Scolded For Prioritizing Emergent Situations Over Routine Meetings

[SilverBells, BSN]

As a unit manager, it seems as if everything is my responsibility.   It is almost as if people expect me to be three places at once (which, of course, is impossible).  Everyone seems to think that I should attend to their requests RIGHT NOW regardless of what else I have going on and the urgency of each task.   If I don't respond to their requests immediately, they have no problem expressing their frustration with me.   

A couple of these situations occurred today.  I had a couple of Care Conferences scheduled (which are basically routine meetings to discuss resident progress, plan for discharge if appropriate, etc).  Unfortunately, during both of them, other urgent situations came up.  Medical issues requiring immediate attention (one patient's surgical wound was worsening while another one was experiencing a sudden onset of shortness of breath).  Regardless of the fact that these issues required my undivided attention, I was scolded by several coworkers that demanded I attend these meetings regardless of how critical these other issues were.   One of them stated that it was important for all staff to "do our due diligence," while another one stated that I needed to attend this meeting no matter what, even though, in both instances these meetings were for residents who were currently medically stable.  

After delegating some work to the floor nurse, I was able to attend one meeting, but not the other.  Despite the seriousness of the one situation, which required my full attention, my coworkers still expressed displeasure over me not prioritizing a routine meeting discussing ostomy care over someone experiencing a medical emergency.  I explained to them that I would be happy to follow up with questions the family may have later on, but I needed to attend to these patients first.   They weren't satisfied and resorted to calling in my co-manager to the meeting instead.  I am sure they reported me to the DON as well.   

I am wondering if anyone else has been in a similar situation and what your response to your coworkers was.  After all, it's not as if I can schedule my emergencies at convenient times. 

[SilverBells, BSN]

The one patient ended up being admitted for a pulmonary embolism.  I wonder how the board of nursing would feel if I had prioritized that routine care conference over getting the PE patient to the ER...

[Emergent, RN]

I think that systems have gotten so out of balance. I think I'm sick of Nursing. It's getting ridiculous. I'm so fed up with charting systems, nonsensical protocols, regulatory hyperdrive. I want to get out of it altogether.

[klone, MSN, RN]

As a manager, I have never gotten in trouble for prioritizing patient care or department emergencies over meetings. So my advice is to find a different place to work.

I don't think it was out of line for them to call in your co-manager when you could not attend.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Why couldn't the comanager handle the emergencies?

[SilverBells, BSN]

4 hours ago, klone said:

As a manager, I have never gotten in trouble for prioritizing patient care or department emergencies over meetings. So my advice is to find a different place to work.

I don't think it was out of line for them to call in your co-manager when you could not attend.

I agree that it was fine to pull in a manager was available.  My main issue was their response when I informed them that I had an emergent situation to attend to and their expectation that I drop everything I'm doing to attend.  I'll always prioritize any life threatening situation (in this case, an acute pulmonary embolism) over a routine meeting, and don't see why I should have to apologize for that or be scolded for it. 

[nursej22, MSN, RN]

You don't have to apologize for it. You gave them an explanation and that is all that is required.

Scolding, in my opinion, is unprofessional and shouldn't be tolerated. Unless they have supervisory authority, I would take what they say with a grain of salt. Let them go to the DON. 

And yeah, ignoring a patient in acute distress sounds like abandonment and boards of nursing take a dim view of that. 

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

I think you told them the reason. That should be that. Any problems they have should go up the flag pole if they don't like it. I am sure any family at the care conference would prefer that you were caring for the patients first.

 

[Hannahbanana, BSN, MSN]

I would consider a sudden shortness of breath to warrant RN assessment but not hours and hours of “full attention”(call EMS and out the door to the ER, done and dusted); a “worsening” wound is not likely to change much over an hour or two. Too much drama and not enough delegation here. 

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

I just think you really need to leave this job. If you have FMLA take a stress leave and a break. That way you can use up your PTO if you have it (some employers won't give it to you if you just quit). You are a nurse with a Master's degree and you have experience that would make you a good manager in the right environment. You will not grow in this environment. Trust me I have been in similar situations.

Hppy

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

Is it possible you are taking on responsibilities that should be handled by the nurse assigned to the patient?

I'm not sure, because I've never worked in a nursing home.

 

[caliotter3]

I agree.  It looks like you can't win for losing at this job.  When you're wrong, you're wrong, and when you're right, you're wrong too.  An individual can only put up with so much negativity directed at them.  Look for some greener grass after a therapeutic rest.