"Fired for NO Reason"

I worked in two LTC facilities, and saw with my own eyes (I experienced it myself) the workplace bullying that goes on amongst female employees. One LTC facility hired a older CNA(early 50s), and the RN/LPNs all worked together to try to get her fired because they thought she was too old to do the job.

I was bullied as well, and a few other employees saw it too, and told me. It happened again at a homecare agency, the girl did not like me for whatever reason, and she would call the nurse and make up bogus lies about me not doing my job, even though it was impossible for her to know what I was or wasn't doing because she wasn't there with me. Eventually, the RN of the company got tired of the lady complaining about me and had me pulled from that case. I eventually left that agency and worked at another one.

So I know how competitive, envious, insecure and jealous women can be when they feel threatened by another competent female worker. It really does happen

Great article. One thing, though - if, for example, the Instrutor says "You lack critical thinking skills", that is not enough. She needds to define "critical thinking skills" and tell how to get them and why they are needed. It's easy to critique and criticize but so many are not good at helpng a student (or employee) take the next step.

And, of course, some students or workers won't do their share, either.

I appreciate that some members here have had back experience with poor preceptorship, or have been labelled as being inadequate or sub-par and feel (rightly or wrongly) that this was inaccurate and unfair. I agree that bullying and horizontal violence are real and significant issues in all work places, including nursing.

However, there are individuals who are incompetent, resistant to guidance, and unable or unwilling to recognise their inadequacies. There's an amazing paper about this phenomenon, if anyone's interested. I found after reading it that I was a little less frustrated when dealing with these staff members, both with them and with my inability to effect change, because:

people who are unskilled in these domains suffer a dual burden: Not only do these people reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices, but their incompetence robs them of the metacognitive ability to realize it.

Key findings included that this group of people are less able than most to recognise competence in others (and therefore effectively compare their level of proficiency). It's a fascinating article, with a very amusing concluding paragraph.

@ talaxandra: Wow, great article. Man, I see that as the whole self esteem movement showing its ugly consequences. Those kind of people annoy me to no end, or scare me to no end in the clinical settings. It's so annoying that these people's knowledge is inversely proportional to what they think they know. Delusions of grandeur are too grandiose for these people. They have delusions of adequacy. I had a hard teen life, but in the end I'm glad that I endured it at that age and not at an age where I had so much more at stake.

Wow and yes this underscores my point from either side then! Why? Because the basis for decisions needs to be as truly measureable and objective as possible. . .end of story.

Truly objective measures and consistent objective and non-CAPRICIOUS standards--well applying this is the safest bet either way. For if the preceptee is truly incapable or resistant to learning and adjusting to the standards of practice--and that can be objectively mapped out, consistently over time, then letting the person go is more than justified and there is a sense of "balance in the universe" so to speak, in that in the unit or area, there is a general understanding that consistent, non-capricious, objective standards are established and maintained REGARDLESS for everyone. This builds teamwork and sense of ownership, community, and cohesion within the group. Lack of consistently applied objective standards and measures does the exact opposite. It undermines teamwork, unity, and a healthy work environment. But there is ownership and a sense of peace in knowing that the standards are applied consistently and objectively for everyone across the board, period. The issue of "Do we like him or her?" is not the issue, and indeed it really shouldn't be--even in this culture of having everyone "fit" a particular mold in order to continue working in a particular unit. The idea of "fit" has been taken too far and destroys a real sense of unity in diversity and freedom within a group.


Again I say over and over. The issue is not whether or not someone says So and So is a clinical buffoon!

The issue for nursing is a commitment to objective standards that are developed, maintained, and consistently applied across the board--PERIOD. I think this should be demonstrated in order to meet and maintain Magnet Status or even other types of accreditation.

I submit again that this is one of the HUGE differences between medicine and nursing. Medicine expects objective analysis and dedicated support of the new docs--knowing they have soooo much to learn.

Nursing, professionally speaking, IMHO hasn't learned this across the board. I have happily seen it applied in some places that I've been privileged to wrok, but overall, no--not across the board.

What we see across the board is capriciousness in evaluation and "mentoring" and "precepting."

Until nursing across the board accepts and embraces this objective measures professional model, these games will continue.

Some people that are not indeed meeting the standards by objective analysis will stay because they are more liked of "fit" for trivial reasons, whilst other nurses that have amazing potential will be harshly eliminated for capricious reasons.


If the unit and the system in place is truly operating in good faith and professional standards of consistently applied objective measure on a regular basis are in place, those that are cut out from the particular unit will be justly eliminated from positions--at least until they get perhaps a more generalized understanding of nursing practice--and those that are basically very competent but are nervous or simply in learning mode will get what they must, and it will be objectively evaluated as such--and the silly capricious analyses will go the way of the pipes--where such things belong.

Also, one has to accept this professional understanding. Those precepting really and truly have to want to see the preceptee succeed--and they have to be open to seeing all perspectives and to consistently employee objective measures of analysis and feedback--and the managers, administration, and educational people have to help ensure that that is indeed in place.

The problem is that many in units and even from an administrative standpoint are smart enough to know that employing consistent, objective standards and measures of analysis are the right way to go, but doing so will take away their ability to in fact be capricious if they or others want. And well, with AT-Will -Employment in place, capriciousness is pretty much OK. I am wondering when some folks with dedicated pro bono lawyers or perhaps the funds will hold these places accountable for lack of functioning not only in good faith, but by way of the highest professional standards and ethics.

Capricious decisions should not be to prevalent within nursing. We avoid this by establishing and maintaining objective standards and consistently applying them across the board, period. And the capricous mentalities especially should not be in the professional mode of practice for nursing.

Thanks