is this abuse by management

[Hope1001]

I went to work today and the management team was going around doing what they called "safety checks". They checked to see if the babies had two patient identifiers on and then told us to "bare all". When they said this to me I had no idea what they were talking about so one of them raised her arms in the air and instructed me to do the same. I felt like I was in the position of a stick up or being instructed by law enforcement. The "bare all" was to make sure we did not have any jewelry or artificial nail products on. I did not have either yet I felt this was degrading and extremely unprofessional. As a RN I am continually being encouraged or even pressured to continue my education and obtain more degrees because I am told we are a profession and increasing our education makes us more valuable yet I feel treated like a child or as in this case a criminal and certainly not a professional. Just wondering am I being to sensitive?

[staycalm]

the "bare all" part of your shift IS odd. Does that person typically have a funny sense of humor trying to make light out of something they were told to be checking on? As for my unit- I most definitely noticed the shift to feeling like it's a watch-dog unit. I ALWAYS feel like everything I'm doing is being monitored, because it IS! (not just me, but all in our unit) Our charge nurses will let us know various "quality indicators" are being watched, we just don't typically know who is checking what. (things like handwashing, patient identifiers, locked drawers, double checking parts of our charting, med labeling/med safety, etc. I understand it's all for the common good- but yes, makes for the feeling of oppression. I'm guessing the person that requested you to bare all/ to check for fake nails & jewelry was required to check the "quality indicators"- but likely didn't know the best way or professional way to do so.

[Anna S, RN]

I bet they'd never do this to male nurses.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

The point at which I was told to "bare all"--even in jest by management--is the same time I'd turn in my resignation.

We are professionals, not children. If your hospital isn't willing to treat you with the respect and responsibility that (ought) to come with your license, I wouldn't stick around much longer than it takes me to safely transfer the care of any patients I might have at the time, clean out my locker and grab my lunchbox.

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

I would have said, you want me to really bare it all? Like to my skivvies? What part of management was this? I'd definitely tell them what I thought.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

I wouldn't call it abuse, but definitely unprofessional. If they are checking for artificial nails, why would they want you to raise your hands up over your head? I think it is reasonable to check for artificial nails, etc., particularly if infections are on the rise; however, there is a much better way to go about it.

[ktwlpn, LPN]

I bet they'd never do this to male nurses.

Probably not,I don't know many male nurses who wear acrylic nails

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

This angers me. It is unnecessary and degrading to be told to bare all and pose with your arms in the air. I also would be lining up another job.

[ktwlpn, LPN]

I just don't see a thing wrong with a uniform inspection.The "bare all" comment does sound demeaning but it's short hand compared to "I'm doing an inspection today-please hold out you hands The OP does not address if uniform policy violations are common in her workplace. I would expect they are.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Ensuring compliance with dress code requirements that directly affect patient safety (such as no artificial nails) is a responsibility of management; however, the way your management went about it was not the best way. I don't know that I'd qualify it as abuse but rather poor interpersonal communication bordering on unprofessionalism via poor choice of words.

[liberated847]

I'm surprised the word bullying hasn't been thrown out yet, this is a bad choice of words and process by management, that's all. First world problems....

[TiffyRN, BSN, PhD]

Not abusive, but rather in-elegant. I am encouraged that some employers are checking for artificial nails and jewelry. I sometimes wonder why I bother to follow those rules if others are not but I hate to "rat out" my fellow coworkers.