- as that behavior also undermines the facility at large and will have an impact on patient satisfaction. (It is a business and HR will probably take complaints more seriously that have an impact on business... b/c what patient is going to come back or recommend a facility that hires incompetent nurses... or however your preceptor insulted you)

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Oh man- this truly sucks. My knee jerk is to say start looking for another nursing job NOW. These people sound toxic and possibly vindictive. Healthcare is ALL ABOUT THE TEAM. If you can't trust your team, you're going to be in a paranoid and unhealthy mental state. I'm already worried for you that the minute something goes wrong, your colleagues may try to pin it on you. I hope someone else comments with something more productive. Does your manager know about the verbal abuse on the floor? Also- (if you haven't already) start documenting EVERYTHING now. Not only your work, but also the verbal abuse. Particularly the incidents where you are being humiliated in front of patient families- as that behavior also undermines the facility at large and will have an impact on patient satisfaction. (It is a business and HR will probably take complaints more seriously that have an impact on business... b/c what patient is going to come back or recommend a facility that hires incompetent nurses... or however your preceptor insulted you)

Thank you for your insight! I have started documenting things. So the managers do not care about the employees. They won't give a recommendation for graduate school. If someone has a year or two of experience and they hear that the nurse is looking elsewhere in the hospital for employment. They write them up so that the nurse has to wait a whole other year to be able to transfer.

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Omg, reading this, my heart goes out to you. And all the other nurses going through the same thing. I have been there and probably will be again.

I'm sorry, but I don't take other nurses trying to keep their own heads above water as an excuse to be mean. I have had my hands full to the max, and if I truly could not help someone at that time, I say it nicely. I manage to come into work and be in a terrible mood but fake it for everyone's sake. People need to grow up and learn coping skills. You simply don't treat your coworkers like trash. Guess what? There is going to come a time, IF the new person doesn't quit, that they are going to need YOUR help once settled into the unit.

Be cordial to your colleagues, people. With healthcare in the state it is in, we NEED each other.

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This sounds horrible. Kill them with kindness, learn to cover your ass like a pro and get out of there. This is not all nursing careers. I was lucky to land on a floor where the staff is like family. Hanging out on our off days, being extremely helpful when I have questions(and I ask a lot of them). You will always run into people who, for whatever reason, will find anything and everything to complain about, roll their eyes at you right infront of them and talk trash about you while you're standing two feet from them. The good thing is nursing is very versatile and you have so many options for movement and growth. The fact that you are in a hospital and on a medsurg floor is HUGE! Try to fill you time with certifications like MedSurg certs and ACLS, build you resume and something better will come your way for sure! Good luck and don't give up!

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I feel your pain. Your description about work reminds me a lot of my first job which was horrible. The unit was not a safe place to begin with, people coding all the time and the nurses were mean, they were out their to get each other. I came home crying so many times after work and couldnt relax even on my days off. My suggestion is, try to make it at least 6 month, and get the hell out of the place ASAP! It makes things so hard and stressful when you work in a toxic environment. In the meantime, I would keep looking and see if you could find someone who you could trust and share your stress or concerns with. Having someone there for your emotional backup provides a good relief. I actually met mine and we are still best friends lol. I know it feels overwhelming and tough, but keep your head up and stick out a little longer. Hope things will work out for you.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
Thank you for your insight! I have started documenting things. So the managers do not care about the employees. They won't give a recommendation for graduate school. If someone has a year or two of experience and they hear that the nurse is looking elsewhere in the hospital for employment. They write them up so that the nurse has to wait a whole other year to be able to transfer.

This sounds exactly like my first nursing job. NM heard I was going back to school, wrote me up for BS and announced that I would not be eligible for tuition benefit or transfer during the write up.

Evil stuff all around. Hazing, downright abusive behavior.

I left. NM was shocked. She didn't think I had the confidence to leave. She was wrong.

My new job has none of this crap. People support each other. There are problems, but they are tolerable. I'm not constantly looking over my shoulder.

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Specializes in Critical Care and ED.

I read threads like this quite often, and as a veteran nurse, I always give the same advice. People can only bully you if you let them. You simply have to build an emotional self-protective bubble around you and don't let anyone penetrate it. Focus on your work, keep the smile on your face, and don't concern yourself with the emotional problems of others. You're taking this way too personally. Nursing is filled with people like this, and over time you'll grow that protective skin, but in the meantime don't beat yourself up about stuff that isn't your fault. Let it slide over you and keep your cool demeanor, and never ever let anyone know how you feel about them. That's the best advice I can give. Stick it out for the usual acceptable time and then find another job. Wherever you go, there's always at least one person that you won't like or who won't like you. It's how you react to it that sets the scene.

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When I was in a similar situation years ago, and couldn't leave right away, it helped to take a non-narcotic medication for anxiety.

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I appreciate everyones help and insight. This really helps knowing that I am not alone in this.

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I really appreciate your insight and your advice.

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