On Stage Off Stage - Give me a BREAK!!!

At work today I am browsing my e-mail and see one from my boss with attachments. She wants our unit council to look at this. So I open the attachments and it is a contract that the ED people had to sign months ago about treating each other with respect, upholding the mission of the hospital, leaving the 3B's (bitching, bemoaning, belittling) behind. You get the picture! In other words basic ADULT Professional behavior! Another attachment was all about onstage, offstage behavior which originated at Disney World (never let the customer hear you complain, stay in costume, basically never let em see you sweat). The third basically restated our Code of Conduct that we signed with human resources awhile ago when we went through some customer service BS.

Now my BP is boiling at this point and I am only stating the above after skimming the documents b/c I was so disgusted that this was even being brought up to me. Unfortunately for my boss she was on the unit and got my inital reaction, not the toned down when I had a chance to cool off reaction! I try never to respond on emotion b/c it usually backfires on me! Obviously, if you get the tone of this post I think this is a really bad idea. No an awful idea! Actually a sure recipe for disaster!!!!!

A little history on the whole thing. Months ago, maybe even over a year ago a new manager was hired for our ED and was not impressed with the staff and its conduct. Now I have never worked in an ED and don't have any first hand knowledge but a friend of a friend has told me stories and I could see where an outsider might have issues with some things down there ( we are 4th floor and they are first!). So people were called into the office, off-stage and given this contract that they had to sign, even had it witnessed. Some people refused and were told they could leave. Now the ones that I know that didn't sign are some awesome nurses, very professional in my book b/c I have worked with some of them. There were some that just did it b/c they were the problem but I ultimately think that was the reasoning behind it.

So now flash to today! I work with a great group of people. I would trust any of them with caring for my children. Honestly. some I may not want b/c I don't like them personally but professionally I would. We have our issues but what nursing staff doesn't? I told my boss that this whole idea is just not needed up here and that I really think it will create more problems. we have been extremely busy for the past year, we are orienting 14 new grad RNs, were short-staffed on most shifts but we still deliver kick ass care! Also felt very insulted by this whole idea. I am a professional and I conduct myself in a professional manner. So why shouldn't I sign this contract then if I already abide by the rules? Its the principle of it! NO one should have to write it down and make me sign it. When I took my job as an RN, I, in essence, agreed to uphold the mission of the hospital and conduct myself in a professional manner. I would hope that if someone had a problem with my behavior they would address that directly with me. Not by sending out a blanket statement! Are we not adults here? I agree that sometimes we could do better with the whole on stage off stage thing. Do families really need to hear how you didn't get lunch b/c you have 3 patients that should all be 1:1s? No they don't. Do we really need to be shouting at the ED about the fact we need 15 minutes more before we can get the patient up from them b/c we just discharged another patient or we can't figure out which nurse has to take this patient? No this should be done in the privacy of a room or in the staff area. But I feel we, as my staff mates, do a good job of policiing ourselves. Do we need the gentle reminder every so often? Of course we do when its been your third day in charge in a row and you have asked for 10 nurses each shift and gotten 2!

So my boss listened and then listened to others voice their opinions (BTW she thinks its a rotten idea also) and takes it to her boss. Well luckily it is not as it seems. While our CNO does think the whole concept is a great idea our bosses boss has some other ideas about how to put it into work without having contracts handed down. Makes me feel better but believe me it has heightened my radar. Its amazing to me how management can put new spins on the same old ideas and make you think it si something totally new. Well I'll be on the lookout!