Wrote up for being negative?!?!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Has anyone here ever heard of people getting wrote up at work for "being negative"?

There's a nurse at work that was wrote up for being negative at work.

I had never heard of such a thing, thought I'd ask you all.

Specializes in Gerontology.

I got written up for being negative once. What was I negative about, you may ask? Moving 10 pts (beds, bedside tables, overbed tables +belongings) to make 1 patient happy. Waiting 3 hours for my patient to be put into the computer by admitting so that I could chart, etc. People on the next shift coming in late, forcing me to leave late, as someone had to wait for them and I was the only "single" person on - (read - no kids, husband waiting for me). And so forth. I was hit with this without warning, repremended, received a written warning - went home and cried for the rest of the evening. I learned my lesson with that manager though - no matter what happened I kept my mouth shut. When she asked for my opinion about anything, I just told her what she wanted to hear. I was so glad when she left. Current managed likes it when I tell her something isn't working! Go figure!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in 66H.

my husband was the one who told me about what other people thought of me, not my work. i look negative, way to serious, etc. i do not smile enough. i am not a neg. person (i don't think) but my face says otherwise to people. usually after knowing/working with someone, they change their opinion and realize that i try and always see the positive, work hard, will praise you at the drop of a hat and am a team player. i guess i should have listened to my dad when he said smile more often. because i dont like the fact that people think of me as a downer, or negative person, this is something i really work on. looking serious and such is doing nothing for my face/wrinkles.

i also have a friend from school who just looking at her comes off as the happiest person on earth as long as you don't talk to her. she will cut you down and make you feel so small all with a smile on her face.

like previous posters, there is so much involved when making the statement that someone is negative. i think if you are going to be counseled, it should be about what you did, a certain incident, not that you might have come in to work and had a bad day, so you are not being perceived as positive by someone

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
I can sort of relate to that. However, I wasn't written up for being negative. My annual eval was recently done. I like my manager - can't stand our CNO - (pretty much a lazy, fat, draconian, tyrant) - Anyways, getting back the annual eval, my manager couldn't find anything to ding me on except "improve attude".

I said say what? - I'm the one that trys to find humor in things to keep us going in the department - even when things are really stressful (of course not within ear shot of patients or anything). Plus, I'm willing to help other areas out in the hospital when I really don't have to - starting IV's on the floor, helping with computer stuff such as registration & billing. Willing to go to the floor to help when an patient goes bad and starts swirling the drain et al......

My response was - okay cite where my "attitude" has effected my performance or the performance of others - She could not - nor could she cite a patient complaint against me. (I'm sure there is some grumbling out there, but nothing that has made it back to management - *yet*).

So again, another eval with an area mentioned where I could "improve" to keep my annual raise at 3% instead of 4% based on subjective criteria. There is no way to prove measurable improvements or declines in this area.

So, here again the bottom line prevails. They just don't want to give out a 4% raise to anyone and will find way not to do it. No matter what there true performance level is.

I just don't understand this profession in many ways. When you compare this profession to others - there are promotions based on "merit", "education" "performance, & "experience" - In nursing, one may find an institution that significantly gives pay incentives to obtain higher degrees or certifications, of course performance, and maybe experience. Yet they will make something up not to give you what you deserve as far as promotions or raises....Pretty sad considering that there are shortages currently that are not expected to improve anytime soon.......

You highlight what I said above, that it's not enough to say "you're negative" but you must have specific examples when presenting the evaluation to employees. It's too subjective. Most of the time when employers are confronted with their negativity they are in denial or simply say "well it's not my fault this place sucks".

Also, one can have a negative attitude reflected in an evaluation without having complaints from patients, nor having it effect the bottom lline of patient care and/or safety. One can be the hardest worker there, willing to chip in and never have a complaint but yet still have a toxic attitude that doesn't warrant reinforcement with a positive evaluation.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
There is a difference between standing up for what one believes and being negative. The trick is knowing the difference. Everything has a time and a place. It would be considered "negative" to yell, belittle or otherwise bash a coworker, or the facility in the middle of the hall with patients, visitors and other staff in full view or earshot. Same goes at the nursing station or breakroom. Somehow we as a society have decided that it is okay to be rude and disrepectful in the name of standing up for ourselves. I'm here to tell you it is not! I have recommended a nurse be fired for being negative because she was so toxic for the staff and the hospital that to keep her would be suicide for all. So yes, I think it is perfectly O.K. to fire someone for being negative if the proper steps have been taken and the negativity can not or will not be stopped any other way.

Amen ! I couldn't agree more. Too many people don't know how to express themselves effectively to improve things -- and instead, cross over into destructive, negative behaviors. Knowing HOW to express anger, frustration, disagreement, etc. constructively is an art that many people have yet to learn. They poison the enviornment and make many of the problems worse -- then usually blame everybody but themselves.

I see that you have not posted a lot on this forum. I look forward to reading more from you in the future.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

My co-worker and I in Ambulatory surgery got 'talked' to about the fact that we didn't have SMILES on our faces when we came in for our afternoon shift.

WTH?!! I never read that in my contract that you had to smile! Neither one of us was particularly unhappy to be there, but there were a few smiling Suzie's in the dept., that were actually back-stabbing beotches.

So - for awhile every time we saw our supervisor we'd get one of those crazy insane grins on our face.:lol2: And I took pleasure in watching her and telling to 'smile' frequently, because SHE seldom had a smile on her face.:trout:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
there were a few smiling Suzie's in the dept., that were actually back-stabbing beotches.
This is a classic example of passive-aggression. I think we all have had the passive-aggressive coworker who smiles endlessly at you and kills you with kindness, yet will report you in a heartbeat and stab your back over something so inconsequential.
Up Vote Up Vote ×

The trick isn't in knowing the difference between standing-up for what one believes and what may be negative. Alas, all here is subjective.

The real trick is in assessing your co-workers' and managers' styles and adapting your responses to them.

Many books are written for the business world on the techniques of, "Managing-Up." The truth is, these books are extreemly relevant for Nursing environments. We just haven't caught-on.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, med surg.

Yes I have heard of being wrote of for being negative. I did write of a nurse for being negative because her other team members complained so much about her attitude that it was causing a problem with the staff and to me your attitude tends to run over into how you care for your patients and the attitude you have with them. I am having a big problem with morale and attitudes with staff at this time. Do you or anyone else have any suggestions on what to do to fix morale at work when everyone seems mad.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
No, never heard of that...but my ANM said to me yesterday, "it's so good to see you in a good mood. When you're in a bad mood, you put everybody in a bad mood." I said that the reason I was in a bad mood was becasue I could feel the tension on the unit the second I got off the elevator, and that the fact that everyone was overworked and stressed was a big part of why I (and everyone else) was not happy, but said said no. Apparantly I have the power to bring everyone down, even the shift before I get there. Imagine!

Boy, you must be a REALLY powerful person :lol2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

deleted...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Palliative Care, NICU/NNP.
No, never heard of that...but my ANM said to me yesterday, "it's so good to see you in a good mood. When you're in a bad mood, you put everybody in a bad mood." I said that the reason I was in a bad mood was becasue I could feel the tension on the unit the second I got off the elevator, and that the fact that everyone was overworked and stressed was a big part of why I (and everyone else) was not happy, but said said no. Apparantly I have the power to bring everyone down, even the shift before I get there. Imagine!

I've heard that also. The manager doesn't realize how much her mood affects the staff. She often projects her own stuff onto me. It is crap.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in jack of all trades, master of none.

LOL.. A former boss left me a copy of my annual eval.. said I had a tendency to "complain when things weren't optimal." Well, DUH!!!

I was a 0.8 status, but usually worked about 110 hrs/pay period (nocs).

Ummm, yeah, let's see, I complained (to the boss, behind closed doors) about being short-staffed, about tripping over rehab equipment that hadn't been put away (potential for staff AND pt harm). My shift had 2 RN's & 1 LPN or CNA for 15 rehab patients. The other shifts had a 3-4 RN's plus 3-4 aides. If we were a low patient census, it was usually 1 RN & 1 LPN/CNA for 8 pts on nocs. The other shifts got to keep at least 2 RN's & 2 aides. We were responsible for all toileting, CPM's, and dressing of the pt's in the am. Granted the other shifts had to help feed, toilet, & do dressing changes on post-op patients, but we usually ended up with the dressing changes. Plus the patients were in therapy up to 3 hours a day, with 2 PT's, 2 OT's & 1 PTA & 1 OTA.

Ohh & the kicker... the biggest thing the boss was upset about on my eval, was the fact that our shift didn't try hard enough to come up with a staffing solution for our shift within 24 hours & the other regular nurse was across the country!!! DOUBLE DUH... How could we possibly get that one done?!?

People are just amazing sometimes.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment