My bad attitude

[jessiern, BSN, RN]

This might get a little long, and windy. I am sorry. I'm going to start off by explaining last Sunday that I worked, as I feel this is the main problem. It was the 4 or 5 really bad shift for me. We started with 8 patients/nurse (very very extreme for our floor). And ER started calling for admits. The oncall MD was rounding, and I made the offhand comment to him that it was too much to deal with, and I didn't feel it was safe for the patients. This put him in an uproar. Next thing I knew he called the ER doc, informed him he would not except any more admits to our floor, and he also called the admin on call, who he demanded come help us. She had worked the previous night due to call-ins.

Now, the friday before was my yearly eval. I was graded as a "role-model" employee, and my manager offered no compliants at all about my performance. I was also given a 5% raise due to my high quality work. I was also told my co-workers enjoyed working with me, and patients had good things to say about my care.

Now, let's fast forward to Tuesday, my first day at work since "black Sunday" as we are calling it. It is a much better day. Four patients that I can pet and pamper all I want. And I'm happy. At 4pm I was called to the DON's office. There sits the DON, and both assistant managers, including the one that just praised me Friday. These are the things I was told

• "A large majority" of my co-workers on my floor complain about my poor attitude, and state I always complian
  
• "All of the ICU nurse" hate to have to call me about a patient, because I never take care of the situation, and I am rude.
  
• I had received numerous complaints from patients. When I pushed further, they were only able to name one patient's WIFE, who was only in room with the patient for twenty minutes after his admit. She informed me when I first entered the room that we were terrible nurses, and she would be talking to the DON--all before I ever opened my mouth. I immediatly informed management.
  
• I was told the MD from weekend had informed them I was rude, and constantly complianed about the worked load. Well, maybe I was a little ill, and maybe I did complian. So did the other two nurses and everyone else on shift. Who wouldn't complain with 8 patients, 4 total cares, and not a tech in sight to assist?
  
• Also, was informed I had no right to complain about "bad shifts" that were shortstaffed because its wasn't the norm. Those days were to be expected.
  
• Made the comment that "some people will complain if you give them two patients. We think you might be one of those people, and it will not be tolerated".
  
• Also stated "all the unit sec" said I was "snappy" when they called to report patient needs". We only have two sec, and one is my mom. The other says she has never complianed about anyone, much less me.

Now, since then I have spoken to many of my co-workers, including 5 ICU nurses. They have all been shocked by what was said, and stated they have never had a problem with me, and never heard anyone else complain about me. The MD stated he informed them I was "nervous and frazzled" which "wasn't my usual", and he was concerned about the staffing level, and he expressed that he was not happy with them leaving us like that.

Also, I have complained very rarely to management. The only other time I have complianed about staffing was a couple of weeks ago when we had 7 patients with no tech, and the supervisor had not attempted to find any help. Our manager helped us, and I thanked her--we even give them a thank you card for their help.

This just really upsets me. I have always been more then willing to help when I could. I have worked my tail off to be the best I could be, even when shorthanded. And I get along with everyone; I have talked to some about leaving, and they have begged me to stay. I just don't understand why this happened. I felt attacked, and I felt like my character was picked apart. It was very degrading. I have worked there 4 years without a single problem. I'm just a little lost right now.

[tk3100]

Management (not in all cases, but many that I have seen) will lie to suit their purpose and put a spin on the situation. It is your responsibility to speak up if a situation is unsafe. I mean really, how ridiculous is it to say that the situation is your fault for complaining. It is obviously the fault of those who failed to staff adequately. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to fill the staffing gaps or work them herself. That is one reason they make more money than those of us who work in the trenches.

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

Jess, you were wronged by your managers...you, the other nurses, and your patients were put into a bad situation and now, your managers are scrambling to cover their own butts. They are doing this by making you the scapegoat.

I also have caught grief for telling the truth. In my case, I wasn't nervous or frazzled-simply told the truth about some of the crap by coworkers were pulling(refusal of assignments).

They couldn't provide proof when asked, so that speaks volumes. Do you have a union at your facility? You may want to speak to them, if so. If not, do you have a copy of your previous good eval? You'll need this. Also, I wouldn't have signed anything at that meeting if they asked you to..You need to start documenting these issues on your own.

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

Also wanted to add, when managers like this tell you that you have a "bad attitude", I think you should wear it as a badge of pride. it means you aren't afraid to advocate for your patients or yourself.

[Karynica, RN]

I feel for you. I have been there before too. Worked my butt off to make a unit work in harmony, everyone got along, until some member of management decided I knew too much. I was eventually fired because I was accused of helping form a union. I was a model employee, never missed a day and always stayed late. I was even accused of stating that a meeting I attended was "a waste of time". The person who made that comment was the person who fired me....management.

Try to gather up your strength and let this incident go. Management is not going to be happy unless they have someone to use as a scapegoat. You know you are a good nurse, everyone else knows it...except management who knows they are wrong and just wants to find someone to blame. Make sure you keep copies of everything and anything. Keep it somewhere where no one can steal it. I had my office ramsacked and proof stolen

Hoping that your day gets a bit brighter. :)

[leslie :-D]

jess, have yourself a good cry or beat the feathers out of a pillow.

you clearly have been betrayed by people that could inflict a lot of damage on your stellar reputation.

if it were me, i would write a rebuttal to the allegations, including:

your glowing performance eval w/5% raise:

and the reactions of those you approached re black sunday.

stick to the facts and remain poised.

have this written rebuttal added to your file.

and of course, keep copy for yourself.

finally, resume working and move forward.

try not to dwell on this.

now you know how malicious these people can get.

if anything, it's more important than ever to conduct yourself as grace under fire.

it is just so obvious these idiots are talking out their butts.

you need to respond with confidence, class and maturity.

and then let it go...

as long as you know the rebuttal is in your file.

many hugs to you, sweetie.

leslie

[PMHNP10]

they (mgmt.) should be flogged and written up for harassment, not necessarily in that order

this story so closely mirrors my experience when i was a new nurse

I hope you received a copy of your eval.

[RN1982]

Girrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrl, I would start lookin' for a new job. Talk about black listing.

[nurseklw72]

The bad attitude meeting must be in a book for managers or something. Anytime the staff is upset about staffing shortages and the fact that it is directly detrimental to the quality of care they can give, management pulls this trick out of the bag.

In my department, every nurse has attended a bad attitude meeting with management including myself. I simply told them that I found it interesting that everyone had a bad attitude. I told them that perhaps the problem wasn't with the staff but management's inability to implement better working conditions. They had no response to that statement.

[widi96]

8 Patients plus admits is in NO WAY safe for patient care. You complaining about this unsafe staffing was being an advocate for your patients. I work nights on a tele floor and the ABSOLUTE most patients we can have is 6 (even when staffing is horrible). The way our grid is set, only one nurse should have 6, the rest 5, that way the other nurses can help out. Now, sometimes we are short handed so most of us can end up with 6 by the time the night is over, but I have never been there when every nurse has 6. You can not be expected to take 8 patients, plus do an entire admit to make your 9th patient. Very Unsafe.

[RN1982]

8 Patients plus admits is in NO WAY safe for patient care. You complaining about this unsafe staffing was being an advocate for your patients. I work nights on a tele floor and the ABSOLUTE most patients we can have is 6 (even when staffing is horrible). The way our grid is set, only one nurse should have 6, the rest 5, that way the other nurses can help out. Now, sometimes we are short handed so most of us can end up with 6 by the time the night is over, but I have never been there when every nurse has 6. You can not be expected to take 8 patients, plus do an entire admit to make your 9th patient. Very Unsafe.

At my last job, I worked on a progressive care unit whose patient acuity was almost as high as an ICU. We had 4 patients to an RN, 2 aides for 24 patients and the management considered it "safe". Also, if ER had more patients, management said we could not refuse...My ANM said "Never say never to a fifth patient" because apparently if you screw up and something happens to your patient, the hospital will back you up. Whatever, I wasn't sticking around for that.

[DusktilDawn]

This just really upsets me. I have always been more then willing to help when I could. I have worked my tail off to be the best I could be, even when shorthanded. And I get along with everyone; I have talked to some about leaving, and they have begged me to stay. I just don't understand why this happened. I felt attacked, and I felt like my character was picked apart. It was very degrading. I have worked there 4 years without a single problem. I'm just a little lost right now.

That's exactly how they wanted you to feel. Sorry, but one doesn't go from being a "role model" employee to sub par worker who everybody thinks is rude and complaintive in a week. If these complaints had any validation they would have been brought up during your evaluation.

What has happened is that they are trying to make you feel inadequate for complaining about working conditions to a doctor, a doctor who than took steps to protect the patients on that unit. Everybody else working with you that shift probably had the exact same complaints that you did. The difference is you spoke with someone that was able to do something about it. It's no coincidence that now they are putting you on the defensive with these vague, unsubstaintiated accusations. What that ambush was about is intimidation. Intimidation by questioning your professionalism and your ability to do your job. Common tactic used against nurses by management. That want you to believe that YOU are the problem, not the understaffing THEY created.

I would insist on seeing the "paper trail" so to speak. If these people are complaining to your manager than why are they not insisting on a written account of what happened from those they claim have complained about you? I would have questioned them during that attack under guise of a "meeting". For example question them: "I would assume that you have written documentation regarding these complaints since these are serious allegations against my professionalism and integrity as a nurse."