So I literally just got off orientation and I am in a new specialty, so of course I won't be perfect.
Just got an email from a nurse who cc'd part of management highlighting issues she had coming off after my shift. Nothing dangerous or life threatening. One of the mistakes I made, she made as well.
I really don't know how to respond other then, "Thanks, but no thanks for throwing me under the bus! And by the way, you made the same error!"
I was running my ass all night doing a lot that some of the other nurses even admitted that they would pass on to day shift, so I am ticked about this. I know now to avoid this girl who wants to "help" me.
How should I respond if I at all? I have taken her feedback and all, and emailing me about my errors isn't what bother me, her emailing me and adding management on is what rubs me the wrong way.
Damn. Out of orientation for a few shifts and I am already being thrown under the bus!
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I guess you can't trust anyone, especially in an ICU. Never had this issue in med/surg.
ICU/critical care tends to attract the type-A, detail-oriented, anal-retentive personality types more so than the med/surg floors. Hence, you'll contend with coworkers who highlight what you didn't do for as long as you stay in critical care.
I already have a hard time asking for help because I know that this isn't the most supportive environment (this NICU has incredibly high turnover rate). This just makes me not want to ask at all. These are the type of nurses that throw you under the bus for every little thing. I wanted to stay here for a solid year, but now, I am hoping to just survive for one and leave for a better unit.
Incredibly high turnover rates show that other employees have probably had dissatisfaction in their positions as well. It's the NICU, so it's not like they started there to 'move up' and gain experience to be better qualified for a different position.
I had interviewed for a unit once where I was told that the first six months new employees were treated like crap until they had time to prove themselves. This may be what you are experiencing and I'm sorry for the crappy welcome you have received.
Learn from your experience and move on. I would not advise engaging in a tit for tat with the nurse that you have an issue with because it wouldn't help the situation. Focus on doing the best you can with your new job. Hopefully there are at least some nurses that you work with that can be supportive and understand that if you ask questions, its because you care and you want to learn an do well so that you can contribute positively to the team.
Responding to an inappropriate email just generates more inappropriate-ness. I would schedule some time with your manager to discuss the issue and the email. This kind of passive-aggressive behavior is best left ignored to wither and die. Don't feed it. I know, it's tough to do. Hang in there!
Agreed. Sometimes it's best to leave those types of emails alone.
However, if you want to appear pc to management and open to feedback, you could respond something like:
"Thank you for your feedback and advice. I will be certain to address x, y, z."
Even if this is the LAST thing you want to respond, at least management will see that you're making an effort. I hate dealing with these passive-aggressive types also, but they exist in every work place. You now know that you cannot trust this individual.
I think an acknowledgment is in order, but one that doesn't admit culpability.
Something like, "Thank you for bringing this to my attention. In the future, I hope you will bring any perceived issues directly to me so that they may be dealt with in a timely manner."
This highlights the fact that she is dodging the chain of command by not bringing it up to you first, and that emailing you afterwards is cowardly and doesn't help anybody.
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
I agree that blowing the whole thing off is probably the best response. If Nurse Tattletale keeps on being a problem, I love Macawake's idea of asking her, per policy, to whom you should report her errors.
If you're approached by the NM about this, remind her that you are always open to constructive feedback. If you feel brave enough, you can ask her if the culture of tattling is a factor in the high turnover.
Maybe some day you can help change the negative culture in that place. Or maybe at some point you just have to save yourself. Good luck either way.
That is bold. But I do wonder about that. Ever since I've started, we have averaged losing at least one nurse per month and there are several new people, mostly new grads, in training. Other nurses have told me that they have had people quit less than two months off orientation.
This is very concerning to me. I know the scheduling process and requirements are absolute crap but I wonder if some of it has to do with how staff treat each other.
One person can't change a toxic environment.
I agree that blowing the whole thing off is probably the best response. If Nurse Tattletale keeps on being a problem, I love Macawake's idea of asking her, per policy, to whom you should report her errors.
If you're approached by the NM about this, remind her that you are always open to constructive feedback. If you feel brave enough, you can ask her if the culture of tattling is a factor in the high turnover.
Maybe some day you can help change the negative culture in that place. Or maybe at some point you just have to save yourself. Good luck either way.
That is bold. But I do wonder about that. Ever since I've started, we have averaged losing at least one nurse per month and there are several new people, mostly new grads, in training. Other nurses have told me that they have had people quit less than two months off orientation.
This is very concerning to me. I know the scheduling process and requirements are absolute crap but I wonder if some of it has to do with how staff treat each other.
One person can't change a toxic environment.
Toxic environments can get stuck in repetitive cycles, the nurses who have seniority on the unit are usually burnt out and tired of mentoring new staff but because they are burnt out they chase off the new hires. Maybe the manager and human resources can interrupt the cycle by addressing the experienced nurses' burn out? If they can find ways for the experienced nurses to have better outlooks and less stress, they will be better equipped to foster a positive teamwork environment.
I think an acknowledgment is in order, but one that doesn't admit culpability.
Something like, "Thank you for bringing this to my attention. In the future, I hope you will bring any perceived issues directly to me so that they may be dealt with in a timely manner."
This highlights the fact that she is dodging the chain of command by not bringing it up to you first, and that emailing you afterwards is cowardly and doesn't help anybody.
I like this. She didn't even give me a chance. Didn't approach me directly or anything. I was definitely blind-sided.
Next time we are reporting off I will ask her if there is anything else she would like to tell me or does she prefer to get management involve and have coworkers thrown under the bus every single time there is an issue.
Ignore the email from sender. Nurses have real time jobs, that require real time communication. Go to the management that was cc'd. Ask if email is an acceptable form of communication and what is the manager's feedback on the content.
It's difficult to change a toxic environment. I had a manager hold a meeting once and tell the employees they had to speak to each other and stop coming to her for all petty issues. I thought she was great, but managers like this one are hard to come by.
Be careful about responding through email because words and phrases can be easily misunderstood and may come back to bite you. As a new employee, you are not an a position to engage your coworker in an argument at this time. It's best to ignore her, but do go to the managers office and discuss the email. Make sure management understands you acknowledge your mistakes and you are working to improve any deficiencies or expectations. Dont allow your coworker to be the source of information for your performance. You need an open line of communication with management so they get to know you. They will, hopefully, understand that this coworker is probably the source of some of the turnover and dissatisfaction in this icu.
Take some time to engage the new people in training and have them be part of your support system, if not now, at least for the future. The toxic coworkers have probably been there awhile and are not likely to leave soon. Management sometimes counts on them to be their saving grace while new people are trained or to keep a toxic work area running so the behavior is allowed to continue.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Next time we are reporting off I will ask her if there is anything else she would like to tell me or does she prefer to get management involve and have coworkers thrown under the bus every single time there is an issue.
Your youth is showing. That is an immature and unconstructive way of handling it.
I'm guessing that this nurse has decided she doesn't like you and is trying to chase you off, either through resignation, transfer, or firing. Otherwise, she would not have cc'ed management on that email, she would have spoken to you directly. You need to decide what YOU want to do. Do you want to be run off like the nurses before you? Then by all means, respond with immaturity and petulance. Do you want to stick it out, at least to get that golden year in the NICU? Then you need to take the high road, and respond with grace and maturity.
TheCommuter, BSN, RN
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