Third Time Working in Bradenton

My third time working in Bradenton, wasn’t as great as the last time. Patient wise – I feel like I had an easier patient panel than the previous time. However, the work culture was different and there was constant drama. I think it stemmed down from leadership. Most of leadership was poor there – lack of communication, lack of incentives etc. I did like the center director because he did not micromanage. However, the assistant manager there is literally an airhead and loved to gossip. She would show up to our major meetings 30 minutes late and then ask questions about the portion she missed. The fact that leadership would show up late to the meeting illustrated that she didn’t take the meeting seriously and why should any of the staff do so.

One of the nurse practitioners I trained last time was difficult to deal with. She was constantly in my business, even remarked one time that I didn’t wash my hands long enough in her opinion. In this clinic, there are two sections where the PCPs sit. I have always sat in the front area and the other PCPs sit in the back area. Since I trained the 2 nurse practitioners last time, they stayed in the front area with me, and even after I left. 

So, when I came back, I went back to the front seating area but wanted that one NP to move to the back because I didn’t like her negative energy. When they tried to move her she had the nerve to say “I am the permanent PCP so I am not moving”. She was upset that they were favoring me but at the same time she forgot that I was the one who trained her out of the goodness of my heart- something that the majority of new providers do not get. 

Ultimately, she was moved, and she threw a little fit. Eventually she got over it. To be honest, the front desk staff and leadership wanted her moved as well because she was “tyrannizing” the staff constantly. The next issue was a lot of my previous patients saw me in the clinic and they requested to switch back to me. This same NP got upset over this and forbid it to happen. Technically it’s the patient’s choice but I didn’t make a big deal since I was only going to be there temporary again, and tried to remind the patients of this. 

Even my boss picked up on her attitude towards me and he was surprised since I never did anything to her except help her. He told me not to worry and told me she was likely just jealous. I suppose he is right because one time she took a week off for vacation and I asked her if she felt well rested. She responded “well not 3 months well rested”. Which I found to be a passive aggressive comment towards the fact that I took the summer off. 

Anyways, this was only one of my issues. The supervisor of the medical assistants kept picking on my medical assistant. He would even yell at her as if she was a child. So, one time I stood up for her and he started yelling at me too. I think he was too comfortable with me because he would never yell at one of the other PCPs. Eventually they let go of my medical assistant for a lame reason, and leadership didn’t even bother to notify me. I just knew because my MA called me afterwards. 

I ended up having no medical assistant for almost a month. The supervisor of the MAs would never communicate with me to let me know who is working with me that day, so I always had to guess or beg someone else’s MA to help me. 

There was even no recognition when I went weeks with no patients in the hospital. I started to feel detached from the clinic. No longer enthusiastic in participating in meetings or huddles. There was a physician that left during my assignment, and her last month she barely even came to work. She turned all of her patient visits to telehealth. And she no longer attended any of the meetings. 

I still wanted to see my patients but I didn’t feel inclined to go above and beyond to help other providers or keep staff accountable. Then one day, I received a phone call from the recruiter of the new region I would be working in. She said to me, “So nice to meet you! You are a legend with the company! Everyone always has such great things to say about you.” I really appreciated that and she reminded me that unlike the physician who left, I am still going to be working with this same company and want to keep my good reputation.

My last day, I literally had a patient that cried. I was so touched since I have only known her for 3 months. She was just grateful that I helped heal her chronic wound. I met an insurance broker on my last day as well, and he told me he heard about me from my patients and that they are all so disappointed that I am leaving. Although I didn’t have a good experience this time, I am appreciative of being able to spend time with some of my colleagues there that I am close to, and my local friends. In my next post, I will explain further on why I didn’t extend.