How to handle sub standard evals

RobCPhT · Aug 8, 2006

Right now I am a nursing student and double major healthcare management. These evals are inappropriate my business text recommends catching people doing something good. These nurses need some serious help if they act like that. Can you ask them what you can do specifically to increase the rating of your next eval? Also ask for specific situations and how you deviated from standards if possible. I am sorry you had to deal with this mediocrity.

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Aug 8, 2006

Maybe this job is not the 'right fit' for you. I also have nursing experience, worked in critical care for 8 years, then middle management for 2 and on to 3 years of geriatrics at bedside and as a reference nurse for a sub-acute unit. When I decided to return to the hospital in ICU I found that was not where I was comfortable...the general attitude of the unit and approach to nursing was not the same as mine. I transferred to a telemetry unit and I fit in well, my 6 month review was better than I expected and I can just be myself. Unless you are looking for the experience, finding the 'right fit' for yourself is very important.

What can you do with the 3 month review...look at it for what it is. The unit you are working on is evaluating how they perceive you. You can fit into their concept of nursing or you can look for a job that fits your concept.

banditrn · Aug 8, 2006

Do you have a good supervisor? Can you talk to her about it, and maybe get suggestions? Barring that, is there a nurse there whose work you admire? Ask for tips.

I REALLY abhore those units who use 'peer reviews'. It's my opinion that the supervisor needs to be on the floor enough to KNOW what kind of job you are doing.

Melina · Aug 8, 2006

Right now I am a nursing student and double major healthcare management. These evals are inappropriate my business text recommends catching people doing something good. These nurses need some serious help if they act like that. Can you ask them what you can do specifically to increase the rating of your next eval? Also ask for specific situations and how you deviated from standards if possible. I am sorry you had to deal with this mediocrity.

Rob has great advice. One of the most important skills we can learn is how to turn criticism into a learning experience. You have every right to ask for clarification and ways to improve. Best of luck, I hope things work out.

~Mel'

leslie :-D · Aug 8, 2006

i'm a huge proponent of positive reinforcement.

in this case, you might consider writing a rebuttal, why you do or don't agree, and have it attached to your eval (and so, added to the file).

i'm really sorry you were made to feel like crap (i'm shaking my head here).

w/o a doubt, somewhere, someone will appreciate all of your fine qualities; as a nurse and as a person.

from the eval, keep what is worth keeping and blow the rest away.

and get out of that dept. asap.

leslie

TazziRN, RN · Aug 8, 2006

If this is a new job I think I would be looking elsewhere. I personally would not feel comfortable working in a facility where I did not make a good first impression at all. 5 preceptors all reported the negative? It might just be that this is not the place for you.

If this is not the first eval and the others were good, I would think about putting it off to a bad day all around and work to make sure the next one is better.

anne74 · Aug 9, 2006

I went through a similar ordeal. I'm a new grad and I've been on my unit for 6 months now. I've had a terrible time, and I've never felt accepted or comfortable on my unit. The concentration is ALWAYS on mistakes I made, and never on anything I did right. Several times I did outstanding things that were never acknowledged (such as catching doc's errors, pharmacy errors, discovering that my pt had an illeus, despite the fact that several experienced nurses and doctors overlooked it. I think these examples are pretty impressive for a new grad!)

In addition, I would ask tons of questions, and many older nurses made comments to my manager that I asked about things "I should know already." I didn't ask basic questions - and even if I did, so what? A new grad should always feel comfortable asking anything. It gets dangerous if a new grad doesn't ask questions.

Anyway, I felt sick to my stomach to show up to work and was always worried about what the new reason would be for me to get in trouble. It never feels good to work in a place where you don't feel accepted, you know everyone is commenting on your performance, and basically you're always walking on egg shells.

So a few weeks ago I told them I didn't want to work there anymore, it was a bad fit for me, etc. They were shocked, and I felt very empowered to turn the tables on them. Now since we're short staffed I'm suddenly not so bad afterall! Also, I think it was a wake-up call for them, and they're constantly asking for my feedback on what they could have done differently to make me comfortable there.

I've already shadowed in 2 other units and I'm hoping to get an interview soon. I can't wait to leave! In the meantime, I'm still on this unit and the stress has lifted a little bit because they're leaving me alone and not constantly pecking at me. And I've done great ever since they've gotten off my back.

If you continue to feel this way, you should consider going elsewhere. If you force yourself to "stick it out" and you're miserable, you could burn yourself out of nursing altogether. I knew if I didn't move, I would quit nursing. So much of your job satisfaction relies on coworkers, and every unit has it's own culture. There's probably a unit somewhere that you'd feel comfortable in, and appreciated.

By the way - we're required to pull each pt's meds separately. It's slower, but more safe. In fact, I heard it's a JACHO rule.

rach_nc_03 · Aug 9, 2006

Wow....I really know how you feel. I lost count of the number of preceptors i had in one of my jobs, and got nothing but negative feedback from some of them. Made me wonder why I thought it was a good idea to become a nurse. Worked on another unit where people would eavesdrop on conversations I had with other people, then embellish what i said and run to the unit manager to 'tattle' on me. For instance, I mentioned to one coworker (when she asked whether I was married) that my husband was overseas and would return in a year; another nurse ran to the manager and told her I said my husband would be home in three months and I'd quit as soon as he got back! Had a preceptor once who slept for FOUR HOURS on night shift, then put on an eval that I hadn't been helpful to the other staff members during the shift. HOW WOULD SHE KNOW? Gr.

I agree with the other posters- it sounds like this place is either a bad fit for you, or it just stinks. Be good to yourself and look for a job where you're appreciated!

SilentfadesRPA · Aug 9, 2006

i just had my 3 month probationary eval and almost got all 1's meaning below standard.

this in and of itself should tell you something that there was no positive comment.????? come on what is going on at this place -- a witch hunt?

i have been in nursing for a very long time, took time off to bury a parent with a lengthly illness and have come back. i admit, it was and is hard, but there is alot of good stuff i do that was not mentioned.

i am sure there was and is good things you do -- do you not find it very peculiar that none of the good stuff was not mentioned ?

even when i have been in the situation of terminating an employee i do not only focus on the negative but as well find something to compliment them on.

i've had 5 preceptors and it seems like only the faults or bad things are brought up to the manager.

what about consistency in the preceptorship you were given ?

this speaks volumes to me. does that not say anything to you ? in other words how the heck were you ever supposed to develop a sense of accomplishment and ongoing progressive learing if your continually working with different persons -- this was about you learning not about them changing that process of that learning.

when i try and defend myself i am acused of blaming others.

this line is enough and says it all about where you are and what you are going through.

what difference does it personally make if there is no line to use pyxis, i am giving meds on time, and the patients are getting the correct med?

there is no difference except someones feathers were not tickled correctly.

it seems that instead of preceptors being leaders and compassionate there seems to be a lot of back biting and negetivity. every word i could potentially utter will come back to bite me

clearly this is a no win no comprimise situation. it existed before you and will after you.

i see the nurses acting out quite unprofessionally and me being the peon could say or do nothing. i really don't like making trouble. there was another situation where i asked the preceptor "what should we do, give more................"

does the word scapegoating come to mind ?

that resulted in another ding becasue i dared to make the comment,

dont you see not only that you can not make a comment as that possibly may disprove and for sure threatens thier contrived and percieved picture --

i did not run and administer the med like a nut, i merely brought some ideas to the table so to speak.

obviously not the same table they were at. do you really want to be at the same table when your ideas are rejected over and over?

what makes a good leader/preceptor opposed to those that close thier eyes to the good and only see the flaws?

what difference does it make where you are employed at in asking what makes a good leader? -- what are your needs as someone going through orientation -- sadly that was not asked nor answered by your preceptors or manager -- who sounds like she is not doing her/his job very well to allow such bs.

this is a situation from what you described that either ageism /pettiness or group scapegoating is going on. it is toxic and one that no one should tolerate.

if you can put in your notice and get out. it is not worth another day there of emotional or professional investment.

i sincerely wish you the best. you sincerely deserve better than this.

marc

TazziRN, RN · Aug 9, 2006

By the way - we're required to pull each pt's meds separately. It's slower, but more safe. In fact, I heard it's a JACHO rule.

Um........I think the OP is pulling each pt's meds separately, just pulling all the meds for each pt all at once. I think that if JCAHO were adamantly against that, the Pyxis would not allow us to do that.

Perhaps you thought the OP meant pulling multiple pts' meds at the same time?

MarySunshine · Aug 9, 2006

If I got an eval like that I'd immediately give two weeks notice. It's clearly not a good fit. I'm sorry for the bad experience and I do not doubt that you will find an area of nursing that you thrive in. Best wishes.