Eval time

renerian, BSN, RN · Jun 18, 2003

You could talk with her coworkers and see if they have something nice to say. Is she on time? Does she work over? Does she pick up extra days? Does she always look neat? Does she chart well?

Does she call off much? What are her skills?

Does that help?

renerian

passing thru · Jun 18, 2003

List the top five things you find dislikeable about her.

We can get you past this.

P.S. I've never met a nurse manager I liked. Always wished I

could evaluate them....the hyposcrisy ! LOL

renerian, BSN, RN · Jun 18, 2003

If you have never met a nurse manager you liked why are you not becoming one?????Step up to the plate and be to other people what you are looking for in a leader. That is what inspired me.

renerian

susanmary · Jun 19, 2003

Here's a few comments to think about. Remember to make your comments objective and legally be able to substantiate any comment -- positive or negative (not on the evaluation, though.)

For the past year: Has her performance demonstrated your institutions goals, mission statement, etc -- how? How are her communication skills? Does she follow through with documentation and update her notes as patient's conditions warrant? Does she implement individualized care plans & update them? Is she respectful of coworkers? Team player? Respectful of patient's cultural practices and diversity? Respectful of coworkers? Continuous learning -- could be through courses, ceu's. Does she maintain her competencies, validations, cpr, etc.? Maintain confidentiality? What committees has she served on? If you are in acute care, does she primary complex patients? Assessment skills? Technical skills? Does she follow through with her assignment and able to assess/troubleshoot changes in patient's conditions?

These are just some ideas (will work for a solid evaluation as well.) What you are focusing on is if she demonstrates safe nursing practice within the scope of your facility & her nursing license within your state. Hope this helps.

:)

atownsendrn · Jun 19, 2003

okay, here are the top 5 problems I have (some personal, some professional)

1. She likes to gossip and is constantly stabbing someone in the back. If there is a staff crisis you better believe that she is right in the middle of it.

2. She doesn't do mandatory inservices without being reminded time and time and time and time again. I think I have had to remind her four times in the last two weeks that her eval was coming up and she needed to complete her annual update. Still not done last I checked.

3. We do self scheduling - she always starts the new schedule (which I don't mind). But she always fusses about not getting the hours she wants. And when she does get the hours she says she wants then she changes them.

4. She lies!!!!!!!!!! And has been caught in numerous lies - and lies to get out of the lies.

5. She gets more patient and physician complaints than any other nurse on staff.

Okay - there's a little to go on. This is a small ER. 14 FTE's. She does have good skills (there's one positive thing). :chuckle :confused:

Did I really take this job???? :crying2:

harp · Jun 19, 2003

Having to address unprofessional behavior anytime can be stressful, especially to a new manager, and you are starting with a tough one. Some good advice has been posted and you should consider all of it.

Consider this as well, as a manager you should set the standard of practice in your ER and expect everyone to follow it, i.e. attend all manadatory whatevers, strict scheduling policies, patient complaints should be addressed directly with the nurses and they should be expected to explain themselves and write an apology if warrented. If someone is caught in a lie, it should be proveable and documented. This should apply to all your staff and not just the one's you don't like, a manager should be fair and even handed with all their staff.

Lack of professional behavior should then be addressed when it happens and if warrented it should be documented. Generally, to get rid of someone you need a paper trail. Putting pressure on the passive agressive personality you describe will generally cause them to go away (they like stirring it, but they don't like it starring back at them).

I know you just started, but if you wait a year (for someone's annual eval) to tell them their not doing a good job, then you haven't been doing yours. Never in my career have I had to give a bad eval, that was the time of year I wanted to give encouragement to the staff and tell them I was glad they were part of the team. They knew however that if they got patient complaints or refused to follow unit structure, or worse, they were going to be held accountable for it - then!

susanmary · Jun 19, 2003

Harp -- EXCELLENT ADVICE. You sound like a great manager. Management needs to do their job 12 months per year -- not just during evaluation time. The idea is to support staff -- and to assist with remediation when needed. Work towards improving performance and outcomes. Well said. :)

renerian, BSN, RN · Jun 19, 2003

Great advice harp......

renerian

passing thru · Jun 19, 2003

Okay, we can get you past this.

Personally, everything but # 5, I'd put on the back burner.

She is seeking praise. To motivate people, you have to praise them.

Do her co-workers like her? Have most of them worked together

for a while?

Everyone is giving great tips/suggestions.

I think she wishes she were the manager. Most likely, She wants to run the place.

Good skills are worth their weight in gold in an ER.

What are the physicians ' complaints about??

This would be my one & only concern at this time.

Re: if she doesn't do what she has to do for her annual eval,

wait another month or two, and re-schedule it ON HER

DAY OFF.

Lots of managers do annual evals 2-3 months late.

If she is ready on the date you have scheduled , fine, if not...

(a mo. from now on her day off.)

Not necessary to remind her 4 times in 2 weeks,

post it on a BB, whose eval is due, date due, and required

info to bring to eval.

Treat 'em like adults.

Find something to praise her for....ya gotta balance the bad with some good....in her eval meeting...........

Most ER nurses ARE a little bit crazy, anal, obsessive-compulsive,

control freaks, and tend towards exaggeration.....when telling tales ...

I'd put 4 out of 5 of these problems on the back burner....i.e., put her and her "flaws" on the back burner....

I'll try to think of more tips/suggestions....these are tried and true/proven managing people techniques that work......

Have you read "Management for Dummies?"" ..a good read

passing thru · Jun 20, 2003

We need a thread about patient complaints too.....

I investigated some that were a result of one nurse

putting the ideas and words in the patients mouth....cause she disliked the nurse.

This happened several times...

atownsendrn · Jun 22, 2003

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful suggestions. When I got to looking at the eval list, I realized "her" eval isn't until Oct. I just had to give her info regarding her market increase rate. So I am working on other evals at the present. And many of your suggestions are helping me through the process. It is very hard to evaluate someone when you have only been the department manager for such a short time.

Harp - thanks for all of your suggestions. I have discussed a few issues with "her" regarding not completely annual updates in a timely manner and a specific patient complaint. She was very apologic to my face. But I hear that she has gone on an interview somewhere else and feels that she needs to leave our facility. Hopefully you are right - putting pressure on her passive aggressive behavior may cause her to seek different employment. Maybe!!!!!!

Although my problem is temporarily solved - please continue with any suggestions. Thanks