Читать книгу Toxic Nursing, 2nd Ed - Cheryl Dellasega - Страница 36

These kinds of incidents can sometimes be perceived as “paying your dues.” It’s been said that this is what you have to go through to get into this exclusive sorority. The same kind of hazing thing can happen if a nurse has special credentials or higher education.

Right away, the chief of staff needs to have a talk with Dr. Smith. The fact that nurses have patterned their behavior to allow his behavior to continue is really a disservice to everyone. He obviously has no respect for nurses, and his judgment of being “a good nurse” may be skewed. The fact that they snap to attention when he comes on the floor is not how I would judge a good nurse.

As the nurse manager, I would pull the nurses aside who let this poor person walk into a loaded situation and tell them I’m disappointed by their lack of support. Anne is part of this team, and the expectation is that they will work together and share information. Obviously, the nurse manager has supported this kind of behavior for it to go on and has allowed the nurses on her unit to act this way. The nurse manager needs to step up and tell Anne what’s really going on.

Ultimately, the actions of nurses on a particular unit are a reflection of the nurse manager. She is responsible for the behavior of her staff.

–Kathy Curci

Creating a healthy workplace environment where nurses can speak up will increase staff morale and patient safety. Addressing inappropriate behavior when it occurs, if applicable, is the key to obtaining a healthy work environment. If Anne is thinking she is “just a staff nurse” and those acting inappropriately hold more power because of their position, then she should think again. This is a case where one person, Anne, the informal leader, can definitely make a difference. Staff nurses need to be patient advocates as well as team advocates. To accomplish this, Anne should address her concerns with Dr. Smith and her manager as soon as possible and in a private setting (not in front of patients). Anne can begin by addressing that she is new to the profession as well as the culture of the organization and the surgeon’s preferences.

The National Labor Relations Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration give individuals the right to report incidents without losing their jobs or suffering other reprisals. Ensuring and maintaining a healthy work environment is the job of all members of an organization. According to a recent Gallup poll, nursing has been the most respected profession for the past seven years. This could not have been accomplished without earning the respect and trust of our patients and others.

Nurses need to fully support the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics state that professional nurses have an ethical mandate to become skilled communicators. To embrace this mandate, nurses need to look within themselves first and make initial efforts to foster healthy workplace environments. Having effective nurse-physician collaborations among nurses, physicians, and healthcare leaders is critical to sustaining strong interdisciplinary and intradisciplinary relationships. The Joint Commission recommends adopting a zero-tolerance policy for intimidating and/or disruptive behaviors and to incorporate this into organizational policies, other medical bylaws, and employment agreements.

–Cheri Clancy