07-02-2022 DO NOT WORK HERE

I was canceled from Parkwest Medical Center in Knoxville, TN Labor and Delivery unit (childbirth center, LDRP). DO NOT WORK HERE. IT IS A DISASTER. Unfortunately, I’m disappointed in the leadership at the hospital I was working for. However, I’m thrilled I never have to walk back into that facility again. The leadership was hostile, demanded unsafe conditions, and if you asked for help, you were belittled, yelled at, and threatened. Their reasoning was “too many missed shifts.” The only shifts I missed added up to 29.5hrs in 17weeks. The only other time missed was for Covid (which the manager herself missed the exact same week as me for Covid, lol. It was spreading rampantly because staff felt they needed to come to work with Covid. Which obviously the hospital wanted them to as I was punished for not.)The real reason is because I stood up for myself. I had at one point 5 couplets (5 moms and 5 babies… normal assignment is 3 couplets). Then was forced to take a GYN patient (hysterectomy) that I had no idea how to care for. Then was helping admit a labor. I asked for help and asked my leadership who were sitting in their office laughing to put on scrubs and help because the floor was drowning and I felt unsafe. They responded by telling me (aka yelling at me in the hallway in front of any patients/staff/family walking by) to walk away and get away from them and I had no right to tell them what to do. That their staff could come to them but I couldn’t (because I’m a traveller lol). I kept asking for them to calm down to speak calmly to me and they said no lol. Then was threatened when the manager said, “you better be careful because you’re already under investigation for all of your missed shifts” and then slammed her office door in my face. Unfortunately, I don’t let people take advantage of me, and I was already planning on putting in my notice, so this just made it easier. They had fired another traveller the night prior, so apparently they don’t want help. I reported the manager and supervisor to HR who did nothing.In addition, as a traveller, you will constantly float and be told you have to pass medications and do things you’re uncomfortable with. I was never oriented to couplets, but first day off orientation was forced to take 6 couplets. And you will almost always have couplets not labors (this is a LDRP unit). They give travelers couplets and their staff labors.

Ashley Smith, Travel Nurse- Childbirth Center Knoxville, TN