March 23, 2009

Frustrated

I am frustrated. Very, very frustrated with work right now. I think I need a new job. I love taking care of patients, helping them with labor and delivery and helping them adjust to the post-partum period and parenthood. I love my night shift co-workers. We work very well together, help each other out and we generally get along. I just think I need to go somewhere else. But I can't. I would be hard pressed to find a weekend option position in OB anywhere around here I could get into. It's the politics and all the BS that seems to be spreading like MRSA around the department. I'm fine all night at work...it's change of shift that brings out my agitation. I guess the main problem is there are too many people that have more power than they really should. Like they say, too many chef's in the kitchen. Decisions are made based on what works for them, not for the people involved.
For example, this a.m., I find out there is a mandatory meeting for relief charge nurses next week. Apparently an email was sent but I never received that email, and I'm a relief charge RN. There are 3 of us relief charges on nights, there aren't any on evenings and there are a couple on days. We are the only shift that really utilizes the relief charge nurses because the other two shifts have more regular charge nurses to fill in holes. But anyway, the meeting was made for noon, the day after we have neonatal resuscitation renewal and a staff meeting. That does not work for any of us night shift at all. I mentioned to the day shift charge who arranged it that it wasn't a good time for any of us and she rolled her eyes and said it was expected that we were all there so we could hear everything all together. That's fine but make it at a time doable for all involved. I explained that the only way I could make it was with my kids (I have a rule to not take my kids to meetings b/c it's distracting to all involved) but even then, it's a bad time because that's nap time. She didn't care. And the other 2 nurses? They work the night before the meeting and the night after. Noon is right in the middle of sleep. I realize the rest of the world sleeps at night and works during the day, but come on! Couldn't it be later, like 6pm? That's just one example. So many things are going on that remind me of junior high that I'm at my wits end. But, I just have to ride it out, and hope it gets better. Why can't we all just take care of patients and lose all the other nonsense, BS and whatnot? Sigh. It will get better. It has to.

6 comments:

Jennifer (Niffer) said...

that's crap! you should go over the day charges head! to you director or manager. I used to have to deal with the same crap...no more since the new manager of our unit used to work nights. I'm not big on going over someone's head, but you tried talking to the charge first. you should get together with the two other night relief charges... power in numbers you know. good luck!

Nobody knows how hard working nights with small kids and limited baby sitters is! Hang in there.

pinky said...

Don't let the man get you down!!! I just wouldn't show up for the meeting. I would tell them it was more important to have me well rested in order to take proper care of my patients at night, than attend the meeting. Or I would pull a noshow and tell them I slept through it.

Any other place you go, you will get a certain amount of the same thing. So a new job won't help you. Sorry but it is true. My place is the same way. I just don't show up if it is not doable.

As far as going above the charge nurses heads. I would choose my battles carefully. Is it really worth it? Do you even want to go to this meeting? Most meetings are Bu!!sh1t anyhow.

Most places you work are full of stupid things. I try to ignore them so they don't piss me off. However, I have my nurse manager convinced I am clinically insane so she really does not want me to be charge nurse.

Joy@WDDCH said...

Ooh, I'd be fuming too!

Julieann said...

i always ask..."will it affect me 4 years from now?"

Taking Heart said...

I am in a similar situation... I'd hate to give up my weekend option, but the hospital politics are wearing me thin. Now, they have added one mandatory shift per pay, and 16 hours of call per pay... and my mandatory shift is at straight pay (not my weekend option or call pay). I feel like they own me, and my family is obviously of no importance to them.

Sorry for the vent... in a nutshell... I feel your pain.

pinky said...

lets face it the folks who run the hospital are B@stards. Plain and simple. It is their mission in life to do A$$hole things. This is one of the reasons we have a nursing shortage.