Treated like crap

I am currently an RN Supervisor at a skilled nursing home. There are 5 of us supervisors and I am the only supervisor there who works full-time and does not have another job. I take my job seriously but also know everyone is human and we all have different, unique personalities. I have a very good relationship with my DON, Administrator, LPNs, STNAs, and even those who work in laundry, the kitchen, and housekeeping.

Above me is the Director of Nursing and then the Administrator. We have no ADON. We are a union facility...everyone below me is union. I am not union-but I do not feel as though I am management, either. RN Supervisors are the only management people who are not "department heads". We are excluded from everything from the company Christmas party to the office pot-lucks. Reasoning: We are not department heads. So-here we are-excluded from the union doings because we are not union and excluded from the company doings because we are not department heads....go figure, ehh?

There was a time when I was so ready to quit-that I dont know why I didn't. We are a small facility (76 beds) and the gossip, as anyone could imagine, was out of control. My DON was partaking in this gossip with the floor staff while outside smoking. I heard it. At first, listening to her discussing disciplines, points, etc about employees to other employees absolutely took me a few steps back....then...it was like saying the mail comes at 3pm...no big deal...probably because I was used to it.

As anyone would guess...employees have a right to privacy. Discussing disciplines and what have you is obviously against their right to privacy. I listened to it. I am a member of management and although I did (just a few times) stand up and say-uhhh-we cant talk about this mid-sentance of my DON blabbing about another employee's discipline or an investigation...many times, I just stood there and listened while she let it all out to people who had no right to know. I agree-I should be held to some sort of accountability for standing by the wayside while she blabbed-but when this got back to the union....which in turn got back to the Administrator...I know I was used as the DONs scapegoat. In fact, the DON has said many things which I firmly believe the Administrator is under the impression I have said.

So-if the DON is going to run her mouth about everyone else-why wouldnt she run her mouth about me? I believe exactly that happened. She would use my name while talking to other employees citing bits of information she received from an LPN while talking to another LPN just to get more information....if that makes any sense. So-here, I had nurses ticked off at me for things I was absolutely clueless about which turned into them making things up about me and wooooahhhh.....before I knew it-my head was spinning and I didnt know what in the world was going on or where statements came from. Rumors were flying around our facility about me like wildfire. Everything from me lying on other nurses just because I didnt like them and was trying to get them fired to I was a racist who was sleeping with a male nursing assistant. (I am married and my mother in law works in laundry-so that was a pretty situation if you could imagine)

THe rumors kept going and all I had to do was show-up for work every day!

One day, my DON told me she didnt know who to believe when it came to my counseling an LPN over documenting refusal of insulin to A/O rehab pt who was pissed she never offered it to him. I actually heard the LPN arguing with the pt stating she was told he always refuses his insulin and thats why she didnt offer it. In my professional opinion-if you dont offer a medication-it can not be refused. If you document refused for a medication that was not offered-thats falsification of a legal document. I wasnt even trying to write the nurse up...just tell her not to do it again.

My DON thought I was lying...not that I had any reason to lie. I didnt write the nurse up...which proves I wasnt trying to get her terminated. I guess I just dreamed the entire situation up? I was actually told that its possible the RN title went to my head by my DON...who couldnt explain why she even made that statement. Then, I had to go for a "not so random-random" drug test. Evidently, someone saw me smoking pot...at work. My employer told me I got picked for a random drug test-I got to the testing site and was told it was a reasonable suspicion test-which was later confirmed by my Administrator. I havent smoked pot since I dabbled in it as a 16 year old know-it-all. They would not tell me who said they seen me smoking pot-but it was a lie-so whatever.

I got to my breaking point. I didnt get involved in the gossip although I was guilty by association-if you may-because I was present while others ran their mouths. I didnt get involved in the little cliques. I just went to work and....worked? I treated everyone the same. I also learned my job very well. When I decided to look for another job and ask for the recommendation, my DON all but begged me to stay. She told me she wanted to make me her ADON and told me how good of an RN I am. She actually broke down into tears.

Needless to say-I stuck it out. I stuck it out and things changed. The floor staff realized it wasnt me who was lying on them. I have earned their respect. They come to me with questions, concerns, complaints...they even come to me with personal problems. They call me at home-which isnt a requirement for my position to take calls at home-but it really is ok. I am the type of person who is willling to lend an ear and help out if I can-no matter what. I honestly feel as though they trust me and trust my judgment. This in itself is quite the accomplishment as they are a tough crowd who used to rely soley on the union to handle even the pettiest of issues. I've done this while practicing good nursing, sticking to rules, and treating them all fairly.

My problem now is that I know my job....I've got it down to a science. There are 4 other RN supervisors who do not pull their own weight. I have to go behind them and "fix" just about everything they do. I never did get that promotion to the ADON position the DON had mentioned to me in the midst of me wanting to quit. I feel as though it was a tactic to get me to stay...a good one at that cause look-I'm still there! I just feel like I do so much more than the other supervisors. I feel like I have to babysit their work. I dont feel as though I get the credit I deserve for all that I do. Other than a bout of strep throat which had me off of work for 2 days-I have never missed a day and have never had a check without overtime. I'm not even invited to the pot-lucks for heavens sakes! My job seems mundane and I feel as though my work is unappreciated.

THe gossiping has haulted and I firmly believe that my near quitting gave my DON some sort of wake-up call as to what she was doing and how it was effecting me because shes different-in a nicer kind of way. I love working with her. I am so satisfied with my floor staff that I could not wish for better nurses/aides. All of my pts I have come to know and really care about them. I can tell you major dxs for all of my pts, I'm in tune with their labs, tests, problems, meds, etc...you know. I have a good realtionship with all of the family members I deal with as well as all of the doctors who come to our facility. I have received thank you and update letters from rehab pts who went home. I honestly love my job. Its just that I know I am capable of doing more. I am deserving of some sort of appreciation. The department heads treat me like crap. The are condescending when speaking to me. They push their work off on me-they ask for help-they know I am willing to help anyone-but I know the difference between helping someone who really needs it and just plain being takend advantage of....they take advantage of me. When it comes to their pot lucks-I did tell my DON it bothered me and they must've gotten wind of it because the next pot luck I was invited to. Then, the next day after I had gone to the store and bought what they asked me to bring-they had the nerve to come up to me and un-invite me...citing I wasnt a department head.

I dont want to leave a job I love; however, I do not know what in the world to do to be treated fairly.