What's the weirdest thing management has said to you?

workingharder · Dec 13, 2012

One of the things that I've noticed in my life is that when some people rise to the supervisory ranks, they acquire the attitude that your job is to solve their problems. Some of them just take this delegating responsibility thing over the edge.

Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN · Dec 13, 2012

When most of the residents in the LTC
we were told that when the residents or their families complain about the things not getting done due to short staffing (minimal scheduled plus a call in) that we were to smile and tell them "We are doing things a different way today"

I think I peed myself.

Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN · Dec 13, 2012

I haven't had anything to compare to some of these stories but, I once had a NH Administrator tell me I had to be in two places at the same time, and yes, he did know what he was saying. Still trying to wrap my head around that one.

Did you ask him how he expects you to do that?

Leslie D · Dec 13, 2012

I was working Home Health and my manager asked me why I didn't spend much time in the office doing paperwork, making phone calls, etc. I told her that I do my assigned visits, finish paperwork during the visit, in the car or while grabbing lunch and just stop by to get supplies and leave paperwork. I explained a typical day, what I actually do on visits, etc. She said "You spend entirely too much time with your patients." I asked her "Why is that a problem, as long as the work gets done. I've never refused an extra visit or admit." She said, "That attitude and behavior will not cut it at this agency." So a thorough, caring, team player who enjoys visiting with her patients is NOT who you want working there?

wooh, BSN, RN · Dec 13, 2012

I think I peed myself.

If you do that at the nursing home, hope it's not when they're doing things different that day!

Rubber mat · Dec 13, 2012

My MGR. told me to stop cleaning so much in ICU !! Then after 6 months and an acinetobacter outbreak, she came to me and asked if I would help clean up the unit.

mobynmom · Dec 13, 2012

That's crazy! However, it happens to SO many of us nurses!

Where I work, we HAVE to clock out for our 30 min MANDATORY lunch breaks. However, we work through them -- and if we clock in ONE MINUTE early - we get written up! My 30 min breaks usually consist of me clocking out, setting an alarm on my phone, gulping something down WHILE working, then clocking back in. How much sense does THAT make?

We're not ALLOWED to EVER write "No Lunch." Because then, they have to PAY us for that time - also, if we DO take our lunch, and get interrupted, we have to do a time-adjustment sheet, and take ANOTHER 30 minute break! Thus-if we end up taking another 30 minute break, we are behind an HOUR...and there IS no such thing as "allowed overtime."

I think management needs to look long & hard at the rules they make & expect us to follow, the amount of work we're expected to complete, and how ridiculous they are making it on us!!!

I would LOVE to have a lunch break -- a break away from the noise, complaints, etc. Just time to leave the building, sit in my car if I must, some ME time, to de-stress, actually EAT something instead of inhaling it, and to mentally REcharge!!!

There HAS to be a solution -- but I don't think HR has an answer. They aren't the ones who hold their bladders, get blamed for God-knows-what, has time-sensitive medication passes to complete, staff conflicts to deal with, all while doing our best to give our patients the time THEY need & deserve!!!

sugargrovefarm · Dec 13, 2012

Three things come to mind:

First, ALL of our meetings are on payday at 1:30P. If the meeting is described as "Mandatory" all nursing staff are required to attend, including 3rd shift staff. As a third shift nurse I have had to frequently work both the night before and the night of these meetings and drag myself into these meetings losing precious sleep time. At one meeting it was said by our DON, "I don't know why 3rd shift nurses can't make it to our meetings." Really? How about we start having meetings at 1:30A and see how many 1st shift nurses and management attend?

Second, I had the privilege of being "called out" at a meeting, though not by name, because a resident at my LTCF crawled out of bed and hit their head. Picture this for me. This resident had full padded side rails. They proceeded to to crawl out of bed at the foot of said bed. They were a max 2 assist d/t weakness and inability to bear full weight. There was a clearance of 4 feet btn the foot of the bed and the wall. The wall is what they hit their head on, evidenced by blood smear. This same resident had already fell at our facility the day of admission. They had a PA and where on 15 min checks. During one of our "Mandatory" meetings my DON said that there should have been a floor mat placed "by" the Res bed. Yep, a floor mat would have prevented that fall! Right...

Third, again at a meeting the discussion of staff calling in sick was brought up by our DON. She said, "Are you all washing your hands? I just don't know where all this sickness is coming from. We don't have any sick residents. You must not be washing your hands enough." To put this in context, less than two weeks prior to this meeting, one wing of our LTCF was quarantined d/t vomiting and nausea.

Guest343211 · Dec 13, 2012

Weirdest thing?

"Wow. Nurses need more respect and support. I go to seek it for them from on high."

LOL

Well, did you mean actually?????

lgail · Dec 13, 2012

I was employed in a sub-acute skilled facility which also housed a long term section. The administrator was notorious for saying 'Don't see the admissions as people-they are only dollar signs to us' Seriously? He also told me 'I don't care that your mother is in CCU after being shocked 16 times with non-converted VTach, if you leave work to be with her, you no longer have a job.' Needless to say, I am no longer employed there.

Based on the thank you card thread, what's the most bizarre thing said to you by management or administration? I can think of a few that will always stand out in my mind.
When discussing our patient satisfaction surveys, our manager told me in a staff meeting, "Monkeybug, a patient would much rather have a nice nurse than a smart one. They don't care how smart you are, it doesn't matter. The "little things" are what matter! In fact, a family probably wouldn't care if you killed a patient if you were a really sweet nurse." My reply was rather colorful, and culminated with me saying, "give me the smart ***** any day if I'm the patient."
I had a negative survey once because the patient had rolling veins. The patient's comment was that I should have kept this from happening. I asked manager how I was to do this, for future reference. "Well, of course, you can't control rolling veins. But I'm sure if you just apologized enough, you wouldn't get these negative comments!" (my only negative that quarter, but enough of an issue to get called to the office)

nrsang97, BSN, RN · Dec 13, 2012

I was employed in a sub-acute skilled facility which also housed a long term section. The administrator was notorious for saying 'Don't see the admissions as people-they are only dollar signs to us' Seriously? He also told me 'I don't care that your mother is in CCU after being shocked 16 times with non-converted VTach, if you leave work to be with her, you no longer have a job.' Needless to say, I am no longer employed there.

Wow..... Just wow..... I am speechless.

Sara N. · Dec 13, 2012

I was out on a Family medical leave as my father was in ICU with complications with surgery due to cancer. We weren't sure he was going to make it through the night. My nurse manager called me and asked me why I was missing so much work, she then followed with the comment "I thought it was just prostate cancer" Needless to say my father has since passed away from a rare aggressive form of prostate cancer. (Gleason 9, metastatic cancer that spread very fast through his entire body) I nearly lost my faith in healthcare and was looking for other career paths to take. I no longer work on that unit.