The Way Of The Beaver

It's very possible I'm so tired from working straight through Tuesday that my sense of humor is missing this..


But I sincerely doubt it. I've laughed out loud at funerals before. I can be a pretty amusing guy at times.

These images are from one of the facilities I've worked at, and I think they illustrate the complete disconnect between the management and staff. This is why this facility is currently run on 75% agency nurses (because so many nurses, aides, and others have become fed up with the patronization, the incompetence, and the utter absurdity of this place.

No offense, of course. I mean that in the most professional way possible . . .

This first poster (one in a series of three; and part of an hour-long orientation of corporate Mission Statements.

What that Mission is, I still don't know. But it reads like Summer Camp at the YMCA.

The theme of this poster seems to be Less Autocratic Direction, More individual Freedom -- which is right in line with the Liberal-Speak that permeates Nursing today. Sort of a "Do Your Own Thing" for the new millennium. What it has resulted in (at this particular facility) is massive resignations, confusion of authority, and miserable working conditions.


And this silly new-age mantra about "developing new habits makes no sense to me at all. It's kind of like saying "don't step on that bug, but make sure you squash it." Huh???



This third one contradicts the first poster, in saying that "we all need a game plan" -- but the first poster said to "Do your own thing."


Finally, the last is a card that must be worn behind the name badges at all times, signally successful completion of the orientation course. The item about "clearly marked territory" is unintentionally hilarious (I have visions of beavers peeing all over the Nursing Unit.) Plus doesn't "clearly marked territories" kind of negate the whole teamwork concept? Plus what, exactly, does "Able But Challenged" mean? It sounds like a Special Education class to me.

And this place takes this seriously -- someone who does not wear this card on their badge can be sent home or suspended.

Another great place I'm never going to hire into. I think the funniest thing is that, in this place with a decidedly high female-to-male ratio, nobody has noticed the double entendre yet.

"Way of the Beaver", indeed. Heh.

~~JD~~