Problems with the boss

Re: Problems with the boss

Anonymous — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:19:10 GMT

i am a dyslexic. my collegues call me special ( in a nice way)

i have been lucky enough never to have had a prob. i don think you should ask why it is a prob now and surley as long as u are doing your job and not making mistakes there should not be a prob.

i have worked with a vet that can not multi task. when u talk to her she can not spk to u if she is typing or writing. she still does her jopb fine so i dont see the prob.

if i am asked to help while doing somthing else i simply say yes but u have to wait till i have done the other job. if they cant wait they will go and find another nurse . 99% of the time they are happy to wait. no nurse can be in 2 places at once although if we could it would help!

Re: Problems with the boss

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 19:52:39 GMT

[quote user="loobylou"]

Sorry to hijack, Sandra do you use a specific form for that or just write it down on a sheet of paper? Would be interested in maybe snaffling a copy of you use a form?!

[/quote]

Hi louise, yes we do have a specific form, but we mainly just write it all down on a sheet of paper..... we are usually to busy to run upstairs to photocopy the form TBH,

But we write the patients name, condition, any medications along with amounts and and what times,and the same with fluid changes etc, Also include /feeding times or regimes, and if urine samples are needed, or if food has to be removed etc. It works well and keeps everyone right, especially if there are a lot of inpatients who need things at different times. It is kept on a clip board, and the ward nurse constantly refers to it., its also good for handovers too, ie the overnight nurse, passes it onto the ward nurse the following day, so it kind of acts as a handover sheet too.

Re: Problems with the boss

loobylou — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 17:55:35 GMT

Sorry to hijack, Sandra do you use a specific form for that or just write it down on a sheet of paper? Would be interested in maybe snaffling a copy of you use a form?!

Re: Problems with the boss

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 12:11:17 GMT

We have dedicated ward nurses for medicating etc, but even we have a clip board that rarely leaves our side when we are on ward duty. WE have all patients , what drugs they are getting, amounts of, and when they are getting them, as well as wehn fluids are due to be changed etc, all with little tick boxes so we know who has been done and who has not. All the info is also recorded on their hospitalisation sheet, but having it all in front of you so you can see at a glance, limits the amount of missed medications.

Re: Problems with the boss

SmegSlayer — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 10:42:05 GMT

[quote user="nursienurse"]

My main issuse she has with me is when I forget things,so I tend to focus a lot on the task I am doing e.g medicating animals, but I should be able to do that as well as helping the vets, but I find it difficult to multitask.

So if any one has tips on how to help with this problem I might get a better apprasail next time.

[/quote]

Does ur HN have more arms than u? coz I can't see how if ur medicating an animal u can assist the vet as well?

Focusing on the medications ur giving is very important- it's so easy for even 'normal' people to make a mistake so it should have ur full attention and be double/triple checked before it's given. if this takes you a couple of minutes longer who gives a ****- u r being responsible for the animals under ur care!

Re: Problems with the boss

Maisy — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 10:36:30 GMT

Could you get yourself a notebook to jot down what you have to do? A white board set up somewhere for all the nurses to write messages/jobs might be another help if this is easier to keep note of. Really though we all can forget things when we're busy, am sure your HVN does too but if you're prioritising with admin meds its not really a bad thing?!

Glad you're feeling better about it and hope everything turns out okay

Re: Problems with the boss

nursienurse — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 09:36:31 GMT

Thank you all for your support, and help it has made me feel better and now I know I can approch my boss with confidence to address the issuses she has with the way I work.

Thinking back to when I was at college I did have my notes printed in blue paper and that was a big help.

So if any one has tips on how to help with this problem I might get a better apprasail next time.

Re: Problems with the boss

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 07:58:30 GMT

I have a friend who is dyslexic and l heard a radio thing on dyslexia l told him about. Apparently coloured filters on paperwork can help or you can get glasses with coloured lenses. They say that blue is best for mornings and yellow for afternoons but it can vary. I found a site that sells coloured overlays if you do not know about this advice it may help you?

He had heard about them apparently a dyslexic friend of his has the tinted glasses. They make a big difference.

Re: Problems with the boss

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 00:39:10 GMT

Personally, your HN sounds like a prize ***!!!!!

Power going to ones head springs to mind!

Dont let her get you down, she obviously has shortcomings herself, certainly in the diplomacy dept. If you have done your job well, then dont let Mrs low rent spoil it for you.

Discrimination is not on..... keep that in mind if she decides to step over the mark again!

Re: Problems with the boss

Rachel Jayne — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 20:59:14 GMT

They have absolutely no right to complain to you about it!!! It's disability discrimination!!!

If anything they should be making reasonable adjustments to your job to make things easier for you, not critisising when things go wrong!

Every employer has a duty of care to their employers - you can sue their asses if they make life hard work for you!

I've got number dyslexia (get numbers that sound the same like 4/5 and 6/7 mixed up & if read a number will quite often write it down wrong) It's never been a problem in work as I've always checked & doubled checked myself & when it comes to drug dosages I've learnt a lot of commonly used mgs/kg etc so I know if it's right or not.

At my last job they started on me about something related to it, until I reminded them of the above about discrimination/duty of care & needless to say it was hardly ever mentioned again!!!

Re: Problems with the boss

Maisy — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 09:43:03 GMT

I'd agree that if it was considered a 'problem' then it should have been mentioned to you previously, 7 years is a pretty long time to keep a problem going! Can you speak to your head nurse or vet about what happened during your appraisal? An assessment for your dyslexia would be a good start as at least this could be presented if you do want to discuss this with your HN as eye rolling isn't an acceptable response if one of your team has issues that may affect their work.

Hope it gets sorted out for you.

Re: Problems with the boss

Selena Carnell — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 07:37:03 GMT

if you have been working there for 7 years i would have been asking why it hadnt been brought up in previous appraisals, and why has it becoem such a sudden problem.

I presume your boss is aware of the dyslexia.

Re: Problems with the boss

SmegSlayer — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:34:26 GMT

I'm not dyslexic but i do know how you feel. I have M.E. and find it hard to manage my time as i'm often feeling so knackered 5 minutes feels like 5 hours and then and hour will be like 15 minutes. I'm also quite slow at some tasks and it does annoy other members coz they sometimes feel like i don't pull my weight. I can sometimes zip around like them for 1 or 2 days but then i pay the price for several days afterwards.

You have to find someone in the management to support you and fight your corner. You're dyslexic not incompetant. To be honest, I'm one of those people that has OCD when it comes to spelling, grammar, capital letters in the right places etc but working with dyslexic people I've learnt to be a lot more tolerant and patient.

If the animals under your care are well looked after who cares if you can't spell 'antidisestablishmentarianism'

Re: Problems with the boss

Juliet Drummond DAVN (med) RVN D32/33 — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:57:06 GMT

[quote user="Juliet Drummond DAVN (med) RVN"]as a head nurse i have dilsxic members of staff, i think that it is a dreadful[/quote]

see what i mean- nobody is perfect!

Re: Problems with the boss

Juliet Drummond DAVN (med) RVN D32/33 — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:56:24 GMT

[quote user="nursienurse"]

I have been working at my practice for 7 years and didn't have have any problems until the new head nurse started.

I am moderately dyslexic and up until a few years ago never really felt any different to the other nurses, and they have got used to helping me with spellings etc. But at a recent appraisal with m head nurse and a vet, they brought up that I cannot multitask as well as the other nurses. I said that dyslexic people find it hard to do, I got eye rolling from the head nurse, as though I was using it as an excuse. I have never used dyslexia as an excuse I have just got on with things. I now feel totally unsupported by my head nurse and now doubting my ability to do the job. I don't know where to go from here.

are there any dsylexsic nurses out there, if so how are your bosses supporting/helping you?

[/quote]

as a head nurse i have dilsxic members of staff, i think that it is a dreadful

attitude from your head nurse.

i'n my experience it is what you bring to the team that counts, not the ability to do everything!

each individual has Strengths and and things that they are perhaps less strong at.

get some advice, they can't dismiss you for it.

take care.

Re: Problems with the boss

Sal the 1st — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:43:42 GMT

[quote user="nursienurse"]

I have been working at my practice for 7 years and didn't have have any problems until the new head nurse started.

are there any dsylexsic nurses out there, if so how are your bosses supporting/helping you?

[/quote]

I have worked with a number of people with dyslexia. Like the previous poster we sometimes did things a bit differently but we didnt have any real problems. I have also seen somebody for counselling who was dyslexic and was having problems at work. Sounds like a similar situation but not exactly the same as the one you describe. this person had been employed in a factory for many years, most people on that line knew this person very well and had no problems with their dyslexia. New pink hat ( supervisor) comes along and this person feels singled out and less able to perform the duties they have been doing very well for years.

Can I ask if you have had an assessment of your level of dyslexia? - if so it may be worth making your boss aware of this - make it official so to speak. I personally dont think dyslexia is a problem in the workplace when others are aware of it but if other people want to make it a problem then they should be aware that discrimination isnt on.

Re: Problems with the boss

Lisa Whitehouse — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:28:00 GMT

as a head nurse i feel that your hn response is awful, may be she has not worked with any one dyslexsic before and doesnt know how to deal with it, may be ask her how she feels you could improve and what support she will offer you? I think its improtant to support your staff regardless. Hope you get through this

Re: Problems with the boss

dinkyd — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:09:18 GMT

How awful.

I know a few dyslexic nurses- and all are great as im sure you are to.

Please don t take this the wrong way - but the nurses i speak about we knew each other well and they would always ask how to spell something/check their spelling and there were some funny spellings but we made a joke of it - not in a horrible way at all though!Speak to your colleagues - not your head nurse - and see how they feel about the situation - is there anyone you trust that you can chat to/get support from.I would make a point of saying that you would rather check your work and take your time rather than make a mistake.

Please do not allow them to discrimate against you.If your head nurse is not being supportive - ie rolling eyes which to be honest is taking the piss(sorry cant think of another phrase at the mo)- ask for a chat with your boss.

Most importantly dont let this get you down.