I am a Nicu nurse. I wont go into detail about what type of an issue and all, as that doesnt really matter. Long story short, I got a verbal disciplinary action by my manager in front of several other coworkers today. I mean, she stopped me there and just lectured what I just did, how I shouldnt do it, do that, dont do that, etc. She talked for several minutes which is actually a long time in that circumstance. Seceral nurses were around; and they all listened to it. Some of them looked at us and turned their back. But I am very sure that that event was very witnessed and talked about once I left. Needless to say, I was and am still very embarrassed.
I cant defend myself about the subject as I deserved the talk and whatever disciplinary action I may face for it. However, I don't think that is the way to discipline your employee either. In front of everbody! I got my MSN in nursing administration, and I am sure that that is not they way of doing it. Not professional, not nice in any way.
The verbal action was all that happened. While still at work, I expected all day to be called into manager's office to sign papers for it and making the disciplinary action official. But it didnt happen. I actually wanted to be called for it, because I wanted to voice my frustration about the way it was handled too. As my manager, she has every right to discipline her employee if she sees something, but an employee also has a right not to be embarrassed in front of others during it too. Anyway, I am going back to work tomorrow. I may be called into the office, or not, I dont know. All I know is, I am frustrated, demotivated, and embarrassed.
My question is, should I get in contact with my manager if I dont hear from her and discuss my concern about the way she handled it? If so, how? Face to face? E mail?
Umm, I dont agree actually. To me, this was just a nicer way of saying, "Sorry, it felt embarrassing, but you deserved it. It is best to do it in private, but it doesn't have to be, in such case. If you dont want this to happen again, then don't do what you did again". She did not accept her wrong doing. She just apologized for my feelings. :S
I don't think she got herself any lesson out of this.
This happened to me previously. I was in the nurses station and at about four words in I held my hand up and told my manager to STOP. I told her that we needed to go somewhere private and we did. After she disciplined me I told her how very unprofessional she was trying to call me out in front of my coworkers. She didn't care much about me after that but she never did again. I'd have a talk with the boss about it.
I LOVE this idea. I will definitely stop the conversation if anything like this happens again in public. Stopping your manager and reminding her of employee rights would actually put the manager in an embarrassing situation, but it would be her fault.
Yes, it is important for the employees to maintain the discipline in front of other employees. Because this will maintain the business surrounding. But this doesn't mean that there should be too much of discipline.
Praise in public, discipline in private is an ideal that I agree with the vast majority of the time, for reasons that should be pretty apparent to anyone who has ever had Psych 101. But I'm going to dissent from most of the responses here.
I don't know what your error was, and I am not asking you to elaborate on that. But as long as your manager was using reasonably professional language, there was no name-calling or reference to any past performance issues of yours, and her voice volume and tone were not completely out of line ... I don't think there is anything really wrong with what occurred based on your description. "Less than ideal" does not equal "wrong" or "improper".
Several things could be in play here. She could have observed you doing something that has been a chronic problem unit-wide. Is it ideal or fair that you were called out on it? No. But this doesn't completely invalidate her public discipline as a means of addressing the problem.
Perhaps it's something that she is also under the gun from her manager for. In an ideal world, there would be education on the topic with positive reinforcement only .... everyone would have an "aha" moment and improve ... and everything would be lovely. But is it reasonable to expect that life will always work that way?
From your description, I think she handled your private conversation professionally. She apologized for the embarrassment, but stated clearly her reasons why she believes it was justified. This is within her scope, as a manager. She offered the opportunity for review of the situation by the appropriate additional parties - her boss, and HR.
I understand the humiliation you are feeling. It is unpleasant and difficult. But not all life lessons are learned in ways that are pleasant.
It is also your prerogative to hold the opinion that her actions were unacceptable. You have the ability to look elsewhere for employment, if this is a tipping point for you.
I think you did the right thing talking to her. While the infraction probably needed immediate correction, the lecture was definitely better left to be done in private. You have a right to keep your disciplinary status private. It's your business and no one else's.
Specializes in Med/Surg, OR, Peds, Patient Education.
Praise in public, discipline in private is an ideal that I agree with the vast majority of the time, for reasons that should be pretty apparent to anyone who has ever had Psych 101. But I'm going to dissent from most of the responses here.
I don't know what your error was, and I am not asking you to elaborate on that. But as long as your manager was using reasonably professional language, there was no name-calling or reference to any past performance issues of yours, and her voice volume and tone were not completely out of line ... I don't think there is anything really wrong with what occurred based on your description. "Less than ideal" does not equal "wrong" or "improper".
Several things could be in play here. She could have observed you doing something that has been a chronic problem unit-wide. Is it ideal or fair that you were called out on it? No. But this doesn't completely invalidate her public discipline as a means of addressing the problem.
Perhaps it's something that she is also under the gun from her manager for. In an ideal world, there would be education on the topic with positive reinforcement only .... everyone would have an "aha" moment and improve ... and everything would be lovely. But is it reasonable to expect that life will always work that way?
From your description, I think she handled your private conversation professionally. She apologized for the embarrassment, but stated clearly her reasons why she believes it was justified. This is within her scope, as a manager. She offered the opportunity for review of the situation by the appropriate additional parties - her boss, and HR.
I understand the humiliation you are feeling. It is unpleasant and difficult. But not all life lessons are learned in ways that are pleasant.
It is also your prerogative to hold the opinion that her actions were unacceptable. You have the ability to look elsewhere for employment, if this is a tipping point for you.
Your first paragraph was correct.
However, to discipline an employee in public, in front of other employees is always contraindicated unless what the employee was about to do or had done put a patient or other employee in imminent danger.
JenFad
34 Posts
This is a good outcome.