Resignation Via E-Mail

Rapheal · Jun 28, 2004

I can understand the nurses frustration- and I am sure we have all come close to losing our cool at one time or another. But this comes across as a temper tantrum and the nurses concerns be them valid or not will probally come across as not credible. The means and tone of the communication will far overshadow the issues that were brought up. Such a shame.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jun 28, 2004

Tweety,
I understand where you are coming from. But if her agenda was to effect change, was that really the best way to go about it? I'm betting it just made the institution even more defensive and they engaged in a PR-fallout campaign hoping the whole thing blows over. I seriously doubt this will be given much credence, since she is now seen as a 'troublemaker' and a 'hothead' and it's documented by her own hand via email.
It sucks to have to play the game (and that's what it is), but in the end, you don't sign your own paycheck. None of us do.

I agree 100%. It was impulsive, immature, and poorly thought out and completely wrong.

All I meant is I could relate to the kind of frustration that would make a person snap, I've come close to snapping a few times myself. LOL

Gromit · Jun 28, 2004

Originally Posted by stevielynn

I agree with you. It was unprofessional and my first thought was how cowardly. Stand up for yourself in person. Don't hide behind a computer screen.

Maybe all the things she said were true. The way she went about it was wrong.

steph

Ditto,,,, extremely cowardly

I'm not quite so sure I'd call it cowardly. I mean, first off, if it was broadcast, then everyone knows quite well who it was, so there is no hiding it. Its a record, even if everyone deletes it, it will still be buried in the mail-server until that system deletes it over time, (no way will they keep email forever, its too big a waste of space -but for a certain number of years -for professional reasons, it will be kept as a record, just like all business records).

Cowardly? No. Wise? no, not really. Especially if those to whom it was sent, don't agree or don't know about the circumstances, then she will be seen as little more than a whiner -and this can cause future interaction problems for her.

And as has been said on here, burning a bridge isn't wise. I've burned a few myself, and while I can't say I completely regret it, I do wish I had chosen a better way, because it does limit THOSE job options.

Not cowardly, but not well thought out. The best thing about snail-mail was that you had to physically write it, and fold the paper, put the stamp on, and address the envelope, and if you used your own mailbox, wait a day for the mailperson to pick up the letter. Advantage? Gave you time to think about your actions. Email is nearly instantaneous (which made me laugh when you said that they took the server offline in an attempt to stop the letter. hehehe. Clueless morons. they should have used a tagger to seek and delete the message. Hmm. I wonder if that would have interefered with free speech, and got them into a lawsuit??)

Gromit · Jun 28, 2004

It's a shame that people are going to concentrate on "the nerve of her to send a mass email" and not concentrate on the issues that would cause a nurse to loose it like that. Sad. But as you said, the satisfaction of getting her sayso and leaving that job might have been worth it to her. Unprofessional or not, I feel myself relating to this person. :)

I copy that! I've been in these kinds of jobs too, where people just can't take it anymore, and just "Snap!"

Some HR departments are little more than jokes where they have a sign called "Human Resources" on the door, but are worse than ineffectual.

Back when I worked for the my neighboring county EMS, we had a guy who literally lost it on an emergency medica scene, and just started (literally) running around the fire engine (I was an ambulance jock on a one-paramedic, one EMT-A amblance) in circles, with his arms waving, screaming at the top of his lungs, repeating "I can't take it anymore". They gave him two months time off, and sent him right back to the same station and crew, with NO medical evaluation (I was also on a board, and wrote a comment as to the unwise nature of that action -which was, of course, ignored) well, this guy (two months after I gave up and threw in the towel, and left the county AND the field entirely) went home after his shift, kissed his wife and kids good buy as he sent them off to work and school respectively, and shot himself after they left.

I truly blame the county. This guy was a powderkeg, and needed help that was denied him.

This is of course, an extreme example (I was a little shocked -I didn't think he would go that far, but their treatment of him was part of the reason I left them -he was not an isolated case, just the most severe one) but you get the picture.

One other thing. He had confided that he had gone to the county EAP, and they had told him that they couldn't help him, that his problem (obvious depression if I've ever seen it! ) was not "work related". Go figure. No doubt, to his mind, he had exhausted every avenue.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Jun 28, 2004

A nurse sent out a scathing e-mail yesterday, copying in everybody, including the Chief Medical Officer, tendering her official resignation and slamming her supervisor for playing favorites (among other things). While it was tacky, it was basically true, for she quit for the same reasons I left this same department last year. The higher-ups shut down the mail server in an attempt to block her e-mail, but it didn't work. Democracy works!

that wasnt too bright of that nurse

never burn bridges

Farkinott, RN · Jun 28, 2004

that wasnt too bright of that nurse
never burn bridges

I agree Tom. You never know when you might be asking for a job again.

webbiedebbie · Jun 28, 2004

It is a shame that nurses are treated like we are in kindergarden! We are adults and we are professionals and we should be treated with respect. Where would the hospitals be w/o nurses?! Hospitals cater to physicians! They don't want to lose a physician. But a nurse? Oh well, if she/he doesn't like it they will find another, or work the rest of the staff to frustration or exhaustion! As nurses, we do go through the proper channels but to no avail. I contacted my manager about problems with another nurse (I wasn't accusing, just merely pointed out facts) and the whole staff was admonished on it. Why didn't she go to the person to talk directly about the problems? Why do the rest of us have to get slapped on the wrist?!

Unfortunately, that nurse who sent the email was acting out of frustration and anger. This probably was her last means of getting a point across. Did it work? Probably not. Did it hurt her? Probably.

Altra, BSN, RN · Jun 28, 2004

It's a shame that people are going to concentrate on "the nerve of her to send a mass email" and not concentrate on the issues that would cause a nurse to loose it like that. Sad.

Agree. Who hasn't at one time or another worked for the Boss Straight From Hell? I know I have. And believe me, I too had my fantasies of various ways I could "set the record straight." But reacting emotionally is, in my experience, NEVER a good idea. To an organization, emotions are irrelevant - facts matter, and the way they are presented matters even more. That may not be fair, but no one ever said life was fair. Controlling emotions is part of being a professional.

I hope she has another position, and can close this sad chapter in her life and move on.

SmilingBluEyes · Jun 28, 2004

I hear you Debbie, but I still say the move was very ill-advised. We nurses are trying to be recognized as PROFESSIONALS and behave this way? This whole "get even" mentality does not mesh with professionalism, and we can't have it both ways. That is why I said.... Not a smooth move! There were other ways to address the frustration she felt, other ways to cope. This is still my opinion, even though you bring up very good points!

nursejenner · Jun 28, 2004

I agree with you. It was unprofessional and my first thought was how cowardly. Stand up for yourself in person. Don't hide behind a computer screen.
Maybe all the things she said were true. The way she went about it was wrong.
steph

This is very much the case. I have been a Director of Nursing for 4 years, and in dealing with associates, usually the ones who pull stunts like this do not have a back bone, are the chronic gripers who never want to offer suggestions for change, and when you do offer solutions they are the first to have "the meeting after the meeting" You know the people who smile to your face in the conference room during charge nurse meeting, and then later on their shift gripe and rip apart everything that you are trying to do to make it a better place to work, and provide excellent patient care. It should have been handled in a much more professional manner then that. It is important in the profession of nursing that we conduct ourselves in an appropriate manner to show our level of education and professionalism.

Uh...ok that's all I got to say about that :)

ceecel.dee, MSN, RN · Jun 28, 2004

Empathy...that's what I feel. Imagine her frustration level given that she felt the need to resort to that form of communication. Perhaps writing it out in full was the only way she was ever allowed to make her concerns heard in full. While I agree that a formal letter sent out to all on her send list would have been viewed as more professional and polite, I see her method as reactionary to an uncivil and unrespectful management team.

I hope she finds a position where she feels she can make a difference, even if she must go outside of nursing to find it...and she may need to, sad as that is.

mattsmom81 · Jun 28, 2004

Empathy...that's what I feel. Imagine her frustration level given that she felt the need to resort to that form of communication. Perhaps writing it out in full was the only way she was ever allowed to make her concerns heard in full.

Hopefully somebody will realize this and she will be able to get a job in the area again. In my area doing something like this (even saying negative things on exit interviews) will bite one in the orifice. I empathize with her too.