Sunday, May 31, 2009

I guess that's why they call it the Blues





Keep getting called off. I had three shifts this week- called off on one of them- put on call for the other to which I was never called in. This keeps happening.


My ICU normally holds 32 patients. Right now we have 10. Can't get a new job. Nobody is hiring and I'm still too new. I don't have any PTO. Management could care less. I asked if I could pick up shifts in the E.R. or med surge and they bluntly said "no". I wish they had said "Go rot" because then it would have been completely unambiguous. Ridiculously, the other units are still using registry! WTF?


My shift starts at 1830. I get put on call at 1630 until 0030. Whopping 48 bucks.

I'm planning to leave Los Angeles with my family. Move to another state up north. I certainly don't expect the job situation to be any better.

Gosh everyone, I'm bummed out. I wish my company cared. I wish they at least pretended to give a shit, or at least would help us get more certifications while we sit on our duff like CCRN or PALS or something. One big thing about California: Nursing is remarkably uninterested in education of any kind.


I mean, only in nursing does the R.N. have to pay for the C.C.R.N., probably get more responsibilities once obtaining it, then get abused and harassed by the perpetually insecure older nurses for getting the cert but get not one cent more for having the credentials.


The only thing I like about nursing right now is my patients and their disease processes. And they like me.


Don't you feel like you retreat into the job of nursing, into healing and working with your patients to avoid all the bullshit? As if I'm hiding from the drama by doing my job.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Boy are you working for the wrong organization. I'm an ICU RN in Los Angeles too. We're unionized- no call off, come to work every shift you're scheduled. No need in your home unit you're floated. If you request to be cancelled and are not needed any where you'll be obliged.
Our organization doesn't pay for CCRN either, nor any compensation for it. I have had my CCRN for 30+ years because I wanted it.

LicensedToILL said...

Are you kidding me? I work for a hospital in the Long Beach area that is represented by the California Nurses Association.
Our union rep gets choice assignments (basically spends half of his shift outside of the module) has management kissing his ass and loudly leads the charge against "the new people" meaning -new graduates-he's actually been in Oakland the last few weeks bargaining against the fact that I even exist in his unit. He has no qualms about everyone never getting breaks, everyone getting called off, open harassment from management and senior R.N.'s-his longtime friends. I have nowhere to go.
And County is in a hiring freeze.