Unsafe working conditions - (Graphic)

[AmyRN1227]

Hi all--

I was in the chat room last nite and talked to a few people and got some pretty good advice but was trying to still process what would be the best thing for me to do. I am a new grad since May of last year. I began working at a hospital in Sept and they just recently began training me for a Team Leader position, since they do team nursing there. Well, it's been a complete disaster. Their turnover is tremendous, they understaff all the time. They only gave me a two week orientation! Most of my friends are getting 6-12 weeks at their hospitals. Well, on my last nite of orientation something happened and I don't know if I could even go back to work there. I was trying to wait until my six mos and transfer to a hospital within the same system. And if I didn't do that, I wanted to give a two week notice to cover my references. People are telling me that nursing jobs are so abundant that it shouldn't be a big deal but I don't want to burn any bridges. Okay, here's what happened in a nutshell---WARNING! It may contain some graphic material but I may not be able to explain it and the depth of it without going into detail. Sorry if I offend anyone. Okay, I work on a med-surg, post surgical unit. We had a lady come from the ER who was in the process of a miscarriage. She was 17 weeks and her US showed that the baby was in her pelvic/lady partsl area. She came to the ER stating that she felt the "baby was coming out". Okay, so I admit this woman - I'm still on orientation supposedly. First of all, she shouldn't have even been on our floor and second, I should have had someone help me through this mess. Well, I get her admitted, she's comfortable, and then the doc shows up. My preceptor or whatever you want to call her, sends me in with the doc and disappears! At this point, the doc is asking for some gloves and lubrication. And before I know it, she's pulling out this fetus. Oh my gosh, I didn't know what to do. The patient was basically in shock. Then the doc says she needs a clamp and sterile scissors which we don't carry on our floor because we are not an OB floor. We had to call the OB floor, and the house supervisor. In the meantime the doc is waiting like 20 mins to cut the cord....then she asks me for a blanket to wrap the baby in. Hands the baby to me!!! I didn't know what to do. And the patient is right there. She tells me to put the baby in the STORAGE ROOM until the mother decides if she wants to hold, have a burial,.....etc. In the meantime, OB comes down, weighs it, takes footprints, and explains all this stuff we need to do, the forms, etc. the grieving materials for the mom....and that we need to take some polaroids of it. I had a new grad nurse with me who was very brave, thank god. Well, then we were told that if the mother decided to "dispose" of the baby that we would have to put it in saline water. So they gave us the things we needed and left. I know that I may have to deal with things such as this in my career but I feel it was totally wrong for me to be left alone. Now I feel like I'm suffering from PTSD or grief or something like that. I am ready to just leave this place but I want a good reference....or at this point I don't know if I care. I was going to call on Monday and tell them I can't work under these conditions any more, that my license is on the line. Someone here mentioned to me to go get a doc's note saying I can't return to work but then others are saying that may look incompetent when I go to the next place. I need some serious advice before Monday when I have to go back to this place. I don't feel safe here. I have only had two weeks of training and they are throwing me to the wolves.....

Please help!

[mattsmom81]

New nurses need a lot of encouragement and I'm glad to see all the support for Amy. :)

Generally I would say its best to always give a 2 week notice. But that may not be best for you right now either. Generally it's also better to resign and say something like "the shoe didn't fit the foot in this position and I need to pursue a different type of environment as a new grad .....bla bla bla". You may not wish to burn bridges so early in your career.

You've gotten some excellent spa advise too!! Throw in a box of Godiva chocolates and some Calgon from me! I'll try to make chat one of these nights too, gals and guys, as i enjoy all this sharing.:>)

[AmyRN1227]

The doc didn't schedule a D&C right away. She still hadn't passed the placenta!!! THe clamp was left on it and we were told to call her if she developed heavy bleeding or passed it. The nurse coming on after us told me she didn't feel comfortable taking care of this woman because it was not an OB floor. She was swearing up and down but what can you do? We are stuck as far as how much the hospital dishes out.

So, how do I state my resigning? I already called my manager and told her I could no longer work under these conditions and that I would follow up with a letter. So, I don't know, would that help my reference even if I don't give a two week notice. I need to also look out for my health and sanity right now.

Thanks!

[rncountry]

Write a detailed letter as to what occured, as I said earlier, very professionly, give a copy to your manager, to the head of human resourses and to risk management. Try to be sure that risk management is well aware of what happened. If it is at all available ask for an exit interview with human resources. Don't be too worried about leaving without notice. It happens all the time and in reality when a new job checks references all they know is what dates you worked at the facilty and in what capacity. Those are the only things a past employer can give to them. Anything else is against the law. Does it happen? Sure. But be aware of your rights. Good luck and go see a counsler. Sometimes it is hard as a nurse to say I can't handle something, but the healthy ones are the ones who can admit they need help sometimes too.

[ERNurse752, RN]

As to whether you should give 2 weeks notice, I agree with what rncountry said.

You mentioned working for a doc's office or home health. Is that really what you want to do? Was there any other area of nursing that interested you in clinicals?

If you can financially afford to take a break, do it. Take some time off before looking for a new job, and then you might be better able to decide what direction you want to take.

It's almost like breaking up from a really bad relationship...right now you're on "rebound."

Good luck :)

[Sleepyeyes]

Oh gawd, amy, how awful!!

(((((hugs))))))))

If it helps==

I think it was totally courageous of you to stay there when the

others wimped out. If I was that poor mother, I would've been grateful for your sympathetic face, someone who actually CARED what happened that day.

Would anyone else on your floor have been able to do that? I think not. Please take comfort in that thought.

Then go do what you have to do, to keep your sanity, to keep being the good nurse that I know you are.

[prmenrs, RN]

Try to get to a counselor--do they have an Employee Assistance Program? If so, use it!! Then they have to pay. Call in sick for the next shift you're scheduled for. This situation was so inappropriate, it needs a new word!! Unbelievable! Where's the support?? Make SURE the NM knows how distressed you are. I feel really bad for you, and hope your next unit will be much, much better. {{{{Amy}}}}

[MickeymomRN]

Dearest Amy, First of all, (((HUGS)))) and prayers to lift your spirits up. You probably don't realize this but even OB nurses go thru the same feelings you are going thru. This is the perfect example why we OB RNs don't like to hear others say "awe, OB you're job must be so nice." Times like what you just described are why it isn't hunky dory like everyone else thinks it is. OB RNs aren't trained more to handle the delivery like you did. I agree with 4XNURSE. She hit the nail on the head. IMPROVISE! It sounded like you were not prepared. And that happens too to us experienced nurses. These babies just pop out whenever they want to, early ones, live ones, dead ones, term ones. You get the idea. As for fiestynurse stating that this was a dump from OB refusing to take the 17weeker. Think about it. OB may have a policy to only take viable pregnancies. That's 20 weeks and above. Some units classify these "cases" as dirty cases and don't want them on their floor with new babies and new mommies. It sounded like the OB unit did help you out. Did they really? When I've had these cases (and of course, there over 20 weeks) I am so effected physically,emotionally and mentally. These IUFD's (it sounded like the baby you handled was already dead) aren't pretty looking babies. Pretty in the sense of gerber like. I think they're pretty because they are the result of the miracle of one of life's wonders. They are all tragedies and I too have gone through PTS. In fact I just had 2 pts. at the same time last week. I delivered my 26 weeker ( doctors don't even want to be called for these deliveries, so we have to do them by ourselves) and my 23 weeker was still waiting at the end of the shift. I had noticed that these kinds of experiences affect those who have had a miscarraige themselves or was close to someone who did. I remember one OB RN who always sounded and acted po'd whenever she was assigned to these pts. I asked her one day why she had a hard time. She had the saddest story. I delivered a 20 weeker attempted abortion who went home last week. YEAH! (the story is in another thread. sorry don't recall where) . This was last November and it effected me so badly. I am pro-lifer and I thought that I finished the abortion. Now that the baby's still alive and doing well, I know that I didn't.

These are always hard to handle if you've got a heart. And it sound to me that you do and that's what makes up a great nurse! Please, don't let this consume you! You did fine under the circumstances that presented themselves. I have more stories but too long here. Chin up!

As for your leaving this establishment, it sounds like even if you didn't have this incident, it's not the safest place to work at. Maybe that's why there's such a turnover. EH?! Hate to tell you to follow the crowd BUT it seems they knew something you just found out. Protect your license that you worked so hard to get. It's not worth it if it will send you out of the nursing profession or into the looney bin. There are so many aspects of nursing and there is a shortage out there. Move on and chalk this up to experience. Sending you lots of love! Be proud that you got thru that care and don't forget what I said about your heart! All your patients will love you because you have one.

Best wishes, Leilani

ps- you can pm me if you want someone to listen more about this.

:kiss

[TracyB,RN, RN]

Amy, I swear I have worked in the same place you described.

I would almost bet on it. Anyway, if it is where I think it is you will probably not be hired in any setting affiliated with them, despite giving an adequate notice. I was not in a situation like you were, but if I had been, I probably wouldn't go back, either.

I was an associate nurse on tele. I HATED IT THERE. Terrible staffing, terrible everything!!!!!!!!!!! I am sooo glad I got out of there.

Follow your heart. Good luck.

[hoolahan, ASN, RN]

I was in chat with you last night amy and I am glad you also posted here. I am in total agreement with what rn country said.

Also, MickeyMom, new grads do not know how to improvise, and may not even know what a penrose drain is 4x. I pesonally would have felt this admit totally inappropriate to a med-surg floor. rn country is right, ok amy had a horrible experience, but what about the pt???!!! That mother, baby, and nurse all deserved better, and NO, just by virtue of being a nurse and leanring about Kubler-Ross, one is not prepared to handle the eir first death alone. I learned how to comfort a family by watching the other nurses. I was 19 when I graduated nursing school. I was not very life-experienced, and I was not a natural with psychosocial issues. It is not everyone's strength. Some people need to learn. Sometimes a new nurse thinks what they would do is correct, but lack the confidence and second guess themselves. THAT is where a preceptor challenges them into critical thinking, and steps in when it is a danger to the pt and the new nurse learns by their role modeling.

I still say call out sick Monday and never go back. If the turnover is so high from that hospital, surely the other empoying hospitals will know that already. They will have seen it and heard through the grapevine, all about the horrible conditions at the place you work in now.

[hoolahan, ASN, RN]

I was in chat with you last night amy and I am glad you also posted here. I am in total agreement with what rn country said.

Also, MickeyMom, new grads do not know how to improvise, and may not even know what a penrose drain is 4x. I pesonally would have felt this admit totally inappropriate to a med-surg floor. rn country is right, ok amy had a horrible experience, but what about the pt???!!! That mother, baby, and nurse all deserved better, and NO, just by virtue of being a nurse and leanring about Kubler-Ross, one is not prepared to handle the eir first death alone. I learned how to comfort a family by watching the other nurses. I was 19 when I graduated nursing school. I was not very life-experienced, and I was not a natural with psychosocial issues. It is not everyone's strength. Some people need to learn. Sometimes a new nurse thinks what they would do is correct, but lack the confidence and second guess themselves. THAT is where a preceptor challenges them into critical thinking, and steps in when it is a danger to the pt and the new nurse learns by their role modeling.

I still say call out sick Monday and never go back. If the turnover is so high from that hospital, surely the other employing hospitals in the area will know that already. They will have seen it and heard through the grapevine, all about the horrible conditions at the place you work in now.

[AmyRN1227]

Hey Tracey!!!

It probably is the same place....was it located in the southern suburbs? Was it SSH? I'm on 2N. Well, to everyone who has been on here with me today, I did call the Employee Assistance Program. They actually have a 1-800 number and this doctor promptly called me back. I told him what happened and he said - to call HR right away on Monday and talk to the manager over there. He told me to keep in contact with him also, to call him back and we will work this out. I told him I didn't think I could go back to that place and he said I could work with HR on that. He said from my symptoms I'm describing that he can help me with that - guess he thinks it's something like PTSD. He asked me a few questions, asked who I have for support.....and said if I had any problems before Monday I could page him again. He was very warm and understanding. He said that that preceptor had no excuse to leave me alone or to say "She couldn't deal with it". So I do feel better talking with all of you....and this doc. I'm just wondering now how my manager will react to my voice mail. This doc told me to wait until after I contact HR and they would contact my manager and maybe we can all set up a meeting...I just want to get far away from that place. At least I can tell them how I feel. Then deal with the darn PTSD seperately. I don't think I am going to worry too much if I can't give them a notice. My boss will prob know from my voice mail how distressed I am. She will probably think I'm loony....oh well. I need a glass of wine.

LOL

Amy

[MickeymomRN]

Amy, Please, don't be too hard on yourself or the other nurses that worked with you. If it's that short there, then they are stressed too. Being a new grad is a wonderful way to excuse the inexperience. But please, don't fall into that. You were smart enough to pass school and the boards. I still agree with 4Xnursing. I know you had to have had an OB rotation. You knew that the cord needed to be tied and cut. So if you didn't know what a penrose was then I'm sure you're smart enough to search the supply cart for anything you could tie with.

I had responded to a delivery that occurred in our parking garage. The precept kit didn't have any scissors in it. I had 2 kits with me (for some unknown reason) But I was getting ready to fish out my own personal bandage scissors to cut the cord.

Anyways, get EPA help. Sounds like you're doing the right thing. Unfortunately, it may close some doors for you. I wish you good luck! Keep us updated.