Is it fine to email my supervisor/boss for any concerns I may have?

[italiansugar]

I work in a hospital, but only per diem and every other weekend. I work as an aide. It's going to be my 4th month and my 90 probationary period is over. There's going to be a big meeting coming up with all the aides and I overheard that the supervisor was going to go over major things. I heard from another aide that something happened last week with misunderstanding between a nurse and it led to one patient just leaving and disappearing because that aide was supposed to watch. They were supposedly going to fire that aide, but didn't. The problem is I was the only aide that worked in that certain floor that happened, and it was worrying me because I had no clue this had ever happened but I was the only aide that worked that week in that floor. I was about to email my supervisor and just ask her if I am doing a good job and if there's anything I can work on. Is that okay to ask?

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

I think that writing an email is a great idea. It shows that you are serious about your commitment to providing a high standard of care, that you are seeking feedback regarding your performance (nobody can be successful working in a vacuum, can they?), and that you want to make sure that the unit's expectations and goals are being met by your performance in keeping with a safe and productive working environment.

I would first of all ask if there is some time in the near future that you can meet with her to discuss your performance thus far since your 90 day probationary period has passed, and further explain that you like to have periodic meetings in order to make sure that her expectations and your expectations/performance are on point.

Keep your email brief and stick to only requesting a meeting to talk about your progress. Don't mention the "big issue" because you were not involved with it. Believe me when I say that to steer clear of a mess such as this one would be in your best interest. If someone had an issue with YOU that resulted in a patient leaving, you surely would have been alerted to it, or at the very least, questioned about it.