Live, Work and Learn!

For the first time, I didn’t follow my gut feelings. This time I thought I could just keep going and prove (to whom???) that I could do it. I knew it, deep inside me. I was being set up for failure from the beginning, with poor training, poor communication, no feedback, lots of passive-aggressive behavior towards me, and worse yet, the harassment and mistreatment from my coworker. This all proved my theory that it is better to leave early and not wait for things to get better on their own when one knows they are already damaged. 3 weeks into the job, I knew that I couldn’t continue to work there, but I kept giving my best…

Since then,  I have learned that it is best to speak sooner. I thought I could make it work; I didn't want to quit. I began to regret leaving my previous job, one where I felt valued and appreciated for one that seemed too good to be true, with apparent better work-life balance, schedule, and pay. Only to find out that it wasn't the case. I never felt so miserable, but instead, I wanted to keep trying... I should have just said, "This isn't for me." I wanted to fix it (wrong)... until one day, out of the blue, without even a warning, I heard from the never-present manager that we weren't compatible. I couldn't even defend my actions; I wasn't given a chance to say what went on. The company didn't care what I had to say, so I knew I was wasting my whole being. Enough said; it was time to go. Luckily, it wasn't for too long; now I stand taller, I no longer have to be in a toxic working environment, and better yet, I know what to ask my future employer, and I know that I deserve better!

Now I have a list of questions for my future employer. I want to make sure I don’t make the same mistake. 

In the meantime, I do not want to get discouraged, but the reality is we are living in unprecedented times. Health care work is not what most people think; we providers, especially nurses, face several challenges. Nevertheless, the best course of action is to move forward, even if that means doing something totally different.