Staff morale / targeting

Bird2 · Jun 8, 2005

HI Everyone,
Just a couple of quick questions. Would really appreciate the point of view of nurse managers. Do any one you run units that have or had low staff morale (for whatever reasons), and what did you do to facillitate a positive change on your unit. My next question has to do with "targeting" or bullying. Have you ever had a staff member who targeted another staff member and how did you deal with this to prevent further such behaviour and how did you support the staff member who was targetted.
Thanks very much for any input you may have to offer.
P65

Is it possible that the bully is dragging down the staff? I would speak to the bully and tell them that the behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. I would then follow up with them weekly to counsel them or reinforce poistive behavior. I would also start the documentation (verbal, written, final, termination) if needed. Hopefully it would not come to termination but you have to support the other staff. I would also make sure the person being bullied is supported by reassuring them, praising the good work they do for your company. If the poor morale continues you could meet with your staff and ask for their input on the problems. They will have great input and by getting their suggestions they will feel empowered.

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Jun 8, 2005

HI Everyone,
Just a couple of quick questions. Would really appreciate the point of view of nurse managers. Do any one you run units that have or had low staff morale (for whatever reasons), and what did you do to facillitate a positive change on your unit. My next question has to do with "targeting" or bullying. Have you ever had a staff member who targeted another staff member and how did you deal with this to prevent further such behaviour and how did you support the staff member who was targetted.
Thanks very much for any input you may have to offer.
P65

First and foremost .... have you reviewed the overall unit operations to see if the nurses have frustrations that might be taking valuable time from care and causing them to work harder? This is where I would start in relationship to morale. In addition, I would ask the nurses why the morale is low .... they are the front line and as vocal as nurses are ... they will tell you for sure!

The single best strategy that I have used in the past is my visibility on the unit and addressing and solving problems for them. Making sure they have the tools and the equipment they need to do a great job. In addition, look at staffing patterns. Are the nurses being required to do clerical functions that are better handled by someone more situated to deal with them. In addition, look at the ancillary support for the nurses. We have to remember as managers that nurses are working harder and harder everyday with less and less resources. Patients are sicker than they have ever been before and nursing care is a tough thing to do when you are carrying a patient load greater than 5 patients. If ancillary support is not available ... figure out a way (reasonable) to support the nurses during high points of the day (and night) so they can get assessments done and meds passed. FInally, develop a recognition program designed to award your winners ... those nurses that go above and beyond all the time. Host a pot luck .... give movie passes and dinner for those nurses that are doing a great job. These things are great morale boosters.

In relationship to the bully .... first spend some time observing this behavior. Spend time at the nursing station doing chart audits or working as the secretary for a while. Take the time to see what is happening. Chances are, if the bully is smart, they will not do anything is ear shot of you.

Take the stand of zero tolerance for this type of behavior. Meet with the offending nurse and share your concerns. In addition, share with him/her the policy, vision and mission of the unit. Let that individual know in no uncertain terms that this behavior will not be tolerated and will be followed up with progressive disciplinary action that could lead to termination. Finally, for the bully, provide them with a EAP mandatory referral for counseling. Make this a part of the initial discipline and mandate that they attend. If they do not attend, suspend them until such time as they attend and EAP releases them back to work.

For the nurse that is the target, advise this person that you are aware of what is happening and that you are taking steps to ensure the unit is not a hostile work environment. I would also alert HR to the issues as they will need to know if you have a bully making the unit a hostile work environment for another employee.

Now, here is the kicker .... news travels fast with nurses .... in your next staff meeting ... make the announcement to all nurses that bullying WILL NOT be tolerated and that people caught in the act or reported to be bullying will be disciplined. Then ... mean it! Hold everyone accountable to the new standard.

Good luck and please come back and tell us how it went!

porsch65 · Jun 8, 2005

thank you for that most thoughtful response. You obviously have had experience in dealing with this issue. I particularly like the suggestion of having the bully go to EAP to understand their own behaviour. We have had incidences of targetting in our unit. The behaviours continue to happen. Our manager is invisible, and she communicates to us via e-mail. I would love to share all of this with her, but she in not approachable. All the suggestions that you have made are those that "have teeth". I think that I will print this off and send this to our HR dept and some others and perhaps my own manager.

You sound like a wonderful manager that supports his/her staff which in turn supports our patients the most important reason why we are all here.

P65 :) :)

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Jun 8, 2005

thank you for that most thoughtful response. You obviously have had experience in dealing with this issue. I particularly like the suggestion of having the bully go to EAP to understand their own behaviour. We have had incidences of targetting in our unit. The behaviours continue to happen. Our manager is invisible, and she communicates to us via e-mail. I would love to share all of this with her, but she in not approachable. All the suggestions that you have made are those that "have teeth". I think that I will print this off and send this to our HR dept and some others and perhaps my own manager.
You sound like a wonderful manager that supports his/her staff which in turn supports our patients the most important reason why we are all here.
P65 :) :)

Thank you for the kind words and good luck ... I hope that HR reads this and helps with some good action. I hate that your manager is not approachable ... that is simply a shame! Let us know what happens and best of luck with the bully.

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Jun 9, 2005

I know most managers really want their units to function on as high a level as possible with most of the employees getting along, morale being good, and no major bumps. But I have to say I personally have experienced 2 toxic managers, once when I was just a nurse for 3 years and later down the road. These managers were unavailable, unsupportive of staff, never resolved any issues, and were finally booted out of the door. The problem was, the manager was there long enough to cause problems that experienced, dedicated nurses did not want to deal with and many left. I know many here advocate for staying and attempting to fix the unit, but I think nursing is too big a job to have to worry about toxic managers, so I think if things spiral downwards for 3 to 6 months, get a new job because this may be only a taste of things to come.

Rosie- · Jun 23, 2005

One of our nurse managers is the one that doest the bullying. Wish I had an answer for you cause I'm the one she like to bully the most.

HI Everyone,
Just a couple of quick questions. Would really appreciate the point of view of nurse managers. Do any one you run units that have or had low staff morale (for whatever reasons), and what did you do to facillitate a positive change on your unit. My next question has to do with "targeting" or bullying. Have you ever had a staff member who targeted another staff member and how did you deal with this to prevent further such behaviour and how did you support the staff member who was targetted.
Thanks very much for any input you may have to offer.
P65

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Jun 24, 2005

I was sorry to read your post, I do know that many managers are not as supportative, fair, and even-handed in dealing with all staff members. I would not stay on the unit with this manager, they do not get better when this starts happening, they get worse. I would transfer to another unit or quit. Let her bully someone else but do not accept this treatment. I know there will be those who say go above her head, but administration does not really deal with these issues, they just sweep them under a rug. Run, quick as you can.

Monica RN,BSN · Jun 25, 2005

As a new DON, I made a survey that asked many questons and was submitted annonymously so that their voices could be heard without identity. I asked things like what they liked best/least, support received from management, policies they would like changed, ideas to make it better, if they saw them selfs working there in a year from now, if they felt they had adaquate staff, teamwork, etc. It probed for answers from all angles from peer relations to management perception. It was a geat way to get to know my new staff and find out up front and early on to whay their frustrations are. Those things that can be fixed internally are being addressed immediately. Those things that I cannot control, such as pay and benefits are forwarded to corporate and hope someone thre may care enough to hear what the satff need/want. I got about a 50% response from the employee surveys, which is pretty good since many surveys are statistically less.

This helped me to identify issues to increase moral and identify problems to be alerted to. I will ressurrect the employee of the month program,(which went away along time ago) give mcdonalds certificates to "good doers and those who work extra shifts since mcdonalds in right next door and easy for a quick lunch, and what ever else i can come up with to solve issues. Wish I could fix it overnight.. but we all konw that cannot be... Have a great day! :)