Pros
The nursing staff was great to work with.
Cons
The administration and social work department were nothing short of toxic. In response to concerns over client care, the social work manager (who was also administrator for the hospital) told me that the social work code of ethics is “open to interpretation just like politics” as a way of shutting down the conversation. (It’s not, it’s a set of guidelines for a reason).
While multiple colleagues in the social work department shared concerns about client care, one (newer but very arrogant) team member resented fellow social workers voicing concerns (which if you know about social work ethics is just so antithetical to ethical work to be annoyed that others won’t just accept the status quo, esp when serious issues were present as they were). She regularly gossiped and made snide comments to the point it made a very uncomfortable environment. Of course, the aforementioned dept. leader liked her/similar personality type and said there was “nothing she could do,” when it was reported to her that this coworker was making the work environment increasingly hostile.
When I had Covid, the team leader, backing up the boss, sent me personal text messages insulting me for basically - getting Covid - because we were understaffed (a direct result of administration paying low wages to social workers and otherwise placing low effort into recruitment as team positions remained open). When I responded and made clear I was still symptomatic, should not return per my physician, that mattered little to her and she maintained that I was doing something wrong by not returning while sick.
In terms of other staff safety concerns, assaults were common place by patients towards staff. In response to constant ongoing pressure from staff, and a lot of delay and excuses, administration finally hired one security guard, part-time (evening only), to go between floors periodically (far from sufficient for staff or patient safety, but it allowed them to check a box). Staff or a fellow patient was assaulted by a patient almost daily still, as expected, during the day too, with no care from administrators because they already checked the box. Traveling nurses said they’d never seen anything like it - where nurses are expected to double as security.
I decided to get a new job and put in notice. The last two weeks took the toxicity to a new level. Nurses were amazing and supportive of my next steps, great to work with throughout. After I put in notice though, the same team leader for the social work department however gave me SILENT TREATMENT until I left. Caps bc the lack of professionalism is almost comical it’s so ridiculous. When I tried to mention it to the same leader mentioned before and to HR I was treated as if I was making an issue by bringing it up. Just really put the cherry on top about how poorly run and toxic the place was immediately before leaving. The team leader (who hoped to go into management) and their support of her insanely unprofessional behavior was emblematic of how hospitals and non-profits get the terrible leadership they are often known for and how it is honed and emboldened at toxic places like Navos.