Poor Management (Nurse Leaders)

[fairness]

:no:I need advice. I believe and many of my co-workers as well think we need new management on the floor where we work. We don't know where to start. Low performer nurses getting by with everything, patient satisfaction down the tubes, no support, no positivity from management or encouragement, allows the nurses station to become a zoo with other departments standing around talking (management included), depressed nurses with poor morale. Help!!!!

[handyrn]

I think we work in the same facility! Do you ever wonder if nurse managers read our posts and try to come up with solutions to these problems after reading our complaints? I figure they must not as nothing ever changes and we keep complaining.

[kakamegamama]

Go as a group to management & voice your concerns. If no positive changes, go to the next level up. Plan what you want to say to them. Have a check list so to speak of concerns. Take a factual, non-emotional approach (not easy, I know) and be very professional in how you speak. Use "I" or "we" statements, instead of "you" (helps decrease their defensiveness.). Stress patient satisfaction and safety. Stress the positives that exist (you may have to look really really hard for those, but there's at least one--a nursing staff who really cares), and address the negatives as concerns that if they go unfixed will have negative impact on the floor, the hospital, the community, etc., etc. Good luck!

[RN1989]

This everywhere. You cannot run. You cannot hide. Good managers have a difficult time staying in their jobs - that's IF they are not forced out by admin. Sorry to say but you will beat yourself senseless on this issue.

[aeauooo]

I think it was in the nursing leadership class I had to take for my BSN where I heard:

"People don't quit jobs, they quit managers."

After 16 years of nursing and staff positions in 5 hospitals, I can count the number of good managers I have worked with on one hand and can't count the number of weak manangers I have known.

[abooker]

What does a good nurse manager look like?

I imagine low performer nurses on the hall leads to low patient satisfaction and low nurse morale, which leads to low manager morale and low performing managers.

I certainly wouldn't go to them and say; "You're terrible" or try to go above their heads. I imagine there are powerful people believing all they need is new floor nurses.

Would it be possible to grit your teeth and try being positive and encouraging to management? Sometimes they just may not know what you want from them. (If you want them to jump off the nearest cliff, maybe this is a good thing.)

Is there anything you find tolerable about one of your managers? Is one of them doing something ... even some little thing ... right?

[MIA-RN]

I think we work in the same facility! Do you ever wonder if nurse managers read our posts and try to come up with solutions to these problems after reading our complaints? I figure they must not as nothing ever changes and we keep complaining.

Its also possible they DO read this and then try to fire those who complain.....(just a thought)

[NightshiftRN69]

oops forgot that I had changed threads

[handyrn]

I will agree that there may be one or two staff members that no matter what you do you cannot make them happy nor improve their morale. However, administration sets the tone and it flows downhill. If you have good administration with a good attitude, doing what they can for the facility then the good attitude flows downward to the staff. And if the administration does not care about the staff and facility and has poor attitude themselves then the rest of the staff will have poor morale. I say this having been in management and as support staff. I just wish that other managers knew this.

[bluefabian]

Don't we all work in the same place?

I swear, in my years of nursing - the unit or department that gave me the most trouble is either the HR or management. Or the manager - any sort.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Maybe some of you should become leaders and improve things.

[happygrandma3]

I think it was in the nursing leadership class I had to take for my BSN where I heard:

"People don't quit jobs, they quit managers."

After 16 years of nursing and staff positions in 5 hospitals, I can count the number of good managers I have worked with on one hand and can't count the number of weak manangers I have known.

That really says it all, doesn't it? Complicating matters are the managers who listen to complainers & attack employees w/out gathering all the FACTS from the people directly involved. We need a new breed of managers IMO, those who don't fold to butt-kissing & complainers- managers who STICK TO THE RULES- instead of changing them for their favorites or the most vocal. Managers who hold REGULARLY SCHEDULED staff meetings & KEEP COMMUNICATION OPEN--w/EVERYONE- not just the most vocal 'squeaky wheels'-- who are usually the biggest problems on their units!! It's the employees quietly working "in the trenches" who have the best input for their units, not the people who find time to run to the boss w/every little thing like a 2nd grader!! The BEST manager I ever had was one who would sit the complainer & the 'victim' down face-to-face & mediate a discussion- & this took place only AFTER the complainer confronted the person on their own-- you know, like a GROWN UP PROFESSIONAL NURSE..........funny how much smoother things ran when people learned to address their concerns DIRECTLY to the person they had a beef with. I might add that these changes don't happen overnight, oh yes, there were growing pains, it takes several months & a manager who MAKES THE RULES KNOWN & STICKS TO THIS STYLE OF MANAGEMENT-- in other words, no waffling allowed!! - this also ensures RESPECT from the staff & security in knowing that guidelines are in place & policies will be followed.