critique the email I am about to send to my boss....

[bananashake]

It may not make a lot of sense to you since it alludes to a previous email that you can't see.....but just want someone to critique my grammar, the flow, etc. I worked 16 hours last night and I"m very tired. But I have to send this by noon-ish. I am a nurse in a hospital. And BTW, manager and I are very close. The "peace and love" sign-off is not going to be viewed as unprofessional!

 

 

Yes, and sadly, this kind of behaviour has become rampant everywhere. Our current health care system with all its problems has put our profession is in crisis. The lack of funding, lack of resources and lack of staffing means that nurses are shouldering a huge burden. I get that! But our patients are in crisis as well and we are the professionals who are caring for them. That’s why we are nurses, to care for people. Caring means kindness, not rudeness, to each other and our patients. Anyway...

 

Judy, I really need your guidance. I take my role as Charge Nurse very seriously. I use logic, not emotion, when I am charge. The commonality of the night shift behavior I described to u is common. It breeds an attitude of cynicism, disregard, and poor care. I am not shy about being a advocate for patients and staff, but I'm getting tired of getting dubbed as a (blank) for standing up against people who have gotten by with this behavior for so long - namely: Tracy G, Nicole, Tracy P and a few others). I know which battles to fight with and which to let go, and I try to be consistent, professional and poised. But it's not getting me anywhere. So, last night I decided to humble myself and let everyone handle things on their own. And here were the issues that I dealt with last night from my laid-back approach:

 

Lindsay B:

Did absolutely nothing except sit at the desk and talk loudly about how busy she's been and eat pizza at the desk. Dr. B witnessed this and expressed her frustration to me. On top of that incident, one of my incontinet and very confused patients had not been turned or cleaned since Amanda's shift started. I found her entire bed soaked with brown stained pads and the smell was awful - even her pillow was saturated... at midnight. Amanda started her shift at 1400. Also, I had to tell Amamnda at 2100 that the same patient needed fed. Her tray was sitting on the table untouched. Amanda said she didn't know the patient was a feeder. I nicely asked: the patient is extremely confused, doesn't logic tell you that she needs fed? And that apparently upset her. So when she started to feed her, she didn't bother to warm the food. This is just a small example. Also, Amanda constantly runs to the 6th floor at any opportunity, which I try to nip, but I can't constantly monitor her. She also takes numerous breaks and finds comfort sitting at the desk. I can't win for losing with her.

 

Sharon, the traveler; and Melinda, the new CNA. They also had a heck of a time with the crew on 6th about an issue that was none of their concern. It's a very long story that I would like to talk to you about via phone or in person. There are numerous misconstrued stories/theories flying around that I would like to set straight with you. Paula addressed the issue with Sharon, however, her information was from Tracy. And not from the 2 people involved - Sharon and Melinda. Both Sharon and Melinda were quite upset with how 6ht floor misconstrued everything and started a big fiasco.

 

My point is, how is the hospital going to recruit nurses and retain them, when this type of behavior is oh-so-common. What can I do to help? What do you expect of the Charge nurses? Should we start making peminics on thse things? Plese help. Let me know what I need to do.

 

Anyway, I'm going to bed. Call/text or email me at your convenience.

Peace and love,

TD

[Fun Boater 1]

Don't send this email. Instead, have a face to face conversation with your supervisor and discuss these matters with her in person. You've got to be very careful about putting stuff like this on record in an email. You would not want the other nurses you are critical of to ever find out you have shared these remarks with the boss. Talk to her in person about the issues. Bring them to her attention that way would be my advice.

 

As far as the content of the email - I hope I never have to be hospitalized in Decatur! LOL

[bananashake]

Well, she wants an email every night that I'm charge, to give her a recap of how the night was and how I'm doing as the new CN. There have been sooo many patient complaints, physician complaints, family complaints, that it's getting unreal. I am charge now and I am supposed to be cracking down on the behaviorial issues, but these grown woman (35 +) are wearing me out.

[Fun Boater 1]

Well, she wants an email every night that I'm charge, to give her a recap of how the night was and how I'm doing as the new CN. There have been sooo many patient complaints, physician complaints, family complaints, that it's getting unreal. I am charge now and I am supposed to be cracking down on the behaviorial issues, but these grown woman (35 +) are wearing me out.

 

Okay, I stand corrected. I didn't realize that it was part of your job to report things to her like this. If she has tasked you with doing it, then by all means, tell her what's going on and tell it like it is!

 

In my original response I was assuming you were writing some kind of "tattle-tale" email to her about the behavior of your peers, not from the perspective of someone whose job it is to evaluate these issues.

[mhowe]

When I worked in corporate America, I referred to it as "adult daycare". It is mind boggling the emotional immaturity of many people in the workforce.

 

If your boss has requested a written email each nite, I would only say --- write it out, then edit out the emotion. Stick to the facts, and anytime you can bring another "voice" into it, like the doctor who noticed the behavior and complained, do so.

[jenny_mcs]

Honestly, I think the email is a jumble of too many topics and issues. It starts off with general thoughts about healthcare and nurses, then your thoughts on your new position as charge nurse, then goes into specifics of bad behavior you witnessed.

 

I also think you go into too many details. I would structure it like this:

 

"Judy-

 

I'm concerned about what I witnessed last night on my shift. Over the course of XX Pm to XX AM

 

Jane: Spent over 50% of her shift sitting at the main desk

Mary: Did not provide meal to 2 patients, and had to be reminded to do so

Rose: Left her post to go visit on sixth floor 5 times during shift

Etc Etc"

[bananashake]

Honestly, I think the email is a jumble of too many topics and issues. It starts off with general thoughts about healthcare and nurses, then your thoughts on your new position as charge nurse, then goes into specifics of bad behavior you witnessed.

 

I also think you go into too many details. I would structure it like this:

 

 

"Judy-

 

I'm concerned about what I witnessed last night on my shift. Over the course of XX Pm to XX AM

 

Jane: Spent over 50% of her shift sitting at the main desk

Mary: Did not provide meal to 2 patients, and had to be reminded to do so

Rose: Left her post to go visit on sixth floor 5 times during shift

Etc Etc"

 

Thank U! I know that this email was way too much. I'm just exhausted from working long hours, but more exhausted by the immature women I work with. I let it all out in that email. I will definetely edit it now and send it off. Thanks everyone!!

[hangingout]

DO send an email. I disagree with Fun Boater about doing it orally. Spoken conversations don't hold but writing does get things into action You need to start getting things in writing now.

 

Personally, I'd write it in a more formal context. Imagine you were writing for court. Leave out all personal opinions and just write FACTS, and group same ideas together into paragraphs as at the moment it's all a little confusing. If you are writing a complaint then you'll also have to give your boss a solution or ask for further action.

 

If someone is breaking rules, especially someone responsible for vulnerable people, then they need to be monitored.

 

My advice:

1.Write everything down in a more formal context

2. leave out personal opinions

3. only write facts

4. group ideas together

5. put into action the next step or what outcome you thing is appropriate