Should i go over my manager's head

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I have been having issues with my manager for a while now, and i am reaching the point of no return. I think she wants to get rid of me and i dont know what to do. I started on this floor as a new RN seven years ago and loved it up until six months ago. Our old manager was a sweetheart. She trusted us to do a good job, and didn't ride us at all. She retired a year ago, and the manager from the unit across the hall took us over while administration looked for the "right" person. This manager started six months ago and it has been horrible here since. She is always out on the floor sticking her nose in everything, and talking to patients about how they like there care. Its like she doesn't trust us and is checking up on us. We are not allowed to sit at the desk to chart. Instead we have to take our work stations and stay outdise our rooms. That wouldn't be to bad, but we are not even aloud to have a cup of coffee or a coke while we chart. I had never been wrote up in the past, but she has wrote me up twice. For forgetting to wash my hands, and because she said i was rude to some students. She critisizes my charting and my care plans. She hired a lot of new people, and plays favorites with them. I used to do a lot of committee work, but now i am only on one committee, and she gave some of my committees to her favorites. The last straw was this morning when i asked her to sign the renewal for my clinical step. I have been a Step Two for six years, and never had a problem before. If she doesn't sign it, i will take a 5 percent pay cut. She wont sign because of my attitude and the write ups. The write ups are not fair, and the only reason i have a bad attitude is because of her. I am not the only one who feels this way about her. Two other RNs who have been here a long time feel the same way. I am really upset about my Step Two though. I want to make an appointment with the CNO to see if she will talk to the manager about this situation. If anyone else has been through something like this, how did it turn out? Am I wasting my time?

I did what most of you here thought i should do and went to my manager. We had our meeting today and it started off ok. She said she was glad i came to her. She said she values my experience. then she gave me this list of her expectations and had me sign apaper she called a comitment to my coworkers about getting along with everybody. She said we can meet evey 2 weeks to "reveiw' my performance. I agreed to all of this. I signed her paper. After all of this she still wouldnt sign my step two renewal. So after i "humbled" myself and jumped though her hoops, i got nowhere anyway. She said i need to show "sustained improvement" and she will reveiw my step two in six months. So that means i will take a 5 percent pay cut. I will do what i need to do here for now, but as soonas i find another job, im gone.

Specializes in ..

BlueBell, this is probably the best outcome you should expect. I outlined this in my advice to you and suggested that you try to achieve the goals that your manager would develop for you. This is 'step 1' in the process, and the easiest of all the steps to accomplish. It's easy to make promises; more difficult to carry through with them.

Your manager sees some deficiencies in your work; it seems she's very concerned about your ability to get along with others. When you meet with her in two weeks, she'll give you feedback about your progress. Even at the two week mark, you're far from 'out of the woods'. It's very realistic to expect her to consider signing your step-two renewal in 6 months--after you've not only shown change, but become reliable in that change.

From a management point of view, if she was considering terminating you it would be very difficult to go to her supervisors and request that you be let go if she had just promoted you or given you a salary increase. That would be very inconsistent and would look extremely indecisive on her part... like, "Last month you gave her a raise, and now you want to fire her?!?!?!"

Clearly, you manager had some serious issues with your work and ability to get along with colleagues. Had you not gone to her you probably would have been unemployed in the near future. If you can make significant changes and maintain those new work habits you'll be OK. If not, you would likely take your bad work habits with you to a new employer and find yourself in the same situation. History has a way of repeating itself if you don't make decisive and genuine changes.

If you went to your manager only to get your clinical advancement renewed, instead of with a sincere desire to improve, you have already failed. Of coursr I am seeing this from a manager's perspective, but it does seem like you are not taking responsibility for your actions. You need to take ownership of your practice instead of blaming all of your problems on your manager. Perhaps your manager is being unreasonable, I can't say since I only know what you have posted here. It would be interesting to hear her side of the issues. I am assuming there is a lot more to this story. It is also natural to put things in your own perspective, and try to put yourself in the best light.

The "Commitment to my Coworkers" is used by many nursing units as a part of Relationship Based care. I am sure you can search this site, or Google to find out more about RBC.

Specializes in ER/SICU/Med-Surg/Ortho/Trauma/Flight.

This manager is either having problems because she is new and having problems adjusting and is just trying as hard as she can and shes just having a hard time this is especially true if shes trying to juggle being manager for two units

you did say shes manager of another unit also, now either this is the problem in which case try alot to be a real team player give it 110 percent and be extra nice to her and offer her as much help as possible she may be overwhelmed, I know how it goes I am nurse manager of the er and sicu,

I use to only be the ed nurse manager and supervisor,

it was overwhelming enough just with the ed, then I somehow ended up with sicu, talk about overwhelming.

I will also get out and work some shifts on the floor with my nurses to see how they are doing, and I will work as a charge nurse or staff nurse to keep upon my skills.

My nurses really appreciate and love when I work the floor, as it gives them extra help and gives me a chance to see how there doing and brush up on my skills.

Now either shes overwhelmed, or shes on a power trip.

I would have written you up for the same two infractions as she did as they are very unproffesional.

If you really did do these infractions and she did'nt make them up to try to get rid of you if she does'nt like you and is on a powertrip and shes trying to can you, in any case I still would not go above her head to the cno, because if the cno does'nt act or do anything.

This woman could and potentially probabley will make your life a living hell until you either quit or ahe finds something miniscule to can you over, and believe me she probabley will, as this woman sounds like our nurse manager on 3 west med-surg-ortho-neurospine at my hospital bexause she is a complete witch but with a CAPITAL B INSTEAD OF W.

I have had 3 yes that is 3 of my best veteran nurses 2 RN's and 1 LPN who have been excellent nurses on my units for probabley 10+ years, float down there to 3W, and either 1 of 2 things happens they either come back in tears or with a write up.

I volunteered one night myself to float down to 3W myself just to see for myself how it was, since she was short 3 nurses and believe me this woman is a complete ***, she belittles nurses and screams at them right out in the hall in front of god and everyone, she did this to me. Yes I floated down there as a staff nurse and I am a nurse manager myself and she was like that to me, so now I am punishing her because it will be a cold day in **** before I float down there or I let any of my staff I don't care if she's ao short she has to work the whole floor herself because I refuse and will not subject myself or any of staff to this cow from hell anyday.

Shes unproffesional and my staff are all wonderful I hardly ever have problems with my staff and I greatly appreciate them and love them all as we are one big family and I would never scream at any of my staff in public, it is highley unproffesional and disrespectfull period.

I won't subject any of my staff to this, sounds like you have her sister for a manager lol.

I have had a chat with our cno about ours since I am a nurse manager myself and have just as much power as the witch but it did'nt work, our CNO did diddly sqaut about this woman, thats why I would suggest not going over you managers head.

See about transferring to another floor/unit with a nicer MN, thats my best advice for you, as this one manager could target you and ruin your career all it takes is one person like her and bam that could be the end of your career.

Best wishes and good luck my fellow nurse, friend, and sister.

Rod RN, BSN, MSN, ED/SICU Nurse manager and supervisor.

This manager is either having problems ............

I find your entire post to be very unprofessional. First of all, someone who is Master's prepared should be able to put together a comprehensible post. This post reads like a fourth grader wrote it. More importantly, a public bulletin board such as this one is no place for the kind of personal comments you have made about another nurse manager. I have looked at some of your other posts, and you have identified yourself by name, and have identified where you work. A manager should know better. In many hospitals, this post would be grounds for termination. So take some advice and be a little more discrete about what you post.

Specializes in ER/SICU/Med-Surg/Ortho/Trauma/Flight.

Hey I was sick and tired when I posted, and you go work with her for a night, I generally dont talk mean or bad about anyone, but this women has hit my last nerve, I am not trying to be mean, but she runs alot of staff off and is very unproffessional, I get what you mean about my post as I finally just reread it, and I apologize if I hit a nerve, but I am not the only nm that feels this way, their are at least 6 others beside myself, she runs staff off all the time and is very rude all the time, she told one of my Rn's the other night she wasnt a good nurse because shes fat, now you wanna tell me why that behavior is tolerated, and no you dont know where I work as I have not updated in awhile and work at a different hospital, and I am not trying to be mean but I was venting, not only that I prefer not to have any of my staff treated this way, as I think highley of them and appreciate them, and my point was not to go over the managers head because if the cno doesnt take action, and they decide to target you, guess what you are probabley gonna get canned, or at least there going to make work so horrible you will quit, and for your info typing and writing are not my strong subjects, so lay off!

Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.
and for your info typing and writing are not my strong subjects, so lay off!

I am not a spelling/grammar nazi by any means - but a couple periods here and there, maybe the correct use of their, there, they're, the use of apostrophes, etc will add a lot to your professionalism.

All of your posts in this thread just come off as long winded rants that jump from subject to subject. No break, no pause, etc

Specializes in ..
Rod RN, BSN, MSN, ED/SICU Nurse manager and supervisor.

Just curious. When did you get the MSN? You didn't claim it less than two weeks ago.

Specializes in ER/SICU/Med-Surg/Ortho/Trauma/Flight.
Just curious. When did you get the MSN? You didn't claim it less than two weeks ago.
Not that long ago, and I havent posted in awhile just came back on about 3 weeks ago, not to mention just got back to work after being on leave for awhile, I have been recovering from a liver transplant that I had done not so long ago,not to mention I didnt get to go to my actual commencement because of it, so the schools letting me go to commencement this month,not to mention I had to convince the dear MIL I was ready to come back to work, who happens to be the CNO who did sqaut by the way, so I guess you could say I am catching up.
Hey I was sick and tired when I posted, and you go work with her for a night, I generally dont talk mean or bad about anyone, but this women has hit my last nerve, I am not trying to be mean, but she runs alot of staff off and is very unproffessional, I get what you mean about my post as I finally just reread it, and I apologize if I hit a nerve, but I am not the only nm that feels this way, their are at least 6 others beside myself, she runs staff off all the time and is very rude all the time, she told one of my Rn's the other night she wasnt a good nurse because shes fat, now you wanna tell me why that behavior is tolerated, and no you dont know where I work as I have not updated in awhile and work at a different hospital, and I am not trying to be mean but I was venting, not only that I prefer not to have any of my staff treated this way, as I think highley of them and appreciate them, and my point was not to go over the managers head because if the cno doesnt take action, and they decide to target you, guess what you are probabley gonna get canned, or at least there going to make work so horrible you will quit, and for your info typing and writing are not my strong subjects, so lay off!

It doesn't matter where you work, you have posted enough personal information on this board to make yourself easily identifiable. This is a public board, which may be seen by others who work with you. Managers are held to a higher professional standard than staff when it comes to posting on social media. If you are going to rant about a coworker, at least protect your identity, or you may find yourself without a job. It doesn't matter if what you are saying is true or not, it is unprofessional to post something that puts your workplace in a bad light. I have been reading over many of your older posts. You say you were a CNA, then an LPN at age 18, then became an RN. You have also claimed to be an LPN instructor, and the ED and SICU manager and night supervisor at one hospital, and now have the exact same positions at a different hospital. Incredible.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Hey I was sick and tired when I posted, and you go work with her for a night, I generally dont talk mean or bad about anyone, but this women has hit my last nerve, I am not trying to be mean, but she runs alot of staff off and is very unproffessional, I get what you mean about my post as I finally just reread it, and I apologize if I hit a nerve, but I am not the only nm that feels this way, their are at least 6 others beside myself, she runs staff off all the time and is very rude all the time, she told one of my Rn's the other night she wasnt a good nurse because shes fat, now you wanna tell me why that behavior is tolerated, and no you dont know where I work as I have not updated in awhile and work at a different hospital, and I am not trying to be mean but I was venting, not only that I prefer not to have any of my staff treated this way, as I think highley of them and appreciate them, and my point was not to go over the managers head because if the cno doesnt take action, and they decide to target you, guess what you are probabley gonna get canned, or at least there going to make work so horrible you will quit, and for your info typing and writing are not my strong subjects, so lay off!

I am sorry too........Your post was very dificult to read. This is a very gentle reminder about the terms of service. I know it's harder on an IPhone/PAD but wow....that was a very hard read. I had to separate it to understand it.

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Specializes in ER/SICU/Med-Surg/Ortho/Trauma/Flight.

Sorry everyone, and ESME is right I think this is half my problem, typing on an ipad for someone with big hands just does'nt work, back to the computer for me. Sue I am sorry, and I did teach and lasted all of a year. So I highley respect you for being a teacher. And yes I have been doing this since I was 18 and it is starting to get on my nerves, may be time for career change. My mother kind of pushed me into nursing as she is a nurse also, to tell you the truth I wanted to go to md school myself.

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