Have they done this at your hospital and mainly it is legal or is this harrassment?
Our nurse manager and administration ( on med surg unit) has begun a new program of shadowing each nurse for approx 3 days the entire shift ( 12 hrs). This was explained to us an
effort to see where there are weaknesses and to help improve overall performance.
At first I was feeling this was positive. I have not had my turn yet but seeing what goes on I liken it more to an engaging three day clinical where you will pass or fail. Some comments I have heard from those having completed this was " it is demeaning"
"I felt like I was taking a tough clinical test" and "I was shaking so bad being guestioned with each and every action what my rationale was that by the end of the shift I was shaking".
So my hospital has taken the sposition" if there are problems on
the unit, it must be the nurses so lets whip them into shape"...rather than seeing what system problems there are.
The most likely reason for the "shadowing" exercise is to justify a planned change to your current staffing mix. First they will come up with a narrow definition of what a nursing duty is; then they will time those activities. Later the suits will return with a report which purports to prove that a large percentage of your work day is spent performing non nursing tasks. They will go on to say those duties should be performed by lesser trained staff which will free you up to "perform the activities which you were educated to do." Many of the nurses will find this appealing------until it's too late. Additional unlicensed workers will be hired to replace nurses; but at the wages the hospitals are willing to pay these workers, many of the positions will remain unfilled and turnover will be high so often times you will have to perform their work as well as your own. There will be no additional time allotted for supervision of these workers although you will, of course, be responsible for their performance. And their attendance and performance/attitude problems will become your problems.
With all due respect, any nurse who thinks they will have an opportunity to show these shadowers anything during the shadowing exercise are kidding themselves; nobody approved this activity in the hopes of increasing the cost of providing nursing services. Quite the opposite.
The only "justice" here is that while the very top administration positions will increase in number and/or compensation, the fate of many of the "shadowers" is equally bleak. The secret meetings where the managers, educators and administrators plan these cuts are often followed by administrative meetings where they plan how to eliminate or reduce manager and educator positions.
most of our aministrators couldn't follow the nurses around.. they'd be totally lost. esp. med/surg. it's totally hectic. no way would the bean counters even have a clue what the nurses were supposed to do.
Ya got that right!
Send your NM to critique me...she'd be having chest pains trying to keep up with this Med/Surg/Telemtetry RN. :rotfl:
It would be my luck that my shadow would be with me on a day when census was down, the pt. load was lighter, though. Then they wouldn't know the average day as the nurses normally have it.
And nurses are supposed to be professionals? Can you imaging doctors allowing themselves to be treated like this??? sjoe says it all - we WILL and do get as much crap as we will take...
This is typical of most nursing administrators/educators if my experience is any indicator. I have only been a nurse for about 2 1/2 years after a mid-life career change. I have found that most (although not all) of these administrator/educators are working in this area for one simple reason.... they have no nursing skills whatsoever and do not know their way around a patient! They are very similar to the paper-pushing bureaucrats found in all areas of society. Would it not be more effective for these folks to actually work a few shifts on the floor themselves to gather the data they require. Heaven forbid that they would actually have to get their hands dirty!
I waited to respond to this thread because we have been hit with staffing cuts and the RN now performs the role of the CNA, the phlebotamist and pharmacy (we mix many IV's now because pharmacy is only day shift and no weekends).
We are frequently told to "Do more with less". I will now scream this to the world:
LESS IS NOT MORE! MORE IS MORE!
There, I feel better now. I say go ahead and follow me around. Bring your running shoes. Don't pack a lunch because you will not have time to eat. If you have a small bladder wear depends because you will not visit the bathroom for many hours. Hurry up, let's go, we have things to do now.
................I say go ahead and follow me around. Bring your running shoes. Don't pack a lunch because you will not have time to eat. If you have a small bladder wear depends because you will not visit the bathroom for many hours. Hurry up, let's go, we have things to do now.
I like your spirit too Raphael!! After finishing another dangerous, horrendous shift on my stepdown though, if one of those managers were unwise enough to remind me I forgot to say "What else can I do for you...I have the time". I might be up on assault charges...hehe.
rstewart
235 Posts
The most likely reason for the "shadowing" exercise is to justify a planned change to your current staffing mix. First they will come up with a narrow definition of what a nursing duty is; then they will time those activities. Later the suits will return with a report which purports to prove that a large percentage of your work day is spent performing non nursing tasks. They will go on to say those duties should be performed by lesser trained staff which will free you up to "perform the activities which you were educated to do." Many of the nurses will find this appealing------until it's too late. Additional unlicensed workers will be hired to replace nurses; but at the wages the hospitals are willing to pay these workers, many of the positions will remain unfilled and turnover will be high so often times you will have to perform their work as well as your own. There will be no additional time allotted for supervision of these workers although you will, of course, be responsible for their performance. And their attendance and performance/attitude problems will become your problems.
With all due respect, any nurse who thinks they will have an opportunity to show these shadowers anything during the shadowing exercise are kidding themselves; nobody approved this activity in the hopes of increasing the cost of providing nursing services. Quite the opposite.
The only "justice" here is that while the very top administration positions will increase in number and/or compensation, the fate of many of the "shadowers" is equally bleak. The secret meetings where the managers, educators and administrators plan these cuts are often followed by administrative meetings where they plan how to eliminate or reduce manager and educator positions.