I'm in trouble for doing my job?!

[LokiM]

I don't understand this.

I was hired to do several very specific tasks as well as my usual nursing care and charge duties. My compensation is calculated to include these tasks. As an example, I am responsible for ordering supplies that are not part of our units regular stock. Because I am responsible for this I get paid an additional dollar an hour for every hour I work, whether or not I'm actually ordering supplies or doing patient care.

Today I was called in to my managers office and was told that there had been a complaint that I was doing these tasks too often and no one else had an oppurtunity to do these same tasks. The complaint wasn't that I spent too much time on these tasks but that others weren't given the oppurtunity to do these tasks.

Now, I am supposed to offer others the oppurtunity to do the tasks I was hired to do, even though my manager says he is quite happy with how I am doing the tasks and has had no problem with my performence in the 5 years I have been doing these doing these tasks. I still get paid whether I do the tasks or not and if someone else does these tasks then they expect to get compensated for doing so.

It does not make sense to me to pay someone else for what you are already paying me to do.

I was blown away that my manager did not tell whoever was complaining that these tasks were already assigned and if they wanted to do extra, other tasks were available, not that they could also do mine!

[KarynicaRN]

that is really messed up. you are assigned a job and then get told you should leave a little extra for someone else? at least you are doing your job! why can't management ever just let well enough alone?

i would be frustrated and upset to say the least.

[SchnauzersRock]

I don't understand this.

I was hired to do several very specific tasks as well as my usual nursing care and charge duties. My compensation is calculated to include these tasks. As an example, I am responsible for ordering supplies that are not part of our units regular stock. Because I am responsible for this I get paid an additional dollar an hour for every hour I work, whether or not I'm actually ordering supplies or doing patient care.

Today I was called in to my managers office and was told that there had been a complaint that I was doing these tasks too often and no one else had an oppurtunity to do these same tasks. The complaint wasn't that I spent too much time on these tasks but that others weren't given the oppurtunity to do these tasks.

Now, I am supposed to offer others the oppurtunity to do the tasks I was hired to do, even though my manager says he is quite happy with how I am doing the tasks and has had no problem with my performence in the 5 years I have been doing these doing these tasks. I still get paid whether I do the tasks or not and if someone else does these tasks then they expect to get compensated for doing so.

It does not make sense to me to pay someone else for what you are already paying me to do.

I was blown away that my manager did not tell whoever was complaining that these tasks were already assigned and if they wanted to do extra, other tasks were available, not that they could also do mine!

First off: Your manager is spineless. If was doing his job, he would be telling everyone to mind their own business, and to leave you alone to do what you were hired to do. Let us also add to the mix that there is the ever so evident passive/aggressive personality at work here. He's happy, but others are complaining, and he "just wants you to know" these things. Hmmm.

Secondly: Toxic environment. (See above) This won't turn out well for you. You may even be asked to step aside and let someone take a shot the ordering and the additional one dollar an hour bonus. It may also be to your benefit to keep and/or obtain a copy of your job description from HR just in this this happens to come up again.

As an aside note, I have met very few managers over the past 16 years who actually managed. The worst of the lot? DONs in LTC facilities. In one facility I worked at, there were SIX DONs in three years time. Incredible.

[Xbox Live Addict]

I don't understand this.

I was hired to do several very specific tasks as well as my usual nursing care and charge duties. My compensation is calculated to include these tasks. As an example, I am responsible for ordering supplies that are not part of our units regular stock. Because I am responsible for this I get paid an additional dollar an hour for every hour I work, whether or not I'm actually ordering supplies or doing patient care.

Today I was called in to my managers office and was told that there had been a complaint that I was doing these tasks too often and no one else had an oppurtunity to do these same tasks. The complaint wasn't that I spent too much time on these tasks but that others weren't given the oppurtunity to do these tasks.

Now, I am supposed to offer others the oppurtunity to do the tasks I was hired to do, even though my manager says he is quite happy with how I am doing the tasks and has had no problem with my performence in the 5 years I have been doing these doing these tasks. I still get paid whether I do the tasks or not and if someone else does these tasks then they expect to get compensated for doing so.

It does not make sense to me to pay someone else for what you are already paying me to do.

I was blown away that my manager did not tell whoever was complaining that these tasks were already assigned and if they wanted to do extra, other tasks were available, not that they could also do mine!

I should think that it would be the Manager's job to delegate these tasks, not yours, since you are not in a management position. In most places, jobs like these are assigned to either senior personnel or those willing to do them, for those jobs that no one else wants to touch, and if these people get paid extra for more responsibility, more power to them. If the manager had concerns about fairness for these extracurricular activities, s/he should rotate staff assigned to them.

[Xbox Live Addict]

As an aside note, I have met very few managers over the past 16 years who actually managed. The worst of the lot? DONs in LTC facilities. In one facility I worked at, there were SIX DONs in three years time. Incredible.

I've been there before. The good DON's - the ones who fought Corporate tooth-and-nail to ensure adequate staffing and supplies for quality resident care - the kind of DON a LTC NEEDS, in other words - got disgusted and bailed, often totally disillusioned, before the ownership found a reason to fire them. The bad ones hung on, ending up not only getting fired, but disciplined by the BON as well.

[SchnauzersRock]

I've been there before. The good DON's - the ones who fought Corporate tooth-and-nail to ensure adequate staffing and supplies for quality resident care - the kind of DON a LTC NEEDS, in other words - got disgusted and bailed, often totally disillusioned, before the ownership found a reason to fire them. The bad ones hung on, ending up not only getting fired, but disciplined by the BON as well.

I've seen that too. Corporate doesn't give one iota about the residents or staff in the nursing homes. The only people that matter are the shareholders, and the self pay private roomers. Keep profits up, morale down. I know of one DON whom I liked, and was a good one, who could not even go to lunch without the administrator calling her on her cell phone wondering when she would be back to the facility. When she gave her notice of resignation, someone from corporate called her to do an exit interview. When she found out who it was, she hung up the phone without talking to them. She was an awesome DON, they used her, and she had simply gotten fed up and decided to leave. You should have seen the two that followed her. Not pretty.

[MzMouse]

Wow, that is insane. You should have never been bothered with this. Your manager should have told the complainers that you are doing your job and left it at that. Who the heck are these people complaining to management about this sort of trivial stuff!

[BlueRidgeHomeRN]

wtf???

sounds insane....

[paddlelady, BSN, RN]

I think if your manager wanted to they could make a schedule for others to do this task. As maybe they are feeling that they are not as profecient with this task and would like to be able to perform this task if you are not available (eg vactions, illness, etc). Also if you have staff meetings it would be a good time to bring this matter up in a democratic way. Saying that you have noticed that other would like to do this task and get the staffs opinion on how often they would like to do this . Maybe make a schedule. If you were hired specifically to do this task them maybe that should be inculded in the communication to the staff. As this would then affect your salary. I would write all this down. Discuss this with the supervisior and then have a nice meeting.

Good luck.

[MIA-RN]

How about telling your manager you would be more than happy to delegate some of the tasks you do for others---but since that would be yet another task for you, you expect more compensation for it! :)

[Xbox Live Addict]

You should have seen the two that followed her. Not pretty.

I probably have. Or at least people cut from the same cloth.

[Batman24]

Your manager is a spineless moron. You have been doing this for years without incident and someone complains and it's now your job to change things AND lose money?!

This sounds like a trap setting you up to fail. You have to ask others if they want to do your job. How?! Are you supposed to put a letter in their box at work?! Via corporate email?! Verbally?! By the time you do that you might as well do it yourself. It's extra work for you without the extra money. And I'd have proof that I asked with your manager cc'd in on it. I'd never do this verbally.

Now say someone says they will and don't. It will then be on you. Book it. I wouldn't want to babysit co-workers. I'd go back to your manager with your concerns. I bet he rolls right back over and says to do what you've been doing. I would let him know he can schedule who can do what if he wants things to change uinless you are going to be compensated accordingly.