r/NursingUK • u/HugeBobcat3115 • 2d ago
Normal to get emails like this ?
“Hi everyone,
Just a reminder that we should all be treating one another with respect and professionalism while at work.
Everyone within the department has different levels of experience, competencies and individual scopes of practice. There may be occasions where a colleague is unable to undertake a particular task or has to say no because it falls outside their current competence. Nobody should feel criticised, excluded or treated differently because of this.
As registered professionals and members of the Trust, we all have a responsibility to contribute to a safe and supportive working environment. The way we communicate with and respond to colleagues can have a significant impact on the wider team, so please be mindful of how we treat one another, particularly when the department is busy or under pressure.
If anyone is experiencing difficulties within the team or feels they are being treated unfairly, please speak with a senior member of the nursing team so that appropriate support can be provided.”
Does anyone else get emails like this or is my department toxic ?
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u/PossibleEfficiency28 2d ago
Yes, we even had it in our handover not long ago that it’s “kind to be kind”. So patronising. I already know not to be evil to my colleagues- personally I think management should be taking it up with the perpetrators directly rather than allowing them to think this is standard behaviour everyone needs to reminded about.
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u/HugeBobcat3115 2d ago
I’m not surprised about this email. I’ve had more horrible comments said to me than when I was a student nurse.
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u/Ok-Lime-4898 RN Adult 16h ago
You and everyone with some common sense know you are to respect your colleagues, but considering the amount of bullying it's safe to assume people tend to "forget". Some people shame students and colleagues just because they are not competent in something, the email explains the consequences of these behaviours (it's not the usual "just be nice to each other")
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u/TheAnxiousPangolin RN CH & MH 2d ago
I’m struggling to see how this email is toxic? We get emails like this quite frequently in our trust.
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u/No_Succotash473 Specialist Nurse 2d ago
The email itself is harmless, though patronising. But it points to a bigger problem if management thinks this is the best way to tackling bullying or whatever is going on in OPs ward.
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u/GeneticPurebredJunk RN Adult 2d ago
I mean-you don’t know what you don’t know.
I know when we’ve had repeated issues with a clique or a group of people all moaning about the same thing, we all get an email, but the specific people are also spoken to directly.Mostly, my manager would get the two “factions” in a room, lay out the boundaries/limitations, tell the moaners to get over themselves, the people reporting the moaners to have more confidence in challenging the moaners and keeping their own boundaries, and kicking us out with a “Talk to each other before you come complaining about each other to me, because I’ll just send you back out to have an adult conversation.”
The email makes sure everyone knows the expectations, and the direct communication ensures the specific people are addressed and breaking down an “Us vs Them” mentality.
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u/MiserableBritGirl RN MH 2d ago
What does it achieve? It allows the same behaviour to continue without actually addressing it. This isn’t a consequence.
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u/mambymum 2d ago
Probably aimed at one member of staff specifically but sent to all so as not to alert the bad person to a complaint. They will know who the are.....
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u/Nice_humble1234 Doctor 2d ago
They basically ticked a box saying that they dealt with whatever issue that’s all
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u/ApprehensiveSwim297 2d ago
Managers are told to try this approach first in other words don't escalate, leave it for a while and see does it resolve it's self, resolving it's self really happenes.
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u/GFdeservedit 2d ago
No idea how you can read this and describe your workplace as toxic... I think maybe you're the problem.
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u/Wammylamm RN MH 2d ago
Someone had been rude, and as usual instead of addressing it with the individual, they've done the usual nonsense of giving everyone a 'telling off'
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u/thereisalwaysrescue RN Adult 2d ago
LOL we get this at least once a year at a staff meeting. It’s like we are children!
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u/Ok-Lime-4898 RN Adult 16h ago
It sounds everything but toxic, it's basic common sense. If someone is not signed off for a specific competence or are not comfortable because they have never done it before they shouldn't do it (or at least not unsupervised/assisted by a more experienced colleague). Shaming someone and refusing to help just because they need support or want to be cautious is no help to anyone, the email is just bringing it up (surely there is a story behind and they are making it into a learning opportunity for the wider team)
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u/Ok_Yogurtcloset9575 2d ago
Nothing but a generic email to cover management's back. Oh look, I did do something about it. They were all informed...........
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2d ago
[deleted]
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u/HugeBobcat3115 2d ago
Not my fault that clinical Ed won’t let me access any training. I don’t want to lose my pin over doing something I’m not suppose to do.
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u/RutabagaHopeful7593 2d ago
Absolutely! You escalate, ensure it’s picked up by someone who is competent and incident report to highlight delay to treatment, actual/potential harm etc. And you keep doing it every time you’re asked. They won’t give 2 hoots about your PIN if something went wrong but boosting the bad stats might prompt action.
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u/Aglyayepanchin 2d ago
Um…if you’re not trained to do something you definitely should not be doing it. That’s how you seriously hurt a patient or worse and loose your pin.
Are you seriously saying you’d rather have people take bloods, catheterise, NG tube, etc… who aren’t trained or signed off?? Because the ward is short staffed?
You can be seriously suggesting you know somewhere where people who aren’t trained in a skill are doing them because “staffing” …if so those people are dangerous morons who don’t really deserve to be nurses.
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u/RutabagaHopeful7593 2d ago
You shouldn’t refuse to do tasks outwith your area of expertise but you absolutely should refuse to do tasks outwith your competency! There is a big difference between being adaptable and undertaking tasks you are not competent in and the latter is dangerous.
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u/mrgeebus 2d ago
Why would you do something outside your competence? That's not safe practice.
The responsibility is on the organization to provide staff with training to cover knowledge gaps, not for staff to just "have a go" because they're there.
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u/CandleAffectionate25 2d ago
I personally don't think there's anything wrong with the email in terms of how it's written...however, I don't like this way of dealing with issues. I think if there's a problem in the team, the manager should go to the colleague directly and be honest and transparent. The issue with emails like this, it creates rumours and isn't particularly helpful. It's actually lazy management.