When the grass isn't greener

[NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN]

So I work ER for a large hospital system. I was working at a trauma center almost 30 miles away and the commute could be 45 minutes some days. I loved the team, how efficient we were but as I rarely got a turn in the trauma bay I decided to go to the lower acuity hospital 6 miles away because I would eventually like day shift, and it would have taken me an hour to an hour in a half to get home in traffic leaving work at 330.

Well the new ER is pretty horrifying across the board. The doctors don't listen to nurses, maybe partly because I'm new to them but I've has do several very sick patients that they kept blowing off. One def needed to be tubed and the doc ignored me, saying biPAP was fine when it wasn't, The pt kept pulling off the mask, wasn't tolerating it and this patient ultimately died. I went up the chain and everything to try to get this patient proper care but after no one listened to me he got a bed in ICU I ran his gurney there yelling please intubate him, which they did but he still coded and died 5 minutes later.

i have to argue with docs to get iv fluids for kidney stones and I've almost seen a doc shock a fellow doc during a cardioversion, she didn't yell clear.

Some of the nurses are great, but many hide from work and many just do orders without questioning them, 80 Mg IVP lasix ordered on wrong pt and the person orienting me was about to give it and I stopped her as I knew he didn't have CHF. When we followed up with doc def not the right order. I also notice that 90% of the time, none of my patients have an assessment in, I understand new patients, but the ones who have been in the nurses care for 4 to 5 hours should. I have no previous assessment to compare lungs sounds, etc, to on these patients waiting for beds upstairs.

i don't mind doing my job, but I feel like I can trust very few of my coworkers and doctors. Would you all go back to commuting? I'm stuck here for 6 months because of our hospital system rules, several others have transferred from our other hospital and all feel the same way. Two of my coworkers put in their 6 months and went right back to the trauma ER with commuting.

i thought about relocating closer, but my son loves his school and we have cousins in this area and we like it quite a bit. There is a lot of sketchy areas near the farther hospital so finding a good safe home could be a challenge.

i have 4 more months than on maternity leave so I'm hoping it improves in that time. It just seems so scary that this standard would be acceptable. Thanks for letting me vent. :)

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Commuting is not that bad if you enjoy your place of employment. With the way you are describing your current workplace, I don't know if I could tolerate another six months there.

Good luck to you. You are truly in a difficult situation.

[NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN]

Thanks commuter. Well if we subtract the 7 weeks I put in, I'll prob be on maternity leave beginning of June, so 4 more months? Ugh, day at a time. I'm thinking returning to commuting is my best bet too after maternity leave. At least I have the option of retuning. Some things are worth more than filling up your gas tank once a month.

[SnowShoeRN]

Eek. That sounds horrifying. Yeah, I would go back to your old place. I agree that 30-45 minutes is worth it if you love your job. In the meantime, I'd definitely get malpractice insurance if you don't already have it. Your current place just does not seem supportive or safe for your license. Best of luck to you.

[nynursey_]

Sadly, the grass not always being greener is a lesson that must be learned from experience alone.

I had a similar situation come up. I was commuting door-to-door (not counting extra time during the winter) approximately 80 minutes one way. It was the only job I was offered post-graduate and it was my *dream* job. Unfortunately, as the census began to climb, and my commute felt longer and longer, I thought it best to seek out other opportunities. Wrong.

I'm currently working in a larger hospital system that has far more issues than my previous employer. And while the commute is closer, I eventually ended up buying a house between the two hospitals, and thus have an equal commute each way. Because I elected to leave before a full year was up, I'm not exactly welcomed back with open arms, if you know what I mean.

If your former employer will have you back, see if you can't make a break for it. Working in unsafe conditions is no good.

[RNperdiem, RN]

Once you have worked in a place with high standards of patient care, there is no satisfaction with anything less.

It sounds like you are working in a place that does not give you the feeling of satisfaction with your work. If you left in good standing, I would recommend the longer commute to the better job.

[NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN]

Its the same system, so just a transfer. I just have to wait four more months...ugh!