handling complaints

[b eyes]

I have a quick question for you? How do you handle.complaints? Does anybody use the chain of command anymore? Or does the squeaky wheel get the grease? I was called into the supervisors office today after a nurse acting as recorder during a trauma felt I did not release her from her recording duties soon enough when not needed. I do not recall her complaint being accurate as I let her go when I felt it was time. As the lead! This is my decision. I responded to the complaint with 1. I let her go when it was no linger necessary to have her there. After the surgeon left. Because if i am going to be assisting the surgeon, i will not be able to keep an accurate Record of events.Then I asked why this is an issue.? Its clearly going to be a he said/ she said. So we went over when it was appropriate to dismiss them and when it was appropriate to keep them. Which I felt dummied me down. I asked why she didn't come to me st the time?

I guess my second question is what was I supposed to take away from this complaint as a positive.? When I asked my supervisor, he stated well....communication. huh? The only.one not communicating was the recorder who thought she should be able to leave. But truly, in my haste, am I missing something important?

And third, am I wring I'm feeling that my supervisor did not defend me by explaining to her how a trauma code is run and the lead nurse responsibility.?

[NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN]

I saw your post several days ago, and I stopped to think about this for a while.

When anyone complains about me, I stand up and acknowledge what I did and give my rationale as to why I did it that particular way. Anything past that is making excuses and just makes me look bad.

I find that I can be mad for a day or so, but things happen too quickly to hold on to whatever the issue is. Also, I have to work with that person every day, so keeping a grudge is not a good idea.

If they bring it up again it can be a whole different matter, and I will flat out speak to them and then drop it again.

If they choose to bring it up a third time, then I will feel free to hold that grudge until the end of time as they have officially shown their true colors.

As they say during training, "Once is a mistake, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern."

I can't see where you made any errors, maybe they were worried about one of their patients and getting back to them.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Conflicts during a code are a special category for me. I generally let a lot slide, or go to the person a few days later, because emotions run high. I WAS written up for telling some helpers from another floor to go, and they were annoyed because they felt they had something to contribute. I also stopped one of those people from doing a procedure not ordered- she didn't know the difference between an NGT and a feeding tube. I admit I am not a tactful person, especially when someone does the opposite of what they are asked a few times in a row. So they wrote me up.

My point being, they didn't like what I did, but I wasn't very happy with them either. I was extra annoyed when I heard about the write up. If I'm the nurse in charge of a code, you follow my instructions (leave! you are in the way). And don't assume I am lacking your excellent knowledge (I was certified in ER pediatrics, but some ER nurses are very uncomfortable with kids) So... getting back to the point...I think that nonemerg nurses sometimes haven't been in many emergent situations, and expect white glove treatment because they were kind enough to come share their knowledge.

Most nonemerg nurses come and say "how can I help!" They do tasks, and give us great tips on their specialty, I love them, just this particular night I got Frick and Frack when I needed Nurse Jackie