When a manager compliments you...

[MPHkatie]

So today, I am cruising along, working the peds track and my manager- out of the blue- comes along and asks if she can tell me something. So, I prepare for the worst (mentally checking my list of patients that I may or may not have PO'd that week) and say Sure with a big fake smile. She says, "well, I think you are doing a great job here and I just hope you are happy." I'm like yeah of course I'm happy, but I still need to leave next year to finish my degree" and then things get again too hectic to discuss that anymore. I know I should be happy,and I guess it was a compliment, but I keep wondering, What the heck was that???? Should I accept this at face value? It's soooo wierd.:chuckle

[micro, RN]

yes

[susanmary]

Be gracious and accept the compliment at face value. Regardless of your future education plans and that you will eventually leave, your manager was showing support and that she recognized your positive contribution to your peds unit. Don't read into it.

What she did was an important thing to do. Management should do this on a regular basis to all employees -- focus on the positive and let the employee know he/she is valued.

Sue

[aimeee, BSN, RN]

Isn't it sad that we receive compliments and positive feedback so little that when they are given to us we are suspicious that there is a catch?

Take the compliment and enjoy a little inner glow, Katie.

[fedupnurse]

I think if the management of my unit did that even once a year we wouldn't have the turnover we have. Take the compliment and enjoy it. If it motivates you, that's even better.

Good luck with school, too.

[eldernurse]

Oh, is that ever true. I work for a wonderful manager who makes a point of telling everyone on her staff that they are a valued employee. I left a manager who only spoke to you when it was not about work or about a problem she had with you. Mostly she didn't say two words to me.

I love my new (3 months) nurse manager. She never misses the opportunity to thank us for just coming to work and doing our job. Can you believe it? Thanks for doing your job, not why can't you produce more.

Take your compliment and run.

[moonrose2u]

remember her words, the tone of her voice, her facial expression

you will need to remember the moment, time and again when, after a bad day, you wonder:

what the h*** am i a nurse for? am i glutton for punishment?

so savor it, and use it to get you thru the tough times!

[KatWright]

Take the compliment at face value and enjoy it.

Also, remember to pass it on

Kat

PS Good luck with school, This semester finishes this Thursday and I finish my masters next summer !!!!!! I am going to have one heck of a bon fire !!!!!!!!!!

[CATHYW]

Yes, and enjoy rerunning it in your mind, as many times as you want. Unfortunately, you only hear that very few times in your career. It sounds to me, when she asked if you were happy there, that she likes your work, and is afraid of losing you. If you haven't already made plans for working while going back to school, make her day by saying that you would like to continue there part-time or PRN when you return to school, and then back to FT (probably) when you graduate. Maybe she will be able to offer you a scholarship or something!

[Jenny P]

MPHkatie, that was a compliment and you should savor it. Remember it everyday; but especially when the going gets tough and you just don't want to get out of bed and go back to work againe.

[hapeewendy]

take the compliment, and file it in the recesses of your brain so that you can recollect it when things get crappy again , or when ur manager questions you about a not so positive experience

good for you!

youre a great nurse , bout time some other ppl noticed it and commented on it right?

cheers

[mattsmom81]

Compliments? What are those? They happen so seldom to nurses, don't they? We get so tired of the 'do more with less' expectations...we're shocked to actually hear a nice comment!

Enjoy it!:) And pay it forward.