New-ish charge RN - advice please!

flipflopsNsweetTea · Jun 1, 2015

I started charging on my unit about 8 months ago, and like you I got very little training. I shadowed another charge nurse for 2 shifts. Anyway, I am very easy-going and laid back and can not stand it if anyone is upset with me. I got a thick skin really quickly. And now, when people complain, I say. "I'm sorry you've (got a crap group/ getting 2 admissions/got a bad NA/ have to give report to so-and-so) but someone has to."

I was told by another coworker when I first started that if I showed some people that it got to me, then they would make it miserable for me. And you know what, it does get to me. All the complaining pisses me off.

Ask the people who are complaining what their solution would be. Chances are, they don't have a better one.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 1, 2015

I am a house supervisor who creates assignments for the oncoming shift. Sometimes one nurse is going to have more patients than other nurses if we have an odd number of patients on the floor.

My attitude has become hardline over the years. I was once a nice person, but people ran over me and took my kindness for weakness. When nurses and CNAs start griping about their assignments, I'll execute a hardline approach:

"You either accept the assignment as it is, or you can find someone willing to swap assignments, or you can go home. The ball is in your court."

The vast majority of employees want to earn their money after having arrived to work, so they'll shut up and accept the assignment or find a coworker with whom they can trade assignments. I know my way of handling the situation is not therapeutic, but it saves me a bunch of split hairs.

DisneyNurseGal, BSN, RN · Jun 1, 2015

We are in the same boat! I just started charging about 2 months ago, and I agonize over giving the right assignment. It sounds like our staffing has been done similarly, I once shorted day shift a tech and the day charge nurse was not happy with me, but oh well, it was my 4th shift.

I know that extra patients, two admits, rooms far apart, are part of the job and sometimes what the floor nurse has to deal with, but I have stopped apologizing for doing this to a nurse. I try to make the best assignment possible and in the end, sometimes I do not get it right or there are situations out of my control. Last night for example, we had a lower census, and normally our nurses get 6 patients, I had to give a nurse a seventh patient. I have stopped saying "sorry" for these kinds of things. What I say in instead is "I am here to help" or "I will support you".

Like you said people aren't always going to be happy with us, and if you made some public mea culpa, I feel like this drags out the sting of the mistake and gets everyone worked up again. I would have apologized to the oncoming charge and explained how this was a learning experience.

Good luck!

Farawyn · Jun 1, 2015

You kind of have to tell them to suck it up. Rotate assignments when you can so it's fair. Poke your head in on everyone during shift and pitch in at least once per co-worker. Say thank you, but don't be effusive. Don't complain about YOUR day. Don't go home first.

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 1, 2015

As a former charge nurse ... it would not have been practical for them to come to you privately, one at a time. They wanted immediate action and if they had each had a 1:1 meeting with you, it would have been too late to change the assignments.

As Charge Nurse, you were "on stage" as the leader -- and whatever was going to be said was going to be said in the group. You have to be prepared for that. You need to find that balance between being willing to be a little flexible if someone suggests something that is actually better ... with being willing to defend your decisions by stating why you made that decision and sticking to it.

If the group was actually bullying, threatening, etc. ... then you should probably have a talk with your manager and ask for her advice as to how to handle it. He/she should be informed of that kind of bullying if that is going on -- and she should provide you with some advice and support on handling it. However, don't confuse a straightforward complaint with bullying. Just because people express unhappiness with your decisions does not mean they are being bullies.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jun 1, 2015

I am confused as to your role. You said staffing decisions are not your call. But assignments made within the allowed staffing is?

I was also thrown into a charge nurse role. By the way, it's a role that has much accountability, with little authority. Management needs somebody, any body to do it. YOU are the first one to be thrown under ANY bus.

You need to speak with your manager as to your EXACT job description.

When I experienced the problems you describe.. the manager held a meeting... she stated "I have designated BTDT as my designee" . When you have an issue with her decisions, you are expected to treat her as you would treat me."

If you don't have that support from your manager... you need to decline charge.

For what it's worth... I earned an award from that corporation for excellence in leadership.

OneDuckyRN · Jun 2, 2015

I am confused as to your role. You said staffing decisions are not your call. But assignments made within the allowed staffing is?
I was also thrown into a charge nurse role. By the way, it's a role that has much accountability, with little authority. Management needs somebody, any body to do it. YOU are the first one to be thrown under ANY bus.
You need to speak with your manager as to your EXACT job description.
When I experienced the problems you describe.. the manager held a meeting... she stated "I have designated BTDT as my designee" . When you have an issue with her decisions, you are expected to treat her as you would treat me."
If you don't have that support from your manager... you need to decline charge.
For what it's worth... I earned an award from that corporation for excellence in leadership.

I should have clarified what I meant by staffing decisions not being within my control. The staffing office tells me how many nurses/techs I get, and who gets cancelled if I have too many on the schedule. I misinterpreted what I was told and cancelled the wrong person. Hence the upset/hurt feelings.

Once I know who's working, the assignments are up to me. I try *really* hard to make them as fair as possible but our floor is one of very high acuity. This was the basis of the pile-on during morning huddle, and it was done with our department manager standing there. I kind of think she was testing me to see how I would handle it. Some of the people who were complaining had a legitimate gripe; others, not so much.

One other issue I didn't bring up in the original post, mostly because I didn't think it was pertinent at the time: our dept manager has been with us for about 4 weeks. I'm thinking she has bigger issues to tackle than how the charge nurses are treated, and I know very well that I need to thicken my epidermis a little bit :yes: . I think after she's been with us a little while, she'll probably address issues like this one. She seems like the type that would.

I want to thank everyone for their feedback...this has been kind of a stressful transition for me that is added to stress in my non-work life, and I feel like there is a HUGE learning curve.

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Jun 2, 2015

"I am going to interrupt this at present, as we all need to get onto the floor and begin our day. However, I am of the thought process that I make assignments as clear as I can. I am asking that the CNA's get your vitals, and get people prepared for breakfast. Rooms 374 and 398 have FBS that are due, so CNA ____________ please get those and report them off promptly. I know that we would all rather be sitting in the sun with margarita's, yet here we are. Everyone help each other out. I have 2 hours today that I am coming onto the floor and will help where I can."

You can't please everyone all the time. I would not be in any habit of cancelling anyone until at least the morning stuff is complete. Then you could reassess at 11 am or something of that nature. You could think about buddying up your CNA's to "go down the line" Make sure if you are not using "brains" to start using them. Then it can be reviewed and the nurse will have the general overview coming in.

Best wishes.

Mr. Murse · Jun 2, 2015

Best advice I've seen so far is to ask the gripers what they would prefer that you have done, and actually listen. If they actually have a valid suggestion that is indeed more fair than what you had, then change it. Chances are though that they won't have a better suggestion, and by asking their advice you will be pointing out that the assignment you made is in fact the most fair for everyone since you have already thought it through. Most likely the ones griping were not looking at the big picture and by asking them for a suggestion they are forced to do so.

Charging is all about diplomacy and communication. It is not possible to always make everyone happy, no, but it is possible to at least make it clear why you made the decisions you did and take into consideration your coworker's opinions.

~PedsRN~, BSN, RN · Jun 3, 2015

That's the worst thing about being in Charge. Someone is always pissed off at you. :) I know it's easier said than done to not take it personally.

Orca, ADN, ASN, RN · Jun 8, 2015

You are being tested because you are a new supervisor. As far as complaints about assignments, I would have shut that discussion down immediately and told the employees that if they have an issue, they need to see me about it individually. Employees ganging up on a supervisor to either make a point or get their own way leads nowhere good. Employees can only "rake you over the coals" if you allow it. The bottom line is, you run the show. Your decision is law.

If an employee makes a reasonable suggestion I will consider it, unreasonable ones need not apply. Example of this: Shortly after I became DON at my current facility, an RN approached me about becoming the physician's personal clinic nurse. It would involve her never having to work another weekend, and she even gave me a list of employees whose schedules I could change to make it happen. No.

You will make unpopular decisions. It goes with the territory. I have always been open to staff suggestions, and I have implemented several. However, I tell my employees that since the ultimate responsibility is mine, the ultimate decision must be mine.