Bad employee evaluation review?

[sungrl01]

Hey everyone..I just had my first bad employee review. I am still a relatively new RN and my charge nurse wrote basically every negative comment that one say about someone. My nurse manager was saying that it was not bad and I got a few dollars in a raise. I know the charge nurse hasn't exactly been friendly to me since day one which I find very unfortunate. My nurse manager kept trying to make me feel better and told me not to worry. I understand in every review that there are negative comments but I would expect positive as well I would think. Or are reviews normally like that? I promise I saw NO positive comments. I just have strong work ethic and hate having that in my record. Any thoughts?

[roser13, ASN, RN]

You got "a few dollars" in a raise??

Since those of us who continue to get any type of raise at all receive " a few cents," I would guess that any less than positive comments on your evaluation carry no weight whatsoever.

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

Must not be a problem if you still got a raise. If the manager isn't worried, I wouldn't worry. She can write on your evaluation also. And honestly, no one ever really looks in your file.

[Palliative Care, DNP]

Take a deep breath & shake it off. Take any criticism that may help you improve & use it. Anything else ignore. Don't even allow her to realize she has bothered you. Do your best, get experience, and then move on if necessary :)

[Psychcns]

Agree with above. And if you can write on it i think you should and maybe your manager should too...

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

Yes, they do look at your file, esp. if you apply for another position within the same facility. Can you challenge a bad evaluation? Or at least add your own comments.

[amoLucia]

Must not be a problem if you still got a raise. If the manager isn't worried, I wouldn't worry. She can write on your evaluation also. And honestly, no one ever really looks in your file.

Uh, yes they do, esp if they're looking for ammo for a termination reason. They'll use anything & everything if they so want and they'll hit that personnel file first.

If OP is still on orientation/probation, mgt may be lining up their duckies. Even if she's in an at-will state... It can also be a way to deny unemployment.

The fact that she rec'd a significant raise is confusing to me, but sounds like a good sign.

[sungrl01]

Yeah it's confusing.. I'm telling you the comments in the boxes were not good and it def caught me off guard. I do understand I have faults but I swear I saw no positives on the sheet. By looking at it I was wondering who is this and why do they still work here. I have never thought of myself as a below par nurse. But my nurse manager kept talking it up saying the review covers the year, I'm doing good, don't worry, you got a raise etc. That's way I am confused. Again my charge nurse has really had it out for me since day one wrote the reviews.

[sungrl01]

My first bad review.. Not fun :/

[kcochrane]

It is quite common to have mostly needs improvement on your first evaluation. Only because you are new and are probably up to speed. Is there any constructive comments in the eval? Perhaps the nurse manager knows that this charge nurse does give good evaluations.

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

I meant if she leaves the facility. And we have had transfers and we aren't allowed to look into their file until they are hired. Yeah, we have had a few doozies with attendance issues. I doubt they are going to fire her over the first review, especially if the manager doesn't agree with it. Look at it, learn from it and move on.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

Bad review is subjective.

If it was that bad, then a specific plan is usually put into place to improve. Some managers also use evaluations as a to do list of everything that you need to still learn or do according to the unit's needs and wants.

It must have been the case of this, because I would think that if the review was bad enough that your nursing practice was questioned, you would have either been put back on an orientation to meet any improvement plan, and not given any sort of raise until the plan's goals were met.

To say that you need to alter what you are doing to meet their needs, although it can be annoying to hear, is well within the realm of an evaluation, and doesn't mean it is a bad review.