Mgt, why put a spin on it?

Murse901, MSN, RN · Nov 16, 2010

That was very informative. Thank you. :up:

diane227, LPN, RN · Nov 16, 2010

I agree. As a manager I tried to get down to the facts. What this issue was and what needs to be done to fix it. I tried whenever possible to allow the staff to come up with their own solution because after all, the people doing the work are the ones having to deal with the issue. I worked for a manager recently who tried to sugar coat everything and never delivered one bit of negative news at any staff meeting I ever attended. Unit problems were never discussed and there was no time allowed for the staff to discuss ongoing problems that were occurring on the unit. Everything was wonderful and if you tried to bring up a problem or you reported problems to her, you were not there for very long.

blueheaven · Nov 16, 2010

I agree Jules, I just hate it when they do that. When you call 'em down on it, they look at you incredulously like "What BS?" Geeze. Then they wonder why their staff leaves their unit or finds a job in another hospital (or whatever).

allnurses Guide · Nov 16, 2010

I don't get why management feels that have to put a phoney, happy spin on the latest load of bs they are selling. We can see through it and it is insulting. Vent over.

I call those the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" moments. Meeting called. BS dispersed. Normal people glance sideways at each other wondering if raucous laughter is about to ensue hahaha we PUNKED ya! Serious faces remain unchanged. Normal people begin to look under the table and in closets for the telltale "pods" or black things sticking out the back of their necks that would explain ever so much - especially if a former normal person joins the ranks of "them".

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Nov 16, 2010

Jules,I have worked in large, busy teaching hospitals/private rooms etc now for nearly 25 years, in many capacities including that of RN. I have c/o of downright dangerous situations and many other issues. Sometimes I was told 'my services weren't required now' aka sacked, not that I cared. I used to think I could be strong and fight for nurses rights, but now I am getting older, I really can't be bothered anymore. I have worked with many, many senior nurses & surgeons over the years and though some are good, the worse NMs I found were in the Aussie countryside. They were all extremely overweight for a start (one of them was the health promotion NM and used to lecture on keeping fit & losing your goal weight to other nurses!), & I used to despair watching them waddle down the corridor together, strolling along with their cappucinos, with the all important clipboard in their fat arms. They have all been in the job too long, and really don't see 'management issues' as their problem. With problems on the floor, I was told once 'that's just the way it is, if you don't like it you can leave', so I did, & I left a no holds barred msg for the NM telling her exactly what I thought of her. Talking to management is a sheer waste of time - ANY management, not just nurses. It is just an unnecessary expenditure of oxygen. And I have gone higher up with issues that have really concerned me, and nothing happened. One hospital I worked at years ago had an extremely faulty hot water system that needed replacing as it used to burn patients. Complained. Nothing happened. Left. Went back 20+ years later - they had the same hot water system burning patients! I felt like I'd stepped back in time into a bygone era. The same old NMs were still there (some had been promoted) with their old-fashioned ideas and useless sayings. They all trained together & live in the same town, & nothing will change their way of thinking. They rule the hospital in my old town.

And yes you are not wrong when you say it is all BS - I totally agree. They should have to go out on the floor for blocks of 7 days - and see how they cope with the busy times. They'd probably collapse after one day.

blueheaven · Nov 16, 2010

I call those the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" moments. Meeting called. BS dispersed. Normal people glance sideways at each other wondering if raucous laughter is about to ensue hahaha we PUNKED ya! Serious faces remain unchanged. Normal people begin to look under the table and in closets for the telltale "pods" or black things sticking out the back of their necks that would explain ever so much - especially if a former normal person joins the ranks of "them".

I LOVED your post.....LOLOLOL and a big AMEN!

llg, PhD, RN · Nov 16, 2010

They do it because they will be fired if they don't. Being a middle manager is a really hard job -- in part, because of having to do BS stuff like that.

diane227, LPN, RN · Nov 16, 2010

I have worked as a staff nurse and as a manager. I believe that a person can learn to be a good manager if they take the time to do so. Also, it is imperative that managers be advocates for patient safety and for the staff. I have never met one person who did not want to deliver safe care and it is the job of the manager to assure that staff have the equipment and tools to provide that care. Managers also have to be able to stand up for what is right. They need to be direct and to the point. I have seen over and over that nurses were promoted to management positions just because they were good at the bedside. Just because you can take care of patients does not mean that you will be able to be a good manager. It really places a nurse at a disadvantage when they are placed into a position that they are not well suited for and are not given the necessary training.

nohika · Nov 16, 2010

The managers at the hospital I volunteer at are even skipping the good spin. xD "The nurses are doing this. This is bad and unprofessional." (IE, saying it's a dietary problem when the trays are not delivered despite the orders.)

There's another huge thing on "nutritious" food for postpartum Moms after their delivery vs food that they want. The hospital used to have this nice menu that was /good/ for the Mothers - it held satisfaction ratings up, patients were happy, etc.

Now they switched it to this nice...pureed glop that the moms' don't even want to touch. And the nurses are angry because the patients take it out on them.

Ahhh, management. We hate you.

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Nov 16, 2010

I don't mean to bash all managers. I have worked with some excellent NMs, who really cared re their patients, units & their nurses. But I did get very sad when they burned out from trying to fight the higher ups in nursing, who wouldn't do anything about problems they complained about. Then they would just take early retirement or leave, which was a shame.

CrufflerJJ, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Nov 16, 2010

I don't get why management feels that have to put a phoney, happy spin on the latest load of bs they are selling. We can see through it and it is insulting. Vent over.

You've got a baaaaaad attitude, mister! Obviously, you need to drink the Kool Aid and start singing the Happy Happy Joy Joy Happy Happy Joy song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H84gkp5GEAM&feature=related ) . It will all be better....even if it's not.

Meetings with mgt, however, CAN be a rich source of entertainment, especially if they include Director, VP, and CEO/CFO level personnel. Grab your BS Bingo scorecard and play along.

http://www.bullxxxxbingo.net/cards/buzzword/

NOTE: To avoid using naughty words here on AN, I've edited the above URL. To access the "real" webpage, replace the "xxxx" with a four letter word for excrement...feces...kaka, beginning with "s", and ending with "it". There are numerous versions of the score cards - just Google around and find one that best fits your corporate culture.

Enjoy, and BE HAPPY (or else)!