Anything wrong with speaking out about staffing issues at work?

[Convoy2022_TrumpSupporter]

I work in an LTC. Recently they have been doing these contests/games on the unit. I do not participate. I want to get my job done especially when its busy. 

They were doing all of that ... telling the staff about picking a number and joining the contest, and also wearing your blue shirt on union day.

This is all HR and management.

So I am on the side documenting. I am usually a quiet person but I told my Charge Nurse "why are they happy focusing on decorating the unit, telling people to join their contest, getting food, etc... when almost everyday we are almost short or are trying to figure out who is working". One of the management Nurses heard me say that and was not happy about it. They said it was not appropriate to say during that time and that matters like that should be discussed in private.

I get that they want it to be a positive time. But, I worked 1 Nurse to 50 patients when it should be 25. Sometimes there is no staff to work, or the PSW's we are one short so then it makes it difficult as they are running on fumes. We are not paid more when we are short, and then if something goes wrong like an unreported bruise or moisture associated skin damage, they go all out and start an investigation.

This is me speaking freely but I was annoyed as this is a slap in the face to staff. Of course no one will tell them, "look no one cares about your games or food, we want to have adequate staffing so we can provide safe care." I wish I can tell them that.

Other Nurses tell me to suck it up cause they worked short too, for me its like OK speak for yourself, I don't feel comfortable working short. You want to work short let them know that but when I work there should be staff.

[JKL33]

Your feelings are probably shared by many. We have all watched these dog and pony shows going on while staff struggle along under impossible demands.

Still, management isn't going to like rain on their parades any more than anyone else does.

It's easy to say there's a time and place to air concerns; the problem is that there's never actually an acceptable time and place for them to hear concerns about staffing (well, okay....rarely).

I don't think gossipy-type comments or commenting to others under one's breath or just out into the general surrounding area are great--mostly because they are actually not going to help anything and just open the commenter up to very easy criticism.

I guess if you have concerns, voice them in a professional manner. You also have the option of stating your expectations and then being prepared to part ways if you feel the staffing is unsafe.

[Convoy2022_TrumpSupporter]

2 minutes ago, JKL33 said:

Your feelings are probably shared by many. We have all watched these dog and pony shows going on while staff struggle along under impossible demands.

Still, management isn't going to like rain on their parades any more than anyone else does.

It's easy to say there's a time and place to air concerns; the problem is that there's never actually an acceptable time and place for them to hear concerns about staffing (well, okay....rarely).

I don't think gossipy-type comments or commenting to others under one's breath or just out into the general surrounding area are great--mostly because they are actually not going to help anything and just open the commenter up to very easy criticism.

I guess if you have concerns, voice them in a professional manner. You also have the option of stating your expectations and then being prepared to part ways if you feel the staffing is unsafe.

True. It's just a slap in the face that they're spending money on stuff like that, while others work short. It's mismanagement of money. Then you're also putting Nurses license on the line

[SmilingBluEyes]

The old lipstick on a pig show.

I don't blame you for speaking up. I hope somehow it  helps.

[TriciaJ, RN]

Staffing costs money.  Children's birthday party activities are cheap.  When exactly would they like to hear about your staffing concerns?  Never, that's when.

They don't want you to point out to your gullible coworkers that the emperor is naked.  If I'd run with a double workload and then been fobbed off with stupid stuff, I'd be PO'd too.

One Christmas season my coworkers and I were constantly floated to other units.  Our manager was very stingy granting time off and even stingier about keeping us properly staffed.  That meant we spent Christmas staffing the entire hospital.  You know what we got for it?  Ice cream and root beer to make FLOATS because we FLOATED!  Wasn't that clever?

Except I never got any because I couldn't get away for lunch that day.  I think all the managers came by to enjoy the fruits of their cleverness.  Not that I'm bitter or anything.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Do they have job openings posted that they're recruiting for?

OP, I hear you, and I completely agree with your stance. It sucks. However, it might help to consider the other side...

I am the manager of a busy primary care clinic. We are currently short three MAs, due to maternity leave and movement around the organization. I am actively recruiting for their replacements with no luck so far. I am NOT of the philosophy of "any warm body" because ultimately it will hurt the department to do that. So I'm actually trying to find quality employees. We've been fortunate that this is happening in the Summer when many clinicians are taking vacations, and we have "surplus" staff. But in August and September, staffing looks UGLY.

Unrelated to that, senior leadership is wanting to reward all the clinics for the hard work everyone has done over the last 18 months with the pandemic, furloughs, etc. So they have told all the clinic leadership to throw a party in each clinic, and they've given us a budget of $12/person.

So while we're working short-staffed, we are also throwing a day of celebration in the clinic with games and prizes and food. Do the optics look *** on the surface? Sure they do. Am I simply ignoring the staffing problem and throwing a party at it? *** no, I'm actually not. I literally lose sleep at night, thinking about staffing in the coming months.

Grumbling about it to coworkers is not going to truly address the problem, and it's going to make you look bad, and it affects the morale of the department. How about setting up a meeting with your manager in order to seek to understand each other, explain how the short-staffing affects you and your coworkers, and find out if they are taking active efforts to hire additional nurses? If the answer is no, they're not actively trying to recruit, then there's your answer. I'd suggest looking for another job.

[TriciaJ, RN]

@klone, MSN, RN 

I think if you openly acknowledge to your staff that staffing is poor and you're working on it, would go a long way to maintain mutual respect.  There is nothing wrong with throwing a party while admitting that conditions are suboptimal.  People can tolerate anything when they know that you get it.

What people object to is being gaslighted, when glaring problems are denied and cheap parties are supposed to make exhausted people magically not notice their exhaustion.

Parties that acknowledge and appreciate are received differently from parties intended to mollify and obfuscate.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Of course not.. You were being shushed.. because management is trying to brainwash staff.. that everything is GREAT!

1:50?? Get outta Dodge.

[JKL33]

2 hours ago, TriciaJ said:

@klone, MSN, RN 

I think if you openly acknowledge to your staff that staffing is poor and you're working on it, would go a long way to maintain mutual respect.  There is nothing wrong with throwing a party while admitting that conditions are suboptimal.  People can tolerate anything when they know that you get it.

What people object to is being gaslighted, when glaring problems are denied and cheap parties are supposed to make exhausted people magically not notice their exhaustion.

Like x 100.

At least for me the situation itself may be the main irritation, but it's the lying about it or the disingenuous expectations and actions taken in the face of it that blows everything up. I sincerely believe that over time it amounts to psychological abuse.

I was always waiting for the day where a manager had people in a staff meeting and just decided to level with them ?. It happened on one occasion and, no surprise, it garnered significantly increased cooperation and participation in the topic at hand. I realize that leveling with staff on some things would put the manager at risk for significant criticism from elsewhere, but there are ways to let staff know that they aren't crazy, they aren't bad, they aren't the damn problem, this actually isn't the Matrix...etc.

 

[JKL33]

I do believe that management is asked for the impossible at least as much as staff nurses are. Same manager as I referenced above - was a good person. Was even-keeled, reasonable and working very hard at the job. But over time did find ways to let staff know some specific examples of the impossible position; how managers were penalized for staff actions that resulted from decisions made much higher up than the manager. Basic examples: Staff largely *refused* to fill out a not-completely-anonymous satisfaction survey = manager penalized for dismal response rate. Staff exhausted from impossible initiatives = manager penalized and told that xyz number needs to be achieved whether anyone is exhausted or not.

[TriciaJ, RN]

3 hours ago, JKL33 said:

I do believe that management is asked for the impossible at least as much as staff nurses are. Same manager as I referenced above - was a good person. Was even-keeled, reasonable and working very hard at the job. But over time did find ways to let staff know some specific examples of the impossible position; how managers were penalized for staff actions that resulted from decisions made much higher up than the manager. Basic examples: Staff largely *refused* to fill out a not-completely-anonymous satisfaction survey = manager penalized for dismal response rate. Staff exhausted from impossible initiatives = manager penalized and told that xyz number needs to be achieved whether anyone is exhausted or not.

I also get that managers are at-will employees at the mercy of the brass.  Some still manage to be honest with their staff about what they are up against.  I can forgive a lot when I'm being leveled with and when there is at least an attempt to advocate for staff.

What I have no use for is being sold out to the brass and being blatantly lied to.  And then expected to believe that when I'm run into the ground it's my fault for having poor time management skills.  It's not just psychological abuse; it is physical as well.

[SmilingBluEyes]

In my admittedly brief stint in management I did strive for honesty and transparency with staff. Klone, your points are well-taken.