Update- Got written up at work after ph. call from boss...

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello. I have been out of orientation for about a month. They gave me an extended orientation because my boss and I thought it was necessary (was a new RN). I have been doing just fine (or so I thought), and then my boss contacted me a few days ago to say 'I have to have a mentor (someone to shadow me), because I have asked several questions and get unfocused (according to charge nurses), and not all orders are complete. WHAT???!!! I thought I was doing fine. Now I need a mentor to shadow me. The mentor shadowed me. It was not all that pleasant. She was a nail-driver.

UPDATE- mentor (as I thought) reported negative things to the boss. The boss called me into her office yesterday and wrote me up. I cried in the office. No- I am no whimp, BUT here I was thinking I was doing just swell and I SO FRUSTRATED by this!! Now nurses are complaining and then I get written up; for things like (IV bag not infused all the way, order incomplete- well the pat. was off the unit for many hours in CT scan, diaylsis, surgeries, etc..... I have no control over whether all the fluids get infused-- when he returned to the unit the charge nurse was peeved because the fluids had not all the way infused). The mentor also reported I left someone from another dept. on hold for 15 minutes! No. I told them I would call them back that I was busy in a procedure. I called them back in 15 minutes. No one was left hanging on the phone line... DUMB things like this. No pat. has ever suffered under my care. I am a new RN trying to learn the ropes. Anyway, I got written up (yes mentor was a spy, as some of you earlier said she might be). Boss has made open suggestion now that I consider transferring. I believe I am doing fine. Really. All new RN's will make some mistakes and will ask questions. No pat. has ever been hurt or worse on my time. Pat. outcomes have been postive. This is awful. I guess I need to transfer.... writing on the wall I can see. :uhoh3:

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Since the boss suggested you transfer, get the heck out of there before worse happens. You are right, the handwriting is very clear. Be thankful you have the option to transfer and didn't just get canned at that meeting. Best wishes.

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Thanks. The boss and I have always gotten on fine. She has always been supportive of me. I guess she has to do all this because the others are complaining, but it is over silly things... nothing that involves hurting or injuring a pat. :pntlft:Just things I have to learn as I go... as ALL new nurses do. I think they are being ridiculous. :igtsyt: THANKS for the support!

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Specializes in LTAC, OR.

Actually, leaving this unit might be the best thing that could happen to your nursing career at this point. It sounds like the culture is completely toxic and nobody wants to be a positive mentor to you. These nurses need a reality check: what brand new nurse is going to be completely organized and not have any questions? Best of luck finding a unit that is a better learning experience for you!

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Hang in there. I've been a nurse for a long time and we too get diciplinned for things we have no control of. When you are trying hard to do the best job and then being repremanded it does hurt, especially us people who are sensitive to others needs. Life is not fair and as you get older, you will see it says more about the tattler or persons who misjudge than it says about you. I have just had a personal experience after many years of nursing in which I had to get human services involved. While there are never any winners I did not feel vindicated because a very young "slick" manager who has a gift for manipulation and all the "right" answers. The HR mediator was trying to be fair but my manager has all the tricks. My suggestion is keep up the good work, believe in who you are and what you know and surround yourself with positive people. The first couple of years are a tuff learning experience and you will be learning things every day years from now. Its true people can be targeted but being a new nurse you have not had time to realize this. Remember, you are there for the patient and you will be working for or around moral busters in this complicated career so be true to yourself and you will find your way. :clown: PS. There are also a lot of great nurses who will support you and have experienced similiar situations. I've been there!

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Your boss is never your friend or they are not a good boss. NEVER forget that. Your boss may be protecting you right now by suggesting a transfer. I would start looking for new employment so that you do not have to ever use this job as a reference. If it isn't your problem and it sounds like it is not then do not let it get you aggravated.

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Specializes in Cardiac, Acute Stroke Unit, Surgical.

I aggree. Transfer out of there.

Several years ago I was working in Paeds and I had had no previous experience in Paeds. I made a few mistakes (nothing life threatening) but I learned a lot too. Anyway it was suggested that I should move out of that area and I landed in the medical ward. I have never looked back.

Each unit has its own "personality" and both staff (nursing medical allied health housekeeping and clerical) and patients contribute to that personality. Not every nurse can or should work in every unit. You have to find a ward/unit/area where your personality fits and it is in that environment that you will be most happy and the most use to your patients AND you will learn more if you are happy too.

Best of luck to you.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, ER.

In a previous nursing position the nurse manager had it out for me, said things that were completely untrue, and ended up splitting the floor and escalated to the point that the floor team leader confronted her. None of it mattered. She still found a way to get rid of me, and I found out later it was because I was the only RN not yet in the union (two days away when she let me go) and they had to let someone go due to overbudget and undercensus. Since she became RN manager on that floor, one that previously was a great floor to work on because emergencies were rare, rapid responses and codes have become a two/three times per week event because of the pain policy she implemented. RNs cannot use nursing judgment with pain, if a patient with a PCA states they have breakthrough pain they get an IV push dose...doesn't matter what their mental status is or their RR. Their census continues to be down and they've begun to lay off at their sister hospital. Things worked out for the best for me and I'm glad to have gotten out of their with my license intact. Sometimes things happen for a reason. There's a floor out there that will appreciate your skills and dedication, and this situation will have made you a stronger nurse.

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Since she became RN manager on that floor, one that previously was a great floor to work on because emergencies were rare, rapid responses and codes have become a two/three times per week event because of the pain policy she implemented. RNs cannot use nursing judgment with pain, if a patient with a PCA states they have breakthrough pain they get an IV push dose...doesn't matter what their mental status is or their RR.

I honestly hope nurses are ignoring that policy! Even if it's written in stone and signed by every person in upper management there is no way I would give pain meds to someone that I didn't believe was stable enough to tolerate it. I care a heck of a lot more about my license than my job and killing someone with pain meds will cost me both. I could defend not giving pain meds as being reasonable and prudent in front of a BON but there is no way to defend following a policy I know (or at least should know) will harm my patient.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, ER.
I honestly hope nurses are ignoring that policy! Even if it's written in stone and signed by every person in upper management there is no way I would give pain meds to someone that I didn't believe was stable enough to tolerate it. I care a heck of a lot more about my license than my job and killing someone with pain meds will cost me both. I could defend not giving pain meds as being reasonable and prudent in front of a BON but there is no way to defend following a policy I know (or at least should know) will harm my patient.

I am sorry to say they are not. I had walked into patient rooms and observed them with a RR of 4, and the nurses were still not allowed to withhold the PCA button from the patient. When this RN manager had the "educator" follow me around to assess my "customer service skills" the educator interviewed my new admission...who previously was fine, comfortable, and still groggy from anesthesia...had a PCA that he hadn't pushed once. I left her alone with him and when I came back he was locked out of his PCA and I heard him telling her "no, I don't think she's meeting my needs, I have pain and she's not doing anything about it!" He hadn't even pushed his call bell for me at this point. I wanted to implement some other nursing interventions before jumping to the IV push of Dilaudid but this educator turned to me and told me my patient had pain and basically I had to give him the IV push dose...instead of waiting to see if the Dilaudid would catch up to him, instead of trying ANYTHING else, my job was to provide excellent customer service, which was giving the patient what he wanted...excellent customer service to them was also allowing patients to fall if they wanted to walk independently while on pain meds, post-op and unsteady, because "customer service is what brings them back, not patient safety." After that night I never again went against my better judgment when it came to patient care. I still regret pushing that dose knowing it could've had a cummulative effect, knowing it wasn't in the best interest of my patient, but I learned so much from that experience and I am 100 times over a better nurse because of it. It's the only positive thing I took with me in my short four month stint there.

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If the "Boss', 'mentor', and CN are against you???? Is there a chance you may draw something from their concerns?

I don't know, but if they all are expressing the same concerns, maybe you might look at that?

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

If your boss is giving you an opportunity to transfer, leave on the first thing smoking. It could be that this is a toxic unit, or it just is not a good fit for YOU. Write ups are sometimes subjective...unfortunately. One supervisor may think you are the best thing since sliced bread, while another may think you are a nightmare. Take your chances with a new unit and see what develops.

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