Standards of Behaviour

dthfytr, ADN, LPN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-I · Mar 24, 2011

Do you also need a pass for the hall monitor? Really, we're told we're professionals then treated like children! I think everybody who's taken aback by this are the true professionals, the rest mere lemmings, which of course is what management wants. I could go on and on about how demeaning this is, and how it shows how management can get an elitist attitude, which is the height of hypocrisy. The only justification for this that I can imagine is that some nurse in a bubble just finished his/her masters thesis and now it's being inflicted upon you.

Asystole RN · Mar 24, 2011

I am not sure why a standards of behavior policy is such a bad thing. To remind all of us of our commitments, we are held to standards of professional behavior as dictated in our Nurse Practice Acts (NPA). We also are not forced to be employed by any entity, you work at your discretion. If your employer wants you to wear a purple dinosaur outfit for a uniform, that is their right, you on the other hand have the right to walk away.

Although this policy may be imperfect the premise is still good. There may be many issues with the wording, implementation, or enforcement of specific rules of the policy but the overall intention is still good. Do not throw the baby out with the bathwater.

I am sure that overtime the issues you described, answering a phone while in a sterile procedure, will be resolved, either through amendment, enforcement or clause.

CVmursenary · Mar 24, 2011

Just sign it and forget it. Most things like this don't ever actually change anything. And those dressed up folks who made it will not be around to see whats going on anyways.

jammin246RN · Mar 24, 2011

We have to sign a similar letter. Basically management wants to know you know the basic standards that they would like at their establishment. Case in point phone calls.... I have known some nurses to sit their phone at the desk and never wear it.... This can make it frustrating for everyone who is trying to get ahold of them. Will they come back and yell at you for not answering during a sterile procedure... no they wont. But if not answering your phone is the norm for you then it can be seen as a problem. They can then come to you and say "you know you should be wearing your phone and answer it when it rings yada yada". Most forms are placed out there for the management to Cover their @ss. Don't take it too personal, just sign the paper and move onto patient care.

martymoose, BSN, RN · Mar 24, 2011

I am feeling like since there is no longer a nursing shortage in our area the facility can bully and push us around anyway they feel they can. I also feel like if a manager decides they dont like certain employees for whatever reason, they can use this to fire them.

you just hit the nail on the head. the ball is in their court.

nothing like being scared for your job every day. It stinks.They have the upper hand.

It's a no win situation.

caliotter3 · Mar 24, 2011

You are right. Employers can bully and push around employees any way they please because of the economy. I would look for worse things to leave a job over. This is nothing but idiotic fluff for the public and you see how the public laughs at it.

SkipBeat · Mar 24, 2011

Why are you against a union? It seems that it may help mitigate the fear of losing one's jobs for silliness if their was one in place?

Old.Timer · Mar 24, 2011

I feel extremely insulted and degraded by a situation that has come up at work. On our unit, there appeared a table with a poster on it called "Standards of Behaviour." This poster is right where the elevators are so all people visiting patients and etc can see. When I first read the poster I thought ohh here we go again oh well. Along side the poster were regular letter size copies. We're supposed to sign the poster and then sign a copy for the manager to put in our employ record. The walls surrounding the poster had little things like almost like "come join the party" etc etc, making it look like it was something exciting and new. All a show for visitors.
Now for the ugly, which I just heard about from a fellow coworker. There are several of us that disagree with the whole thing and decided we're not playing their game well .... One of my coworkers was approached by one of our clinical managers, the manager asked her how she felt about the poster and the coworker said she thought it was inappropriate and didnt agree with it and wasnt signing it for that reason. The clinical manager then promptly told her that she could go look for another job and tell the rest of us that felt the same way that they could start looking for new jobs too. She said anyone that doesnt sign will be "weeded" out.
I feel this is absolutely wrong on so many levels. IF we dont adhere to the rules mandated on this "standards of behaviour" we will be fired. We werent told any of this before some of us signed the paper. One is addressing everyone as mr, mrs, or ms... If I have a patient that is setting of the bed alarm or anything that requires immediate attention, I will address my patient with whatever works best.. if that is my patients first name then so be it!!! I wish I could make a copy and print everything here. It is absurd
First section out of eight... Integrity
I will be honest and open in all relationships and interactions and in providing care
ensure appropriate use of all @@@ resources
Not engage in inappropriate behaviours such as bullying, aggressiveness intimidation, gossip, profanity or harassment.
promptly report any known or suspected violation, misuse or improper conduct.
concern
I will Make time for everyone. now one is an interruption, each person is my reason for being at @@@@@@@
I will value our patients and co workers time and provide prompt service
etc etc etc and it goes on front and back
I see this as a contract, if we miss something or its a crazy night we can get fired for not adhering to the "standards of behavior"
It goes on as to say how and when we should answer our phones 1 I would love to throw my damn phone out the window sometimes.
one of the rules is we must answer our phones by the 3rd ring... excuse me but if I am in the middle of doing a sterile procedure and my phone rings, I am NOT racing to tear off my gloves, risking my sterile field for a damn phone call. but hey I can be fired if I dont answer that phone by the 3rd ring!!!!!! If I am in an isolation room I am NOT answering my phone sorry but YUK!!!!
NOW for even more ugly.... There are some nurses on our floor that dont like the situation so much they are investigating the possibility of having us join a union. I'm not in favor of a union either. I am so upset I see this causing and creating chaos on our unit. I feel this is something we should already be doing. We dont need babysat or treated like children.
Tonight I even heard some visitors that were looking at the poster making fun of the whole thing. I am feeling like since there is no longer a nursing shortage in our area the facility can bully and push us around anyway they feel they can. I also feel like if a manager decides they dont like certain employees for whatever reason, they can use this to fire them.
Have any of you ever had to sign something like this?
How would you react if you were in this situation?

Settle down. Don't go loooking for trouble where there is none. JCAHO requires all hospitals and organizations to have a written code of conduct defining acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.

I agree, they way your organization has gone about putting it out there is a little showy, but it is not an indication that they think their employees are not behaving appropriately or need babysitting per se. It's a JCAHO requirement that lready and it has nothing to do They haven't put it all out there

bofclark · Mar 24, 2011

If your nurse manager did say that non signers of this poster would be "weeded out" then you and the other nurses that have been threatened by this nurse manager need to report the nurse manager to your senior management and demand that this managers behaviour/threats be addresses. The nurse manager should be removed from their postition and if the hospital does not address your concerns then begin legal action against the hospital for not addressing the issue. Obviously the more nurses that witness the threatening behaviour the better. Bottom line is no one can force you to sign anything. Threatening you for not signing is illegal and renders what you sign invalid. I would like to say that the nurses union would be an ally in this situation but I have witnessed first hand repeated inaction by the nursing union to complaints over work conditions and treatment of nurses.

elkpark · Mar 24, 2011

The last few jobs I've had have required something similar to this (signing a statement saying I agree to abide by the organization's established standards of conduct) as part of the hiring process, and I've even applied for jobs where it was required as part of the application process before you even had a job with the organization. What you're describing is nothing unusual or outrageous in healthcare these days. Perhaps it's just that it's being introduced by your employer now, after you've been there a while, that makes it seem "insulting" or "degrading" (and the way they are handling the introduction, which I agree sounds pretty ham-handed).

I agree with some of the other posters that it seems pretty standard to me for healthcare organizations these days, and no biggie. Choose your battles -- is this worth losing your job over?

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Mar 24, 2011

Without a union they can pretty much get rid of you any time they want anyway. So, I would just sign it and then continue on doing things the way I always did. That kind of crapola always passes. Choose your battles wisely and do not waste your energy.

Laugh, sign, do what you always did....... :smokin: