Stressed Out, Need Advice

Hi. I am new here. I am in need of advice and don't feel I can confide in any of my co-workers.

I have been an RN for 2 years with an ADN. I work in an high risk OB unit. We take care of anyone with a positive pregnancy test, from a broken toe to catching the baby.

It's been a rough 2 years, but I feel I have grown as much as I can on my own and have welcomed the opportunity to grow more. I have had a couple of hiccups along the way.

I recently was out for surgery for 6 weeks. I wish I'd of taken 7, but hindsight is 20/20. While I was out my license and certifications expired. So before I went back into patient care I renewed my RN license and CPR. Both of which were on time. My NRP ran out and they only offer 1 class a month on a Friday and I work weekend graves. I did all my computer work, but ended up missing the class. I was very upset with myself. I mixed up my dates and didn't realize it until my shift that night. I put in a call and left voicemail to my acting nurse manager to let her know. She finally called me back tonight and I have to go in tomorrow for a written counseling. ):

To make things worse I had a patient and physician both complain about me. The complaints stem back to my first weekend back 3+ weeks ago. I was very disheartened to hear this as I feel I connect with most of my patients. I try to provide the best care possible even when it isn't easy. We often have a high patient load and this particular night we were short handed and my charge nurse dumped 3 patients on me. A triage and 2 others who were about to deliver. One of the soon to deliver patients didn't have anything set up. No chart, no delivery table, no baby chart.

I have had a Dr. complaint before, but it was a Dr. that for some reason I feel is out to get me. Other nurses have done all they could to refuse to take his patients because of his behavior at night. He will not let nurses on our sister unit even call him. He demands only the charge nurse can call and report to him even if she is not the primary nurse for the patient. He has cussed out several nurses over the phone, told patients off and is just plain mean.

I have a feeling he is the giver of the physician complaint. I get along with all the others.

I love L/D. It's what I have always wanted to do, but the dangers of my job and these issues really have me down. I have been second guessing myself so much lately. I'm so frustrated. I feel like I don't have the opportunity to flourish at this particular hospital. I am an older baby nurse as in I am 36y/o. Several young girls barely 20 have come in and stepped into charge positions at 6months. I was hoping the 6 week break would help me reboot, but I feel worse!

I think of it as an honor to be part of growing families. We get patients from all walks. Prostitutes, drug addicts, and pillars of the community. I feel I'm able to separate myself and focus on the task at hand which is healthy Mom and baby and smooth delivery.

Please tell me it gets better.

Why do my patients say they appreciate me and I only hear this bad complaint. I've run into patients in the mall who said they mentioned me by name for great care on the PressGainey, but how is it I've never heard this feedback from my leaders. How come I only hear this bad thing. It's very discouraging.

WEll, relax and change your attitude , be more positive and less anxious. Do the best you can. What was the patients complaint that required a written counseling. From now on ask for help , go directly to the charge and let them know the assignment is too heavy.
That Dr. is an idiot and some how they get away with abusive behaviour.
Is there another hospital that you can apply ? You don't sound happy there. Maybe time for a change.

NurseNinja wrote:Please tell me it gets better.

Why do my patients say they appreciate me and I only hear this bad complaint. I've run into patients in the mall who said they mentioned me by name for great care on the PressGainey, but how is it I've never heard this feedback from my leaders. How come I only hear this bad thing. It's very discouraging.

Unfortunately, you've had a bad experience and it happens, don't let it ruin things for you.

You've said that you generally enjoy it there and that patients have had good things to say about you, keep that in mind and put the bad episode down to experience - it happens to the best, ttrust me. If the experience is something where you acted incorrectly then just make sure you learn from it, reflect on it and use it to better your own practice. I don't know what type of surgery you had but any type of surgery is likely to put you back a bit, as is 6 weeks out of practice, so don't be so hard on yourself. It sounds like you've got back into the swing of things now so move on and keep doing your best.

The doctor sounds like an old fashioned idiot to me, I wouldn't let him bother you too much as you're not going to change the way he acts, he is how he is. Just do your job to the best of your ability, stick with it and enjoy it. You've done it successfully for two years, don't let 1 incident spoil it for you.

You are amazing
Think of all the positivity and love and healing you have created. This shows you are a superb nurse. How dare he complain about you. You do your very, very best for your patients and I am sooo proud of you

I'll say get all the nurses together, get them to write all the times when this doctor has been abusive and make a formal complaint. He's complaint about you, you complain about him.
Find all the positive PressGainey reports and print them and stick them to you wall.

Get all the nurses together and get them to write down everything he has done and then complain all together about him.