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 am 'justavolunteer' & I don't know if this qualifies as a 'platitude'. I once had a unit manager tell me, "your first priority as a volunteer should be to run around & write every patients' name on the board in their room". NEWS FLASH! I have never had a pt who cared if their name was on their board. I have had LOTS of pts. who cared that they finally got water, tissues or whatever else the staff hasn't had time for.
I must have gave the mgr. who told me this quite the 'how stupid' look because she stopped, muttered "well, I guess you do know your job" and walked away.
personally, i'm trying to be proactive about taking ownership of my documentation.
not me--i'm synergistically maximizing my resourse prioritization to facilate productivity of client/nurse interpersonal dialogue for a win-win solution, originating from thinking outside the box and embracing change while focusing on excellent outcomes.
not me--i'm synergistically maximizing my resourse prioritization to facilate productivity of client/nurse interpersonal dialogue for a win-win solution, originating from thinking outside the box and embracing change while focusing on excellent outcomes.
not me--i'm synergistically maximizing my resourse prioritization to facilate productivity of client/nurse interpersonal dialogue for a win-win solution, originating from thinking outside the box and embracing change while focusing on excellent outcomes.
not me--i'm synergistically maximizing my resourse prioritization to facilate productivity of client/nurse interpersonal dialogue for a win-win solution, originating from thinking outside the box and embracing change while focusing on excellent outcomes.
You Guys Are Great!!! I had forgotten some of these..."Think ouside the Box" usually said by someone that doesn't have a clue, or any idea on how to fix the problem...meant to put it back on you.
I first heard "Work Smarter, Not Harder" from the laziness nurse I ever knew. She would do her assessments by reading the physician notes and/or preceeding nurses notes.
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention" means I will ignore it, maybe it will go away or later denial that they ever knew there was a problem...or blaming you for the problem in the first place, a "disgruntled problem causer" to the point of ostracism.
not me--i'm synergistically maximizing my resourse prioritization to facilate productivity of client/nurse interpersonal dialogue for a win-win solution, originating from thinking outside the box and embracing change while focusing on excellent outcomes.
When a manager tells you "It is expected that everyone will take their lunches and breaks". What they really mean is "I couldn't care less if you actually get a break, I just don't want to pay for it when you are forced to work on your breaks".
That's another one..."I expect people to take their breaks"...and when you do and have to stay overtime to finish your work, they complain about that...then it comes back to...."you must learn to prioritze your care" ...which is what started this thread in the first place.
What they really mean is "I couldn't care less if you actually get a break, I just don't want to pay for it when you are forced to work on your breaks".
My ex-NM actually said that to me. "I don't care if you don't take a break, as long as I don't have to pay for it." Laughing the whole time, of course.
And then her and her higher-ups wonder why people leave in droves.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Our charismatic leader was on the cover of the morning newspaper when reporters demanded to know why our 500 bed hospital was remodeled into a 215 bed facility with 10 pediatric beds, and he said "Less is More".
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
not me--i'm synergistically maximizing my resourse prioritization to facilate productivity of client/nurse interpersonal dialogue for a win-win solution, originating from thinking outside the box and embracing change while focusing on excellent outcomes.
oh, that's good!!!
whoa! i stand in awe.
dang it. my head just exploded.
i am truly picking up my guts after that one...:wtosts:
justavolunteer
193 Posts
I am 'justavolunteer' & I don't know if this qualifies as a 'platitude'. I once had a unit manager tell me, "your first priority as a volunteer should be to run around & write every patients' name on the board in their room". NEWS FLASH! I have never had a pt who cared if their name was on their board. I have had LOTS of pts. who cared that they finally got water, tissues or whatever else the staff hasn't had time for.
I must have gave the mgr. who told me this quite the 'how stupid' look because she stopped, muttered "well, I guess you do know your job" and walked away.