Advice needed please!

RE: Advice needed please!

Sal the 1st — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 10:19:52 GMT

[quote user="Maria Smith"]

I am looking for some advice from fellow nurses as to how to deal with my current practice. I have worked in my practice for nearly 5 years now, and i am due to sit my osce's in December. For the past 2/3 years, the working environment has been getting progressively worse; constant put downs, digs, jealousy, trying to 'set me up', generally bullying from people who are twice my age. The other two nurses who work in practice are not qualified or have any form of training in the profession. I am paid dramatically less than everyone else, and i understand this is always the case with student nurses, but one was only employed a year ago (as an unqualified, never worked in practice) and immediately put on a much higher wage than me. The two of them walk all over the bosses and basically think they run the practice. I have been to my bosses on several occasions about there behaviour towards me and not to this day has anything ever been said to them to resolve any issues. It has been made obvious to me from all members of staff (nurses and receptionist) that I am just the 'issue' in the practice, just from wanting things to be ran properly and everyone to be treated fairly (I genuinely feel I have done no wrong to anyone and try not to get involved in practice politics). My clinical coach (Boss/vet) has not in anyway been supportive over the past two years, not had any involvement in gaining my qualification and now delayed me getting qualified due to not completing my NPL even after a year and a half of constant telling. Theres so many more issues and things that have happened to me in practice in which I could literally write a book! I dont feel I can work in this atmosphere for much longer and i dread every day i have to go into work.

I am wondering other peoples opinions on newly qualified nurses leaving practice? What is the likelihood of newly qualified nurses getting another job? Or generally any advice on what you would do in this situation.

Thankyou in advance

[/quote]

maybe some of the problem is that you are different - different as in participating in training and trying to do things as per your training whereas the other two haven't had this benefit. I suppose it depends on what the practice actually wants or needs - does it want a qualified nurse who does things by the book or is it happier with nursing staff working to practice requirements? If you are not happy there then the time has come to move on

[quote user="Maria Smith"]

just from wanting things to be ran properly and everyone to be treated fairly (I genuinely feel I have done no wrong to anyone and try not to get involved in practice politics)

[/quote]

have you tried asking your boss what you are doing that makes people treat you that way? - sometimes its difficult to take a step back and see ourselves as other people see us - at least by asking you are drawing their attention to this and showing that you are trying to make the effort

[quote user="Maria Smith"]

My clinical coach (Boss/vet) has not in anyway been supportive over the past two years, not had any involvement in gaining my qualification and now delayed me getting qualified due to not completing my NPL even after a year and a half of constant telling.

[/quote]

from experience bosses hate to be told - asking sometimes gets better results

[quote user="Maria Smith"]

Theres so many more issues and things that have happened to me in practice in which I could literally write a book! I dont feel I can work in this atmosphere for much longer and i dread every day i have to go into work.

[/quote]

Definitely time to move on - this has obviously been building for some time. The thing is once you start finding fault with somebody or something it becomes easier to find bigger faults with somebody or something and this just continues to fester and build up even bigger resentments unless its dealt with. It's just not worth it, life is short, move on and find somewhere else

RE: Advice needed please!

Gemma Holdsworth — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 08:52:44 GMT

Hi Maria,

Your post made me feel so sad today, nobody should feel this way in any job or in any establishment! I work with fantastic practices that are crying out for dedicated RVNs like yourself and would be more than happy to assist you should you like to discuss a move? If you do decide to stay I do hope you get the respect and job satisfaction you deserve in the very near future :)

RE: Advice needed please!

Celine — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 07:10:25 GMT

If you can, leave as soon as possible. The thing about an awful first job is that it can colour your view of the entire job / profession. It did for me and I left nursing for two years before realising I might be an okay nurse and maybe it was my boss who was the idiot.. Turns out I was right

Don't let anyone else wreck this for you. Go look at the jobs listing on this site. Good luck!

RE: Advice needed please!

Rachel Woodcock — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 02:21:30 GMT

I'd be very careful posting something like this under your full name

RE: Advice needed please!

steph fursland — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 21:29:57 GMT

RVNs are generally quite in demand, so I wouldn't imagine you will struggle getting a job - talk to some recruitment people and they will snap you up. May be worth checking you aren't tied in by your contract to work a certain time for them after qualification - you can buy your way out of these contracts but it's a substantial amount of money.

my advice would definitely be to move jobs - you are meant to be training for a job you love and it doesn't sound like yours right now is very loveable... I had a crappy first job and I am happier and infinitely better at my job since I moved. Another more supportive workplace (ideally working alongside experienced RVNs) might also help you progress faster and build your confidence, and you can go in as a qualified nurse rather than the student, which can make a difference in how you are treated by other staff and bosses.

RE: Advice needed please!

Tracy Windler RVN — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:22:23 GMT

Hi, I'm sorry you're going through some rough times. Try not to take it personally and keep your head held high. It's hard to comment on an individual case, but I wouldn't have any worries about getting a job as a newly qualified nurse. Check out your local jobs- most of them are open to qualified, new qualified and even some to 2nd year student vn's. You'll be fine. It's worth applying anyway x x