I'm so stressed about work it's making me ill

[MsRamone]

Ive only just qualified as a nurse.
Secured a ward based job back in March.
Started as a care assistant (until pin comes through) just over a month ago.

The ward is horrendous. In the short time I've been there there have been so many incidents of bullying and general awful behavior that me and the other new starter have started keeping diaries.

Incidents include:

Staff nurse ripping into my character to a PATIENT behind a curtain and encouraging the patient to laugh about me.
Same incident involving a different staff nurse happened to the other new starter.

Me and the other new starter are CONSTANTLY sent on second breaks on our own meaning we're always left as the only care assistant on the ward dealing with 27 immobile patients demanding bedpans, Doesn't happen to the oldtime staff

I was told off the other day by a staff nurse for HELPING a colleague and was told to "stick to your own patients, nobody helps me so I don't see why anyone should help her." Said colleague was handing out toast to the whole ward, whilst she did that I whipped around and began filling in food diaries for all patients but no - apparently we don't help each other or do any favors on this ward.

On one shift there were 3 staff nurses on and two care assistants (including myself). At the busiest time of day on the most horrendous shift ever, the nurse in charge thought it would be a good idea for her and another staff nurse plus the other care assistant to all go off for break together leaving just me and a new international nurse (who isn't the most competant of nurses at the best of times) to run the entire ward. Buzzers going off in almost every room, half the ward wanting bedpans, half the ward wanting to be OFF bedpans, two dementia patients, one with a security guard, the other ripping off his surgical dressing and sticking his hands in the wound (blood everywhere!), two phones ringing, staff nurse doesn't know which way to turn, me half way between crying and walking out ... why the fuck did 2 staff nurses need to go off the ward together in this situation?? isn't it common sense to leave at least 2 nurses on the ward???

Another young care assistant is continuously slagged off by the other staff members, nobody talks to her and she's treated like shit. Another staff nurse is openly laughed at during handovers and on one occassion was ripped into in front of other staff nurses, two new starters and a student and REALLY shown up.

I actually feel ill thinking about it. I havnt slept for two weeks. I am not eating.

I actually have secured another job but as my manager is away for two weeks I've not being able to give my notice in yet and that is another stress because for one, she'll go ape shit that I'm leaving already causing her more work and secondly, the rest of the staff will get to find out and life will be even more hellish at work.

I actually feel like going off with stress until my notice is paid.

Go off sick- it's the best thing for you. Or quit and do agency work.
Notice periods are basically unenforceable. You can say "I'm giving a week's notice" and leave after a week. They can't sue you over it. The worst they could do is write it on a reference that you gave less than contractual notice and even that's unlikely. Obviously it's always nicer if you can negotiate a compromise, but ultimately they can't punish you for not giving notice.
Make an appointment with HR for an exit interview, and tell them what you have posted. They should recognise it as a whistleblow even if you don't say the word. If they don't, then they are at fault.

If your wage slip says Band 2 then surely the notice period for Band 2s is the one that applies to you.

Oh Lord are you on my ward? All sounds very familiar to me :(

Lila - I suspect mid staffs hapoebed because of the way whistleblowers are treated within the NHS.

My mum & a small number of colleagues whistleblew about unsafe practice. They were bullied & hounded out of their jobs. They went to the top & nothing happened. They took out a grievance about the bullying. Their dangerous manager was caught out lying about two of them in writing. She was promoted.

She is now in charge on another team (higher up the greasy pole). Her reputation precedes her & 25 of a 35 strong team left within weeks of her being appointed in charge of the group. The other ten are looking.

Whistleblowing changed nothing. Practice is still dangerous. My mum thinks nothing will happen until someone dies. My mum & colleagues could only whistleblow because they were older nurses who had already paid their mortgages. She did it partly because she knew the younger nurses could have their cateers destroyed by whistleblowing.

That's terrible. The way you are being treated is unacceptable and the way patient care is impacted is awful. I felt physically sick when I thought of that poor bloke ripping his dressing off and sticking his hand in the wound and all those people desperate for bedpans without enough staff to help them with that and preserve their dignity. Also at this rate something really important like medication will be missed because the ward is in chaos. Even though you are getting out please think of the patients who are trapped there and report what is happening. I think that as the pressure is making you ill you should go off with stress for the notice period. Good luck for the future.

Hope you get your notice sorted this week and get out of this toxic environment ASAP.

Agree exit interview would be good, very much doubt you'll get offered one though so maybe ask to speak to someone and at least raise concerns for sake of patients and other staff?

MsRamone

I'm utterly appalled and horrified. This ward is clinically unsafe and obviously in need of immediate investigation. The bullying and harassment needs to be reported as a matter of urgency to your director of nursing and to HR. You can resign by email to your line managers boss with a copy sent to HR by letter. Band 2 staff are not required to give more than a month notice period maximum and if you chose to give them less than this, in reality they can't do anything to you. If necessary you can be signed off with stress for the duration of the notice.

What is your staff to patient ratio? This ward sounds like it is breaching safe staffing guidelines laid down by NICE after the Francis enquiry and the Berwick report. The events you are describing are red flags as clearly patient dignity and safety aren't being preserved.

The CQC need to be tipped off because it sounds like patient safety is being compromised and the NMC need to be told what is happening so they can act against the nurses who are clearly unfit to hold their posts.