Am I being overly sensitive?

[emeraldjay]

Maybe it's just me being overly sensitive or taking things wrong, but just a couple of weeks ago our DON was quoted as saying her "biggest challenge was working with the staff." I feel insulted by this, and I am finding it difficult to look at it any other way. I think if she had meant to say that it was a challenge making every one happy or pleasing everyone she could have worded he statement to something innocuous like her biggest challenge was pleasing everyone all of the time or making difficult decisions that everyone was happy with.

There are many more in our facility that feel this was a slap in the face. I'm hoping someone could put a different light on this quote.

[Retired R.N.]

... The duties and responsibilities of a DON are quite different from those of a staff healthcare giver. When I was rewarded for my work as a staff nurse by being promoted into management I learned very quickly that my biggest challenge was going to be working with the staff.

Peter Drucker described the situation so memorably that it is now known as the Peter Principle.

It is the theory that employees within an organization will advance to their highest level of competence and then be promoted to and remain at a level at which they are incompetent.

When the accountants are making the important decisions, there won't be any promotions to DON for anyone who wants to increase the number of CNAs, LVNs, or RNs on the staff. Top management will manage to promote someone who will do what (s)he is told for fear of losing his or her job. This easily intimidated individual will never, never criticize anyone in management no matter how well deserved that criticism might be.