The happy policy

Nurses Relations

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There's apparently a policy in our workplace, a new one that says something along the line of; Anyone who appears drained, unenthusiastic, unhappy in anyway etc. can be asked by the manager to leave that work day in order to reflect on their behavior. Thoughts? Do you have a policy like this?

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Canoehead -- visualizing a completely absurd scenario has helped me break out of a funk so many times . . and our job provides plenty of fodder for it! :)

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Maybe having a policy about this is something new, but I've been a nurse for 20 something years now and from the very beginning of my career I have had drilled into me by instructors and managers that it is inappropriate and a failure on my part if a patient notices that I look tired, drained, distracted or glum. This is a service industry and "the perfect servant has no visible needs." Patients need all their energy to be focused on themselves and their recovery--they do not need to be worrying about how their nurse is feeling.

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Maybe having a policy about this is something new, but I've been a nurse for 20 something years now and from the very beginning of my career I have had drilled into me by instructors and managers that it is inappropriate and a failure on my part if a patient notices that I look tired, drained, distracted or glum. This is a service industry and "the perfect servant has no visible needs." Patients need all their energy to be focused on themselves and their recovery--they do not need to be worrying about how their nurse is feeling.

Did you also get the line about "a call light means you haven't anticipated your patient's needs well enough".....took me about 5 years to realize that patients can be major PITAs also. :o

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Canoehead -- visualizing a completely absurd scenario has helped me break out of a funk so many times . . and our job provides plenty of fodder for it! :)

I'm visualizing Lily Tomlin in 9 to 5

:D

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Specializes in Gerontology.

I"d be much happier if I could pump laughing gas into my pts' rooms all day.

And if I could fill my water bottle with wine or rum and coke.

Unfortunately, management won't let me do either of these things.

Darn.

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How can one have a "happy face" to the family member or patient who puts on the call light consistently, and then has family member actually go out the room to see if it is on and then stand there asking every nurse that walks by for assistance? My happy face goes on when the family member goes home. I have had family members, young and able to move ask me to get them some water. I tell them where the water fountain is.

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How can one have a "happy face" to the family member or patient who puts on the call light consistently, and then has family member actually go out the room to see if it is on and then stand there asking every nurse that walks by for assistance? My happy face goes on when the family member goes home. I have had family members, young and able to move ask me to get them some water. I tell them where the water fountain is.

I love the ones who stand there with their hands on their hips looking all po'd. I had one stop me while I had a resident on the shower gurney and ask me if I could get her NPO dad some ice cream :rolleyes:

Lovely...just lovely.

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I have had patients ask me to get them ketchup as they did not get enough on their tray, or salad dressing. I could (if within a short period of time) send a message to food service, etc. but now I just tell them "sorry the kitchen is closed". I figure if they can eat up a storm, and are short one package of ketchup, they will do fine. I love the ones who complain to me about the lousy food. I now just say I am not the cook so maybe they can write a letter.

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Specializes in ER, Cardiac, Hospice, Hyperbaric, Float.

:smackingf :rotfl: :smackingf :rotfl: :smackingf :rotfl: :smackingf :rotfl:

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I'm pretty when the supervisor showed up-there would be a chorus of moans..we'd get sent home and be seen skipping and laughing down the hall and out the door to reflect on our behavior over drinks and snacks at the local bar! Seriously! I did actually work for a company that could send us home to reflect on our behavior, it was a source of great amusement for everyone but the top administrators who took it terribly seriously. (snort)

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I'm pretty when the supervisor showed up-there would be a chorus of moans..we'd get sent home and be seen skipping and laughing down the hall and out the door to reflect on our behavior over drinks and snacks at the local bar! Seriously! I did actually work for a company that could send us home to reflect on our behavior, it was a source of great amusement for everyone but the top administrators who took it terribly seriously. (snort)

Oy.... that just reeks of kindergarten ....

How pathetic that childish "time outs" are being force fed to adults. If someone is that big of a pain, lose the loser, and move on.... I was lucky at the places I worked in TX (even the larger corporations)....but the jackwagon freestanding hospital here was a total joke w/management (HIGHER management....the NM was civilized) and their newsletters with the threat of the month.... SO not motivating :)

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Specializes in Post Anesthesia.
I'm pretty when the supervisor showed up-there would be a chorus of moans..we'd get sent home and be seen skipping and laughing down the hall and out the door to reflect on our behavior over drinks and snacks at the local bar! Seriously! I did actually work for a company that could send us home to reflect on our behavior, it was a source of great amusement for everyone but the top administrators who took it terribly seriously. (snort)

Is it any wonder Nursing is unable to achieve the status of educated health care professional? If this is how we are treated by our employers, we will never see the respect we deserve.

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