I'm a travel nurse, and one of the up sides to doing this is not getting caught up in all the political BS that goes on behind the scenes...
Well. I've been approached by a majority of the regular nursing staff here practically begging me to go to administration when my contract is up and report the manager as incompetent.
"Incompetent" is an understatement. IMO, this person has no business being a nurse, much less a manager. I've had some poor managers before, but this one is beyond anything I've ever experienced.
I really feel for these nurses. They are great, and their complaints are valid. There are several reasons why they feel they cannot accomplish this on their own. First of all, the manager's direct supervisor is a close relative, and (I swear I'm not making this up) the manager has told her staff that because of this, she will have a job LONG after they're gone and so much as stated to them that going up the ladder (meaning to her relation) would result in THEM being reprimanded/fired.
Second, this is the only hospital system in the area. They have no where else to go unless they want to sell their homes, uproot their kids and move out of the area.
Third, this hospital's policy is if one is written up, for any reason, the person must remain on that unit for one year. And these people are being written up for crazy crap, so they have no option to transfer off the floor.
An unspoken expectation of my job is not to 'rock the boat'.
But I am seriously considering doing as they ask. These women are coming in and leaving in tears, shaking, stressed out like nothing I've ever experienced in nearly 24 years of nursing. I really feel for them. The manager is truly a nutcase, has no business being a leader, and needs to be removed.
When I had problems with a facility I was staffing as an agency nurse I spoke with the agency about it. Your travel agency needs to have a heads-up about this woman and her management skills because they often have the clout to speak with hospital administration about it. Even if your travel agency doesn't vouch for you, at least letting them know ahead of time will give them warning. I would let the travel agency know that you plan on speaking with this woman when your assignment is up. Even if nothing gets accomplished right away at least you are getting the ball rolling for an eventual take-down of this woman.
Yeah; regardless of my decision I intend on speaking to my agency about this. I hadn't considered the risk manager.
Sounds like the nurses on the floor need to go over the relatives head. I would recommend to them document, document, document. Every single thing she does/says to harass them. Again, harassment in the workplace is ILLEGAL!!! If they institution does nothing to stop it, THEY can get into trouble. My hubby works at the post office and believe me it is taken very seriously there. They may feel there are no options, but I would just consider that a challange. As far as your involvement, I would definately say something. After my contract was over ofcourse...
Sounds like the nurses on the floor need to go over the relatives head. I would recommend to them document, document, document. Every single thing she does/says to harass them. Again, harassment in the workplace is ILLEGAL!!! If they institution does nothing to stop it, THEY can get into trouble. My hubby works at the post office and believe me it is taken very seriously there. They may feel there are no options, but I would just consider that a challange. As far as your involvement, I would definately say something. After my contract was over ofcourse...
That is what I was wondering... harassment doesn't have to be of a sexual type to be illegal, does it?
This is going to sound kind of weird, but the staff acts like an abuse victim in a way. Hopeless, helpless, trapped. And the manager acts like an abuser; she tears their self-esteem down to nothing, until they feel they can do nothing right and they are questioning their own abilities and every move they make--- then she comes back with these goofy stickers she slaps on their sleeves proclaiming them "team players". She pushes them right to the edge, and then reels them back a bit for another go at it. She is sick, IMO. The whole environment is toxic beyond belief. This woman has denigrated and harassed them so badly, they truly cannot see a way out of the situation and have almost fatalistic attitudes; they're just waiting for their turn to be humiliated, or worse.
Oooooo... I just had a thought. (thanks for jogging my sleepy brain, Shay)
Hot damn!
Corporate compliance hotline; anonymous and toll-free to boot...
From their code of conduct: "Ensuring that the workplace environment is free of any form of harassment, including both physical and verbal harassment."
Well, there ya go.
Does that sound like a feasible option? (and I'll strongly advise my co-workers to call in as well)
"Hostile workplace" is a legally recognized form of workplace harassment that has nothing to do with sexual harassment. If a supervisor is creating a "hostile workplace" for an employee, or if another employee is doing it with the knowledge of a supervisor, a cause of action arises.
Corporate compliance hotline; anonymous and toll-free to boot...
From their code of conduct: "Ensuring that the workplace environment is free of any form of harassment, including both physical and verbal harassment."
Well, there ya go.
Does that sound like a feasible option? (and I'll strongly advise my co-workers to call in as well)
:balloons: :monkeydance: :smilecoffeecup: :Melody: :flowersfo :biere: Well, you get the idea! LOL, go get 'em tiger!
:balloons: :monkeydance: :smilecoffeecup: :Melody: :flowersfo :biere: Well, you get the idea! LOL, go get 'em tiger!
LOL
I have a few weeks left. After speaking with my lawyer friend, what I'm going to do is ask that the staff document EVERY instance of harassment by the manager, and include any instances of poor clinical skills/judgment as well. Get all the ducks in a row and then call the compliance hotline to report this. Sounds like a plan....
Let us know what comes of this. I would like to think that this situation can come to end for these nurses. I hope it gives others confidence that it IS possible to solve a seemingly unsolvable problem.
You can also send a copy of your/their report to the board of directors as a whole of the facility. The board is another avenue to get some change when there is a roadblock in administration. It doesnt matter when you are done with your assignment, because the board of directors is only interested in the bottom line and if the bottom line suffers because people are protecting incompetence and egotistial administrative employees they WILL do what needs to be done to protect the bottom line.
This supervisor directly affects how people both inside and in the community percieve this facility and they will lose business if things arent changed. So yes they will act. You would be surprised how fast attitudes change if someone gets called to a board meeting to expalin themselves.
I disagree about not getting involved. I have worked with many travelers and the one common thing about all the agencies is that if a facility is not a good facility to work at, they will simply stop placing their nurses there.
I think calling the hotline is a good idea, hope your coworkers will do it.
If you do decide to get involved, try to imagine the best case scenario outcome, the worst case scenario, and the most probable one.
I am not sure that an outsider(traveler) can fix a deep rooted problem. When the nurses there reach the point that they can tolerate no more, then will develop the courage required to turn the unit around.
EmmaG, RN
2,999 Posts
I'd be interested in hearing from someone who is (or has been) a manager or in nursing administration too, to see it from their perspective...