Placed on Performance Improvement Plan - What should I do?

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Specializes in ER, Forensic Nurse, SANE.

Learn from your mistakes. I was fired from my dream job not for performance but for something I said. I learned to keep my mouth shut and trust NO ONE with your opinions. Learn everyones personalities 1st. Good luck.

I thinking keeping a written record is an excellent idea. I have been a nurse for 30+ years and have seen this witch hunting repeatedly over the years. A friend of mine kept a record and it saved her in the end. She ended up suing the facility for harassment and won. In your written notes, I would also keep a record of any rudeness toward you from others. I know you kinda just got this position recently, but I would be on the lookout for another one. Once management starts this harassment power game it never stops. Move on. But in the meantime keep notes. I know of a few more nurses who sued for harassment and won, being able to retire before age 50 on the lawsuit monies. One of the managers got fired too as a result of years of harassing this nurse. Keep those notes.

Specializes in Med/Surg crit care, coronary care, PACU,.

Unfortunately without specifics about "your performance problems" from your manager, you cannot possibly have any insight as to your managers issues, and it sounds like she has no interest in helping you. You have a history as a good employee...focus on that, and look for another position. Nameless, general complaints can never go anywhere. I agree with previous posters, someone has it in for you.

You have a toxic manager. Read the literature on that. You should have in writing your PIP. You should have been offered an opportunity to respond in writing. At this point you want to comply as best you can. Create a paper trail. If you are called in again, Be on your best behavior. Then write an email acknowledging the points she made. Any email that might support your case take a screen shot at a location not in front of others. Journal as you are doing. As far as HR others might say they dont trust them and that it will result in retaliation. I would say look for another job. For some reason the manager sees you as a threat. You used your initiative to question a safety is issue. No breaks. You can also research recommended practices for your specialty. IOM states that a questioning attitude is necessary to a culture of patient safety. The science supports you but we are years away from EBP. I have championed against defamation and wrongful termination. The powers that be are keeping that on the shelf out of prying eyes. It is a weapon of the status quo entrenched hiarchies. They do not want to give it up. There are a string of civil awards by courts mounting. They won't be able to deny it forever.

I am a manager and have placed staff on performance improvement plans. Some have been highly successful and others rapidly spiraled downhill. If you truly love your job, I would consider sticking it out but if the weekly meetings with the manager go poorly, bail quickly (after the first or second meeting at most). You have two clinical performance issues and the last one with the missed fetal heart rate is a seriously significant patient safety issue. That alone could have caused termination. I have never fired for attitude, it is a loser in labor courts and I won't touch it with a 10 foot pole. If you work for healthcare system, termination from one hospital could prevent employment at the other hospitals in the system. Know your HR policies. Some places refuse to allow transfers if you are on written disciplinary action so you may not be able to stay at your current employment but could work in OB in other hospitals IF your HR file isn't reviewed ahead of time between the hospital groups.

As one of the posters commented, do NOT go around asking how you were offensive. Everyone will deny the issue because they don't want to deal with it. . . they have already turfed it to the manager and this will be yet another example of 'attitude'.

The only thing I might add during the meeting with the manager is to ask "what are you doing well and what improvements have you noticed" since I am trying hard to live up the standards and expectations? If you get nothing in reply, it is obvious what you need to do. If your manager is willing to share what has been noticed as doing well and provides positive comments it is a more favorable long term outcome.

Good luck and your heart and critical thinking will tell you the next steps to take.

Specializes in Rural, Midwifery, CCU, Ortho, Telemedicin.
JayHanig said:
The writing is one the wall. Once you get on their list, they start second guessing and documenting everything in preparation for kicking you to the curb.

This becomes clearer once you realize that the worst managers don't just live by the sword, they die by the sword too. It's just a matter of time before her day comes and the same thing that happened to you happens to her. The next manager might be more agreeable; there may be a general housecleaning of recalcitrant staff between now and then.

One other suggestion - IF your time in non-L&D Maternal/Infant care was good AND in the same facility - you might ask to be retransferred back to that unit. State your reason. Unfortunately closed units can become excessively clannish and while it MIGHT be something that you actually did it LIKELY is nothing you did but is a 'take it out on you' for something like they had someone else in mind for the job, they don't like transfer "ups", you are the wrong whatever, or they feel threatened by their own insecurities. These things you can NEVER conquer. But if you can return to your old unit it is sometimes amazing as to the change in attitude and you may be able to return at a later time, especially if you can now, (after having had the orientation) "float" there as needed where you are perceived as a 'help' not a 'threat'. Also you can just wait out developments in staffing and management. Try the things that Beth has suggested, but I would be absolutely sure that my union rep was aware, and if you are continuing to have problems I would have a discussion with the HR person and/or the person above your manager. It's possible that there has been past events of a similar situation. Non-relational nepotism is unfortunately not unusual; or your manager may be the root-source of the problem. Be prepared for further fallout though. Remember - almost all of us (nurses) have been there. Try to have a 'back-up' by applying elsewhere also. Good luck and hang in.

I have found that toxic managers are not generally the rule across organizations, but tend to aggregate in some organizations. Most places either work to eliminate toxic managers, or have such a toxic culture that these type of managers become endemic.

I really feel for you! I recently left a job where I thought I'd try my hand at another field of nursing. I was put on PIP once because of med error. I got a verbal warning and it seemed like things went downhill from there. I ended up resigning after 2 months. After the first PIP, I felt I was under a microscope. Soon after that I was confronted by administration about how I felt about my job. I honestly had started disliking the job. I knew at that point that it was time to go. I handed in my resignation and a very honest exit interview. It all stung my ego a bit but the job was not a good fit for me nor I for it. It only took less than a week to find something I really wanted to do and was hired. I wish you luck in whatever you decide to do! You are in a very precarious situation especially now that you have been called in because of a patient safety issue.

Hello What To Do, I hope you are reading these posts, I have to say I agree with all of them. Most importantly figure out a way to check the fetal monitors on a regular basis even when you are in the zone doing something else. Maybe if you set an increment alarm on your smart phone or a digital watch. Ask L & D nurses at your old facility how they keep track. I wouldn't trust anyone at your current facility. Document everything you can, get your resume and cover letter together as soon as possible and start applying for positions now. You won't be able to use your current manager as a reference but most interviewing managers would understand that you would not want him or her to know you are looking for a new job. The most your current facility can say is that you are currently employed there when a possible new job calls to verify employment. When they ask why you are looking to change facilities it may not hurt to say something like, you love L & D (if you want to stay with that) and that you have always wanted to work at said facility based on . . . (do some internet searching for proof of excellence you can quote) and with your five years of nursing experience as well as six months of L & D you know you would be an asset to their team. Is it possible to go back to your old facility and regroup? You know you are a good nurse with years of experience to prove this and you don't need this PIP undermining your self-confidence and making you too paranoid and too stressed to take excellent care of your patients. Because that is what is going to happen as well as what is already happening.

I totally agree with greensilver. Having a PIP along with the experience you've had with it, can undermine your self-confidence. That is what happened to me. Once you lose your self confidence after this, it is hard to get it back in these circumstances. If you can hang in there and get as much help as possible from your manager and co-workers then by all means you should do so. It all depends on how humble and determined you are to make it work.

Don't take it personal my dear, some people don't realize how awesome one is until they leave. That place is not a good fit for you. I once had a job as a cna where I was in the exact same situation, I woke up one morning and tendered my resignation letter. They were all surprised cos according to them, I was greatly improving and ofcourse was loved greatly by my patients and their family. I just figured the place wasn't a good fit for me. So I will suggest you resign than being stressed every single day you are about to go to work.

:yes::nurse: Find another area to transfer to where you have the support of management and staff. Without that support it is hard to thrive or even survive in that backstabbing "witch hunt" of a work environment. If you are in a will to work state you can be fired for anything. They don't have to prove you're rude. Your manager just needs her goon squad of techs and other personnel possibly throughout your institution, eg, pharmacy techs even to write you up for rude behavior that you were never aware of and set up for.

Run Forest Run! Don't let that bully manager strip you of your dignity. I know that only happens if you allow it according to smart leaders like Eleanor Roosevelt so just get out ASAP! She's not going to stop! Go in a nice professional manner so they can't stamp 'no rehire' on your record. You worked so hard to get your license. It's not a game. It's a shame...to be treated like that. Rude, really, and no example???! Even along with her supposed examples she'll soon have her goon squad making and writing up! She will do it! She's already proven she's a bully! It's like a game for her, 3 write ups and you're out!

You are a very nice, compassionate, kind and caring professional person.:yes: There are most likely many areas within your hospital that would appreciate your kindness and conscientiousness and professionalism. This manager is already undermining your integrity trying to make you doubt yourself and your basic core of kindness. Get away from this devil woman or man quick! Give your 2 weeks and get the truck out of there! Find somewhere where you are appreciated.

Bullies and their goon squads thrive in will to work states and can make your work life miserable when there is no need. It can even affect your patient care from losing night's of sleep worrying about your "performance". That is no supportive environment! Run to where you can have peace of mind and not have to worry about that bully manager calling you, "rude." The next thing she'll call you is ,"Unprofessional"! Believe me I was never written up in the same institution in 14 years, transferred to a clinic area where my manager was not a nurse but an administrative type, was written up several times via techs etc. on her goon squad and was asked if I wanted to be escorted out of there after 17 years at the same fine level III trauma/ teaching institution! Talk about humiliating. I don't care how strong you are. That kills, girl!

I had been requested while working in the hospital to care for surgeons and coworkers kids even, because I was nice; yet fired for being rude pattern maker a couple years later in the clinic area. What a farce!

Believe me please, a bully doesn't appreciate the loving care and kindness and skills you provide your patients and their families. Really that's the bottom line, she is affecting your ability to provide the quality care you could because of her constant bullying and calling you in to write you up. It will become a pattern that she creates and you will be terminated for no real reason but them driving you to the point of standing up for yourself in possibly the not most professional email you've ever written or something:-). Oh well...one person can only take so much. They will create a pattern of rude and unprofessional behavior for you. You may have drawers full of letters of compliments from your patients and their families. That matters not one bit! Just for our pride and hearts but not for that type of manager. She could care less! You are a nothing but a number to her. You can be easily replaced.

I think most nurses are compassionate people and there will always be people out there that will use that against you. You have to watch out for that. Kind of like Ted Bundy how he took advantage of nurses compassionate sides. Just run girl! Stay calm. Find somewhere else with a nice supportive manager, maybe even in an area you're not sure of at first, you can always transfer again from there PRN.

Take care and know there are some awesome people/nurses that have been through similar bullying incidents being written up for being rude, not to ANY patients but coworkers, techs, maybe another nurse, whatever, whoever on her goon squad will keep it going and they will. Wow, can't come up with anything better really??? Imagine if you were a not so ethical type of a person and you also happened to be a tech or another nurse wouldn't it be fun to gang up with my manager against an RN???Like have a witch hunt and run her off. Let's not help her with patient care or anything and lets's do all we can to let her drown. Just saying that stuff happens. I had management there ask me to write up a newby they didn't care for when I first transferred there before they didn't like me! I had a licensed pharmacist tell me my manager asked him to write me up for being rude but he wouldn't because he knew how nice I was from years of working with me in another area of the hospital. Thanks M*****l. He was one of the only ones that let me know it was a witch hunt. I felt like I was going crazy for a minute there...a 4 year minute that is :banghead: Worse than high school! Just get out ASAP.

At one of my totally BS write ups while asking me to sign it and me refusing because it was not true, my bully manager actually told me I should,"... transfer out of her clinic before she wrote me up again". Wow, I slept real good after that, praying on my way to work to not be written up for being rude to a tech or a certain nurse on her squad. I tried to fight it because I loved the work and a lot of the people but they were not on the goon squad. Life is not fair. It's hard to leave all that at work. Save your sanity, dignity, work record. It can even affect your loved ones if you can't leave it at work, which is difficult when you're writing appeal after appeal. Save you brain. It's worth more than their bullying fun.

Sorry to run on, it's been 10 years since I was terminated from the fine institution I devoted most of my work career to, and had reached their Staff Nurse III level, worked there 17 years and then was rude and unprofessional just because of the one last managers write ups who wasn't a nurse just a bully. Actually, she even let her techs call themselves nurses.

Just put yourself before all that and get while the getting is good! Thinking and praying for your peace of mind. OK??? OK! From one RN to another, you worked too hard for all that mental abuse! Take care of yourself if you don't you can't take good care of anyone else.

On a side note, I haven't been on the site in years but your letter touched me. Writing this has been cathartic. Don't let your way of getting out take such a toll on you as I did it me, fighting with appeals,etc. Just be proactive and go with dignity. You don't want that B sitting there in her business suit, practically grinning, asking you to hand over your badge and would you like help from security to pack your desk and leave the place you devoted so much to. It's nothing to them. Nothing!

I had lots of folks that felt like family there, docs and nurses and techs that loved me. None of that mattered. Also if you have anything you want from your work email get it transferred to a private one before that manager shuts down your email before you can even get back home to get the things you wanted. Now take care girl or guy! Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you don't get called in when you're about to mash the potatoes! Just saying'...it happens.:-)

PS~If you are dealing with a narcissistic, unethical manager, and it does happen unfortunately, it does not matter one iota how humble and determined you are. You must be pretty humble and determined to be on here asking what to do. It takes real courage to speak out against bullies. Thanks for that.

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