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.
Related: How to Leave a Difficult Day Behind
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.
Related: International
Nurses Association
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