Experience with HR

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

My facility is nonunion. There's not much protection if you get on the bad side of the boss. I've got several issues that I raised with the boss, and didn't receive a reponse I'm satisfied with. I could go up the chain of command, but our management is severly inbred. Everybody's related to everybody else. I'm not likely to get satisfaction there either.

I'm considering HR, but in my experience that's just the first stop to getting booted out the door. Lodging a complaint is just lighting a fire that you're in the middle of.

Anybody ever go to HR with concerns, and have a good outcome?

HR ever side with you over your boss?

HR ever provide protection against boss and staff that want to retaliate?

Please let me know.

[anon456, BSN, RN]

I'm sorry you are not getting much response from your manager.

I did go to HR once on an issue that was affecting me. I made it clear I was talking in confidence. I made them aware of an issue but I did not want my name used. I was glad I went because I was told they were aware of the problem already, other staff had come forward with the same issue. They were already working to address it.

It's risky to go to HR but if you feel you must, make sure you do it in confidence to protect yourself, unless it personally involves only you. If it's a general issue that's happening you can ask them to leave your name out of it.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

HR is a risk. A huge one. Sometimes they will not honor your request to be confidential. Because they deal with every area of the facility, they will take information, but to make something work they need to have discussion with the manager. And because they are not often clinical, they also will often take a manager's word on what will work for the unit.

If it is a complaint, you can often file something with risk managment, quality assurance, compliance, or the ethical reporting system of your parent company.

If it is an employee issue, you could go back to your manager and say that although you understand that your suggestions are not priorities at this time, you would be willing to come up with a plan to address these specific issues for the review of the manager, perhpas you can speak to nurse leadership at their next meeting, etc. If it is still refused, and you feel it is a huge issue, I would then speak to your charge nurse and see what that person thinks about your ideas. With 2 of you, then I would go to the DON, and ask if you can create a plan of action.

Good luck!

[inthepipeline, LPN]

I agree that HR is a huge risk. Remember, HR is there for the company, not the employees. They only help out employees when it is in the best interest of the company. An HR worker's job does not depend on making you happy, but on making the company happy.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I agree that HR is a huge risk. Remember, HR is there for the company, not the employees. They only help out employees when it is in the best interest of the company. An HR worker's job does not depend on making you happy, but on making the company happy.

Yes, this. HR exists to protect the employer. They side with management.