Clinical Update Week of 2/28:

I asked my manager how she hires, if she tries to keep the staff at 50% experienced and 50% novice. She stated that she usually doesn’t pay any attention to that. She just hires who she really likes. If she does not like anyone she just starts over and reports the position.

For my project I did the education on bedside report; now I get to track the results. I was so sad to see that after March 1 the mandatory bedside report date, my mini survey only had 50% doing bedside report on the am shift from 3/2. The noc shift exchange was much better. I encouraged all the shift working to do it and instructed them on what they need to chart. Then the manager was there listening in from a distance to watch people do bedside report. The couple of people that were still being resistant started giving report in the back.  My manager just went and sat in the back, and the staff left to finish with a bedside report. One nurse in particular would how much she didn’t like it, but was open. So if you are really open try it! She could not be at the staff meeting and did not receive the education, so that was her excuse. I told her that the video was in the educator’s office and that she could watch at any time. However, she did not make an effort to watch it and was resistant when report came. After a little teasing from the manager she tried it and it was not that bad. Once people try it, they usually like it, but it takes doing it to actually realize it is not this great and terrible thing. Managing is so hard! The staff often resent you, who are just the messenger telling them what corporate has made the new standards. I am a nurse on the floor, I know how hard it is to already do everything that they are asking and now you want me to do more stuff? It is very frustrating. One nurse states that she is going to retire early because it is just too hard to do everything that you are supposed to do. I often feel I want a new job because I cannot do everything they want me to. I worry about not being protected in court because I did not follow the protocol but neither does anyone else on the floor. I take good care of the patients, but my charting is crap! Nursing is a very hard industry, and I do not envy the managers position!