What do you do?

[faline1973]

What do you do when you feel you're being blackballed?

About a year ago, our unit gained a new manager. She's 25. She's divided our once great unit into "My friends" and "My coworkers." She has let her friends go through personal files, use her computer, and sit in her office while the rest of us work. When her friends want a transfer, she makes the necessary phone calls. Write-ups and concerns do not go in her friends' files. Unfortunately - it is difficult to prove this. Other nurses don't want to get involved. They're afraid of repercussions. Her friends certainly aren't going to admit to her behavior. It's beneficial for them. She even sat at the main information center - opened inner-office mail which showed chart errors other employees had made, and passed them around laughing. I was told "She was probably using this as an educational opportunity". An educational opportunity doesn't consist of laughing and making fun of the "Stupid mistakes" other nurses have made. She was a staff nurse for a whole two years before becoming a manager.

The morale of our unit has declined. Everyone comes in just to "do their time" now. It used to be a fun place to work. Everyone helped each other. The hospital did a survey on each of the units, and our unit scored the absolute lowest on every question when it came to morale.

Nurses are transferring and quitting. I agreed to go to night shift in January because we were so short-staffed. I said I would do it for six months to give them time to hire someone. My manager won't let me switch back to days. "No positions", yet she hires student nurses for days. I emailed her (very politely) and explained that I would be searching for another position in the hospital that would allow me to work days. Within a week, I was called into her office and written up for seven different "offenses" - some of them over 8 months old! Several things she wrote me up for aren't even policy. "Not treating a blood sugar of 74" The policy is 70, and the patient was given OJ. "Withholding pain medicine" on a patient who had a PCA. She put these things in my file a couple days before an interview with another floor. She called me in on June 18 to review these offenses. What I didn't know is that when she put them in my file - the way she dated them looks like she talked to me on SEVEN DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, but that's not true. She spoke to me ONCE and pulled 8 months worth of 'concerns' out of her bag.

Last week, I interviewed for a position in another hospital's ER. It was a panel interview. By the end of the interview, all five interviewers welcomed me to "the team". They pulled the charge nurse off the floor to give me a tour of "Where you'll be working." They said "HR just has to check your references. You'll get a call later today to set up orientation." Instead of a phone call, I get an email saying they can't offer me the position. I called their HR and she didn't want to give out any information, but she eventually said I should look at my references. She didn't call my personal references, so that leads me to believe she only called my boss. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS MONTH THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME. I'm offered a job, they call my 'references' and then they withdraw the offer. My personal references are solid. The only thing I can think of is that they call my boss and for some reason, she gives me a poor reference.

I spoke with her boss Monday. She says "Well, she is a new manager. She's still learning." Learning? At my expense. She did agree that it was odd the way I was written up for eight months of concerns all at once. She said that what I could do is once again apply to other units in the hospital and she would speak to those managers on my behalf and state that the issues in my file "May not have been completely objective." I worry that other units will feel like they are inheriting another units problem child.

This is so frustrating. The nurses I work with say I am a great nurse. I pitch in. When I see someone in trouble, I don't wait to be asked. I go up to them and say "How can I help." My coworkers are dumbfounded. My night shift manager says the boss has left her out of important decisions and seems to really dislike me. She says she doesn't understand it either.

I don't know what to do. I've only been a nurse for 2 1/2 years. This is the only hospital I've worked out, so I can't leave it out as a reference.

I can't get a new job.

I can't stay at the old one.

I can't even seem to transfer.

I just want to cry.

[chicookie, BSN, RN]

Legally, from my understanding, your former boss can't give out that kind of information. They can only confirm dates of employment, job duties and titles. From the moment the former boss opens their mouths they are setting themselves up for a lawsuit for slander. But first you have to make sure that is what is happening. If it is then you need to take legal action.

My second suggestion is next interview be forward with them. Tell them you know what I really want this position and I have been offered positions before but this and this has been happening, I don't know why its happening but it is and if you want numbers from different people on the floor to confirm or un-confirm it I will gladly give you numbers. Honesty is the best policy in my book.

I really don't know if that will do anything but being proactive is always good.

In regards to you, take a deep breathe. I know its hard and you deserve ice cream and a hug! Take it easy!

[miss81, BSN, RN]

When I applied for a position in a different hospital we had just gotten a new manager on my unit. She didn't really know anything about me, so I gave the Charge RN as a reference. Now we only have one charge nurse, it's not like in the US where several ppl are doing charge. I also gave one of the Docs that I work with and an education consultant with the organization. Are there any alternatives like that you could use??? Also, perhaps when you are applying you could say that you are "looking to change jobs because you are looking for a professional, supportive environment to work in," and that you have heard their hospital has this kind of environment for staff. Then explain to them about the situation just like Chicookie stated in the PP...

[guest64485]

Are you writing on your applications that they are not allowed to contact your current employer? Usually they have a spot for that on applications. (you can use the excuse that you don't want your current boss to know that you are looking for another position).

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I would take a copy of your original post to the CNO and explain to her that you feel you are being unfairly treated at the least and harrassed at the worst. You might want to talk to a lawyer if this person interferes with your ability to make a living.

[faline1973]

I went to the CNO. She listened with this huge cheshire cat grin on her face. Each time she spoke to me, she said my name first and followed with some fortune cookie advice.

"Sherri, I think everyone wants a positive workplace"

"Sherri, in most situations, everyone is right and everyone is wrong."

She did request I speak with my manager's manager and I did. I called her again today and she said she probably wouldn't remove the things from my file that there is no policy in place for because "They really aren't that big of a deal". If they aren't that big of a deal, take them out! She "hasn't had the time" to talk to the other units I applied to yet.

Meanwhile, I am just sick to my stomach about the whole thing and ready to find another job. I'm *this close* to having my IL license. I'll just get a job in another state. It's such a shame because it used to be such a great place to work.