unhappy nurse

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Has any one out there experienced the old saying "nurses eat their young"

I worked in a hospital on the floor from hell! All three shifts of nurses were horrible to one another.

Very clickish groups on each shift who harassed, made fun of, talked about on the floor in ear shot of patients and other staff members about nurses that worked on this floor.

I've never seen or heard any thing so unprofessional in my life.

It was awful. When I started the first thing I noticed was all the talk. Right in front of me a new nurse on the floor, these nurses did not have one good thing to say about any of the other nurses. I've never experienced any thing like this before and I've been a nurse for 13 years. I'm talking critising the safety of other nurses right at the front desk of a very busy floor with patients and family members walking about. This was a daily occurance on this floor.

I hate this behavior and I'm a bit of a rebel so of course I started making comments like "well, if you haven't got any thing good to say then don't say it." Or "I really don't care to hear all this, I'd rather be able to form my own opinion." One nurse in paticular was badgered and picked on constantly. While I was trying to chart one evening, this night nurse came on and at the front desk, with patients and family members and other nurses and aids all in ear shot started picking on this nurse; very loudly I might add. I couldn't take it any more and said "so and so; get off her case" the nurse picking on this nurse then said "this is none of your business", I then said "you've made it my business by simply harassing one of my co-workers in front of me, not to mention every one else that can her you"

Well you can imagine what my life on this floor ended up like.

I and other nurses were picked on to the point to where it was very difficult to work, and eventually difficut to even walk on the floor.

The next thing I know I'm being repremanded by my nurse manager because these nurses are complaining that they cannot stand to work with me.

So, at that point I started tellling this nurse manager every thing that had occured.

The next thing you know I'm on a step 2 action and two weeks ago I was terminated.

Now the reason for my termination was because I refused to come in to chart in the computer medications that I failed to chart. These medications were charted on the MAR, I had no doubt that I had given all the medications and that my patients were safe.

I didn't come in as asked because my daughter was in town from Chicago, I had just started on antibiotics and was running a temp.

It was a Saturday and Sunday that I failed to chart meds in the computer. I had 6 patients that day, ran non-stop until it was difficult to think any longer. The nurse manager was requesting me to come in at 10:00 at night that following Monday. The nurse manager kept saying "this is a big risk to you, you really should come in" I knew I'd be there in 6 hours to chart and just didn't go in.

I was especially anoid when my nurse manager said "this is a big risk to you" when during the weekend I took care of 6 acutely ill patients on an oncology unit, no break, no lunch and she's acting concerned about what "risks" I'm taking?

Hummmmm

I would love to hear all of your comments on this?

One very unhappy nurse.

Of course when this all came down:confused:

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You were...how do we say...."ostracized". That is sad! I have seen this before also, usually happens in hospitals in a smaller community, with little to no turnover of staff, so the staff becomes stagnant and practically regresses back to "high school mode". The cliques are already established and the nurse manager is the

most popular kid in school, second to her/his best friend who is their eyes and ears on the floor. Unfortunately, you were probably ostracized a while back, so they were on the "lookout" for you to "mess up" some how, and a paper trail was started, probably without you even knowing. The reason Im saying this, is because i worked in a few hospitals JUST like this where everyone already had there "place". I have noticed a huge difference just by working per-diem in two different hospitals in another city. I work all different shifts, with all different people, in all different areas, and there is no time for people to "peg" me in to a certain stereotypical high-school clique role. No time to "mingle", I think this happens almost everywhere unfortunately. I do agree though, nurses do eat there young.

Good Luck!

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So...you charted your meds correctly on the MAR but you were criticized for not documenting in the computer? Was this a PRN med or?? Seems very petty to me.

Sounds to me like you didn't fit in with the gossippy little group and they mobbed you. Unfortunately in Texas it is employment at will and we can be fired easily ...even for not fitting in. Our jobs are so hectic and our work so frazzled today that it is easy for someone vindictive 'looking' to find some dirt on us if they try.

I have learned the hard way if the shoe don't fit , don't try to force it. It causes pain. And gossippy vindictive people can make a workplace living heck. Life is too short and I have left positions within the 3 month probationary period because of coworkers like yours. One person trying to change a culture is likely to end up a victim.

My advice is live and learn from this...and hope you find something soon.

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As is usual mattsmom speaks the truth. Not much you can do but move on to greener pastures, and there are plenty of those out there. Best wishes! -eddy

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Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.

(((HUGS)))

That really sux, and I hate it for you. :o

Feel better soon. Consider the source and move on to "higher ground". :kiss

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

So sorry this happened to you. I have been fortunate in this respect I guess. If you want to move to Illinois - I'd be glad to help you get a job in the ER where I work - lol. Take care and consider yourself lucky.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Consider it a blessing in disguise.

Last year I quit an environment kind of like that. However, it wasn't everyone that was that bad, just a handful. But it was bad enough.

I think certain units have a "culture". I need to be in an environment where the culture is positive. But I especially need to start with myself.

Good luck in your new beginnings. Leave them behind and never look back. Rehashing and reliving your anger and the past isn't going to bring you any peace of mind.

About the coming in to chart, if she couldn't understand you were sick and needed those six hours that's too bad.

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Hi everyone. I am new here and am loving it! Thought I would pipe in on this one.

I have been a nurse for five years. The first four years were your typical years on the floor. Fortunately, all were with great co-workers and good managers. The last year was not as good. It was much of what nurse unhappy described regarding the other workers on the floor.

The negative attitudes were awful! It took that last year for me to realize how good the first four were. I never knew how the moral of a floor can make or break a job until I worked in that terrible enviroment.

The up side is that there are so many areas we can go to. We do not have to take it. Isn't that great! We recently moved, and I decided first to get off the floor and second, not to take the first job that came along. I interviewed for at least four jobs, which were all offered to me, before accepting my job at an Oncology Out Patient infusion clinic. The people I work with are great. I actually look forward to going to work each day. That is a good feeling to have again.

Thanks for the great site. I have read almost all the posts here and I am really happy to have found this site.

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Wow, have you hit the nail on the head. I get this not with my nurse co-workers, but with my aides. The aides are so bad they request not to work with certain nurses, and this particular one that has her nose so far up the DON's colon, gets what she wants. I've noticed that she does things to get the other aides in trouble. Any little thing she finds, laundry undone, a sock on the floor, and the most recent one, dust on a Kleenex box. Her and the DON have something going together, so far up each other's colons, I'm afraid of saying anything. I'm the new kid there, so the aides are coming to me and saying hey help us out here, but ... what am i going to do except end up in the same position?

This isn't just the medical field either though. This is any job, any where, any position or rank you hold ... some people just never grow up, what can I say?

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Dear unhappy nurse:

I am so sorry for what you experienced. We, as nurses, work so hard and do not deserve the kind of treatment you received. I just know that you will find something better. I have only been a nurse for 6 years, and up until 6 months ago had been working for the same hospital during my nursing career. I worked in Med Surg, and the last 4 years were in E.R. Although I loved E.R., I felt it was time to move on. I loved the staff members I worked with, but we were, as with most hospitals, always short-staffed and overworked. After finally finishing my BSN and deciding to go back for my MSN, I just decided I couldn't do it anymore, so I started working registry to give me more flexibility. I cannot tell you how horrilbe it is to work in some of these hospitals. I really miss the closeness of my former staff members and would give anything to have that relationship in another environment. I wish you the best in your job search, and I know that you will find something else because there are so many opportunities. The problem is choosing the right one.

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Boy, I can sure relate. I'm a brand new nurse out of school, and I noticed the backstabbing, etc. the first day I was there. I worked there only 8 weeks before I gave my notice. And, after I gave my notice, it was really bad - I was dumped on so badly, I swear they were trying to get me to leave before my two week notice was up, but I wouldn't....(I needed the pay and benefits, but they don't know that..Plus, I am not a quitter!) Now, the big question is, how do you tell this is going on before you accept a position?? This has turned me off so badly to med-surg/rehab, I'm never going back! Lots of other opportunites in other areas. My first week out of work, I've had 4 job promising job interviews, and 2 more already scheduled for next week.

:)

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P.S. I did tell one nurse ( very sympathetic and understanding of what what happening to me) that this was THE most unprofessional group of people that claimed to be professional in my entire life! (I've been in the workforce for 26+ years). Talk about high school cliques - it wasn't this bad, even in high school!

Being a professional includes handling yourself in a professional manner to EVERYONE you come into contact with, from patients to families to aides to managers and co-workers - everyone. Anything else is phony!

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