Tape Recorders

janeS · September 2003

Hello all... I have been lurking on the Forum for a few weeks and have already been able to put some great advice to good use. Now, I've finally worked up the courage to post.

As the AR person in a 3000+ ee, 24/7 hospital I had thought I had just about seen it all....silly me! Yesterday a Unit Mgr. and I were meeting with a male RN who, it has been alleged, harrassed and intimidated three female coworkers on third shift. We went into a small conference room and all of a sudden he asked to be excused to go to the restroom. Hmmmmmm.....

When he came back, he made a great show about where he should sit. My gut was talking to me. I told him that if he was going to tape record the conversation then he could go ahead and put the recorder in the middle of the table. He did...in fact he put TWO on the table.

Was this a good or stupid thing for me to have done? Give it to me straight...but please be gentle. x:-8

Hunter1 · September 2003

It was a good and intuitive thing to do! Now, of course, you may have already read the posts about whether or not you want to allow him to record your meeting, but you certainly don't have to. And, since he was recording two different tapes, I would have demanded one of them. Good for you.
Is that gentle enough?

janeS · September 2003

Thanks, Hunter1...appreciate the input. Boss was on vacation and I was sweating bullets!

Don D · September 2003

I would not have let him tape the meeting. As I've often said in similar discussions, when we let employees thump their chests and demand to record meetings, we lose control of OUR meeting. I would personally have told him to turn the machines off or the meeting was concluded. Then I would have proceeded with investigation or discipline without the benefit of discussion with him.

Tape Recorders

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