A nursing career is now seen as challenging and as a result is attracting more aggressive, risk-accepting individuals for financial and security reasons. These individuals may not be well equipped to provide the compassionate and high-quality care demanded of them. It is also difficult for hospitals to keep these employees engaged in the hospital's strategies and operations. This sets up an environment that compromises patient quality and service.
To overcome these issues hospitals must recognize the importance and impact of leadership. Most nurses would like to be engaged by a great nurse manager who is highly visible, a good listener, a team advocate, and consistent. Talents like these cannot be taught, but are important skills that can be learned through effective coaching.
Hospitals must also tailor their policies and practices to the diverse nature of their nursing workforce. Flexible work schedules, advanced education funding, and childcare may be desirable to the younger nurse. Fewer hours per shift or job sharing may be more appealing to the older nurse.
Hospitals that recognize and respect their nurses and their decision making power in areas of patient care, workspace design, equipment selection, and human resource policies will have significant impacts on nurses' engagement and loyalty to the organization.
The most successful hospitals are proactive about solving the nursing shortage by focusing on finding the best nurses and potential nurses. They are making sure they have great managers and are creating policies that respond to the diverse workforce.
About the Author
Doris Young has 30 years of healthcare experience with dozens of training and coaching programs to develop and improve performance. These programs can help improve communication and ease frustration and conflict while developing effective mangers to take healthcare teams to the next level.
Contact Doris at 800 673-8005 or at www.DorisYoungAssociates.com
