Written up for this???

Nurses General Nursing

Published

So,

I was in the med room at work, talking with two other co-workers (also nurses) about the struggles we're having lately. The door was cracked. Our voices were low. We were simply venting. Apparently they stated they heard my voice...they...being the "management".

I got called into the office and was confronted about "making negative comments about management" in front of coworkers, thereby it is "insuboordination".

Write-up stated "making negative comments about "management"."

Has anyone else been written up for this? Is there truly a regulation I broke? Or is this about power and control?

I ask because this particular member of management is the reason three nurses have quit in the four months I have been at this facility.

I feel it's cumbersome to refute the matter, as the "higher up" from this person is....her friend. And the other member of management is.....the manager's: daughter.

Our voices were low. There was nothing derrogatory stated. No foul language. Just generalized feeling like nothing we do is good enough, and it's hard to be constantly criticized.

May as well shut up and take it. I decided to wrap a piece of duct tape around my mouth before going to work daily. (Kidding).

I just feel I'd be better off, in say....Communist China?

Specializes in med-surg, psych, ER, school nurse-CRNP.

Know your audience.

And, I think Green Day said it best.....

Know Your Enemy

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We have a behavioral policy that explicitly states that negative comments about... peers, management and the hospital in general can progress to suspension and termination.

You don't trash your employer or peers while on their pay clock. That is dangerous, unprofessional and will lead to your demise.

I air my beefs with management behind closed doors, those with my peers in private and I'm sure you would prefer the same treatment. I would have written you up as well. That behaviour, no matter how justified you think it is, undermines the cohesiveness of the unit. Plus we have new nurses. Imagine the standard I set speaking ill of my employer out loud at work infront of them, yikes!

Place your frustrations the correct way at work or save them for a diatribe at home.

I would have had a private conversation with her to see exactly what her concerns were. That said, it is always very foolish to c/o about the boss or the job while on the job. And those to whom you c/o could turn on you and go tell the boss you said this or that - even if you didn't.

Stick to talking about recipes or the actual work you are doing or something else safe.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I guess each facility has their own rules about this. However, the mentality of the person who wrote you up is probably this: Whatever you complained about may be something this person is responsible for, but did not do. Because she is clicking with the powers that be, they were able to target you, possibly with a policy that actually exists. Or, one of the ones that you were chatting with may have reported it. They could have even cornered one of them and scared them into reporting you.

I strongly suggest that from now on, keep conversation light. It's hard, I know, because our collagues suffer the same injustices that we do and it feels better to share, but get to know people and the environment if it is that important for you to share. Sorry it happened.

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It's best to keep your mouth shut at work, about anything.

It's not good to even be a sympathetic listener. For example, nurse A says something to nurse B, and the next thing you know, nurse A is telling others that nurse B is the one that was actually saying these things.

It's best to keep your personal life to yourself too.

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There are the written official policies, and then there are the unofficial policies that are not written down, but are totally derail your career if you are not careful.

Save your vents for here.

We won't tell.

The person you were venting to in the med room might be the wrong person to confide in.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
We have a behavioral policy that explicitly states that negative comments about... peers, management and the hospital in general can progress to suspension and termination.

You don't trash your employer or peers while on their pay clock. That is dangerous, unprofessional and will lead to your demise.

I air my beefs with management behind closed doors, those with my peers in private and I'm sure you would prefer the same treatment. I would have written you up as well. That behaviour, no matter how justified you think it is, undermines the cohesiveness of the unit. Plus we have new nurses. Imagine the standard I set speaking ill of my employer out loud at work infront of them, yikes!

Place your frustrations the correct way at work or save them for a diatribe at home.

Zookeeper, as someone who could have been the OP in this situation due to my big mouth and adversion to incompetence although I agree 100% with your points I would prefer that you speak to me privately with a verbal warning prior to a write up. That said however I've worked a couple of units that were run very poorly. It was a coping skill for us to get together and ***** about things which produced some decent ideas of ways to combat the negative things that were happening to us and keep our unit running smoothly. If everyone that complained about management was written up and fired there wouldn't be very many nurses left imo. Bottom line for me I guess is that when it becomes more complaining than positive feelings it is time to move on.

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I have to agree with some of the others here. Its best to not speak negative comments at work. Those who you were speaking with, did they also get in trouble?

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Specializes in MDS/Office.

Sounds like this facility is "starting their paper trail" with you....Watch your Back & DON'T sign any write-ups. Document every Incident. ;)

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I have to agree with some of the others here. Its best to not speak negative comments at work. Those who you were speaking with, did they also get in trouble?

No. Just myself.

They said it was "my voice" they heard. But all we were talking about is the way we've been picked apart lately. Especially when we've been picking up TONS of hours to help out.

This manager also put me down in front of a physician a day after the write-up. It's getting worse, unfortunately...

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Intimate knowledge of your facilities policies can help you respond in such circumstances. A written rebuttal if they have clearly erred (in any type of circumstance), effectively "dilutes" the reprimand.

This serves the dual purpose of leaving a paper trail in the event of a wrongful termination, and shows them that the employee is watching them in return.

However, you cannot appear petty and unjustified yourself in such instances. There must be a clear error on their part.

Thank you for the excellent advice here. I thought about documenting the comments/behaviors. I will from now on. To be truthful, the "management" isn't the problem. It's only one particular one. But she has the power to terminate us. What's the use in following the chain of command to report the abuse she is giving us, when her superior is an old friend from nursing school? And that would be the DON. And the other ADON is the DON's daughter. Yep....we're pretty much in a rock and a hard place.

It's just sad to see REALLY GOOD NURSES leave this facility due to their constant patronizing and put-downs, which were not done privately, either.

I thought about placing a small piece of duct tape on my pen to serve as a reminder to "shut up and keep it to myself" any time I thought about speaking up for myself.

I guess I'm just really sad it has to be this way. Because I SO TOTALLY LOVE my coworkers. We help each other out, no questions asked. A great group of people. Even the administrator is a nice person. But I fear going to the administrator would be "breaking the chain of command" and then if I truly DO make an error...they will jump right on that...to get me out of there.

Sad. Because I love the patients. Love my work....Wish it didn't have to be this way. How one person could make good nurses leave like that....

Seems like the only way to survive is to be the "tattletale" the "martyr" the "narc" the "kiss-ass".....you know the type....I think that's the only way to survive there...

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Specializes in Health Information Management.
No. Just myself.

They said it was "my voice" they heard. But all we were talking about is the way we've been picked apart lately. Especially when we've been picking up TONS of hours to help out.

This manager also put me down in front of a physician a day after the write-up. It's getting worse, unfortunately...

Uh oh.

Sounds like you have officially made The List. If you haven't started looking for a job, do so now. I understand from your post that you really like a lot of your coworkers, but once something like this gets started, it's pretty hard to stop it. Ask yourself if you'd rather leave of your own accord or wait till they nitpick and demean you into termination (which you will then have to explain to everyone who interviews you for years to come).

That said, I agree with several of the other posters - assume that the very walls have ears in every workplace, because all too often, it's true. Save your vents for home, AllNurses, or very select get-togethers of coworkers you absolutely trust held outside of work (and preferably not in public).

I'm sorry you're running into this. Right now, employers can basically treat employees as they please.

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