Will I be targeted?

[Conflicted1]

Hi,

I've been working at my current job for a few years now and we have had quite a number of managers come and go and lots of reshuffling.

I recently became the target of a bully who had a known history of it - over 10 years (bullied multiple staff members - at least 5 staff with some whom reported it to management but then left because of her , she's bullied students, always rude and everyone treads on eggshells around her because of her rude and aggressive outbursts). I reported it to the recently assigned director of nursing (who I found out later is actually friends with her as they worked together way back). I felt nothing was really done about the situation.

I applied for secondary employment recently and it was rejected by the director or nursing, I don't know if the 2 are related but I feel that they may be but will never be able to prove it. I had a performance appraisal recently and had a good review with my nurse manager.

Now I've just found out that they haven't been paying us correctly for all the overtime we have been doing for years, I confirmed this with payroll. I brang this up with my nursing unit manager today who said she will look into it.

I feel like they are going to see me as a trouble maker and are going to make my life really hard.

Besides documenting everything, does anyone have any advice or has anyone been in a similar situation?

Any feedback would be great. TIA.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

If you're not being paid correctly, and your manager isn't willing to correct it, go to HR. If they won't do anything, complain to your state's Department of Labor. Worst-case scenario, you may have to sue.

If one nurse has been allowed to run off multiple nurses, and the higher-ups don't care, you can talk to HR, but it probably won't help. They may keep this nurse to keep the labor budget in check. One person can turn a unit toxic fast, and if management allows it to happen, your only option is to get out.

[Daisy4RN]

I would decide how important this job is to you before you proceed any further. The issues you describe happen pretty much everywhere. If you like your job and want to stay then it may not be worth it for you to push either issue, you are right, they may see you as a trouble maker and make your life miserable. If you have nothing to lose then go ahead contact HR etc with complaints, just be ready for the pushback that you will probably receive.

[shibaowner, MSN, RN, NP]

By law, you cannot be fired for reporting a salary discrepancy, at least in California. You must report that to HR immediately.

As far as the bully, do a Google search on "how to handle a workplace bully" There is a lot of information out there.

As others have said, document, document, document. Good luck.

And start looking around for a new job.

[Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM]

If you're not being paid correctly, and your manager isn't willing to correct it, go to HR. If they won't do anything, complain to your state's Department of Labor. Worst-case scenario, you may have to sue.

If one nurse has been allowed to run off multiple nurses, and the higher-ups don't care, you can talk to HR, but it probably won't help. They may keep this nurse to keep the labor budget in check. One person can turn a unit toxic fast, and if management allows it to happen, your only option is to get out.

We had two toxic nurses in our unit. We got a new manager, They fired one and put the second one on notice that her days were numbered if she didn't change her attitude and suspended her for a week.

It was just amazing how the vibe in the unit changed after that.