What do you hate most about your job?

PancakeSaturdays · May 27, 2016

We've been through 3 department managers in the last yr. We have been without a manager for about 6 weeks now. CNO is "filling in" as our manager. There is NO communication between nurses and the CNO. Most of us don't even know what she looks like, even though she has been our CNO for about 4-5 months. Everything I hear is through the grapevine, policies change by the week with no announcements or warnings. We don't have a phone number or email address to contact her... We had a "suggestion box" on our intranet home screen, but even that disappeared about a month ago. We use a computer charting system that we can email anyone in our company.. Guess who doesn't use or log in to the system? Yep, our handy dandy CNO. All communication is through house supervisors who could care less.. They are sick of it all too. Our CNO won't even step foot in our unit, she calls to even have the variance book delivered to her by the secretary. A house sup sent her a message days ago asking how the staff is supposed to contact her, she has not gotten a response...
I probobly could contact our ceo if I wanted to, just have nothing to say to him.
I'm worried that once the travelers start, regulars will be put on call and float out to crumbling Med Surg (who is managed equally terribly, but at least they have a contact person).
I really like my job, I don't want to leave. A little over year ago our hospital had incredible employee satisfaction and morale. All mgmt was fired, chaos ensued.

Hi MilliePieRN,

So I must confess something here.

When I asked you what poor communication and inaccessible management looked like, I had no idea it would be this bad.

Your handy dandy CNO appears to be in hiding. Jack Bauer couldn't pull it off any better than her!

Shoot.

What kind of emotional impact does this have on you? (if that makes sense)

Like, do you find yourself feeling resigned, helpless, energized, invigorated, depressed, angry, anxious, etc.....

Thanks for sharing the example. I appreciate the vivid picture you painted.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · May 27, 2016

Mandatory assignments. Not only to fill call-ins but holes left in the schedule due to vacations and LOA.
Over 70 open shifts in the upcoming pay period.

I do NOT do mandatory overtime. And I tell them that during the interview. If things are bad enough that the manager is in helping, its a true disaster, and I will work til I drop. But just filling in schedule holes...no way. I haven't had anyone think that was an unreasonable statement yet.

PancakeSaturdays · May 27, 2016

Deeply inadequate compensation.
Constantly being second guessed by administration who have zero medical knowledge.

Hey JerseyTomatoMDCrab,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

For you, what do you feel most regarding the two items you mentioned?

Angry, annoyed, hurt?

Offended, resentful, resigned?

Something else?

Thanks for your thoughts!

PancakeSaturdays · May 27, 2016

Techs that lady and don't report abnormal vital signs.

Hey prnqday,

Thanks for weighing in!

What do you usually do when the lazy techs don't report abnormal vital signs?

Say something? Keep it to yourself?

PancakeSaturdays · May 27, 2016

Usually no contact with people like that is best, but I do understand your frustration. Our new CNO didn't bother to round to each ward to meet staff, or hold a reception on each shift so we could come see her and meet her, or ask for input from us, or anything like these get-to-know-you things at all.
Terribly rude, very disturbing that she was so unconcerned with staff that she didn't even want to try to connect some names with faces.

Hi Kooky Korky,

Thanks for sharing!

Of course none of us here are mind or motive-readers, but if you had to hazard a guess, why do you think the new CNO didn't bother to meet the staff?

Just curious, if you're willing to take a shot at it.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · May 27, 2016

The first paragraph is completely true, and part of the reason I'm not interested in joining most committees.

By complaining, I mean bringing it up to the charge nurse, who agreed it was ridiculous, and then went and fixed the IV herself. Then I mentioned it to the manager, who gave me the "we're all working as a team" statement, and when Xray is busy we need to help them. Agreed, but when we're busy the same goes. I think what is best for the patient at the time is the way to run things.

The IV issue was a problem at another hospital for me too. The tech didn't want the extension tubing on (I put extensions on all pediatric patients). The policy didn't address that issue, and the Xray tech was IV certified. I felt it was a personal preference of his, and told him to go ahead and change it, I was taking care of other patients. He refused to do the CT, and told the parent that the nurse put the IV in "wrong." I had a meeting a few days later, with my boss, the radiology boss, and the tech, and they concluded that I was unreasonable, when he asked for such a small thing. The tech went on a rant in the meeting, stating how I don't care about patients, and everyone complains about me, while my boss sat and said nothing. Even if I am a horrible nurse, the attack was inappropriate. A second radiology tech said just that, and I spoke to my boss afterwards about not speaking up.

PancakeSaturdays · May 27, 2016

Being a ICU traveler for many years I wanted to share a thought. When I was a Traveler I had a beautiful home with a mortgage, taxes, electric bill and everything that comes with owning a home including having the grass cut and paying $200.00 a month. I would close it up and I live in a box (figure of speech) with very few personal items many many miles from home. I gave up paid vacations paid sick time paid Health insurance. Friends and family. Had to pay for my own renewals for BLS, ACLS, Tdap test besides yearly physicals and Health Care insurance. Nurses week? What's that. Then when having non paid time off, the expense of driving or flying home and getting a rental car only to be sadden all over again when I left home.
So yes travelers don't count the meds or go to mandatory unit meetings and do some other things that employees would perform. And yes, Travelers are guaranteed hours but after all what they gave up wouldn't they have to be? But in the end all of this is to help your hospital, your place of employment because of a shortage of qualified health care personal in your Community. I'm glad you like many others love travelers and please continue. Maybe you and others can step it up a notch and embrace Travelers as friends and do things with travelers outside work, after all they are always looking for to build friendships. I made the greatest friendships in my years of traveling.

Hi Lisa.fnp,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Your post almost clarifies this for me, but what exactly is a traveller? Nurses who travel to another region because of a shortage? Why do people sign up to be a travel nurse since they don't get benefits (it sounds like, from what you wrote).

Thanks for any clarity you can add!

PancakeSaturdays · May 27, 2016

I love computer charting but hate the attitude of "its easy and quick to do on the computer", management thinking that doubles the mandatory things that must be charted every 6 months.

Thanks, DeeAngel!

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · May 27, 2016

Family members who refuse to consider hospice for their 90 year old septic, completely obtunded, tube fed, bed bound mother and insist on their dying mom being a full code and pursuing "aggressive" medical treatment. Oh and when said mom codes, they refuse to take mom off the ventilator.

I strongly feel that if you are over 80 there should be no compressions. We can try up to the point your heart stops, but if your body cant hold out, we let you go. It would save so many families and patients those final torturous days.

PancakeSaturdays · May 27, 2016

Doing assignments by acuity and having to work 4 straight 12 hour shifts and only having one day off before having to return and doing a stretch of 8's.

Thanks for weighing in, XNavyCorpsman!

I'm not a nurse, so pardon me if this is a ridiculous question.

Do you have any input about the scheduling madness?

PancakeSaturdays · May 27, 2016

I hate the amount of repetitive documentation. Chart a PRN on the MAR? Better chart it in the nursing notes too! Complete a post fall assessment? Better document everything and more in the nursing notes, fall prevention care plan, and fall tracking record too! It's like someone comes up with a new tool without considering what we already have. So something that could lessen our workload just adds to it.
Lack of training is my other big complaint. I'm a charge nurse in long term care and I received 3 days of training before being on my own. It was ridiculous. I also feel like we aren't adequately trained in school for everything we are expected to know. I'm sure this varies school to school and job to job but I just feel like my knowledge is lacking. I struggle to find the time to do a ton of continuing education as well.

Thank you for sharing your experience, rpsychnurse!

I love the description in your first paragraph, and your honesty / humility in the second.

When you're in situations in which you feel like you don't have the level of knowledge you'd like, what do you feel in those situations? (For example: at ease, flustered, calm, embarrassed, annoyed, exposed, energized, etc.)

Thanks so much if you've got any input!

PancakeSaturdays · May 27, 2016

Policies' kissing to the point of losing common sense. That documenting "call light within reach" q4 because there is policy for that, and not doing anything when the same patient (a half-century old cutie with mental development of 1 y/o) drops blood sugar from 500 to 80, because there is no policy about either number or combination. It did not end good, on any terms.
Who ever wrote a policy prohibiting THINKING??

Hahhahah, KatieMI!

If you locate that "no thinking" policy, I'm sure everyone here would like to have a looksie.

Why do you think that is? Why do you think there are policies for documenting the location of the call button, but not for significantly dropping blood sugar?

Or that there's no "other important info" category to note significantly dropping blood sugar?

Or that a person wouldn't mention significantly dropping blood sugar, despite the fact that there's no place to document it?

Seriously. What do you think?