Dealing with toxic workplace

[Francis]

Francis - I, too, have worked in healthcare most of my career and saw the dramatic changes you describe, with the last 5 years seeing the most dramatic changes and dangerous workloads I couldn't ever imagine. Upper management consists of people who have never worked a day in the clinical setting, though they are the ones mandating unsustainable workloads for the doctors, nurses, and pharmacists delivering the patient care. Sound familiar?

As others have said, make the most of what short time you have on this earth. Nothing worse than living with regrets.

It sounds very familiar. Our superiors, who are pharmacists, want nothing to do with trying our work assignments even for a day. Just to see what it's like. They know it is impossible to do everything assigned to us. Maybe that's why our supervisor, Director and Regional manager all quit in the last six months.

Francis

 

[Speculator]

As a healthcare professional, you're probably well aware of the research on cortisol and its effect, both short and long term, on the human body. You're human. Additionally, you're FI! So do yourself a favor and consider leaving that job before you suffer a decline in your physical and mental health. For what it's worth, I believe ageism has always been rampant in our society and with the aging workforce, it may be more so, though liability concerns many companies worry about cause it to be less overt than in the past. I have personally seen situations such as yours where a company has manipulated job requirements to put less agile workers at a disadvantage (and, surprise, most were older folks) and then claimed they couldn't do the job in the allotted time some efficiency "expert" suggested it should take. It sucks and its wrong, but that's life. And as a relatively young person, you still have time to take up a second, more enjoyable career. Go for it!

 

[Francis]

Having never worked in healthcare, I'm speaking as an observer.

It's one of the businesses that largely can't be off shored and automation is to increase technological aspects, not reduce patient care man-hours. This is where the real cost of inflation comes in, along with the drive to keep healthcare cost down. 2 % cpi inflation is fantasy in such an environment. To keep costs down , everything in the book to eliminate other costs has already been done, nothing is left but working the staff harder. Not complicated at all.

I Have a relatives in healthcare , worked in for profit and not for profit hospitals. "Not for profit" staff folks are seeing the same thing.

I understand your points. How much can you push staff and still maintain quality and safety? I think the flip side is true too. Not just keeping costs low but keeping profits high. The company that owns several hospital in my area is listed on the NYSE and it's profits grow way, way faster than inflation.

Francis

 

[daylatedollarshort]

My husband is a new person not having to work and commute from 7 am to 7 pm during the week, if not weekends, too, with an increasingly impossible workload. If you are FI, if it was me I would quit and start a new chapter on life, or look for work that is more rewarding and less stressful.

 

[eytonxav]

That's true. And I know several health care entities that combined and offered employees severance packages to retire. But some companies go out of their way to create a toxic environment so they don't have to offer severance or even unemployment payments. They just make conditions so bad that people leave.

Francis

Please read the second sentence in my post. I was just implying that not all companies create a toxic atmosphere, but if your does, you should leave.

 

[athena53]

Another option--Do what you think is right at work. Piss off the powers that be. If you no longer plan on working there make them fire you! Do what you can to make the patients and co-workers happy. Damn the rules! You have nothing to lose so have fun at their expense.

I love this. I left my job last May due to toxic politics, although nothing nearly as bad as yours. One week elapsed between my making the decision to leave and my last day, so not much time to think about making waves. You may need to time when you start this campaign if you think it's important to max your 401(k) or whatever, but even planning it would be fun.

But just do it. Really. I'm still dealing with justifiable anger at the people who forced me out (and one has since been forced out herself) but have never regretted leaving when I did.

 

[John Galt III]

That's true. And I know several health care entities that combined and offered employees severance packages to retire. But some companies go out of their way to create a toxic environment so they don't have to offer severance or even unemployment payments. They just make conditions so bad that people leave.

Francis

At my last job I was harassed by my immediate manager. I think the goal was to get me to quit. I was not assigned impossible tasks, just serially harassed, in a bizarre way. I did what I thought was right, and honorable, and ended up being fired. I had months of "fear and loathing", because I didn't want to quit, lose the 401K, 3 weeks vacation, etc, just because they wanted me to quit. I filed for unemployment compensation against the contesting of the company, and won. Every situation like this, of toxic work force, is slightly different, and every person in that situation has to decide what to do, of course. Looking back now, a few years later, I can say I believe I did the right thing. I guess my point is that if they fire you for some bogus reason, like not being in two places at once, you will probably win unemployment compensation if you want it.

 

[Bryan Barnfellow]

Hi Francis,
What an awful situation you are in; but there is blue sky ahead. One thought: If you decide to stick it out until April and also manage to avoid the layoffs, before you actually resign, try negotiating with the manager and HR folks for a buyout of sorts -- you go away peacefully in two weeks if they pay you, say, two or three months of severance salary (plus perhaps a good recommendation letter). Makes it easy for them. If they say no, then resign on the spot without any notice -- let them deal with it; you don't owe them anything. And you certainly don't need the reference if you are planning to RE as well. If they fire you on the spot, what's the difference? You were planning to resign anyway. This way at least, you could collect on Unemployment Insurance if that suits you.

-BB

 

[MRG]

I understand your points. How much can you push staff and still maintain quality and safety? I think the flip side is true too. Not just keeping costs low but keeping profits high. The company that owns several hospital in my area is listed on the NYSE and it's profits grow way, way faster than inflation.

Francis

You know the answer, you can't. I went to a hospital that is publicly owned four times in maybe 8 years. Each time it was a three day stay, no matter what you had. I was told this hospital has the highest insurance reimbursement rates and pays staff the lowest in this area.

The last visit, how many nurses does it take to insert an IV? Six thats the number. Only 5 nurses looked at the IV (just a stub with a catheter) told me I was making up how bad it bit and burned. I watched how my flesh distended when they pushed saline into the IV. I was more than a little vocal, didn't help. I seriously thought about removing it on my own(utube is great), but didn't want the uncooperative label stuck on me.

I don't blame the nurses that's how they were taught(at this hospital) to treat patients.

The 6th needed to use it, on the third day, and confirmed it wasn't inserted properly, and couldn't be used. Had to insert a new one(surprise).

Per my PCPs nurse I complained when they called to see how I was doing. Weeks later I received a letter from that hospitals "risk management director". He explained I had received excellent health care, and they had records to prove it. I know he was an attorney that reviewed the records to see if their butt was covered.

If work makes you ill, and I can see how it would in a toxic environment then leave. Do part time or consulting if you need to, otherwise enjoy ER.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[davismills]

I was in the same boat as you two years ago. My job was killing me with all the control from subordinates and superiors. I'm happy to say that my life is mine again. Quit tomorrow. You won't regret it.

 

[Brat]

The compensation of pharmacists has dropped, I have little doubt that the employer is trying to 'shake off' their highly paid pharmacists. They don't want to offer a severance package, cheaper to make unreasonable demands and get them to quit.


IF you want to drop a package on them as you leave discuss the demand that you leave one patient in need of care for another noting that to do so would be malpractice. cc your health department for good measure.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

My husband was upset at his treatment at his last job and I keep telling him his past merit raises and bonuses just put a target on his back for cost cutting. The link between good performance and job security is gone these days, at least at many megecorps, and in the case of older workers is almost an inverse relationship. The higher the pay, the more profit for companies if you can be replaced by someone younger and cheaper.

 

[Brat]

"Back in the day" when I worked for US DOL I did an Age Discrimination investigation where a successor employer laid off highly paid employees all of whom were well over 40 yoa. The previous business owner was not happy with what the new company did and gave me a statement that laid out the relationship between longevity and pay. The new employer failed to offer those older workers the rate they were willing to pay. I negotiated a nice settlement for the terminated employees. Management in the agency told me that I was stretching it in that case but years later similar facts were litigated and the court found for the employees.

What is happening to the OP is that he is being driven out. That doesn't mean that a case can't be made IF a pattern can be demonstrated.

Been there, done that and have a closet full of t-shirts.

 

[robnplunder]

After you've had that stroke, are paralyzed on one side and can't speak, you can smugly say to yourself, "I guess I showed those bastards".

Made me laugh out loud at work, in my office. Co-workers may be wondering what's got into me. I don't care.

To OP, if you won't quit, learn to cope with it. Stress will kill you. If not, it will negatively affect your life in more ways than you know. Stress is not a laughing matter. Good luck!

 

[Retire2013]

I'm sorry you are suffering. You sound like a really conscientious person. Others here have given you great advice, and I would add, please, please take care of Francis. You're in healthcare, so know the importance of diet, sleep, and above all exercise. Never mind winning at work - you want to win at life, and that means keeping your health.

Best of luck,

Amethyst

+1
What Amethyst wrote especially the "Never mind winning at work - you want to win at life, and that means keeping your health." Well said! I would quit, Francis. ER now.