Very Angry, About to go POSTAL!! (long vent)

[hptogram]

:angryfire I'm breathing fire tonight/morning. Little background, I work 10pm to 6am at an ALF. Our little establishment was bought recently by a nation wide company. I thought things would get better (i.e., better standards, better care for residents, maybe a little bump in pay for us....a girl can dream right?) and they've gotten worse. The girls on our shift (there are 4 of us that work full time.) all get along. Things move smoothly, we all help each other out, there is no gossiping or starting rumors. The other shifts however do not have that luxury. They are constantly gossiping and complaining about everything and everyone including talking nastily about other co-workers families and children!

This company does not tolerate rumors or gossip according to their handbook. Yet at the last two mandatory meetings, the executive director has spent the better part of the meeting talking about how to treat each other and stop talking trash (paraphrasing). The last meeting she went as far to say "work it out amongst yourselves, I don't want to hear anymore". The ED is well aware who the main offenders are, but does nothing because its her management staff! People she has worked with for years and years and years.

The only rumors that dealt with our shift has been regarding leaving people wet, especially in the locked down unit. My reply is usually, "well of course they're going to be wet. I check and change residents starting at 5 am and if you aren't checking again until several hours later then no friggin' wonder they're wet." Also, we run short staffed constantly and some nights it will be just me and one other CNA in the building. 2 : 75 RESIDENTS. When morning crew comes in they get all upset that residents weren't all dressed. I looked at one lady and said "I'm one person, not superman." I'm going off topic here.........anyway the latest rumor involves me and my supervisor. On some nights, I have brought my lap top to use during my break, on the nights that I know I'm going to get a break. The supervisor sometimes uses it to show me her family photos. I can count the number of times I've brought it with me on one hand. Anyway, the rumor is, we're watching Media movies on it! :angryfire I heard that and LOST MY MIND. The supervisor during the morning shift has been asking the other girls on our shift including a caregiver for another resident, if they've seen me and the supervisor watching Media movies. They all said they said no, that we've looked at family photos or I'll use it during my break. No one has asked me what I'm doing with my machine. Which I'd be more than happy to tell them. There is nothing in the company handbook that prohibits the use of laptops at the job as long as its on your own time. They do prohibit the use of THEIR computers.

I'm thinking about calling corporate and singing like a bird. I dread going there every night. I know I'm walking into a mess. We have a meeting on Tuesday that is mandatory. Now people that speak out against the management or the ED's Pets, suddenly disappear. I'm thinking about saying something during the meeting. Something long the lines of "if you, and you know who you are, took half the energy you use gossiping, complaining, moaning and groaning and making up lies about your co-workers, just half the energy, these residents would be getting their meds on time, paperwork would be done, meds would be counted, and the books would be right, among other things." Then further adding to the ED "The company I'm sure has protocal for dealing with gossiping. You know its a problem, what are you going to do to fix it or shall I go higher since you seem unable to do anything?"

I HATE THAT PLACE! Please tell me not all facilities are like this.

If you read this far, thanks for reading. I just had to get that off my chest.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

One of my most favorite sayings has become "like water off a duck". Don't let nasty things stick to you and don't pay attention to rumors. It only drags you down into the mud with the slime.

There was a rumor going around my facility that one of the weekend nurses (who only worked for me one day because she could afford to work only one day) sat at the nurses' station 'surfing the web' on her lap top. When I didn't write her up or fire her, the nurses who heard the rumor wanted to know why. Hmmmmm, I said, we have NO internet access at the nurses' station. So they told me it must be wireless... :lol2: We HAVE NO WIRELESS either....rumors started to get the woman fired. I've also at various times heard preposterous,outlandish rumors about me...from one of the doctors!!!

It's not easy, but rise above, keep smiling, and keep doing what you know is right.

[Katnip, RN]

I think I'd document and send it on to corporate. This ED of yours is perpetuating a hostile environment by blatantly breaking corporate rules.

[vamedic4, EMT-P]

There's nothing like working with petty, pathetic, stupid people. It seems there are far too many working alongside us in healthcare....ugh. I agree with Capecodmermaid, don't pay them any attention. Just keep doing what you know is right.

Good luck to you.

[Liddle Noodnik]

The supervisor during the morning shift has been asking the other girls on our shift including a caregiver for another resident, if they've seen me and the supervisor watching Media movies.

That's ONE way to start a rumor! for admin to go around asking if you are doing that!

[Simplepleasures]

ALFs are pretty scary to me, do they now certify their care givers, what type of training do they get nowadays? It seems as if some of the patients there are the types that used to be at nursing homes and some of the types of patients in nursing homes used to be in hospitals. The acuity keeps going up and the staffing keeps going down,whew how scary is that?!

[TrudyRN]

Well, I guess you are prepared to either do battle or go job hunting if you do open fire.

I'd advise saying anything angry in the meeting. Or even privately.

You might want to have a courteous, calm, peaceful yet honest private talk with the ED.

I wish you well.

Wow, 2 staff and 75 incontinent residents. How can you see them all except maybe twice per shift? God bless you.

[hptogram]

Thank you all for the advice and supportive words. I felt a lot better getting all of that off my chest.

I've decided I'm going to corporate with what I know. It is a hostile place to work and even the residents know it and know that they aren't getting the care that they are paying for.

As far as how they certify, they don't. The only certification I have is to pass meds. I took a 4 hour class provided by the facility so I could pass meds. Training is three days of shadowing, then you're on your own. If I want any other certification, I have to go on my own to get it. I had planned on getting my license, then looking for another job. On the management staff, only one has a CNA license. The rest just happen to be in the right place at the right time.

Thanks again for your kind words and advice.

[Simplepleasures]

Thank you all for the advice and supportive words. I felt a lot better getting all of that off my chest.

I've decided I'm going to corporate with what I know. It is a hostile place to work and even the residents know it and know that they aren't getting the care that they are paying for.

As far as how they certify, they don't. The only certification I have is to pass meds. I took a 4 hour class provided by the facility so I could pass meds. Training is three days of shadowing, then you're on your own. If I want any other certification, I have to go on my own to get it. I had planned on getting my license, then looking for another job. On the management staff, only one has a CNA license. The rest just happen to be in the right place at the right time.

Thanks again for your kind words and advice.

A word of caution here, before you do this be aware that you may end up being set up and fired or fired on the spot. I would call around to some EMPLOYMENT lawyers and see if they will give you a free consultation or even free advice over the phone, some will, I speak from personal experience. Tread very carefully.

[caliotter3]

I've got that same problem with knowing too much...and have considered going to corporate...but I have thought it over and to what avail? Like ingelein states, tread very carefully. You are the person who will eventually need employment somewhere. I would not even consider going to corporate if I were you. Heed the warning from those who have suffered. You have to place yourself and your own employment status near the top of your priorities. You will never be able to do anything for any kind of patient, if you can not obtain or retain a job.

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

I have to agree, dont jump the rungs of the ladder unless you have definate proof in writing or physically that someone has blatently crossed the line. The higher up the ladder you get the more protective of the ladder people become so be very careful.

It is exactly like climbing on a ladder,, if you tried to skip 2-3 rungs your foot would miss and you would fall off the ladder flat on your back. I know the book says open door blah blah blah, but you better be aware that those people up at the top have put the people below them there for a reason. It's like telling the higher ups they dont have good judgement in who they've hired.

[jill48, ASN, RN]

I know this is not going to help the problem as a whole, but no one can say I don't change my patients because every time i do, I write my initials and the date and time on their briefs. I advise my CNA's to do this also. Good luck.