Through out the years there have been trite mangement 'truisms' that have always set my teeth on edge.
For example, once not too long ago, I was working in an ICU with two other nurses, a seven bed unit that has an acquity that can vary widely from next-to-nothing to six vents and/or AMIs, to crashing surgeries, etc.,
That shift in question we were literally drowining, because of the nature of the unit we rarely have a unit secretary, or any aides to transport labs, run errands, and so forth. One of the nurses called the house manager and asked if one of the unit secretaries from the med/surg floor, (they have two), could please come help us, mostly answer lights, and maybe put in an order or two into the computer.
The house manager told her, no...and you "must learn to prioritize your care."
I hate this comment...It implies that the reason a nurse is falling behind, or overwhelmed, is her fault, that if she would just do what is important she would not be behind...Of course if you truly just prioritize, you will be faulted for not doing the things you think are less important, that you didn't update the critical pathway, or care plan...or put the accucheck readings or vitals in the three different places you supposed to.
Another one I hate is the phrase..."Lack of preparation on your part does not constitue an emergency on my part". This only is true if you have some power or ability to set your own workload and or timetable, something that I think most staff nurses do not have.
In actuality what really happens from a staff nurse's point of view is...Lack of preparation on your part has caused an emergency on my part...
The surgeon that wants to do the painful dressing now, and neglected to tell you to give the pre-med one-half hour before his arrival, the one with the complicated supplies and equipment that takes awhile to get together, and he wants to do it NOW!!!
The gastroenterologist, (resident), that wants you to force the elderly pt to chug the gallon of go-lytely in 20 minutes because he forgot to order it earlier and the attending is going to be there in an hour for the colonscopy, of course the pt. won't be clean, but that's you fault...
So I was wondering is there any management or work related platitudes that just send you up the wall?
I grit my teeth when I hear my current boss say, "I'll take care of it". Here I sit tonight with no tech for a 5 bed locked psych ER because even though the hole in the schedule was there 3 weeks ago when the schedule was printed, he was going to "take care of it". Oh, and there's another hole on the same day in two weeks. I think I'll be sick that day. If they can't be bothered to provide staff, I guess I can't be bothered to come to work.
Although, technically, I haven't seen or spoken to my boss in over 6 months now. Not even to acknowledge my resignation letter (which I gave him over a month in advance so they could fill my position). I should have just given it 2 weeks notice. *sigh*
"We need to consider this a challenge, not a problem" Don't tell me this when I am up to my teeth in "challenges".
"We need to take it up a notch for patient care" This means we have too much work for too few people and we need to shame/badger/coerce someone into more work. Not to mention this line is delivered by someone who hasn't laid eyes on patient, much less taken care of them, in weeks.
"It's all about prioritizing your time" You need to do 10 hours of work in a 8 hour shift. But don't skip lunch or get overtime.
I am a 12 year experienced nurse. When I ask a question, it is because I truely don't know! My supervisor/DON always comes back with this: "You need to ask yourself, what would a prudent nurse do?" I want to say, "a prudent nurse would ask her supervisor. What would a prudent supervisor do?":banghead:
i am a 12 year experienced nurse. when i ask a question, it is because i truely don't know! my supervisor/don always comes back with this: "you need to ask yourself, what would a prudent nurse do?" i want to say, "a prudent nurse would ask her supervisor. what would a prudent supervisor do?":banghead:
When you are about to get screwed you hear "we need you to be a team player on this one"!
I didn't know whether to laugh or scream when I read that!
The people who tend to hand out these platitudes are the ones you will never, ever, catch getting their hands dirty - people who think they've "paid their dues."
I wrote a paper on horizontal hostiliy in nursing when I was working on my BSN. One of the theories behind horizontal hostility that came up in a number of studies I read was "oppressed group behavior." Part of that is that there are nurses who want to become members of the oppressing group and distance themselves from the rest of us - they start thinking they are better than the rest of us.
I'll put my clinical skill up against theirs any day!
My final comment on this is that I absolutely refuse to trust any nurse who shows up on the unit wearing high heals - and you can always hear them coming!
I don't know if this qualifies, but it drives me crazy when I hear supervisors, in reference to dealing with difficult residents, say that "if you just talk to the resident in a calm, quiet, and reassuring manner, they won't be combative/can easily be redirected/will stop screaming." Uh, nice theory, but it doesn't always work in reality, especially in the evening on a dementia unit.
I am a 12 year experienced nurse. When I ask a question, it is because I truely don't know! My supervisor/DON always comes back with this: "You need to ask yourself, what would a prudent nurse do?" I want to say, "a prudent nurse would ask her supervisor. What would a prudent supervisor do?":banghead:
I love it.
Personally, I'm trying to be proactive about taking ownership of my documentation.
& after a long day of running around, no lunch/breaks,etc., we finally have a few minutes to chart: "You guys don't look busy-- come w/me I want you to give a break to someone on another unit......"
I think ALL managers should have to replace a staff member for one week-- work the WHOLE day every day for a week- walk a mile in OUR shoes- - cover for vacations, etc. instead of sitting in their offices planning a barbecue to improve morale! Also, management all leaving the bldg for 1-2 hr lunches - not cool!
New2ER
83 Posts
I grit my teeth when I hear my current boss say, "I'll take care of it". Here I sit tonight with no tech for a 5 bed locked psych ER because even though the hole in the schedule was there 3 weeks ago when the schedule was printed, he was going to "take care of it". Oh, and there's another hole on the same day in two weeks. I think I'll be sick that day. If they can't be bothered to provide staff, I guess I can't be bothered to come to work.
Although, technically, I haven't seen or spoken to my boss in over 6 months now. Not even to acknowledge my resignation letter (which I gave him over a month in advance so they could fill my position). I should have just given it 2 weeks notice. *sigh*