Thursday, March 11, 2010

Slightly more serious: the talk with the boss.

God, I love a good hard workout after a frustrating day. I lifted today, and I mean *lifted*. Roman chairs with 20-pound weight plates. Triceps. Biceps. Quads. Pecs. The works. Heavy weights, done to point of exhaustion, will do more for a bad mood than cabana boys and beer.

If ever I get sent back to the Neolithic, I'll let all you long-limbed, gracile folks chase down the antelopes and spear them. If a grizzly bear shows up, I shall wrestle him to the ground using only my lower back, then strangle him with my inner thighs.

Anyway. The Talk With The Boss happened, and here's how it went:

1. There is no guarantee that I can get a day shift any time soon, regardless of what was promised me when I was hired. Therefore, I basically gave my month's notice, saying "If you can't get me on to days, I'll work PRN days here and in postop and all over, but I won't be a dedicated CCU nurse."

2. I made it clear to Boss that I am not safe when it comes to working nights, and also that my mental and physical health are suffering.

3. I did not bring up the scary racist guys on nights. Here's why:

Everybody knew that I had a meeting with Bossman. If I had discussed with him the Scary Triad of Men, he would've had to do something immediately (things have gotten, if it's possible, even worse since the last happenings). If he'd said anything to any of them, they would've easily put things together and figured out that I was the one complaining.

I have to work with those guys for the next month. No *way* am I putting myself out there when I'll still be dependent on what little goodwill I have from them. Turning in oily little Nazis for being oily little Nazis is all well and good, but there's a point at which your own safety and efficiency have to be considered, and this is that point.

In the meantime, I'm still writing everything down. Dates and times and situations and all; that way, when I do get out from under the cloud of the Triumvirus (thanks, friend Kathy, for that word!) I can turn it all in to the Boss and HR at the same time, and damn the torpedos. As I said before, I'm not interested either in changing their hearts and minds or in getting them fired; all I want to go is get them to shut the hell up about politics and race and gayness and being female and so on when there are other people around.

Now I'm going to go take a really, really hot shower and admire my hamstrings. Because truly? They are things of beauty. Bring on the grizzly bear, boys.

9 comments:

bobbie said...

Good for you ~ and I completely understand your reasons for holding your peace (for now) about the Scary Triad...

Props to you ~

An Open Heart said...

Sounds like the best course of action to me.Totally understandable not causing any waves for the duration.

I hope something better works out SOON.

S

woolywoman said...

Good for you. Hang tough, and turn the creeps in when you leave. You're a CCU nurse, now, and you can get yourself a heck of a job anywhere you want to go.

Elliott said...

Have you talked to a lawyer?

Penny Mitchell said...

Oh, bloody HELL. >:-(

(My verification word for this post is "sepsis". Shit.)

John S said...

"If he'd said anything to any of them, they would've easily put things together and figured out that I was the one complaining."

He's not supposed to 'say anything'; at this point he is supposed to schedule a meeting for them to meet HR and explain why they should not be fired.

Not that I don't know it can be over-done, but workplace racism, sexism, and 'toxic work environments' have cost corporations BIG money and it is unusual to get a company that will not stomp on that hard.

Just My 2¢ said...

I guess that means that you won't have to change the name of your blog to Heart Nurse?

Just so ya know, I'm headed into my next set of night shifts tonight. I was also told by my boss (and good friend) that it wouldn't happen, but MAYBE they might be ending. My wife has panic attacks at night when she is at home by herself.(Old trauma.)I believe my boss when he says that he hurts to have to do it, but the schedule has its own demands.

I really don't mind my work schedule, but I wish it didn't make my wife cry and beg me to stop. I wish I had the flexibility to lower the boom like you.

messymimi said...

An excellent way to play your cards.

Jo said...

Good luck! I hope that the next month goes by quickly and smoothly, and that the Triumvirus get what is coming to them when you are able to hand in your detailed notes.