Nursing Supervisor

Stitchie · Feb 22, 2004

As a new grad, I got paid the least, worked the hardest I have ever in my life, got bad assignments (vent pt on one side of the unit, three needy, compete-for-attention types on the other side of the floor) and was told that I wasn't a "team player" for suggesting balancing the assignment. Experienced nurses on the floor got preferential treatment and I was labeled as a troublemaker because I refused to take on another patient with the above assignment. IMO it's crazy to put new grads in this position when they, meaning me, need more time and help to deliver safe patient care. My nurse manager also told me to address the doc's by "sir" and, well, I just could not work on a floor where the attitude of the leadership, to quote, was to encourage the backstabbing and clique-iness of certain experienced nurses. Of course, the management set up new grads to fail every day, if you weren't a favorite, and it was an impossible situation. Did I mention that the assistant clinical manager: would ask if you were doing ok, need any help, and if you answered in the affirmative, simply walk away! :angryfire But he always had time for telephone arguments with his wife.

So many things are wrong with nursing these days, and crying "nursing shortage" is one way for administration to get nurses to do more with less. This "focus on customer service" is ridiculous, too, and puts pressure on nurses who are already overburdened just trying to deliver health care. Of course, I can't depend on the techs assigned because they have not been properly educated on my unit to do what I need them to do, so, chances are, I have to do it myself. This isn't a rip on techs. Some are great. Some are great at disappearing. I blame the unit managers for not making everyone accountable to their job descriptions, including nurses.

Leave the customer service to the restaurants and hotels, where it belongs, and let the nurses, ancillary personnel and physicians get back to making people better. Luckily, I moved on an ED where I can do the kind of nursing I want to do, instead of worrying about a unit manager who only cares about her next promotion.

fiestynurse · Feb 24, 2004

Hello,
I am a Nursing supervisor at a large acute care facility in California. I am interested in hearing from other nurses who have experienced or witnessed other RNs being insubordinate and refusing to provide care to patients. I experience this on a daily basis. Some of these nurses display "unprofessional" behavior in the presence of patients and their visitors. The reason for the refusal varies. Some state they are too busyor they don't like the other nurses, etc. In short, the reasons have nothing to do with what the patient needs or should have. The reasons are based on their needs & wants. The assignments are within their scope of practice and they are not assignments above the ratio. In addition, they are assignments for which they have been hired to carry out.
I bring this up because I am very, very concerned about the quality and type of nurses we are attracting idue to te nursing shortage. It appears that a lot of people are simple going into nursing for the money. There appears to be a general decline in focusing on patients and meeting their needs. Please let me know what you think?

Lawdo2 - Managing Professional Nurses is very difficult! I have found that you have to spend a lot of time listening and providing support to the nurses that you supervise. It can be exhausting! I have obtained the best results by always including them in the decision making on a daily basis. You will have less insubordination if they feel that they have some control and say so over their assignments.

Also, as an immediate Supervisor they do like to see you pitch in from time to time, rather than sit in your office shuffling papers. Not that you do that, but I have seen Supervisors shut themselves up in their offices to avoid the hard task of dealing with their staff. You will gain a lot of credibility if they see you doing the frontline work, too. Also, it is important that the staff feel that they can come to you with anything, even if it is just to vent. Always have an open door policy and be approachable. You are their to "serve" your staff - be on their side! Let them see you fight for them from time to time.

Finally, nobody goes in to nursing for the money. Trust me, most of those types are weeded out in nursing school. Nursing is a tough job and even with all the gains that nursing has made - they are still over-worked and underpaid. I obtained my law degree in 1999 and left bedside nursing after 20 years. I was burnt-out! I now get paid three times as much and don't work nearly as hard.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Feb 24, 2004

We were asked during one of the 'customer service meetings' to not just TELL a visitor where something is, but actually WALK them to that dept.. We barely have time to slow down from a full run just trying to meet pt priorities, let alone leaving the dept. for something like that.
Don't get me wrong. I think it is a wonderful gesture, but it was definitely suggested by someone who does not know how things really are in nursing these days. Ratios don't really mean anything. It's whats going on with each pt that matters.
What I'm getting at is- the majority of nurses are so overburdened these days, that we are overwhelmed when asked to take on even one more task. It's not just new nurses, or older nurses, it is all nurses, because we are all working under the same near intolerable conditions. The general decline isn't because MANY nurses these days are bad. It's because the conditions nurses are forced to work in, are bad.

I agree with the above. However, I have never worked with any nurses who refuse to do their work or are insubordinate. I have only worked w/ techs and CNAs who've displayed those behaviors.

I do think that the pseudo nursing "shortage" has created a few new grads who are "Sairy Gamp" nurses- just not interested in what's going on w/ the pts and who have a poor work ethic.

fiestynurse · Feb 24, 2004

I also just wanted to add that an authoritative management style is very ineffective when dealing with professionals. Remember these are licensed, educated employees. Try a more motivational style. Role model the professional behavior and patient care that you are seeking. They are watching everything you are doing and saying. Use every opportunity you have to educate and reinforce positive behaviors. Maintain your integrity and always be honest. Be one of them and be part of the team.

Easier said than done, huh?

weezieRN · Feb 25, 2004

to Lawdo2, what are these nurses refusing to do? Maybe they are busy, maybe not I don't really know but I know I would love to work in CA where they have nurse/pt ratios. Here in pa that is unheard of especially at my facility. My problem with managment and supervisors are that they can tell you what to do and how and when you should do it. Most supervisors wouldn't lift a finger to help staff out. Do you forget that you are also nurses? Couldn't you do an admission on a pt, start an IV or Foley just to help out when you know the floor is hectic. For an example one super on the weekend wouldn't stay in the room of a pt and asssit the doctor while he tried to insert a PICC line. Meanwhile with 2 Rn's for 20 some pts that weekend and we had to waste two hours with the doc trying to put in a picc line that never happened because she said she was too busy. :angryfire