Vent!!! So frustrated.

[greenbeanlpn]

I am a relatively new nurse and so far I can't say that I am enjoying any part of it. I took the first job that I was offered after graduation and stuck it out in hopes of something better coming along. Well, a few months later I was offered what I thought would be a great job in OB. I really thought this was my "niche", but I have to say, I am beginning to really hate my job. I have never encountered such a lack of professionalism in my life. The comments some of the nurses make about the pts is just utterly disrespectful. The majority are extremely rude to one another and the amount of animosity is so thick you could cut it with a knife. I have literally been scolded like a 3 year old for helping the aide, while the others sit in the break room. The department mgr is oblivious to this and will even go as far as to make excuses for this vile behavior.

I thought that I would be able to grow my career in this specialty, and yet everyday so far, I dread going to work. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do, just not the co-workers. My dilemma is I would hate to leave, being this would be another job in less than a year. Also, I feel guilty leaving the hospital after the amount of time spent in orientation and the fact that there are only 3 people with my specific job title in my department. However, the amount of stress I am dealing with does not seem to be worth it.

Any suggestions?

[Mommy TeleRN, RN]

I would try to focus on your patients. I think it would look bad to go to your 3rd job in less than one year. It doesn't sound likes it's an unsafe working environment, just not your "fit". Keep doing your best and set the example in professionalism. Part of that is staying with a job for more than a few months :)

[birdie22]

Sounds like its your specific unit and coworkers, not the actual job itself. My mom always says "I can work with anybody." You dont have to like or even respect your co-workers, you just have to work with them. Obviously, this is easier said than done. We spend a lot of time with the people we work with, sometimes more with them than our own families. We hope they are good people, have good personalities, and that we even becomes friends with them on some level. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.

I think its best that you just continue on doing your job. Sure, the other nurses are say stuff about you when you help an aide out - but what are the aides saying about you/them? And for that matter, who really cares what others are saying - good or bad - as long as you know that you are doing a good job. I'd stick it out for a while because if I were looking to hire someone and saw how short your employment stint was with the two units, I'd be hesitant. Just remember, you dont have to like the people you work with, you just have to work with them.

[BFofaNurse]

I think you will get this anywhere you go really. My g/f comes home from work and complains about her co-workers not helping at all, treating pts badly, gets in fights with doctors because some of them are to lazy to do something when a pt is bleeding out all of the bed.

[Jules A, MSN]

My mom always says "I can work with anybody." You dont have to like or even respect your co-workers, you just have to work with them.

Mom was a smart cookie. :)