Read this email my NM sent to all the nurses.

[GummibearsRN]

"Nurses,

It has come to my attention that BREAKS are being taken at the BEGINNING of the shift DURING BUSY times on the unit. This is unacceptable and it is the responsibility of each staff member to come to work prepared to work and NOT shop online, take multiple breaks, and gossip. It is very unprofessional to be socializing LOUDLY at the nurse's station and I will not tolerate it. I need staff that are committed to making this the best unit and providing the BEST care. The charge nurse and myself do not have time to babysit and instruct you on how and when to do your job. The charge nurse is responsible for leading the team and if she feels at any time that a particular staff member is not performing standard care, she will not hesitate to take action and dismiss the staff member from work for the rest of shift without pay with instruction to follow up with me before returning. Please forgive me in advance to the staff dedicated and prepared to work full throttle each shift, this email is not directed to you."

...........

Really? This is the kind of work environment I have to deal with. Does this sound like something any manager should say? I had to laugh to myself reading this. Your thoughst?

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

Ok, maybe it would have been better delivered in a staff meeting, however, I see absolutely nothing wrong with the email. I work with some of the most work-ethic challenged people I can imagine. It makes my job harder because I have to pull their weight. It makes me look like a harridan because I complain frequently in hopes that my wishy washy NM will actually sit someone down and say "tow the line or move on". But no. Staff members tell her how and when they will do their job. They tell her they have PTO days in the bank and they are going to take them on they days they choose and to heck with unit needs. They will not work the call they are scheduled. Staff members go off unit during shift and no one knows where they are...they are not on lunch or break. I would give anything for an email like that to be in my box on Monday morning because I am tired of my work ethic and my need/desire to give excellent patient care being taken for granted.

LIKE x 100,000!!

[Susie2310]

xxxxx

[proud nurse, BSN, RN]

I don't see anything wrong with the email sent to the OP. Sounds like it's something that needs to be addressed.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

What I take issue with is the use of all caps in some places. This is considered "yelling", the equivalent of raising one's voice. I don't think there is ever any reason for a leader to yell at staff, unless defending oneself against physical attack. A strong leader can say whatever they need to say without ever raising their voice.

The reference to "babysitting" is also unprofessional. There is no need to use such language to describe the problem being addressed and the consequences/follow through that is planned.

I think it's fine for the charge nurse to send staff home if s/he has determined that they arrived to the work place not ready to work. I take no issue with that part of things.

I think the problems described in the email are legitimate problems that need to be addressed.

Mass emails are tricky. They can be a great way to get information across to a large section of the staff, without having to speak to every single one face to face. It is a great time saver. I can even support a mass email that identifies a problem and outlines the solutions. It is a mass email in which the leader, someone who I am supposed to hold in high regard, yells and uses unprofessional language, sounding like someone who feels powerless, that I think is inappropriate and unprofessional.

I have never been a manager (other than some middle management stints), but I have worked for both effective, strong leaders, and ineffective, weak leaders. I have made a lot of observations about what makes a good leader. This email undermines this leader's own authority, making her/him sound weak and as I said before, desperate.

It does sound to me like there is a staff morale problem, but my guess is that it is nothing new, and that ineffective leadership is one of the root causes. Were I this NM's supervisor, I would be working with her/him to improve her/his leadership capabilities, or I'd be looking for a new NM.

I'm agreeing with the folks who think the email looked unprofessional.

The issues are completely valid.

The charge nurse CAN send someone home for not doing their job.

[NurseFrustrated]

It sounds like every nursing unit I've ever worked. It's a shame emails like that need to be sent. People should know how to act like professionals at work but many don't anymore. That said, the nurse manager should have had a staff meeting though and not sent the email. She should have said it in person and let the staff know if the behavior continued that there would be consequences.

[exit96]

The age old tactic of "punish the class instead of approaching and disciplining the offender." Doesn't work, breaks down whatever moral is still intact, doesn't serve those "good" employees because it is still a blanket/passive approach that the guilty either already:'don't get' or "don't Care"... get rid of the lazy bums, animal packs know better than these NM's...weed out the weak and strenghten the pack...

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I take issue with people being sent home because it actually ends up punishing the people who are left behind to pick up their workload. Just give appropriate warnings and then fire for cause.

Peer pressure is an effective tool.