Background: I am a fairly new RN who has been working LTC for about a year. We have been in need of a unit manager for close to the entire time I have been there. I figured being so new it was out of reach, and I wanted to cut my teeth on the floor as much as possible.
A few weeks ago the DON approached me and encouraged me to apply for the unit manager position. I applied, interviewed, and waited. Week or so later I was informed that the higher ups wanted me to get more experience on the floor. I really couldn't argue with that. Then I found out the UM they did hire is a new grad...but with a BSN (I have an ASN). I felt some sour grapes but in this economy was happy to have a job period.
Few days ago the DON calls me up and with a few other managers in attendance tells me that if I was willing to wear dentures I would be promoted to Unit Manager....I thought at first they were joking and this was just a creative way to offer me the position after all..
They weren't joking.
I asked them was the only reason I was denied a promotion was because I didnt wear dentures and they spoke in the affirmative.
Now, I don't have teeth, and unless I told you, you would never know. My face hasn't fallen in on itself, my speech is perfectly clear, and I don't tend to give "toothy" smiles.
I own dentures, but never took to them. I lisp when I wear them, grimace a lot, and drinking anything hot really is a pain with them in.
So, I took the promotion but feel a little let down by my company that "teeth" are a pre-req for management. I know all about "professional" appearances and all...I keep my hair short, press and starch my scrub creases (Former Marine), cover my tattoos (again, former Marine) with a long sleeve scrub jacket, and try to keep compose myself as a medical professional.
Maybe I am making too much out of this but makes me wonder what else could have been asked...I have streaks of grey and white in my hair...hair dye?, I wear reading glasses sometimes..contacts?...I wear my laugh lines and crows feet proudly...botox?..I'm overweight...bariatric surgery?
mgmt, for hiring you...or you, for getting either demoted or fired once you're caught.
it's unfortunate that they were trusting enough to share their feelings with you, and promoted you to give you the chance you avidly sought.
this is the norm of u.s. society and business...nothing new, nor was it discriminatory.
folks just don't get it...it really IS what it is...until someone comes along and changes it.
best of luck to you.
leslie
Damn Leslie, you must be a ball at funerals and wakes.
After reading a few of the post that started to border and the "aggressive" with a distinct undercurrent of "Yes, you are a freak by the normal standards for not having teeth, life sucks, etc etc" I decide to lighten the mood of the post with abit of humor and I get you prophesying my dismissal and or demotion?
Aside from the fact that I really do not like wearing them, they did cost me over $1k after all fittings (and yes refittings for those who kept telling me to get them refit). They are not something I absently keep in my pockets which can't even hold inkpens very well more or less a set of dentures.. Also I believe I stated I did not think it was discrimination nor came anywhere close to rising to that level, I just consider the whole incident unfortunate.
I actually take all advice I get on AN to heart and weigh it all for what it's worth..you offered no advice just a little venom tinged text..or hey..maybe your a better humorist then i am and I dont get your sense of humor.
I won't speak for Leslie, but I gave kudos to her comment because I found your follow-up distasteful for it's unprofessionalism. You should not have taken the position if you cannot meet their honest request with a happy heart. You clearly resent your own good fortune, which is odd, to say the least.
I suspect you will not be long in this new position, but I do wish you luck.
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
That's one I've not heard before!
I have yet to find a pair of shoes that don't bug my feet by the end of a 12 hour shift. I prefer to go barefoot and suspect as short as I am that most of the time I could have my pants long enough not to show if I am wearing shoes or not unless someone were distinctly looking. But I bow to the conformity of wearing shoes while at work. It is just a check-the-box requirement. I guess I see wearing teeth the same as any other socially conforming accessory. Some jobs require certain uniforms. It sounds like being a manager in your facility requires one have decent dentition.
I am sure it stung a bit since you assumed nobody could tell. Them bringing it up pretty much disavows that belief. It also sounds like you reacted within reason, did what you had to do and got the promotion. I hope you get used to them or get better fitting ones. Congratulations on your promotion and having a good sense of humor. :)
Background: I am a fairly new RN who has been working LTC for about a year. We have been in need of a unit manager for close to the entire time I have been there. I figured being so new it was out of reach, and I wanted to cut my teeth on the floor as much as possible.
A few weeks ago the DON approached me and encouraged me to apply for the unit manager position. I applied, interviewed, and waited. Week or so later I was informed that the higher ups wanted me to get more experience on the floor. I really couldn't argue with that. Then I found out the UM they did hire is a new grad...but with a BSN (I have an ASN). I felt some sour grapes but in this economy was happy to have a job period.
Few days ago the DON calls me up and with a few other managers in attendance tells me that if I was willing to wear dentures I would be promoted to Unit Manager....I thought at first they were joking and this was just a creative way to offer me the position after all..
They weren't joking.
I asked them was the only reason I was denied a promotion was because I didnt wear dentures and they spoke in the affirmative.
Now, I don't have teeth, and unless I told you, you would never know. My face hasn't fallen in on itself, my speech is perfectly clear, and I don't tend to give "toothy" smiles.
I own dentures, but never took to them. I lisp when I wear them, grimace a lot, and drinking anything hot really is a pain with them in.
So, I took the promotion but feel a little let down by my company that "teeth" are a pre-req for management. I know all about "professional" appearances and all...I keep my hair short, press and starch my scrub creases (Former Marine), cover my tattoos (again, former Marine) with a long sleeve scrub jacket, and try to keep compose myself as a medical professional.
Maybe I am making too much out of this but makes me wonder what else could have been asked...I have streaks of grey and white in my hair...hair dye?, I wear reading glasses sometimes..contacts?...I wear my laugh lines and crows feet proudly...botox?..I'm overweight...bariatric surgery?
Guess Im just confused and disappointed
I feel the same way. Once I was offered the Chief Executive Officer position in a Fortune 500 company but I had to refuse it. It was a great job, but here's the kicker, they wanted to force me to get a circumcision. I told them I was not able to do it, my foreskin and I have a great relationship. Best of luck to you and your gums.
I actually take all advice I get on AN to heart and weigh it all for what it's worth..you offered no advice just a little venom tinged text..or hey..maybe your a better humorist then i am and I dont get your sense of humor.
my apologies for presuming you'd know what to do.
honor the agreement you made w/mgmt, and wear your darned dentures.
if you can't honor it, then return to your prior position if able.
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
I feel the same way. Once I was offered the Chief Executive Officer position in a Fortune 500 company but I had to refuse it. It was a great job, but here's the kicker, they wanted to force me to get a circumcision. I told them I was not able to do it, my foreskin and I have a great relationship. Best of luck to you and your gums.
I just have to ask - how on earth would they even know the status of your foreskin? Teeth - pretty visible. member - normally not so much.
honor the agreement you made w/mgmt, and wear your darned dentures.
if you can't honor it, then return to your prior position if able.
leslie
I agree with you Leslie, but I would go so far as to say that even in a non-management position a professional person should wear their teeth. It is the societal norm. I have never worked with a nurse who did not have teeth. The only time I have encountered people in the workplace without them, they always work in positions like housekeeping or the kitchen and even that's rare. My grandmother worked in the laundry at a nursing home and she wouldn't have been caught dead out of the house without her dentures.
I have yet to find a pair of shoes that don't bug my feet by the end of a 12 hour shift. I prefer to go barefoot and suspect as short as I am that most of the time I could have my pants long enough not to show if I am wearing shoes or not unless someone were distinctly looking. But I bow to the conformity of wearing shoes while at work. It is just a check-the-box requirement. I guess I see wearing teeth the same as any other socially conforming accessory.
Careful, or you'll have someone crying the blues that there are people who can't afford shoes or who might be allergic to shoe-making materials. And then another person will come along and say, "It's our souls that should be weighed, not our soles." Pretty soon a lobby will begin to get the EEOC to declare barefooted preference as a disability.
My dentures do not hurt me, I am just not used to them and that causes my "grimace", I "know" they are forgeign objects in my mouth and I think I mentally rebel against that.
I don't have a comment on your professional situation, but I would venture to say that the reason you notice them so much is because you don't wear them.
I can only equate this to the long process of orthodontia I went through in the '80s. I had something called a palate spreader to...well...spread it while I was still growing. I spoke with a lisp and constantly felt it with my tongue until I got used to it, and my orthodontia-caused speech impediment disappeared after a couple of weeks. I also didn't notice the appliance in about the same amount of time. On the other hand, I also received a palate retainer at the end of my treatment that I had to remove during meals, and I never quite got used to that.
The difference between your situation and mine during that time is that the palate spreader was permanently cemented to my upper palate is that I had no choice but make adjustments that I wasn't even aware of making in order to speak properly. If you wear them, you will also get used to it, I'm sure.
If you're able to pop them in and out while working, you must not be using a dental adhesive? Use that and I bet they will feel more comfortable, your lisp will be better, and you'll be able to handle liquids easier.
Only downfall is that you won't be able to play jokes on your co-workers as easily.
Like I said in my previous post, I have a partial and I know how hard it is to get used to wearing them.
Wow, it must really suck being judged based on your appearance like that.
I can't imagine how I'd feel it someone made judgements on my qualifications based on my hair, makeup, clothing, teeth, height, or the size of my rear end. Oh wait, I'm a girl, so yes I can.
CareteamRN70
155 Posts
Damn Leslie, you must be a ball at funerals and wakes.
After reading a few of the post that started to border and the "aggressive" with a distinct undercurrent of "Yes, you are a freak by the normal standards for not having teeth, life sucks, etc etc" I decide to lighten the mood of the post with abit of humor and I get you prophesying my dismissal and or demotion?
Aside from the fact that I really do not like wearing them, they did cost me over $1k after all fittings (and yes refittings for those who kept telling me to get them refit). They are not something I absently keep in my pockets which can't even hold inkpens very well more or less a set of dentures.. Also I believe I stated I did not think it was discrimination nor came anywhere close to rising to that level, I just consider the whole incident unfortunate.
I actually take all advice I get on AN to heart and weigh it all for what it's worth..you offered no advice just a little venom tinged text..or hey..maybe your a better humorist then i am and I dont get your sense of humor.