I’m a unionized nurse and basically I’m on an unenforceable PIP because management simply wrote what I, according to them, do wrong and gave me the filled form, but without conducting an interview with me, the union wasn’t contacted and they even didn’t ask me to sign it. Union already told me this is not enforceable.
There are union representatives and union representatives: the one who feels a job is a job told me to calm down and keep applying for jobs elsewhere if I so decide, not asking for a 2 month ‘reprieve’ to be better at a job most days I don’t want to do anymore (working bedside with difficult patients).
The other union representative who still considers nursing a calling but works with compliant patients (pediatrics), told me the hospital can fire me if I don’t ask for a meeting with management to ask how I can be better and that only after being better I should apply for jobs elsewhere (which I call BS).
I’m still undecided about how to play this, but I sure want to quit bedside. If playing theatrics and pretending I have an interest in becoming a person they consider a better nurse helps me quit this job, even if the PIP is unenforceable, I’m playing this game.
Except that my first impulse to the question if I like my job would be a 5 minute rant about non compliant patients, stupid family members working against you, people calling for you to refill their water when they can walk, being blamed for things I cannot control, bad ratios, having to get up at 04:00 to get to work, having to work nights, listening to my coworkers talk about their holidays in the middle of report, drama…
So, how do I become a better liar to the tune of: I want to keep working here, I like what I do, I like seeing patients leave healthy and independent to live their lives… until I find a job I like more?
What you say will absolutely be held against you, especially at work. If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. If you’re cornered and specifically asked that question, keep the reply short and sweet.
Last time I was cornered for an assessment I replied “I’m a happy worker” and left it at that.
Why did you become a nurse? Why don’t want to continue being a nurse? Those are your answers — unless you no longer want to be a nurse that is.
But you don’t have to say anything. No need to embellish or lie. If you’re asked directly, do you like your job, then just say yes, you like your job. You have no incentive or reason to say anything more than that. If someone prods you for more info, you should ask them why they want to know.
If you feel pressured into saying more, then go back to why you wanted to be a nurse. Keep it simple. Don’t give more than what you’re asked. Stick to facts and leave your emotions out of it.
You’re on a PiP, official or not. I’d be looking elsewhere. I’ve never seen someone survive a PiP (this after 30+ years in corporate environments).
Just start looking, seems like nurses are needed everywhere.
Just don’t say anything negative. Fake smile, ask your coworkers how they’re doing and completely ignore anything they say.
Just be professional, don’t give anyone a reason to talk smack about you. Keep your head down and GTFO ASAP
I have to ask. What is a PiP?
Performance improvement plan. Sometimes a legitimate way to help an employee who is slow or failing at tasks to improve and perform better.
More often it’s a management ploy to start a paper trail to legitimize terminating said employee or deny pay raises without repercussions, regardless of actual performance metrics.
“Performance Improvement Plan” aka an excuse to fire someone but have data to try to deny unemployment as they “weren’t performing” in accordance with the “plan”.
