Nurse manager who yells at people

[happygrandma3]

I've been a critical care RN for nearly 20 years. Recently a new nurse manager was hired. When some of us have gone to her with concerns or grievances, she gets very defensive and yells- almost screams at times- she does not let the person talk, and raises her voice louder and louder, and simply does not listen. This is creating very poor morale, as you can imagine. Some of us have 20+ years of experience, while others are relatively new and still learning. This manager has less than 10 years exp., and not in our speciality, she has never been in a management position until now. We feel it is not only disrespectful and demeaning to be treated this way, it is downright abusive. I've never encountered this in my career, and most of us just try to avoid her. She is much nicer to the staff with less experience, and it seems she is intimidated by professionals with more experience and knowledge than she has. She is an entirely different person when our director is around, and he does not see a problem. Talking to the director was met w/comments such as "You need to give her a chance". We all walk on eggshells around her. Short of losing all our experienced staff, are there any suggestions?

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Someone else hired for a degree and not experience I suppose... This is what leads to poor morale...it's very destructive and toxic to nursing.

These kind of people are insecure and will gravitate towards those who think she is smart and wonderful and will aggressively lash out at those who make her feel inferior. In my experience this personality on a manager is fait accompli unless you can engage your director. If you can stay low and under the radar this personality type is vindictive and mean. Administration love these types...they are yes men and compliant.

However they usually will hang themselves eventually.

[duskyjewel]

Problem being that "eventually" occurs after the quality staff have been run off.

[happygrandma3]

yes, I fear you're right, duskyjewel! People are already looking for jobs & interviewing. This manager elicits the input of the least experienced staff, and makes decisions based on their preferences without even discussing things with the more senior staff until the last minute, if at all. She seems unconcerned with liability or patient safety. Fortunately there are always jobs out there for experienced RNs.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

Use email. Site your concerns (as long as we are not talking immediate patient safety issues) in email format, cc or bcc the unit director, and if you do not get a response, the director is in the loop.

[caliotter3]

I would join the exodus at my own rate of speed. No need to make oneself sick over a job where someone else is allowed to be the problem. They don't pay you enough to take this bull (or heifer) by the horns or ears.

[liberated847]

We are looking at one side of this story, what's the root cause?

[macawake, MSN]

Recently a new nurse manager was hired. When some of us have gone to her with concerns or grievances, she gets very defensive and yells- almost screams at times- she does not let the person talk, and raises her voice louder and louder, and simply does not listen.

What does she reply when you ask her why she finds it necessary to yell and scream at you when you communicate? People don’t often yell at me, but if they do, it’s the first thing that I ask them.

This manager has less than 10 years exp., and not in our speciality, she has never been in a management position until now.

I’m not sure if I interpret you correctly but I do get the feeling that you are somewhat less than impressed by her CV. If this is the case, it is possible that she senses how you feel when you approach her with your concerns and grievances? Is your tone of voice, choice of words and body language the same as if you were addressing a nurse manager whom you respect? You mention that she gets defensive. Why is that? Is there any way to prevent that from happening? I don't know if there are, I'm just asking.

We feel it is not only disrespectful and demeaning to be treated this way, it is downright abusive.

I completely agree. Yelling and screaming isn’t an acceptable way to communicate with another person.

Short of losing all our experienced staff, are there any suggestions?

I agree with jadelpn’s suggestion. Email is good for all non-acute issues. It gives both the writer a chance to collect their thoughts and distill it down to a relevant factual argument and the recipient (the manager) a chance to contemplate the message and come up with a balanced response. If you cc the unit manager, there’s also accountability for the nurse manager and she won’t be able to avoid the issue should she feel so inclined. Personally I would cc the unit director, not blind copy. I prefer a straightforward approach.

Of course, email isn’t always appropriate. If something requires an immediate response, like a patient safety issue, you’ll have to talk to her directly. As I mentioned in my first paragraph I would calmly ask her why she screams when she responds to me and also tell her that I don’t accept to be yelled at. If it were me I’d ask her if we somehow got off on the wrong foot, and if there’s something we both can do to promote a more constructive working relationship.

She’s a new manager and she may well feel overwhelmed. I’m not saying that it excuses the tantrums, I don’t think it does. Feeling intimidated by the senior nurse’s greater experience might however explain them, or if she feels like she’s encountering a lot of resistance. It may be her (admittedly, not very effective or appropriate) way of trying to get respect for her role as a manager. No manager can function effectively unless s/he’s supported by her or his staff, it’s vital for success. I’m sure this manager realizes that, even though she’s new and inexperienced.

This manager elicits the input of the least experienced staff, and makes decisions based on their preferences without even discussing things with the more senior staff until the last minute, if at all.

Can you give an example of the type of decision she’s made?

She seems unconcerned with liability or patient safety.

In what way does she seem unconcerned? Has she made decisions or implemented changes that endanger patients or leaves the hospital vulnerable to litigation? If she has,

is the unit manager aware? Are her decisions a threat to any of the above or simply unpopular?

Since the unit director replied that “you need to give her a chance” it doesn’t sound like the director shares the concern you voiced. Since I don’t know any of the involved parties or the inner workings of your unit and the hospital management culture, I can’t know why that would be.

Only you can decide if you wish to remain in this unit and try to improve (if it can be done) the work atmosphere and conditions, or if that project is doomed to fail and it’s indeed time to search for a new place of employment. Whichever way things work out, I wish you the best! I’m sorry you’re going through a rough patch at work but sometimes change can be a good thing.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Raising your voice and/ or yelling is totally unacceptable. An effective manager can get their point across without demeaning the staff. You should report this manager as a group.

[sissiesmama, ASN, RN]

Problem being that "eventually" occurs after the quality staff have been run off.

This. Saw it happen and the only nurses that were left were the ones that acted just like her. They had to restart the whole unit - including her. Let's just say she wasn't in charge of ANYONE after that.

[anononurse]

Sadly, I've seen this happen too. The problem is that when you lose all your senior/experienced staff the liability goes up. This doesn't get the attention of administration until after a mass exodus, and poor patient outcomes. In my situation I was a fairly new RN, and I left what I could see was clearly an unsafe situation.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Problem being that "eventually" occurs after the quality staff have been run off.

There is no reason an educated group of professionals have to put up with her behavior.

No reason to "leave".

They need to document this outrageous behavior.. go together as a group over the director's head.

I have been there, done that.