Hostile Work Enviornment

[WhitemountainmagicRN]

Hi Everyone!

I am a nursing manager of an ICU and ED in a relatively small hospital. Hostile work enviornment has become the new buzz word around there. If you discipline anyone for anything, they go to HR and claim a Hostile Work Environment. This is so frustrating! How can you manage a group of people if you cannot discipline them when it is necessary? Believe me I avoid discipline as much as a I can, however there are situations when you cannot let it slide. Any thoughts? Thanks :)

[stephva1008]

It helps if your HR department is supportive of its managers, I hope yours is. Documentation is the key to any kind of discipline. Any conversation, formal or informal, jot it down (even if it's on a napkin) and file it with a date and time and result. I usually send an email to HR letting them know for their end, usually very general. "Spoke with Betty about her yelling at a fellow nurse in the nurses station, making a crude joke and being late 3 out of 4 times this week. Will f/u with Betty in 2 weeks. if no improvement, will set up a performance improvement plan." ( a performance improvement plan is where there are deadlines for behavior change, f/u, etc and HR gets a copy). Every facility is different so contact your HR and see how they want you to document infractions, counseling, etc. Always keep a copy of whatever for your records.

Yes, hostile work environment is a buzzword. So is "lateral violence" which is another word for workplace bullying essentially.

I would f/u with HR and your boss for their advice/opinion. No man is an island, esp a new manager!

[EastCoastLA]

Also, look for your hospitals new employee handbook and find the section on professional conduct. Hold everyone accountable, including yourself, with professional behavior. HR should support you if you have clear documentation of any disruptive behavior. Please contact HR and see what specific policies they have to support discipline, if the behavior does not improve.

[kayern]

Absolutely keep your HR generalist involved and your immediate superior. Remember the rules are the rule...............and they apply to EVERYONE. Apply them as they were intended to be applied, no exceptions. My staff knows that I have one standard which everyone is held to, ancillary, nurses, unit clerks and managers. Hopefully, your staff knows you are fair across the board.

Never speak to staff in the presence of other staff members. I had one staff nurse who would grandstand when she didn't get her own way or didn't agree with something. I would not argue, debate or discuss anything with her when she was on her rant. I would say, in front of others something to the effect "when you can discuss the matter in a professional calm matter I would be more than happy to do so".:redbeathe

[WhitemountainmagicRN]

Thanks to everyone to responded!

[Mish56, BSN, RN]

Lord, I hate this! I am a staff nurse, and intend to stay as one. I want no part of management. Here's my 2 cents. Set the rules (backed by policy of course) and apply them. Equally and firmly! Where I work our non-licensed people can get away with anything, but they can fire a nurse without much effort. Read the policy's and enforce them. This is not rocket science. It sounds like you are being tested by the staff. As you would with any adolescent, be consistent, fair and did I mention consistent?

Good luck! Be a great manager, your employee's will never forget a good one!