Admin nurse returns to bedside and.....

[duskyjewel]

So when a nurse who was working in an admin role comes back to the bedside, and starts complaining about the same things she minimized and ignored, is it evil to enjoy that just a little bit?

[Nola009]

No, it would be completely alien not to.

Our DON HATES to work the floor... After a long, breezy LTC career, she is high above that now a days....so she says. That's until we get a shift we CAN'T cover, then she very, very reluctantly does some work (or, so I heard). Oh, THE HORROR! Yes, all of us who "work the floor" have to chuckle about it a little.

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

No, I honestly don't think that I would derive any pleasure from seeing that happen. It would be exactly what I'd expect would happen in a situation like that, though. It would come as no surprise that an individual's outlook would change when her place/role in the organization changes.

I honestly feel that being a "middle" manager is one of the most thankless jobs out there. You have no real power, you're just in place to implement the wishes of the higher ups. You have very little leeway, you work within the restraints of clearly defined parameters. You are accountable to those who have the genuine control of the organization, and at the same time you have to deal with a lot of pressure and demands from your staff.

You're being simultaneously and mercilessly "squeezed" from two directions.

Being a working stiff myself, I can certainly empathize with the complaints that nurses have against how a hospital floor is run, I've been known to make them myself on occasion However, I think it would be useful for many people who've never functioned in the capacity as a manager to try it. I think that it might open their eyes and make them realize that despite your initially honorable ambitions, you might find yourself in a situation where you're forced to adjust your behavior and goals in order to meet the demands the organization places on you. It's either that, or you look for another job.

I think that it's a bit misplaced to direct one's discontentment against middle managers.

I think that a more appropriate target, is those who have the actual power to create a meaningful change of employee working conditions.

This is exactly why I will never ever be in management. You can't make anyone happy!!

[No Stars In My Eyes]

Am not sure why you would take joy out of this situation?

It's kinda like a big,fat karmic 'told ya so!'

[Emergent, RN]

I can understand a bitter staff nurse getting a little joy from seeing the administrator suffer ...

It's kind'a like the joy I get when I see a staff nurse who thinks she knows it all and could fix everything if only she were given a chance ... get promoted into a leadership role and find out that those jobs are a lot harder than she thought.

That reminds me of one of my coworkers. She used to stand at the counter poring over the schedule, bitterly complaining about the inequities, the favoritism, the injustice of it all.

Then she took a nurse manager position. I told her, now she would find out how difficult it is to make a schedule to please everyone. She emphatically replied that, no, her schedules would be very fair.

6 months later she was back with us. The staff hated her there, number one complaint being how she turned everyone's schedule upside down!

[SubSippi]

So when a nurse who was working in an admin role comes back to the bedside, and starts complaining about the same things she minimized and ignored, is it evil to enjoy that just a little bit?

Maybe a better word would be vindicated. But yeah, I totally get it.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

I've worked with some supervisors who were very hoity toity with high heels and skirts and not about to get their hands dirty, but I've had the pleasure of working with hands on supervisors who really supported their staff and were right there with you in the trenches. I much prefer the hands on supervisors, but unfortunately as we all know those are the minority.

[amoLucia]

..."what goes around, comes around".

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

HAHHAHAHA!! Why good MORNING! And WELCOME to work!!!!

Middle management is just not a great gig, in my opinion. Illusion of being in charge, however, it is upper management that has a final say.

I think that a "take your DON to work day" is in order. After a few code browns, call lights galore, and 6 or 7 patients that need to be medicated right this moment, I double dog dare any floor nurse to then exclaim "DON, your goal, as is ours, is to make sure that all of your patients are DELIGHTED!!"

Ahhhh, the karma bus makes a lot of stops...

[fawnmarie, ASN]

As far as taking pleasure in watching what goes around, come around, I have to share this... My facility only very recently received full accreditation from The Joint Commission. Prior to that, we had been placed in "Preliminary Denial of Accreditation", meaning that we had been given two prior opportunities to bring the facility back into compliance, but our administrative panel didn't take the warnings seriously. 18 months ago, during a staff-wide meeting, direct care staff (including many nurses & technicians) voiced concerns about unsafe staffing ratios. Of course, we were coolly informed that "there are other jobs out there if you're not happy here." The Joint Commission would soon give our CEO and Nurse Executive a 45-day time frame to get the facility safely staffed, or risk losing their accreditation. MANY, if not every, nurse and technician enjoyed watching the bigwigs get their "just desserts!"

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I am now a "middle" manager. It can be a thankless role some days. However....it depends on how you build relationships with staff and administration.

The staff know that I really appreciate their efforts. I listen to their ideas and concerns, and make a point of letting them know that they are valued. If the staff are content, my job is that much easier.

I'm organized, so I'm able to meet my deadlines as far as admin is concerned. My role is not without challenges, but if more managers realized that the relationship should be built around genuine respect instead of power and control, we'd have a productive workforce.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

Ahhhh.. Karma is wonderful.

[TU RN, DNP, CRNA]

It's not evil. Karma is a *****.