MK1908

I'm a manager in a skilled nursing/rehab facility. One of the biggest issues I'm having right now is that people are coming to me complaining about their coworkers. I always get "she's lazy" or "she takes too many breaks" or "all she does is sit around all day". Obviously, if patient care is compromised then I investigate further. However, when I suggest that this person have a conversation with the person they are complaining about, they look at me like I just fired them. I want my staff to hold each other accountable for their actions. I KNOW that first party communication works, as we implemented it in a prior facility that I worked at and morale improved greatly. I even ask the "complainer" to put their concerns down on paper, and that if it needs to be addressed I will do so. But...of course, I never get the concern on paper and the complaining continues. Any suggestions on how to work this out??

My facility was finally able to hire more staff, but I'm afraid that the people with negative attitudes about staffing/call-ins and the new hires seeing people get mandated will scare them away. A few of the new staff are right out of school. I'm doing my best on an individual basis to make it a point to tell the new hires how glad we are to have them and that we appreciate their hard work. Retention is a big issue in our facility. If things get tough or challenging, staff quit. Any other ideas on how to try and retain my new nurses/aides?

I can relate to the short staffing/call-in issues. At my facility it happens all the time. As a result of this, staff end up getting mandated to stay (RNs work 12-hour shifts, CNA's work 8 hours) while the staffing coordinator tries to find someone to come in. The staff is getting burned out, which I believe is contributing to the increase in turn-over and call ins. Positive reinforcement and praise goes a long way in helping someone realize that they are important and are needed at the facility.