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How to Express a Complaint or Concern



First and foremost, if you have a concern that involves a patient's care or safety, you should not delay expressing this information to the appropriate person.  As a nurse, it is your responsibility as a mandated reporter to never look the other way when the patient’s care or treatment is in danger.

Unnecessary Complaining

Have you ever heard the squeaky wheel gets the oil?  The fact is that the squeaky wheel is an annoyance, and after a while it is removed and replaced by a new wheel.  Keep that thought in mind prior to expressing a complaint at work.  That is certainly not to say there are not legitimate complaints.


The following are a list of “complaints” received by an HR manager of a major hospital:


  • Nurse “X” wears pink athletic shoes and I think they are distracting to the patients.

  • Nurse “X” would not accept homemade baked goods when I bring them in, and it is offensive    to me.

  • Dr. “X” ask me if I understood, I don't want him to think I'm stupid.


Yes, these are 3 complaints from an HR manager of a large medical center.  The surprising part is, according the HR manager; these types of complaints are typical. Anyone that has the time to continually file complaints of this nature, probably does not have enough work to do. A good rule to remember is, unless a patient’s care is involved, gives some thought to your complaint.  Perhaps you had a bad day, are tired, or just not in a great mood.  Waiting until the following day may enable you to gain a new perspective is it really worth complaining about.  Another solution, if your complaint involves a coworker, is to go directly to the coworker, and see if you can discuss the issue directly with them and work out a solution. 

Submitting a Complaint

There may come a time that it is necessary to complain, in order to improve a situation and productivity.  When you offer a legitimate complaint or concern, it does not need to be considered negative when done properly and to the correct person.  It is important to address the correct person, someone that is in authority to know the issue, or someone that can take care of the issue.  Do not share complaints with others that can do nothing about your concern, it's essentially useless complaining.  Of course, everyone needs to vent on occasion, it's a human need to express your dissatisfaction and get something off of your mind.  Just consider, when you do vent, who you are venting to- will they keep it to themselves?  Things have a way of being twisted when passing through several people.  Where you are venting?  It's inappropriate to complain about your employer during your working hours that would be a case of your employer paying you to stand there and complain about them. What are you complaining about?  If you give it some time, will you still consider it worth talking about?


If you want to improve your performance, any good supervisor would be interested in hearing your concerns.  Your immediate supervisor is generally the best option of who to speak with, at least initially.

Tips for Smart Complaining


  • Always lodge the complaint with a potential solution. 

  • People cannot read your mind, so don't appear annoyed.  The person you are complaining to most likely have no idea that anything was wrong.  Explain the situation at hand, why you feel it needs to be addressed, how you think it might be resolved, and what you can do to assist in solving the problem. 

  • Organize your thoughts and facts prior to expressing the complaint.  The more together, you are, the more likely it is you will be taken seriously. 

  • Be reasonable and tactful, keep emotions out of the equation.  Make it clear why you are justified in the complaint.  If you have contributed to the problem in any way, own up to it, admit what you have done wrong, and ask for suggestions on ways to improve, be clear and specific.


If the recipient of the complaint is unhelpful and does nothing after more than one attempt to resolve the situation, then it may be time to advance your complaint to a higher authority. 

Prior to Filing a Complaint

Determine exactly what results you expect.  Think about the best way to express yourself and ask for what you want.  Can your supervisor actually do anything about the problem, or will they expect you to handle it on your own?  Is there a potential of retaliation?  If there is no clear benefit to involving your supervisor, you may want to consider dealing with the problem on your own.  If your concern is that the medicine closet key is always missing, that is legitimate and reasonable to complain over.  If a coworker has a messy desk or area, let it go unless it directly affects you.  Also, remain calm.  Never go in to complain when you are angry or emotional.  Weigh the benefits against the cost of complaining.

Consider Your Employer's Position

Before bringing up a problem, consider it from your employer's perspective.  Can they really control what you are complaining about?  There are numerous laws that employers must abide by, and rules they must follow, so can they actually intervene on your behalf, and if not, is it worth mentioning?

Submitting a Complaint

There are times that a complaint is necessary, and it may be up to you to proceed to the appropriate person with the issue.  Be direct, and to the point.  Keep humor and emotion out of the conversation.  If the person you complain to do not appear to take your concern seriously, assure them you will follow up, and make sure you actually do so.  If it is a serious complaint within a medical facility, it needs to be addressed, and a solution attained. 

If you have a complaint that is legitimate, do not hesitate to file it.  You will gain respect speaking out and bringing a problem to the attention of the appropriate person.  As a nurse, there are certain situations that require you to speak up, never hesitate to do so. 


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