Being "written up"

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What Members Are Saying (AI-Generated Summary)

Members are discussing the implications and consequences of being written up in the workplace, with some expressing that it can lead to termination while others believe it is just a warning. Different experiences and perspectives are shared, with some members highlighting the importance of fair management and the potential for write-ups to be used as a way to address repeated mistakes.

I am a new nurse and this concept kind of worries me ...

What can you be written up for? What are the consequences? Who usually writes you up?

Thanks. I get knots in my stomach thinking about this.

Let me just ask you one last question then. You said that "a good employee will not get written up". Does that mean, by your logic, that in both of the last two facilities you worked at you were not a good employee?

Well, a good employee can mean a lot of things..It all depends how managment views you..I know that excellent people do get fired...If you look at all the NFL football coaches, they do get fired but they do find other teams to coach and are successful..

Let me say, if a person is fired, it does not mean that the person is bad..I know a lot of people in their life time get fired from jobs..Being fired, there are a lot of things you have to look at on the reasons why..

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Specializes in OBSTERTICS-POSTPARTUM,L/D AND HIGH-RISK.

I would hope that as part of a management team, that I would be fair. Having a write up means an issue has arisen that needs to be addressed. It doesn't mean that anyone is out to get anyone. Hopefully it would be a learning situation. I don't know everything even after 31 yrs of nursing. No one does. And sometimes we just need to sit down and talk with each other about how things could of been done differently. Before I became part of the management , I had some discussion about my patient care and attitude with management. I am still here. I've worked for the same hospital for 28 yrs. Usually with an any kind of write up there is a place to write down a plan of what can be done to prevent this in the future. It is meant as a learning tool.:smilecoffeeIlovecof

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
Let me just ask you one last question then. You said that "a good employee will not get written up". Does that mean, by your logic, that in both of the last two facilities you worked at you were not a good employee?

Often, in Nursing.....being a good nurse is at direct odds with being a good employee.

There are times and there are employers, where being written up can be a badge of honor.

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Hello all-I read these posts after looking for an answer regarding write ups and disciplinary action requirements. My question is this: Are we required to sign disciplinary actions that we are not in agreement with? If there are more than one complaints, you agree with one, but not the other, how do you deal with that? I have written my denial directly on the form, but because I disagree with other accusations, am uncomfortable signing. Also, when I requested to review documentation I am accused of writing, I was denied access to it for two days because the DON said she did'nt know if it was "legal" for me to see it since the incident is going through Intensive chart review. I am filing a grievance on advice of my union & this is very stressful. I am a good nurse, I care about my patients and would never do anything to intentionally put them at risk, but lapses in judgement are made every day in nursing. I am seriously thinking about getting out.

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Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.

Right now where I work, one of our best nurses is getting "written up" by our manager for tiny little things, and yes indeed, it's a paper trail that can lead to termination. She'll resign before that. I think our nurse manager has her own competentcies to complete;

1. counsel an employee for being tardy.

2. counsel an employee for missing a computer signature

3. terminate above employee because she obviously is a bad nurse.

Have HR observe at least one of these sessions.

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Specializes in Tele, Cardiac Post Op, ER.

I know this is an old post, but can written warnings from a previous job prevent you from getting a new job?

Thanks!

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I know this is an old post, but can written warnings from a previous job prevent you from getting a new job?

Thanks!

only if your former employer, gives you an unfavorable reference.

even if the (former) employer states you wouldn't be eligible for rehire, it is legal to say that, and says what has to be said.

leslie

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/SNF-LTC/Supervisory.

That just totally brought a smile to my face! LOL :D

...the "telling the doctor to kiss your a**" statement I mean.

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Specializes in retired from healthcare.

There was a time several years ago when I was written up and suspended by the nursing facility I worked in.

At this moment, I'm looking at my renewal form from Licensing and Regulatory Services. One of the questions on it reads, "Have you ever had any disciplinary actions taken against you such as suspension, revocation, or reprimand?"

My perception of it is that there is a difference between

being discipined by the State Board of Nursing and being disciplined by your supervisor. Are they referring to disciplinary action from your workplace as well as the state, or only discipline from the State Board?

I don't know how to answer this question. I have to provide a yes or no answer. I have never been disciplined by the State Board.

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
There was a time several years ago when I was written up and suspended by the nursing facility I worked in.

At this moment, I'm looking at my renewal form from Licensing and Regulatory Services. One of the questions on it reads, "Have you ever had any disciplinary actions taken against you such as suspension, revocation, or reprimand?"

My perception of it is that there is a difference between

being discipined by the State Board of Nursing and being disciplined by your supervisor. Are they referring to disciplinary action from your workplace as well as the state, or only discipline from the State Board?

I don't know how to answer this question. I have to provide a yes or no answer. I have never been disciplined by the State Board.

The question is referring to discipline from your state board of nursing.

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Hi all, I just need to vent, I'm rather upset -

I just found out that some months ago, I apparently got written up by a doctor. I work in an ICU unit and am a new grad (I graduated last year, ICU is my first job out). Here's what happened: a patient (whom I didnt get report from, all I knew is they were coming from the floor) came wheeling in and we had to do an emergent intubation. Many nurses rushed in to help me prepare, and in a small room there were at least 7 or 8 of us including 3 doctors. I was going in and out of the room attempting to help but many of the nurses were already helping prepare, so the charge nurse told me to take report, which I did.

Now, I just heard that apparently the doctor either wrote me up or wrote an email regarding my behavior, saying that when my patient came in crashing, I didn't respond. Apparently a bunch of nurses got hold of the email and were talking amongst themselves, and "they" (I don't know if that's the doctor or the nurses) are saying I need to go back on orientation for another 4 months (I just got off orientation in January).

Although shocked of this write up (that I never heard about, only through gossip), I'm most upset about how the nurses acted. I know the group of nurses, and they are the ones I look up to. I wish I found out about this through them out of concern instead of hearing that they were gossiping about me, but no one has ever said anything to me since that time.

I'm the type of person who, if I make one mistake, however small (or big) I beat myself up about it. And it's one thing for the doctor to email whoever regarding me "not responding" and that's ok, if I need performance improvements I'm very open and willing to talk about it, i WANT to know what I can do better so I can become the best nurse I can be. But it's another thing when the nurses whom I look up to gossip and talk about it, that's what upset me the most. ...Am I just being too dramatic about this? Thanks for listening, just needed to vent :(

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Specializes in Tele, Cardiac Post Op, ER.

Well if you were officially written up, meaning in writing, and you actually sign something, this is all hearsay. I don't know what to say about this. You could go to your manager and ask her what really happened and tell your side of the story. It sounds like you were doing the best you could in the circumstances. And if your co-workers are talking about you, so what? People will always talk if they have something to gossip about.

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