How to Express a Complaint or Concern 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