Healthcare can be a stressful occupation. When providers encounter individuals who are experiencing problems with their health, it is only natural these patients may be brusque and harried, especially if they feel that they or their loved ones are not getting the attention they need and deserve. It is very easy to take out patient frustrations on nurses. Also nurses may find themselves struggling with long, back-to-back shifts because of inadequate staffing. Nurses must learn to work with one another to make such situations bearable, even when they feel unappreciated. Of course, the patients make it all worth the struggle in the end, but it is very easy to forget this unless nurses work together.
Collaborating with physicians is also essential. Patients must never perceive the workers taking care of their health as in an adversarial position. Although sometimes the different views of different forms of medical practice can be in conflict, ultimately it is essential to work together for a common goal. Having all of the team members work together is important and sometimes team-building exercises are useful so everyone understands one another's language. It because of welfare-related factors such these that ongoing communication exercises and collaborative learning projects in team communication can be useful.
The professional association of which you are a part sounds very beneficial to you. As a nurse executive in particular, I can see how sharing ideas with other nurses and gaining a sense of community with them would be valuable.
Reference
Ohio Organization of Nurse Executives. (2014). Society member of OHA affiliation of AONE
membership packet [Power Point slides]. Retrieved from http://ohiohospitals.org/OHA/media/Images/Membership%20Services/Society%20Pages/Welcome-Presentation-2014.pdf
Response...
The work group must be able to carry on its standard operating procedures and to enact meaningful changes when needed. It is not enough to simply state why changes are needed: the group must be motivated. When there is negative organizational dynamics and constant questioning of staff decision-making, a culture of resistance is fostered that can be seemingly impossible to overcome. The increasingly popular 'shared governance' model is an antidote to this, allowing nurses to have input into how their organizations are managed. This form of shared leadership creates a strong level of buy-in for nurses and creates a personal incentive to cooperate. When people personally contribute to a change, they are more willing to try to make the change happen.
Healthcare workers often have a strong need to control what is going on in the workplace, given the amount of time and effort they put into their work, often going 'above and beyond' what is strictly required. However admirable this may be, this can result in an adversarial relationship with management when they feel overly controlled by people who do not understand what they are going through. The shared leadership model is an important counterweight to this, given that it ensures that workers have a strong investment with whatever change is orchestrated.
Response 3: Observation unit throughput
This case study specifically addressed a problem regarding the expanded hours needed to treat a patient. It made effective use of data-driven analysis to ensure that initial problem was detected: the average hours per observation (OBV) case was 34 versus the previous 27. The longer a patient remains in observation, the greater expense for the hospital and…
