New to supervisor role NEED ADVICE

[Jerry99]

Hi everybody,

I recently started a new job in mental health nursing at an inpatient facility. I am in a supervisor's role and am responsible for 1 ward primarily, and some of my duties include orientating new employees, and handling disciplinary actions. A new employee on my ward has been having quite a few problems in just his first week. He refuses to let anyone show him how to do paperwork, or programs on the ward, and he does not listen to anything I tell/ask him to do. All of the other employees on the ward have informed me of several inappropriate things he has said or done in front of the clients, and I have made my supervisor (who hired him) aware of it. Today at work he said some inappropriate things to a patient, and I had to give him a disciplinary letter for it. When I presented it to him he denied that it happened (although I had witnesses that overhead him, and the patient he said it to came to me as well). Then he began cussing at me and said he was going to go over my head and get it fixed. I guess my question is should I be doing something else with him. I've tried to be patient, but it seems he's not going to work out, and I don't want to just keep whining to my supervisor. Any advice, as I am new to the role of supervisor. Thanks for reading and letting me vent a little.:banghead::banghead:

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

The guy sounds mentally unstable.

Is there a probationary period? I would document every inappropriate action and have witnesses write statements and I would, indeed, go to your supervisor. Cursing you out is completely unacceptable and should be grounds for immediate dismissal, IMO.

[ilstu99]

I agree. Our facility has a 90 day period in which you can be fired for anything without recourse.

Cursing at the supervisor, inappropriate comments to the patients, failure to perform requirements correctly....would all get you the door.

I'd have a sit-down with this employee and discuss the problems individually, and find out if he has a plan to change his approach. Otherwise, maybe he'll get po'ed and quit.

[Xbox Live Addict]

I agree. Our facility has a 90 day period in which you can be fired for anything without recourse.

Cursing at the supervisor, inappropriate comments to the patients, failure to perform requirements correctly....would all get you the door.

I'd have a sit-down with this employee and discuss the problems individually, and find out if he has a plan to change his approach. Otherwise, maybe he'll get po'ed and quit.

Unfortunately, Jerry is probably also seeing firsthand the realities of short-staffing and difficult recruitment, which create situations where management may let things slide longer than they'd like to just because they don't know where they're going to find a replacement for this individual. I saw it all the time too when I was a charge nurse, where it was very difficult to bring any formal disciplinary action against a CNA because of the incredible turnover and limited applicant pool.

However, I personally feel that someone who is unable to control his tongue or temper or to perform his job duties satisfactorily is completely unfit for a job taking care of a vulnerable person. That's setting the stage for patient abuse. It sounds like Jerry has tried already to talk the situation through with the tech in question.

[bossynurse101]

I agree with what has already been said, and I would also clarify with my supervisor what you are within your rights to do shd the situation occur again in the future (ie - telling the employee to clock out and go home. That kind of uncontrolled verbal abuse to a supervisor? Imagine what he says to pts?!)