Top 10 reasons we get fired!-Poor Performance

Poor performance has to be dealt with, no matter how distasteful it may seem when have to confront the nurse. When we permit poor performance, we promote its continuance. Therefore, positive consequences should increase when nurses meet performance expectations. Conversely, appropriate consequences for non-performance must be consistently enforced.

Continuing with the series of 'Top ten reasons we get fired' Number 4 comes in as "Poor Performance" at work.

Problems with performance can result from any number of factors. Organizational change, new technology, inexperienced nurses, issues outside work or even a run of "bad luck" can all affect performance, even for the most assiduous of professionals.

Managers should be able to say that they have the right person in the right job, sometimes they get it wrong.

Everyday we hear about co-workers who have performance issues, some of the time we have already identified the co-worker who has performance issues.

We know they have problems because the patient has informed you about something that has or hasn't been done. Or you have followed them onto the shift, found numerous issues or problems that have either not been identified or have not been dealt with correctly and you have to pick up the slack.

I am going to hazard a guess and say that everybody on the floor has been discussing the problems with this staff members performance, we all have a story to tell

What do we do about helping a co-worker improve their practice? Is this our job? or should we just leave it to management because that is what they are there for!

Poor Performance

So what constitutes a poor performance?

Poor time management
Insufficient attention to details
Inability to multitask
Missing orders in chart
Signing off but not completing orders
Completing wrong orders on patient
Med errors
Poor documentation
Judgment errors
Lack of timely interventions
Lack of knowledge and not seeking help
Not reporting changes in conditions
Not noticing changes in conditions
Not being able to self identify
Blame others

What can organizations do to help?

Numerous errors and mistakes add up to a dangerous nurse and if every thing possible has been done to help the individual including but not limited to:

Support for manager to manage a poor performance

Identify areas of concern

Discuss issues with staff member in a clear concise way

Improvement plans with clear outlines, realistic time to complete

Ensure they understand what the expectations are

Education

Increased mentoring

If everything has been done, then HR may have no other alternative but to terminate your employment, they have a duty to protect the patient, and if fear that harm could occur because of poor performance then there is normally no alternative.

Patient safety is of the upmost importance and if it is compromised in any way, action has to occur. Now with this being said we need to identify quickly the near misses and work with a risk management team to ensure that this doesn't happen again.

How to protect yourself and your patient

Reflection of your shift and self-identification of areas of weakness could help the poor performer. We need to know when to ask questions, when to ask for help and when to go to your manager to discuss your education needs.

Do not undertake, a task on a patient if you have never done it before, ask for supervision. No manager worth his or her salt would allow a procedure to be done on a patient if the staff member was very inexperienced.

Don't bring outside issues into work, leave them at the front door and pick them up on the way out. You think this is not possible, well it is and you have a responsibility to your patient, if you cannot function in this capacity then you need to stay home.

Learn from experienced nurses their good habits, not their bad ones

Organize your day in a structured manner

Know where the policy, procedure and protocols are, these are there to help and guide you.

Learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others

For the experience nurse, help your co-worker you were new once! Offer to show them the right way to do something. Don't ignore their cry for help, spend 5 mins now with them, and avoid clearing up the mess later on.