Advice on what to say during performance review

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Specializes in Pediatrics, NICU.

I have my performance review coming up. My manager sent me an email for the time and date, and then said to start thinking about where I want to be in the future/what I am doing to help out the unit. I'm not sure if it's wise to be honest about what I want to do in the future. I currently work in a pediatric med-surg unit but I want to switch to NICU pretty soon. Gen peds is definitely not what I want to do long-term. is it bad to say I want to switch to NICU? Will this make my manager have a grudge against me or something? I don't want to lie and say I want to be a general pediatric nurse forever but then what if he gets upset that I'm really using this as a stepping stone? I guess it's normal since I just completed my first year of nursing...

 

any advice would be great. how should I phrase my future goals as to not offend or upset my current employer? And to be clear I like my hospital I just want to switch to a different floor...I'm not thinking about leaving the hospital

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Specializes in ER.

I have found every performance review I have had is just a task that my manager wants to get through due to a backlog. They don't really have time to get into details, because they have a meeting to go to and they are behind. It's always been a formality with not much substance.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, NICU.
2 minutes ago, Emergent said:

I have found every performance review I have had is just a task that my manager wants to get through due to a backlog. They don't really have time to get into details, because they have a meeting to go to and they are behind. It's always been a formality with not much substance.

that seems like the entire healthcare system OMG...no substance all about business/money

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
1 minute ago, Emergent said:

I have found every performance review I have had is just a task that my manager wants to get through due to a backlog. They don't really have time to get into details, because they have a meeting to go to and they are behind. It's always been a formality with not much substance.

Is it like that everywhere?! Jeez Louise to a T!

1 minute ago, pinkdoves said:

that seems like the entire healthcare system OMG...no substance all about business/money

While generating my submission, notice of yours popped up, pinkdoves. Obviously, you have your finger on the pulse of reality, so all I can add is good luck!

 

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Specializes in Pediatrics, NICU.
1 minute ago, Davey Do said:

Is it like that everywhere?! Jeez Louise to a T!

While generating my submission, notice of yours popped up, pinkdoves. Obviously, you have your finger on the pulse of reality, so all I can add is good luck!

 

LOL oh no it's so sad it's like this

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Specializes in NICU/Mother-Baby/Peds/Mgmt.

I think it's fine to say, after one year of nursing, that you're just working on improving your nursing skills at this time.  If you want to be on a committee you can mention that.  And then just smile and look at her, you don't need to say anything else. I don't think there's a  need to have your life planned out after one year of working.  

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Specializes in Pediatrics, NICU.
1 hour ago, Nunya said:

I think it's fine to say, after one year of nursing, that you're just working on improving your nursing skills at this time.  If you want to be on a committee you can mention that.  And then just smile and look at her, you don't need to say anything else. I don't think there's a  need to have your life planned out after one year of working.  

every nurse on my unit is required to be on a committee. they also made me in a harm prevention role (preventing infiltrates/PIV issues on the unit) so I have that covered

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Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

I usually tell my manager I intend to continue to excel in my current position saving lives. I tell her that in my opinion I could not do anything to improve my performance because I am nearly perfect.

Sometimes she looks up from the email she's reading/writing during our review time and pretends she heard what I said. Then she checks the box that we met and we do it again next year.

Since I work nights she's never even seen me at work in person, she has no idea whether I could nurse my way out of a paper bag. 

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Specializes in ER.

They always ask you what are your goals for the coming year. Just say that you want to build a upon the foundation that you have achieved so far. You can always volunteer to be on a committee, it doesn't mean that you have to really show up for all the meetings , they don't really monitor whether you stuck with it or not. Those committees are an idiotic waste of time.

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
7 hours ago, Emergent said:

They always ask you what are your goals for the coming year.

I once replied, "One big goal that I have for this coming year, since I've been procrastinating, is to get a colonoscopy done".

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I would say it depends a little on the attitude of your manager. I had two different managers for the same unit at the same hospital (1st one got fired)

Manager A was a PITA, grilled me about my future goals, when would I be starting my Masters (that they don't pay extra wages for...so never) what extra committees was I looking to volunteer on (in my own unpaid time..none)

Manager B was great. Here is your eval, you are doing great, thank you. This is the max annual raise I'm allowed to give you, do you wish to discuss this or contest the annual raise, in writing to HR. Nope? great, sign it and we are done.

Honestly I would never announce that I am looking to switch units to further my career. While it may certainly be true I can't see how it would benefit you and I can see it being quietly held against you if announce you are planning to leave. 

If you have a type A Manager I normally prepare to say I would love to start a Masters but it's not financially possible for me right now, but I am committed to continued learning through CEUs and In-house education (I love this one as they are required to pay for the course and my time)

For type B. All you need is a smile and your pen.

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Specializes in ER.
2 hours ago, Davey Do said:

I once replied, "One big goal that I have for this coming year, since I've been procrastinating, is to get a colonoscopy done".

I once said that I had no goals other than to keep my job and make it to retirement. 

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