Performance Appraisal

shellsgogreen · Jan 16, 2008

wow, no wonder you're upset - that doesn't sound very helpful at all, and he says it's "every now and again.." plus the comment it's "not necessarily a bad thing..." hmm.... i'm no expert here, but communication is such an important part of nursing, and if that was an immediate concern of his, wouldn't this be something that he would work through with you during this appraisal, rather than have you leaving confused? or perhaps something he might have addressed earlier?

very conflicting - he may not think it's a bad thing, but it is obviously upsetting you - i would address it with him again, and ask him to be specific and identify strategies to make this an environment where you can work effectively as part of the team

cherilee · Jan 16, 2008

As long as you are performing your job correctly and asking questions when you don't know, You are doing what you are supposed to be doing.

What were the comments on how you perform the job?

I have had experiences where people tell me I'm not taking it seriously enough" or Im not "paying attention" when in fact that couldn't be further than the truth. If I'm nervous or uncomfortable with my teacher, it affects how I learn...

Is it just one person that got this impression of you? If so, she or he is just misinterpreting your actions. If upon self appraisal you think you are appearing "overconfident" you can always try to be a bit more humble appearing. I would MUCH rather be thought of as overconfident than NOT confident at all. Just keep doing your best! :up:

suanna · Jan 16, 2008

Performance appraisals are almost always a waste of time and effort. You actualy got one that offered an honest opinion of a something that may be a problem you want to work on. In the future this opinion will be in the back of your mind and may turn on a little light when this issue comes up. You can eather ignore it or try to take it constructively and at least be aware that this is how you come off at times. If it dosn't bother you that "...now and again I will rub people the wrong way and come off as abrasive ..."then ignore it. If it does watch for instances when you could be seen in this way. I wish people on my performance appraisals were as forthcomming. A drop of honest critism is worth a lot more than a ocean of false praise.

EmmaG, RN · Jan 16, 2008

Why not ask to schedule a meeting with your manager and explain your confusion and concerns--- and ask for specific examples of what he told you on your evaluation.

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jan 16, 2008

I'd suggest talking to the people you work with, the ones you like and trust. Tell them about your evaluation and ask them if they've seen the behavior described. Ask them for specific information about what was happening at the time and how you handled things. Then ask them how you can adjust what you do so that you don't give off the undesired vibe. Since the manager didn't have any complaints about your nursing care, I'd say you're doing your job well, and that some of the problem is in the eye of the beholder.

nursemike, ASN, RN · Jan 16, 2008

Good advice so far. If that's the worst that's ever said against you, that's pretty darned good! Appearing confident and being assertive are typically among the biggest challenges a new nurse faces.

I don't know how you feel about sharing your personal life with your co-workers. Some believe, quite reasonably, that work is work and home is home, and never the twain shall meet. I've always been more inclined to swap personal stories, within reason, and find it creates bonds. Of course, I'm permanent nights and weekends, so I tend to work with a lot of the same people night after night. So I know whose kids have been sick, my co-workers ask how my blood sugars have been running, and we relate as friends (with a small f) as well as co-workers. There's no one at work I'd donate a kidney to (probably), but I'll swap to work Christmas for someone who needs it off.

This kind of thing can go too far. I don't want to hear a lot of gossip. I don't mistake my friends from work for BFFs. But my buddies and I do care about each other, and it makes a stronger team. Again, though, there's nothing wrong with keeping things strictly professional, and one can certainly show caring on that basis--offering help when someone is especially busy, listening when someone needs to bounce ideas off someone about a problem patient, stuff like that. If you want to tell me about your grandkids, great. If you'd just as soon not hear about my cats, but you'll try an IV when I can't get it, that's cool, too.

Nicky30, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2008

Thanks guys,

The rest of my appraisal was pretty good. I was told that I am making the trasition to RN fairly smoothly and I am a safe practitioner, my education requests were granted and that was the only bit of criticism he had.

I don't know if there was only one incident where I just rubbed him the wrong way or if there has been a couple of incidences that have included other people.

After a fairly rough nights sleep I have come up with this: I have moaned about the lack of support for new graduates this year, maybe I wasn't getting the support I thought I needed because I looked to confident????:icon_roll I don't know if just being confident rubs people the wrong way? (Perhaps he is trying to protect me from falling in a big heap at a code)? Yet when I complete my grad program I have been told I will be transferring hospitals (dual campus) to work at the smaller one where I will be the only RN on duty!!! Then goes on to say that they have all the confidence in my abilities and will be ok. :smackingf

Oh for heavens sake all this:thnkg: is giving me a headache and I am not getting anywhere. If I watch every word that comes out of my mouth there may come a time when I wont open it at all.

I have come to the conclusion that I can't change the confidence thing. That is as much a part of me as the colour of my eyes, as for abrasiveness, don't know where I am doing it but will try and watch for cranky nurse vibe. It's probably the only way I show my stress level (actually my stress shows up as health issues because I don't know how to release it), I try to keep my stress in the corner till it's safe to let loose then find out I forgot which corner I left it in. :chair:

Ahh well, I am going to take my lovely tension headache and do the washing before I need to go back to work.

Thanks,

Nicky.