Got A Bad Performance Evaluation

Really depressed.

It's a med-surg unit, I've been there 2.5 years and so far had been doing OK, until yesterday. The performance evaluation said based on my score, I'm a mediocre nurse.

My record there is decent, with high marks for safety, and I had gotten lots of patient satisfaction awards (little certificates they hand out) and I've never been in serious disciplinary trouble. The worst I ever got was a verbal warning and customer service (this is the lowest level of "punishment") and I also got a warning about not attending enough staff meetings. I did take care of the staff meetings problem, because I got a new note that said I improved regarding staff attendance.

Very discouraging, esp. after trying very hard.

Any suggestions,ideas, similar stories to share?

Think I should bolt that unit, or try to improve? Last edit by Concerto_in_C on Sep 17, '14
What is negative, according to your evaluation? Where did they state you need to improve?
Not attending enough staff meetings (but I fixed that by catching up).Communications with staff.Not being aware of my care environment when we are short of staff.She wrote if there is a questionable information regarding patient status/care plan, I don't actively investigate/seek information (investigation not always possible on the night shift when there is almost nobody I can call).There was a couple of patient complaints, but I haven't had any since like January.Many of the things are kind of vague. Manager pulled me into the office after I worked a 12 hrs night shift, I could barely stay awake in there. I won't be able to remember every single detail. I will go over it again when I'm back at the hospital and have access to the software.
I've shared this story an AN before but I'll share it again. It was to have been my final evaluation at the end of my 90 day orientation. My preceptor was to have filled the form in, but her son had an accident at school and the nurse-manager who barely knew me did it instead. She filled it all right! Nothing whatsoever about the skills I'd acquired over the last three months. Nothing good. Nothing bad. Nothing."Katherine does not polish her shoelaces when she polishes her shoes." That was IT. The supervisor ended up redoing it after speaking to every other RN and LPN on the floor who had worked with me or who had observed me working. I was given am excellent review.
Quote from Concerto_in_CNot attending enough staff meetings (but I fixed that by catching up).Communications with staff.Not being aware of my care environment when we are short of staff.She wrote if there is a questionable information regarding patient status/care plan, I don't actively investigate/seek information (investigation not always possible on the night shift when there is almost nobody I can call).There was a couple of patient complaints, but I haven't had any since like January.Many of the things are kind of vague. Manager pulled me into the office after I worked a 12 hrs night shift, I could barely stay awake in there. I won't be able to remember every single detail. I will go over it again when I'm back at the hospital and have access to the software.
Quote from sharpeimom"Katherine does not polish her shoelaces when she polishes her shoes." That was IT.
PPs have provided excellent advice but I wanted to offer some illuminating information based on my awareness of what is happening in many health care organizations.If performance evaluations are directly tied to salary increases, many organizations are requiring managers to 'manage the curve'. In other words, they are told that no more than X% of their staff can be rated at the highest level ... OR .... told that they have to sort everyone into certain categories based upon some external metric so that resulting pay increases will be within budgeted levels. The Jack Welch (former CEO of GE) philosophy (claims that organizations should actively try to weed out the 'bottom 25%' of workers each year) is sometimes used as an excuse .. as part of some sort of "excellence" movement. I call Humbug. Strange but true. Ah - the wonderland that is management.
Quote from enuf_alreadyOn the days all heck is breaking loose, if mediocrity keeps my patients alive and breathing, then I'll take it! Good luck to you.
Quote from HouTxIf performance evaluations are directly tied to salary increases, many organizations are requiring managers to 'manage the curve'.
Quote from Ruby VeeCommunications with staff is probably the biggest item on there that you need to fix. I cannot emphasize enough how important that one is. You need to get along with your co-workers. If they like you, they'll help you more and you'll be forgiven more (and bigger) mistakes. If they don't like you, every little misstep will be seen as an enormous error. None of your colleagues should ever sense when you don't like them. Make a show of liking everyone. It's not genuine, I know, and can feel truly awkward. But it's important. Failing to get along with co-workers is one of the biggest reasons nursing staff is let go. Euphemisms such as "not a team player" or "doesn't fit in" mean that you aren't liked on the unit, and "communications with staff" is one way that's expressed on your evaluation.Not being aware of your care environment when short of staff is another way of stating that you're not tuned in to what is going on in your unit. If you're looking at being advanced in any way -- charge, precepting -- you need to know what's going on outside of your assignment. Fortunately, you can fix both of those in one move by making the effort to get around the unit, chat with your peers and offer to help anyone who looks frazzled. Of course, that assumes that your own time management skills are up to snuff.Good luck.
Quote from nu rnOur performance eval is on a 1-5 scale initiated last year. However, we're told that getting in the 3 range is "very good", 5 is pretty much unobtainable. Therefore the majority of staff are getting 2.5-3. I managed a 3.3 but I think that's primarily because I rarely see my manager (night shift, yay) & don't make waves.
Quote from SeattleJessNight shift is looking more and more tempting to this future nurse.
Quote from HouTxPPs have provided excellent advice but I wanted to offer some illuminating information based on my awareness of what is happening in many health care organizations.If performance evaluations are directly tied to salary increases, many organizations are requiring managers to 'manage the curve'. In other words, they are told that no more than X% of their staff can be rated at the highest level ... OR .... told that they have to sort everyone into certain categories based upon some external metric so that resulting pay increases will be within budgeted levels. The Jack Welch (former CEO of GE) philosophy (claims that organizations should actively try to weed out the 'bottom 25%' of workers each year) is sometimes used as an excuse .. as part of some sort of "excellence" movement. I call Humbug. Strange but true. Ah - the wonderland that is management.