I got a verbal warning for not greeting the new Director of Care?

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

Specializes in ACE.

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Basically we have a new manager and the CEO of the home was introducing her around the building. I have a good relationship with the CEO.  They both came up on the floor and greeted all the staff at the nursing station. I was sort of flustered with my work I had 2 falls, agitated patients, family complaint of their patient not getting their meal, etc... they even served cake at the nursing station (gotta eat it at the lunch room though) to celebrate the start of this new manager. So when I was absent for all of these, the manager then got upset and told the CEO how she felt.

The next day on my shift, I went to the CEO's office and other Nursing managers/educators told me "Hey you're a good worker. I don't want to give you a letter that will be on your record, but for now I will give you a verbal warning. You did not participate in greeting the new manager. It is a sign of disrespect and will not be tolerated here".

At first I was very shocked. Like seriously? I said "May I speak freely"? The managers said "Yes".  I said "Okay. I am sorry that I was unable to join your cake celebration. But you have to understand. I had 2 falls, patients getting antibiotics, agitates patients, patients O2 going low because they remove their nasal prongs etc... so as you can see, due to the dire situation, going to your cake party/celebration could not be on top of my priority".

They thought I was mocking them. They just said "do not let it happen again".

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Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.

That's ridiculous. Did they want you to let a pt desaturate, be off schedule on their antibiotics, fall and get injured, assault staff, just so you could suck up to the new manager and eat cake at the nurse's station during covid and in front of family members who are already upset? If a family member who is waiting for assistance sees the nurses sitting around chatting and eating cake, they will be really mad. That is unprofessional. Patient care first, not cake! The C in ABC is circulation... not cake! LOL

I hope your new manager gets her priorities straight, sounds like she is not off to a good start if she is more concerned about being greeted like a queen and not patient safety and satisfaction... ahh I feel for you!

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Specializes in ER.

They sound extremely self-important. That is totally disrespectful and degrading. What horrible people.

There is a nursing shortage right now because of the virus. I encourage all people to reevaluate, and apply for better jobs and better situations.

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19 minutes ago, DK123 said:

So when I was absent for all of these, the manager then got upset and told the CEO how she felt.

She's going to be super fun to work with. I'd start looking for a new job now.

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Specializes in ER, Pre-Op, PACU.

Sounds like a manager that hasn’t been a bedside nurse for years or has never been a nurse. How silly on her part. I would second trying to find another job.

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Never speak freely. Just say "That was not my intention" and "understood." Next time something like this happens you say, "Welcome!" or Nice to meet you," take their cake, go somewhere and throw it in the trash and go do your work.

Their attitude is wrong. But how much worse is it when they can so easily make others look like the problem? Now, because of an emotional reaction, they can pretend they got their feelings hurt over their cake party and label you as the problem. Speaking freely is not a winning strategy. Explaining your feelings is not a winning strategy. Telling them commonsense, rational things is not a winning strategy. Buckle down and be smarter.

??

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1 hour ago, JKL33 said:

Never speak freely. Just say "That was not my intention" and "understood." Next time something like this happens you say, "Welcome!" or Nice to meet you," take their cake, go somewhere and throw it in the trash and go do your work.

Their attitude is wrong. But how much worse is it when they can so easily make others look like the problem? Now, because of an emotional reaction, they can pretend they got their feelings hurt over their cake party and label you as the problem. Speaking freely is not a winning strategy. Explaining your feelings is not a winning strategy. Telling them commonsense, rational things is not a winning strategy. Buckle down and be smarter.

??

The problem with this response, which is the correct one, is that some dolt like me can't even think of it three days after the situation. 

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Specializes in Rehab/Nurse Manager.

Laughing at this post because of how ridiculous the situation is.  I fail to see how doing your job was disrespectful to any staff member. 

Seriously, though, if the manager wanted to meet you, couldn't she have introduced herself? 

 

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Specializes in Mental health, substance abuse, geriatrics, PCU.

Well, this doesn't bode well for how the manager's "reign" is going to go.

This post is an excellent reason why I have always worked night shift. 

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Specializes in ACE.
9 hours ago, JKL33 said:

Never speak freely. Just say "That was not my intention" and "understood." Next time something like this happens you say, "Welcome!" or Nice to meet you," take their cake, go somewhere and throw it in the trash and go do your work.

Their attitude is wrong. But how much worse is it when they can so easily make others look like the problem? Now, because of an emotional reaction, they can pretend they got their feelings hurt over their cake party and label you as the problem. Speaking freely is not a winning strategy. Explaining your feelings is not a winning strategy. Telling them commonsense, rational things is not a winning strategy. Buckle down and be smarter.

??

I tend to speak freely. I'm not sugarcoating anything. I'm going to tell you exactly how it is.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

This does not bode well. These guys are way too egotistical for my liking.

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Specializes in CNA.

That is extremely weird. Something similar happened to me, I never said hello to a certain Dr and he would complain to the charge nurses. The charge nurses ( two different ones on different occasions) brought me into a room to talk to me alone. They in all seriousness told me I need to say hi to him, and I would say "but he never says anything to me." Then he was at the nurses station and had a huge angry blow out to the staff about me not saying hi. I walked by and he noticed me and everyone was quite and still he didn't say a word to me. I hinted to another nurse that I was feeling "harassed "  and they were buddies so im sure she told him. Never heard a word from him again. 

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