If I could stand in the middle of the hall at work with a megaphone, I would, because I'm tired of the whining!
Dear co-workers who hate your place of employment why are you so damned negative?
1) You have a brand new state of the art hospital, but you complain about the new building glitches that are slowly being taken care of. Ever move into a brand new house? Sometimes things need tweaking.
2)Staffing ratio is 4 patients max on a med/surg floor with stable no drip tele pt's thrown in and CNA's that kick some serious butt. You complain about receiving that 4th pt during a 12 hr shift with 2 more hours to go. You complain of being overworked. Many other hospitals operate at 5 PLUS! You also have a nurse that does your discharges, admits and education! All your charting and meds are computerized, cutting down med errors so you can have one less thing to worry about. You complain of being computerized and your pt load.
3)You work for a 'corporation' that values education and offers many classes during the year for FREE. You can take them anytime you want and get paid for going.
4)You have a floor manager that is always asking how things are going. She leaves a white board out for people to put complaints, suggestions on. There are commitees that staff members can be on. This way, WE can change or decide how things are done. But yet you complain about them micromanaging and not caring and refusing to be on the committees. It's easier to *itch than to help change things, eh?
5)Upper managment, CNO and CEO come around once a month with a cart with bagged chips, cookies, water, juice and offers it to YOU on the floor and ask how things are. They also serve an appreciation buffet covering all shifts every 4 months. It's great food and music and they thank us for working so hard. Nurses day was a huge cake for every shift, flowers for the floor and a thank you from upper managent to you personally with a hand shake. You say they are doing it to just look good. Here is a news message: How often did you see management doing this at any other facility?
6)Mangement knows everyone by their first name.
7) We received a raise this year during negotiations, with no change in insurance benefits, etc..We also won some extras that no other hospital in this corporation has. Yet you complain it wasn't enough.
8)Our corporation has a mission value that isn't money driven. Yeah, this facility does need to make money. If it doesn't, we don't work. However, they push the value in everything they do. I will not mention it here, but it's a good one and the facility attempts to live up to it. But...you complain that it's hokey and stupid.
I have worked in worse places, believe me. Totally unsafe and overworked where you see upper managment only in hall way pictures if you happen to be walking by HR.
So my dear co-workers. I love you all to death. You are my friends and nurses in arms. Yes, we have some bad days that are soo busy. But if you think you can find another place to work that is better, then leave. Your negativity is toxic and depressing to be around. You are so stuck in your negativity that you don't see the positive things happening around you and how many of us are very happy and appreciative of our employment!!!
Thanks everyone for letting me vent. I read the other posts about new grads not getting a chance to work and I work with a handful of very unappreciative people. I wish those new grads could come and work with me.:)
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
I'd probably still be in acute care if workplaces like the OP's actually existed around here. (I've got it good now in my ALF nursing director position, but it took me almost 14 years to find this job, and you can bet your sweet bippy I appreciate it!!) Too bad some people are always wanting more, more, more......ingrates!
send the complainers to acute care hopsitals where pt ratio is 1 RN:to anywhere from 6,7 or 8 pts; with varying degrees of stability, many fresh post ops... oh, and no tech help after 8pm. And you must admit/discharge by yourself and file all of the HANDWRITEN paperwork
some jerks just don't get it. or they have a neurological chemical imbalance?
anywhich way that you look at it, stay away.
their sickness may eventually osmotically affect you.
(ps i hope this is not a troll feeder.. it almost sounds too good to be real)
Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
I wish I could come work with you. It does sound like they are at least trying to make it a nice place to work.... that's a lot more than can be said for most places I have worked. Sometimes, people can't see that - they only focus on the negative (and it brings everybody down). I hope it gets better for you - low morale is difficult work around. If it's that bad for them maybe they need to see how bad it can really get out there....
Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
I think it is human nature to complain - for some people, anyway.
Maybe the complainers are more experienced in the world of work than you are? Maybe they don't trust that all the good things will last?
Personally, I have to wonder what the finances of the new place are and if it can last. I hope it does. Best wishes.
Nope, most that complain have no more experience than me. Some are new grads and others about my experience level or a few years left. Some of them have not worked anywhere else...ok, the vast majority and when they do leave, they come back, or try to.
Our hospital is totally in the black and makes a boatload of money. I really hope it does last. They are frugal as heck, and negotiations were tough, but we did well in the end. In this economy getting any raise is a good thing and they got 3% this year and will get 2% next year, yet people whined and were not appreciative of our work on the team.
The worst thing that can happen is we go up to 5 pt's. Management tries very hard to have only 4 per nurse. I have been there for 2 yrs now and have only had 5 pt one time and that is when a nurse called in sick at the 11th hour and we coudn't find anyone. Even then our boss gave us all pizza for making it through the day.
Wow, in 18 years of Nursing I haven't worked for a facility that sounds like this one. These other nurses need to go out into the cold cruel world and get a "reality check" working in any one of the majority of the nations hospitals.
Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
Its the nature of the beast Crying with two loaf's of bread while others are not so fortunate. Why do we complain well misery loves company and if your a Chronic complainer others will follow. You need to say keep away from them as much as you can and at your next meeting in-service confront them if you have the nerve. The only way to change something is to speak up and let it be known. And do it in a positive way.
You yourself is a complainer we all are at times and i don't mean to make it sound mean but you vent it here on AN and not to the Co-Workers themselves. Take a stand tell them how or what you feel . Holding things in makes it worse on you and your body and your stress level
Open and honest is what i say. No you won't win point's with your Co- Workers because people are not use to that openness but i would give it a shot. And maybe the hospital should hire New Grads they have fresh eyes and they just want in to show what they can do and i bet the drama will go down if you do hire New Grads.
Well good luck.... Anthony
Oh I do tell them. I am very blunt about it. Nice but to the point. It doesn't stop them though and when I get text messages from people having a bad day because they had to take that 4th pt, I get a bit annoyed, and yes, come here to vent. I also text them back and tell them to go work at XYZ down the road. They will come running back to our hospital.
And yes, we are hiring new people as the old ones leave. Sad though, most try to come back but their positions are filled. One came back a changed person and doesn't even dare to whine.
Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
I'd print this out and give it to your manager. If there is negativity and dissension on the floor, it's the manager's job to deal c it. Tell him/her you had a moment of uncontrolled anger and wrote it all out, and ask what you can do to help turn around the floor culture. Suggestions: Humor cart (Google it!)
My manager and I talk a lot about the culture and wanting to change it. I would love to print this out and hang it in the break room for all to see.
Manager wants people involved in their practice, brings treats and pizza on bad days and is very visual during the day, always asking how it is going. I love this manager to death and hope she never leaves!!!
autumnmom
27 Posts
That sounds great I want to work there.