OT I need to Vent!

[kbrzez]

I am suppose to be sleeping so I can go to work in the morning but I need to vent. I work 12 hours shifts as a RN but always ends up being over 13-15 hours I am at work. Each shift which is 4 of these for me a week involves caring for a ton of Emergency Patients from 2 days old to 107 or so. I am one of the best nurses and work my butt over at work taking 7 acutely ill pts at a time with no help at all, no assistants or anyone to do the ordering or paperwork. I turned over so many people and did a heck of a job today. When it was time to go home I had to give report to this other nurse whom I can't stand and she gives me this attitude so I finally told my charge nurse I would not do it again since I have been working now with no lunch, no breaks, straight through for 14 hours at that point and I will stay until mhy pts go home. She left, came back a half hour later and gave me a lecture about not helping, not being a team player... After all of what I did today and yesterday. I never call in and have had enough of it. I refuse to go to work in the morning. I have a ton of time off banked up and of course if I call in, I get my vacation pulled which is next week. Well, how do I say fine, I quit. I have worked here for almost 3 years (I have been an RN for 10 years) and we are nationally recognized trauma center blah, blah. Our job focuses on awards more than employee happiness. So I am tired of working here and ready to return to the little ER down the street. Wish me luck, I applied and am ready to take that job and quit this high stress life. I am tired of coming home crying.

[Jeanette M.]

Oh, I am so sorry your job has been so stressful! [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img] That is no way to try to live your life - especially when you have little ones to care for at home. *reaches out in cross-country hug* I hope you get the job you want at the smaller hospital. Sometimes the more "prestigious" job is just not worth it. I wish you the best....

[Kenshinchan]

I'm very sorry you're being treated poorly at work. [img]frown.gif[/img] But good for you for taking the first step! No, you can't just not show up at your job, but it's great that you're working on finding a new one! I was under the impression that nurses are in very high demand all across the country (part of why you're forced to work so many hours, I assume) so you should be able to find a job where you're treated right.

Best of luck to you! [img]graemlins/sun.gif[/img]

[Donna Cotterman]

Hey Mrs.K..... I know what you are saying. I worked ER and ICU for five years... night shift. Patients weren't the problem but "paperwork, pushy day staff (attitude people), PR people made me hate my job. I think when hospitals switched to "for profit" they became like any other business and employees are now disregarded for cost effective measures. You do not count... only the bottom line. Gone are the days of doing what you were trained to do and it's now Mc Medicine.

I sometimes miss the old Catholic hospitals with the Sisters of Mercy. You worked hard but they always knew your name and thanked you as fast as they would reprimand you.

May I suggest that you hang in there until you can get some time off for WDW vacation. Then if the other ER looks better... then by all means change jobs and shed the stress.

Good Luck and BIG HUG!!! ^j^ Mrs.C.

[cowgirlsue]

Aw, I'm so sorry! I worked professionally in a hospital setting for most of my career (stopped working when I had kids). I definitely know how over-worked and under-appreciated nurses are at most hospitals. Sounds like you have a good alternative to your current position lined up, although if it were me I'd still go in tomorrow just to show that no one can get me down or belittle me. But then, I'm contrary that way. [img]wink.gif[/img]

Hang in there!

[wrxgirl]

Hang in there! It can be so tough sometimes! My uncle actually the other day made a very mean comment to my grandparents that was directed at me.. he goes " the reason why health care and health insurance is so high is because we are paying all those "blank" doctors and nurses salaries when they shouldnt be making that much money... I just looked at him and my jaw dropped... ok so since when is saving peoples LIVES not worth something? EEK! I was ready to smack him!
Nursing can be really stressful.. the beauty of our job though is there are so many different areas of nursing and different places to work! I couldnt imagine myself at a job with no change! Id get so bored!
Hang in there! [img]smile.gif[/img] Keep your chin up and dont let anyone talk you down.. you know your a great nurse and im sure your patients you have taken care of know it too! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[katherinecusick]

Hi!

Before I became a SAHM, I was a social worker first in a nursing home, then in a medium sized hospital, so I can totally empathize with your bad day! I know all about overtime and unpleasant co-workers! Plus, the ER is such a stressful zone anyway--it's no wonder you're feeling frazzled!

But I agree with Mrs. C. that you should try to stick it out especially if you are about to get a vacation break next week! RN's are so greatly needed right now, maybe you should consider the nursing home area. I loved working with the elderly and, despite the overtime (all unpaid for us SW's), it was a really rewarding job. Please don't think about quitting nursing--we need all the good RN's we can get these days!

Sending you an encouragement e-hug!

Katie