Got my evaluation today...

[NurseCard, ADN]

And let me first just say, that NEVER, in 18 years of being part of the working world, have I ever had a 90 minute evaluation. It should never take that long. It's not just me either; everyone's evals have been taking that long.

Anyway, I learned that I am throughly... average. That's fine and dandy. What I hated about the eval, what I was dreading most of all, was having to hear what my coworkers said about me. There were about six comments that I got to hear; one of them was really nice, the rest of them weren't nasty or anything but not exactly flattering. One person said that I let the floor environment get to me too much; I internalize it and let things get to me and get too stressed out. Another person said that I would do better in a slower paced environment. I tend to agree with that, but I tend to get into a slower paced environment and get bored! One person, all they said was that I don't talk to my coworkers very much when I am working! I'm bothered by that because yeah, I do tend to be on the quiet side, but most nights any more I do talk quite a bit more than I used to. It really just depends on what group of people I am working with that night.

Then one person from day shift said that I give spotty reports and leave out information. I hate to hear that but I guess now that we have new report sheets (which I hated at first but now I have to admit that I like them), I'm finding it easier to organize my information.

Overall, I'm slightly depressed because there just wasn't much said on the positive. It was all, I'm too quiet, I get too stressed out, I don't give good reports. =(

[NurseyPoo7]

Unforunately, Ive learned to realize its a lot easier for people to complain than to compliment.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Take it for what its worth. An opportunity to improve. Don't obsess over things you can't change. If you truly feel some of it was constructive criticsm then I would seriously try to incorporate that into your life. Good luck...

[NurseCard, ADN]

Trauma, you are right. Just need to learn from it and move on. The eval really wasn't that bad and in a couple of days I'm sure I'll be over the bad parts of it.

I just hate having to hear first hand about what other people think of me but on the other hand I guess it plays a big part in being able to improve.

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

I only get upset because my evaluation is the first time I find out that I need improvement in an area. No discussion, no feedback, nada, till then.

This year I got thanked for "being so helpful" on the one hand, then "needing to improve my time management skills" on the other. It seems like no one can put two and two together and get four. Duh. My time management skills are fine; I got out late because I was busy helping the others.

[Perpetual Student]

Meh, if those are the worst things people found to complain about, you're doing a great job. The not talking a lot to your coworkers bit sounds like a pretty darn good thing to me. It sounds like you've found a solution to the only legitimate complaint, which is the report issues.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

i only get upset because my evaluation is the first time i find out that i need improvement in an area. no discussion, no feedback, nada, till then.

i agree. i think that this is the problem many of us have concerning our evaluations. i remember when i was an extern, i was chided for things that i'd done nearly a year before my evaluation, and i had completely forgotten about them! why, oh why didn't my supervisors nip the problems in the bud before they became habits?

realnursewitch, i'm sorry that you didn't hear many good things. i think nurseypoo is right...it is so much easier to criticize than compliment.

from reading your posts and whatnot, i can bet that you're a great nurse!

(and liked by the staff does not equal appreciated by the patients, remember that!)

*jess*

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Did they tell you the names of the people that put in their 2 cents? I kind of think that getting input from other peers is inappropriate because, as you see, they tend to me more critical than complimentary. I'd be ******, too.

[RN1982]

I'm sorry to hear about your eval. As far as spotty report goes, sometimes there are things that I leave out by accident. They aren't major things, but I do the best I can. The last two days at work I left thinking "oh my G-d, did I tell the oncoming nurse everything?". For me, my report wouldn't be spotty if people didn't rush me. I had one nurse ask "are you done?", I'm thinking, "what are you in a hurry for, you only have one patient, shut up and let me tell you everything that I know".

The last eval I got I was told that I "try to hard to get everyone to like me". So I agree that they all suck. I seriously would hate to hear what my co-workers say about me especially if they have an issue with me. If thats the case they need to bring it to my attention not wait for the evaluation.

As for the comment about "not talking enough to your co-workers"...brush that off. I've had days where I barely talked to any of my co-workers and it was because I was too busy to converse with any of them.

Anyhow, I'm rambling...But don't feel bad about your evaluation. They suck all around.

[ilstu99]

If it helps any....my eval was about 90 seconds, and I got a nice "atta girl." Yeah. Thanks for the constructive things to work on. I was actually hoping for some things to focus on doing better. I'd like to be the best nurse I can be, and I KNOW there are things there with plenty of room for improvement.

Honestly.....I'd rather have a blend of the two. "Atta girl...now make sure you include X, Y and Z in your reports."

Maybe my NM should get to know your NM.

[icyounurse, BSN, RN]

I have had about 4 evaluations and I feel like not one said anything about the kind of nurse that I really was. They are always done by management who does not see me work ( I work nights) and knows very little about me. The last 2 evals I have had have been "average" which ****** me off because there was nothing specific about why I was average just generic things like "needs improvement in areas of delegation" and such, no examples. Its like they took a generic care plan and just checked some stuff. I personally feel I am above average and they are lucky to have me:specs:

Dont take it so much to heart, just tell yourself that those "evaluations" often are nothing but BS paperwork that means nothing and keeps management busy. Thats what I have been telling myself anyways!!

Unless of course you think there is truly merit to what it said. In which case just work on yourself how you see fit. You are probably a better evaluator of yourself than you think.

[Batman24]

Did they tell you the names of the people that put in their 2 cents? I kind of think that getting input from other peers is inappropriate because, as you see, they tend to me more critical than complimentary. I'd be ******, too.

I also think it sets up a very bad work environment and sometimes I wonder if employers do that on purpose. If they keep the staff against each other there is less chance of them banding together to enforce change.

Another problem is that jealousy can be a big factor too. People will tear down a better employee just to even the field out. And anything you say to defend yourself will end up sounding somewhat defensive because that is the position you are put in. You can't win and they know it.

From what I understand they tried this where I work years ago and the nurses wouldn't comply. They felt if they had a problem they would deal with it as needed and thought it was bad for morale so they all handed in identical comments. Seems like management got the hint because they don't do employee evaluations anymore so I guess this is true.