Q. Nurses eat their young. True or False? Management eats their young, old and in between. True or False?
A. The profession of nursing is interesting. We are educated and trained to provide nursing interventions and assistance to our patients in an effort to nurture them in their healing process or ease their transition if in hospice care. We are focused on their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs. WE NURTURE. WE SUPPORT. WE ENCOURAGE. WE APPRECIATE!!!!! Its what we do.
It is also an easy profession to feel unappreciated, scared, resentful and discouraged. Surprisingly these feelings do not arise from our patients……..they are created by management. This is not rocket science people, its really not. How many different ways can you spell respect, kindness, appreciation and concern…….genuine concern?
We do not need a sheet of paper in the break room for people to write down ways management can make employees enjoy their jobs more. Nothing has changed in the last century about how to make employees happier on the job. NOTHING!!!! Respect is still respect. Being supported is not about fearing the next bus that goes by.
Nurses eating their young. What can I say about that? It is difficult to “put on a bright, smiling face when you feel unsupported and discounted. We try. We really do. We want to be nurses and feel proud of our profession. We get it, just ask us. The only thing we want to eat is lunch. AND go to the bathroom before we get a UTI.
Management eating everyone. Here’s what I can say about that. STOP IT!!!!! It’s not hard to show kindness, appreciation and respect to people for what they are trying hard to accomplish.
I remember reading a study about how to have happier, more productive employees. Surprisingly or maybe not so surprisingly, making more money was number two. Number one was APPRECIATION FROM MANAGEMENT!! Employees who felt appreciated were producers. The turnover rate was lower. There were less employees calling in sick. There was a healthy energy.
Managers I challenge you. Try to do our job. Put on your scrubs and tennis shoes (make sure you are in dress code compliance) and work beside us. You just might be surprised how impossible it is to do everything you ask of us and still have a great attitude.
