Ugh---I have to fire an employee tomorrow.

Specialties LTC Directors

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Without a doubt, the single most unpleasant aspect of my job as a DON in assisted living is employee discipline. I HATE having to 'punish' people for being human and doing stupid things at work, even when it's richly deserved---probably comes from having been an "abused" employee myself.

Tomorrow, I have to let go a staff member who's been at the facility for years. He is a middle-aged man with adult ADD who has had a troubled employment history, although he IS a good caregiver and obviously loves the residents. However, his slacking and a stinky attitude over the past couple of months, plus three no-call-no-shows in less than two weeks, are more than even I can tolerate, so I have made the decision to terminate him.......went through all the proper channels with the HR director at our parent organization, documented everything, and got his final paycheck and termination letter delivered to my office at 5 o'clock this afternoon.

And even though I know I'm doing the right thing, not only for the residents but for staff who have been inconvenienced by this employee's failure to show up on multiple occasions and his "forgetting" that he can't walk in and immediately take a half-hour break, I feel so sad about having to fire him.

It's HARD being the bad guy, I tell you. I enjoy leading and teaching employees, not calling them into my office to criticize them or writing them up........Thankfully most of my staff are hard workers who care deeply about the residents and do the best they can, but there is always the occasional worker who's in it just for the paycheck and couldn't care less if he or she were taking care of human beings or flipping burgers. And it's sad to see someone who used to be a tender and competent caregiver become so burned out that it's impossible to reach him and try to pull him back from the edge before he alienates everyone on both sides of the bed rails.

Believe me, this is not a rash act; for one thing, he has a disability, and I think he's going through a bad patch in his personal life. But I've tried to get through to this over-aged ten-year-old for months now, and I've thought through every possible remedy before deciding he needs to go.

So, how do other nurse managers deal with firing staff members? Do you ever get used to it? I've been a mid-level manager in different settings, but this is the first job I've ever had in which I call the shots on hiring, firing, and promotions. I tend NOT to wield authority with an iron fist---which has sometimes led to accusations that I'm 'too nice' and let people get away with things they shouldn't---and it's very difficult for me to do it when I have to.

Thanks for any advice or words of wisdom. I know this has to be done for the good of everyone involved---maybe even the employee himself---but it sure isn't fun.:o

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Agree with you terminating employees is hardest part of the job...something I've only had to do 2x in past 5 years.

Fired my best clerk few months ago for repetative lateness ---15-45 min 2-3xweek. Using progressive counseling, realized lateness issue Nov 06. Did Awareness counseling December....slight improvement after adjust start time forward 1 hr. Feb another counseling....March late 30-45min every day while I was on vacation---excuse was she stays late to process referrals so was adjusting her time next day. Again moved start time forward one hr. #3d counseling had another Mgr with me, reviewed P+P. 4th had MY boss present with written signed expectaion counciling---still didn't get it must be at desk ready to work at agreed to start time. Next month fired her ----despite having parent in executive position at another part of our system. When I copied time timesheets back to October 06, they did not have even one week when they arrived on time.

Employee did work of 2 persons, extremely computer savy, kept referrals organized BUT I was continually staying late processing faxed referrals that were sitting until they arrived in office due to heavy phone volume. Getting in on time = getting homecare referral to other branches more timely. Therefore lack of availability hurting OTHERS in agency.

Got to the point people were calling in late all the time for Drs appointents, wanting to work latter so much so that RN's couldn't know when clerical staff would be in the office. Another employee also received counciling for same issue, didn't realise I was "serious"... thought 15 min late acceptable business standard. Lateness now almost non-existant. Staff send email now when need to adjust time for appointments---instead calling in AM so staff know ahead of time how to redistribute workload.

Not fair to others for having to put out more effort to cover others slack. All staff understand consequenices to personal actions....policies and standrards maintained and reinforced...along with increased RESPECT for postion as gave employee chance to improve. Respect for working as a TEAM improved in longhaul.

Stick to your guns. Other employees will thank you for it.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Thanks, Karen.........that was exactly what I needed to hear. Making the tough decisions isn't as easy as it looks from the other side of the desk....it's good to have feedback from someone who's been there and done that!

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Could not believe that 3 RN's came to my office and told me they wanted to call the clerk and beg her to come back!!!! One of the trio had just transitioned to my dept after 18 years as a manager......

Told them they had no say in the matter, my job to reinforce health system policy and procedures across the board. Ringleader has never forgiven me. REAL reason they were upset is they'd been able to sit back and allow her to do most work without assisting, so they had to step up to the plate.

My birthday recently clerical staff went overboard with hoagie luncheon, cake, grilled veggies, 2 types flowers and small gift. One clerk even stoped for chai tea I was always talking about....took it as a sign they appreciated me sticking to my guns....and that I hired 2 new clerical staff.

Bet your staff support your decision in the long run.....how did it turn out?

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Oh, it went all right, I suppose........I called the employee into my office when he came in to work at 4 yesterday, gave him his final paycheck and termination letter, and said I was sorry, but due to his three recent no-call-no-shows I was letting him go. He actually had the nerve to act surprised: "Just like that, huh? OK, fine, good-bye" and left. My witness, the resident-care coordinator, said "THAT went well", but we both figured it was better that way than it could've been. I really think he thought he would continue to get away with doing things as he pleased and playing dumb when called on it, just because he had for so long.

As for the staff, several of them clustered around me afterwards, obviously relieved and chattering openly for the first time in weeks, and it was like the tension was just GONE. A couple of them even thanked me for doing it! The past few months must have been even harder on them than I knew..........I figure when employees thank a manager for getting rid of someone, that someone had to have been a ginormous pain in the wazoo.

I still feel sad for the fellow I had to fire. When he was "on", he was one of the most caring and compassionate caregivers I've ever known; unfortunately, his personal issues tended to overshadow everything else, and over the past two or three months he just gave up. Too bad.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.
I still feel sad for the fellow I had to fire. When he was "on", he was one of the most caring and compassionate caregivers I've ever known; unfortunately, his personal issues tended to overshadow everything else, and over the past two or three months he just gave up. Too bad.

I feel so bad for you that he didn't even give you a chance to say to him what you said above. Although I never had to do terminations while a nurse, I had many to do in my previous lives before I went into nursing. It never will be an easy thing to do, nor will it ever get easier. Feel good that you did the right thing for all involved.

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Sometimes, you have to fire someone after you've tried everything else, and nothing changes with the employee. I don't think it's ever really easy most of the time. (Of course, some of the workers I've heard of on this BB over the years sound like they would be very easy to fire.)

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I started as new DON 6 weeks ago and my company has made me come up with reasons to terminate over 10 people. They don't want to pay unemployment!The staff cringes when I come near. I am a very nice person and this is making me sick. I would quit, but my administrator is also a friend, and my husband is so proud of me for landing a job where the $$$$ are great!

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I started as new DON 6 weeks ago and my company has made me come up with reasons to terminate over 10 people. They don't want to pay unemployment!The staff cringes when I come near. I am a very nice person and this is making me sick. I would quit, but my administrator is also a friend, and my husband is so proud of me for landing a job where the $$$$ are great!
And it is no wonder your staff cringes they are scared, maybe they are living from paycheck to paycheck ,I would be scared of you too and would just leave, Dont stick up for them because you may lose your job regardless of your friendship with admin its a dog eat dog situ i have seen many a wonderfu don get canned fo defending their staff, also adminstrator also corporate higher ups rule,shareholders rule, this is reality . iam a mentor to someone who is ging to be public adminstator and i give him the sam advise.Good luck to you Dear DON. [by the way stay tight with the admin they will cover your a }
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Oh, the administrator who is my friend went out of town and the company nurse coordinator fired me WITH her complete knowledge. Just goes to show you, NEVER trust anyone

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Hi Ren,

Sounds like they brought you in to clean up the mess that was undermining their system. Once you got the show on the road, they wanted you gone because the employees did not feel "safe" with you.

At one LTCF close to my home, they hired and fired 6 DON's in 6 months. They had a tough time even getting anyone to apply for the job. Now, it's a little better but for how long is anyone's guess. Keep positive and remember you did the job they wanted you to do.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Geriatrics, Call Center RN.
Oh, the administrator who is my friend went out of town and the company nurse coordinator fired me WITH her complete knowledge. Just goes to show you, NEVER trust anyone

Wow sorry to hear that. On what grounds? Hope you are able to find something else quickly. You are right though, you can't trust anyone.

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