The final straw...vent.

USA987, MSN, RN, NP · Sep 17, 2005

I am so sorry that you are going through this. It doesn't make sense that you are being written up when a doctor specified to hold fluids after that 1st bag. Maybe he didn't want the patient to become fluid overloaded or something...don't know about this particular pts. status. And re: the procedure...couldn't your nurse manager have simply looked at the orders in the chart to see that the pt. didn't have a procedure ordered?

It does seem as if they are harassing you. Hang in there and keep us posted.

Hugs to you :icon_hug:

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Sep 17, 2005

I agree, why can't they open the chart and look at the orders themselves if they are all het up? I hope it hasn't been like that since you started, sounds horrible.

CseMgr1, ASN, RN · Sep 17, 2005

I've think I'm giving up. I'll miss the palliative care patients...but I gotta get off my floor, I can't quit do to obligations, but darn it I'll transfer.
I had someone do a med error report on me, because I never hung a second bag of IV fluids on a patient. The order read "ERS in first bag, run at 125, then hold fluids for rest of day." Yes, I know that normally we run ERS after an MVI/ERS bag, but this is not what the MD order read, the order read to hold the fluids after the first bag of the day, which is what I did. THis isn't an ETOH patient, this is an oncology patient with slight malnutrition.
I was confronted about not sending a patient down for a procedure. No, I didn't send him down, but my reason was THE PROCEDURE WAS NEVER ORDERED. My NM was having staff called in to do this procedure that we had no order for, I told her that this wasn't ordered. Finally, after everything settled down, she looked me in the eye and said, "I just didn't believe you." While this was going on, I was trying desparately to get the 1800 meds and IV's out to 15 patients because the LVN left sick, and I got stuck with IV's, meds, and assessments with only an NA to assist.
I was confronted about admission paperwork not getting done the night before, when a different RN had that patient, and I repeatedly asked her if she needed help and she said no, but I"m responsible because I was charge, never mind the fact that I had already picked up 2 admission packets for the other RN, and I'm not being given the option to write her up retroactively, because I was under the impression the admit was done before we left that night. I'm supposed to "go and check behind" everyone. What ever happened to personal accountability, the other nurse was an RN!!!!
I was told 5 minutes AFTER my shift was over that I was going to be mandated for night shift.
This all happened in less than a 9 hour period...
I give up, I can't quit...but I'll transfer to another area of the hospital. Heck, I'll give up my license and scrub toilets before I continue to work like this. It's really shattering to my self esteem to know that my coworker's/NM have so little faith in my capabilities as an RN that they would write me up for a med error before looking at the order, and don't believe me when I'm standing right in front of them saying "there is no order for this, I already checked in the chart, the computer, and in scheduling". I've never had a med error, and all my performance appraisals have been exemplary, I had 4 step increases in my first year. It's not like I have a reputation for screwing up. Heck, I might even file hostile work environment, I need to talk to the union.
Anyways, I've been up for 24 hours now...thanks for the opportunity to vent. Hopefully my pain meds will soon kick in and I'll be able to relax enough to sleep, my back hurts so bad I was barely able to drive home.

I've said it before, and I will say it again: We are GUILTY until proven innocent in this business. Once it is decided that you (for whatever reason) are fair game, there is nothing you can do but leave, to save your sanity...as well as your reputation.

This really sucks. I hope everything works out for you.

elthia · Sep 17, 2005

I've said it before, and I will say it again: We are GUILTY until proven innocent in this business. Once it is decided that you (for whatever reason) are fair game, there is nothing you can do but leave, to save your sanity...as well as your reputation.
This really sucks. I hope everything works out for you.

The crappy thing about it is that it's the weekend, and so I can't follow up on the "med error", I did grab the med error sheet and photocopy the darn thing...technically not kosher, but I am so darn ticked...the write up is because the day AFTER this, the doctor changed the order for the IVF, but at the time I did not hang the bag, there was orders stating HOLD the rest of the bags for the day. That fact was conveniently overlooked. I guess I should start practicing, my ability to predict the future is awful rusty.

DusktilDawn · Sep 17, 2005

I think you should talk to the union. Check into filing about a hostile work environment. Are these problems new or just the final straw?

MacNurse · Sep 17, 2005

:icon_hug: :icon_hug: :icon_hug:

We're all here for ya. I'm sorry you had such a rough day. Let us know how things are going.

elthia · Sep 17, 2005

I think you should talk to the union. Check into filing about a hostile work environment. Are these problems new or just the final straw?

No I was written up last month because a patient c/o of verbal abuse/neglect because I used the phrase" i want you to understand." and I refused to make an on the spot apology becuase my super was in my face yelling at me, demeaning me by calling me "girl", and threatening me. Later this patient and family caused serious problems, up to and including medicating the patient with meds from home without notifying staff, and prolonging the hospitalization because a temp of 100.3 was "too high" for him to go to CT scan, etc, etc.

Oh and I was reprimanded for "desiring punitive action" on a unit clerk and nurse that I wrote up because a NOW order wasn't done, the order was over 6 hours old when I came on.

I'm just tired of it...I think I need a new start on a different floor.

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Sep 17, 2005

I think you should talk to the union. Check into filing about a hostile work environment. Are these problems new or just the final straw?

I can't speak for the OP, but many (if not most) nurses in the US do not have a union to talk to. And even for those that do, from reading the posts on these boards, it would appear that other than the CNA and perhaps the NYSNA (don't know about that one?), a good many of the unions do not seem to be very effective in representing their nurses.

DusktilDawn · Sep 17, 2005

No I was written up last month because a patient c/o of verbal abuse/neglect because I used the phrase" i want you to understand." and I refused to make an on the spot apology becuase my super was in my face yelling at me, demeaning me by calling me "girl", and threatening me. Later this patient and family caused serious problems, up to and including medicating the patient with meds from home without notifying staff, and prolonging the hospitalization because a temp of 100.3 was "too high" for him to go to CT scan, etc, etc.
Oh and I was reprimanded for "desiring punitive action" on a unit clerk and nurse that I wrote up because a NOW order wasn't done, the order was over 6 hours old when I came on.
I'm just tired of it...I think I need a new start on a different floor.

Oh!!!! I remember your post about the patient who c/o about verbal abuse. I know how you feel about "just being tired of it," because that's how I feel and I am looking into transferring to another unit.

DusktilDawn · Sep 17, 2005

I can't speak for the OP, but many (if not most) nurses in the US do not have a union to talk to. And even for those that do, from reading the posts on these boards, it would appear that other than the CNA and perhaps the NYSNA (don't know about that one?), a good many of the unions do not seem to be very effective in representing their nurses.

The OP made the statement "I need to talk to my union" in her post. I live in Canada and work in Michigan at a hospital that does not have a union.

When I worked in Canada, that facility did have a union. You are very correct when you say that many unions do not seem to very effective in representing their nurses.

control · Sep 18, 2005

I was in a similar situation, except lots of junk happened to me in the last 4 6 hours of a 12 hour shift. But you know what? I'd already submitted my letter of resignation prior to even beginning the shift. It was the only thing that made me feel better, knowing that in two weeks I'd never have to see some of those people ever again unless I wanted to. And to top it all off, they conveniently "lost" my final paycheck....After I repeatedly asked them to mail it to me. This went on for 2 months post-resignation. Nearing the end of the 2nd month I conveniently notified the State Department of Labor and guess what....they "found" it the day after they received my letter notifying them that the Dept of Labor was contacted concerning the issue.

I cannot function optimally in a hostile work environment. At all. I couldn't sleep. I was always getting angry at little things for little to no reason at all/ I hated my job, I hated ever becoming a nurse, and I was beginning not to give a flying flip about my patients and feeling rightfully guilty about my apathy. I considered transferring, but I heard that my manager could hold me in transfer "limbo" as long as she had a need for nurses on her floor.....and that's when I decided to flat out quit. Best thing I ever did for myself.

I hope you do what's right for you. For every job I interviewed for post-resignation I strongly emphasized the desire to work in a team-oriented atmosphere. Otherwise, forget it.