Hey, Managers! What's up with the "weeding out" of good nurses?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Recently there's been a spate of write-ups I've heard about that are basically bogus. Minor infractions that no one else would get written up over. I'm furious.

On the surface, it doesn't seem to be a big deal. But anyone who's been in health care can tell you--our nursing culture teaches us that bogus write-ups are a warning to get outta Dodge; it's useless to fight; easier to just change units.

So these nurses have all left for greener pastures.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the nurses were targeted because they earned more than new grads. Because coincidentally, there are a few new grads on each of these units, and the basic "numbers" of the nurses has not changed. In years.

So 'fess up, Managers, what's the deal? Is this what really is happening out there? Is your budget such that it looks better for you to keep the new grads rather than the experienced nurses? Do you use bogus writeups to "encourage" certain nurses to leave?

Or is something else afoot here?

Specializes in geriatrics, Psych.

It would seem to me that it would be better to move on than to "risk" a complaint on your work record. Good luck. I will be praying for you.

Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

You state that perception is important.

Yet, you act as if the nurses on the floor do not know who is a good nurse or a bad nurse, though they work with them more than you do. If management were eliminating the bad and not attacking the good, there would be no problem with most of those of us in the ranks.

And on the matter on "perception", it should not matter whether you are writing a paper or an opinion on the Internet. A professional discussing a matter closely related to "professionalism" of nurses will be "perceived" as more knowledgeble, if they use adequate grammar and punctuation. It also makes posts easier to understand, especially for some of the readers that are not from English speaking countries.

No one minds an occasional misspelling or punctuation error - we are all guilty of them. But when someone discusses "perception", and discusses it completely in caps and in such a way that makes it very difficult to read, it negates your message and renders it useless.

And I am sure that you want your message heard the way that you intend.

Specializes in geriatrics, Psych.

To RN 34TX

I am sorry but I disagree with you that students should not read some threads/posts. THIS is what REAL LIFE is about. I feel that some people go into Nursing for the money and the "glamor" the RN title may hold and do not realize what actually being a Nurse really entails. Working in the profession of Nursing and posting things that happen in that line of work is educatonal in itself. I do agree with you that you sound "exclusive". :bow: Please allow the "education" for us students! :saint:

Specializes in Utilization Management.
ALL THE MANAGERS IN MY FACILITY ARE EXPECTED TO FIND COVERAGE FOR THEIR OWN UNITS OR FILL IN THE HOLES THEMSELVES. I RECENTLY WORKED A 12 HOUR SHIFT DOING PT CARE. FORTUNATELY MOST OF THE STAFF WILL WORK OT. ALL THE MANAGERS IN MY FACILITY WORK ON THEIR UNITS. THEY DO NOT HAVE OFFICES OFF THE UNIT. WE ALL SEE OUR EMPLOYEES ON A FREQUENT BASIS INCLUDING OUR NOC SHIFT. I KNOW MY STAFF FAIRLY WELL.SOME MORE THAN OTHERS. YES I HAVE STAFF THAT FEEL I TARGET THEM MORE THAN OTHERS. WELL SORRY DO YOUR JOB AS YOU SHOULD FOLLOW ALL THE RULES AND YOU WON'T BE A TARGET. NEVER HAVE I BEEN TOLD BY UPPER MANAGEMENT TO TERMINATE SOMEONE JUST BECAUSE----- THEY MAKE MORE MONEY THAN A NEW GRAD ETC. I HAVE HAD IT SUGGESTED TO ME TO WATCH CLOSELY AN EMPLOYEE WHO HAS POOR JOB PERFORMANCE AND NOT TO OVERLOOK INCIDENTS TO DISICPLINE SO A PAPER TRAIL CAN BE CREATED. AS A CO-WORKER TO THESE INDIVIDUALS I WOULD THINK YOU WOULD BE GRATEFUL THAT MANAGEMENT WANTS TO ELIMINATE THE POOR PERFORMER. I FIND THE PEOPLE THAT YELL THE LOUDEST THAT MANAGEMENT IS OUT TO ELIMANTE OR STICK IT TO THE EMPLOYEES ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY IN THEIR JOB PERFORMANCE, ARE NOT FITTING IN AS A TEAM PLAYER, AND ARE GENERALLY NEGATIVE PEOPLE. AS FAR AS KNOWING EVERY EMPLOYEES COMPLAINT/COMMENT/ ISSUE THAT IS UP TO THE EMPLOYEES IF YOU WANT TO AIR YOUR DIRTY LAUNDRY THAT IS YOUR RIGHT BUT DON'T BLAME MANAGEMENT BECAUSE THE ISSUES ARE BEING AIRED AMONGST THE STAFF. IF YOUR ON THE RECIEVING END I HOPE YOU WOULD LISTEN WITH AN OPEN MIND AS USUALLY YOU ARE GETTING ONLY WHAT THE PERSON WANTS YOU TO HEAR AND USUALLY FOR THE SYMPATHY FACTOR. I HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT DO THIS AND IT IS DIFFICULY NOT TO SPEAK OUT AND CORRECT WHAT IS BEING SAID BUT AS A MANAGER WE CAN NOT ALWAYS DO THAT AS THE INFORMATION BEING DISCUSSED IS CONFIDENTIAL BETWEEN A MANAGER AND THE PROBLEM EMPLOYEE. KEY WORD: PERCEPTION

OK, I'm glad that you chose to respond but once again, this thread is NOT about nurses who have poor performance. It is about GOOD nurses with proven track records suddenly getting targeted.

"Presumption" is also a pretty good word that I'm going to throw in here. The "presumption" from management seems to be that if someone IS targeted, it's completely justified.

I disagree.

You shouldn't have to "target" anyone--even a poor performer. If you are truly being fair, you are writing up everyone who makes the same mistakes.

And therein, the entire point of this thread. "Targeting" is a waste of a manager's valuable time. Poorly performing nurses will weed themselves out, if a manager applies the rules fairly to everyone.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
This is true in most cases, but let's face it....among friends, friends talk.

Friends are honest with one another because they want sincere feedback.

Friends, yes. Coworkers.........I'm not sure. A lot of times when an employee says "I got wrote up for no reason..........." they are deflecting responsibility on the manager, and then rumors fly and it's "management it is out to get me and the nurses for no good reasons". Employees are going to try to make managers looks bad before they accept any self-responsiblity. And other employees are going to be supportive of the employee first and not management.

But I also agree with the above that we know our coworkers better than the manager does and if an employee is targeted unfairly, we're going to see it and know it.

I for one /counsel/discipline nurses for unsafe practice, violating policy, etc. As an example, reading a family members medical record, when they are not caring for them (HIPAA violation), not following protocol/orders/best practice. Leaving the department (off campus) to smoke a cigarette and thus leaving their coworker alone (unsafe?). Not telling anyone they are leaving the floor so that we/I could provide coverage. Do I first decide if this employee is someone with tenure, or a nurse who has seniority and gets paid a higher salary, absolutely not, I judge the situation on it's own merits.

Wow, you sound AWESOME! Unfortunately, some of the situations that you speak of were practiced on a daily basis by the 'favored' clique at the hospital that I left and it was OK with the manager. These few were 'supposed' to be the best nurses in our post-anesthesia unit.

When I started having 'problems' with management saying I couldn't keep up with these 'star' employees, the union suggested that chart audits be done. It was found that a couple of these 'great' nurses hadn't actually even done ANY patient care for days on end! :rolleyes:

Was there any apology to me? Nope, it was dropped.

I have had a couple of great managers over the years - these people were my heros - but this last one was just worthless.

Specializes in OB, HH, ADMIN, IC, ED, QI.

another advantage of the Canadian healthcare program. No coincerns about increased costs of having oilder, more experienced nurses. Management in the US only sees the (financial) bottom line.

Specializes in OB, HH, ADMIN, IC, ED, QI.

Keep in mind, that being part of the solution to the problems facing us, is preferable to staying aside with your "head in the sand"!

There are good and bad managers in all types of jobs, not just nursing. Usually, as a volunteer, I don't have too much trouble from anyone. However, as previously mentioned, I dared to ask a manager about the supplies being locked up. I got a rather hostile reaction and resigned. Being a volunteer, I didn't have financial stake in the job (unlike a nurse who probably needs the money), so I was able to leave.

Someone, a manager, mentioned here that "it's just a matter of perception".

I have often seen that management people who say "it's a matter of perception" or "you're just seeing the glass half empty instead of half full" or some other cliche just mean to use semantics to blow smoke & cover their actions.

If you chase away someone like me, a volunteer, who only wanted to be able to do my job, you can argue about "perception" or "half empty, half full" until hell freezes over. Most people are going to see that and say "bad management" without having to do a prolonged analysis of the situation.

you know, i've come to conclude that 'perception' is rather useless.

an exemplary employee can have the "perception" that less-than-stellar employees are being favored by mgmt:

or the low morale on your unit is really non-existent, so say the mgrs.

or pt care is being jeopardized in favor of the almighty $$- all perceptions of an innocent bystander/employee.

this employee goes through the proper channels in communicating concerns;

never insubordinate.

pt care is never a concern.

seemingly a top-notch employee whose ideals include team-work, aspires to the highest standards of care, attendance is perfect and is professional and courteous to all s/he encounters.

yet such perceived confidence can make a less-than-secure mgr highly threatened.

a paper trail is created;

w/pre-texted warnings and trumped-up charges.

either this once-stellar employee has quit under duress, or is fired.

the co-workers that you have worked with for yrs, disappear to only hide somewhere.

they don't want to get involved for fear of retribution.

all because of the wrong people in mgmt and their perceptions of a threat to their title and perceived authority.

it happens, and far too often.

any 'mgr' who tries to bounce it back on the employee, is merely playing head games.

any mgr who gets too defensive, only sees the truth as it is spoken, yet opts to hide from it.

a good manager will weed out those who truly deserve to be;

will remain impartial with their goal in being fair and beneficent to all.

equal treatment, all for the good of the unit/patients/employees.

really, it's not too much to ask.

angie speaks the truth.

it happens.

leslie

OK, I'm glad that you chose to respond but once again, this thread is NOT about nurses who have poor performance. It is about GOOD nurses with proven track records suddenly getting targeted.

"Presumption" is also a pretty good word that I'm going to throw in here. The "presumption" from management seems to be that if someone IS targeted, it's completely justified.

I disagree.

You shouldn't have to "target" anyone--even a poor performer. If you are truly being fair, you are writing up everyone who makes the same mistakes.

And therein, the entire point of this thread. "Targeting" is a waste of a manager's valuable time. Poorly performing nurses will weed themselves out, if a manager applies the rules fairly to everyone.

I saw this happen once. The perception was that it was the 'good nurses with the proven track record' who were getting taken out. Granted, those nurses had BEEN THERE longer than anyone else. But truth be known, it wasn't about money, or trumped up charges either. Changes were coming. The administration went around and told what those changes were going to be.

They said things like, "good people are going to lose their jobs if this, this, and this, doesn't happen." Those with the 'proven track record' thought they were exempt from this. They were making statements like, "when this job gets so I don't get any personal satisfaction out of it, I don't want to be here anyway."

I guess they found out that the bottom line as far as the agency was concerned was not their personal satisfaction, or their proven track record. There was a problem. They were not part of the solution, so they were out of the equation.

I guess they found out that the bottom line as far as the agency was concerned was not their personal satisfaction, or their proven track record. There was a problem. They were not part of the solution, so they were out of the equation.

i'm not saying this doesn't happen.

but when good employees are specifically targeted, it is not because they weren't part of the solution.

a good employee understands the value of teamwork.

a good employee does not think they are exempt, or exceptions to the rules.

angie is not talking about a gen'l warning from administration.

when this targeting occurs, there are no ambiguities.

these atrocities cannot be sugarcoated.

it is blatant bullying and harrassment.

and until one has personally experienced, witnessed or is party to these occurrences, the truth is hard to swallow.

leslie

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