...how I long for thee.
Today was one HUGE reminder of how much I really hate my job. Let me clarify, that I don't hate the work...I hate the management/staffing (or lack there of)/favoritism/failing equipment/outdated charting systems/discount supplies/etc.
Today was only my second day back from med leave, and I already want to run screaming in the other direction! I literally came back to chaos...
When I left, there were tensions between my charge nurse/co-workers and my unit manager. However, things were still semi-normal. Everyone on my unit eventually sided with our charge nurse (I would have, but I wasn't there to take sides), which pissed the unit manager off. She is now "punishing" the unit by:
~Demoting our charge (and not replacing her).
~Cutting funding for office supplies (because she said we spend too much on pens and post-its...the only 2 items we consistently order).
~Showing favoritism to those who either sided with her or sucked up enough.
~Re-assigning 1 of our nurse assistants to another unit.
~Cutting the responsibilities of the 1 remaining nurse assistant.
~Leaving our unit without a manager (or charge) most afternoons (because she has school).
Our CNO (chief nursing officer, aka Alpha Nurse) told her she couldn't leave us without a charge...so she announces today that if we "were not capable enough to handle whatever situation arises without the help of a charge, we could then ask if the charge from our neighboring unit is available to help." Yeah...that's the way she got out of that one. Our unit secretary has been running the board for the last few weeks. I don't even know if that's legal.
On top of that bull shit; the manager just doesn't know how to manage. She was a critical care staff nurse for several years, and happen to be friends with the old CNO (who was recently fired), so when our hospital opened 4 years ago...she came on board as a nurse manager. With no management experience. Our census has been growing, and I'm guessing she's been able to fumble through it the last few years, but now that the hospital has really been picking up steam...she can't keep up. And we are feeling her stress. Somehow our unit became the bastard child of the hospital, because other people I talk to seem to like their experiences just fine.
Before starting to work at my hospital, I hadn't had much experience with the type of nursing that I'm doing. I was in school, and nursing school just didn't stress this aspect of nursing. Don't get me wrong, i'm competent in my skills, I'm just saying that I didn't get to see how other places "do it." But after having my surgery at another hospital, I understand why my unit is feeling stressed/pressured. We do twice as much work! (And no...I'm not exaggerating in the least. I went through 2 departments that do the equivlant of my job at the other hospital. Therefore, I had 2 nurses take care of all the stuff that 1 nurse does at my work.)
I've come to the conclusion that I work at an ass backward hospital, and that I need to get out. As soon as Amz legally adopts C and gets him on her insurance, I am looking for a new job. At that point, I'll have a couple of years of experience, and hopefully it won't be such a struggle to find a nursing position.
End rant.
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1 comment:
Oh thank you thank you for posting this. Gratitude beyond measure to hear that this happens elsewhere!
I recently resigned my position as nurse manager at a rehab/retirement facility partly because H1's new promotion meant less schedule flexibility and partly because I could no longer handle the neglect that was going on in that institution. I was soooo downtrodden and frustrated that the facility was understaffing and really badly managed, which in turn left more responsibility and less time for the nurses...which then means neglect because dressings don't get done, blah blah blah. Anyway, not trying to hijack your post, but I feel your pain and I hope you're able to make some positive changes for yourself soon in the job department.
Much love.
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