Written by Anne Llewellyn, MS, BHSA, RN, CCM, CRRN, CMF
Healthcare professionals, especially nurses in every specialty, are having a tough time. We are feeling under appreciated and extremely stressed from the tremendous pressure of caring for complex patients with and without COVID. If we are honest with ourselves, we can’t blame everything on COVID. The healthcare environment has had complex challenges for years. COVID simply brought these issues to the forefront at a rapid pace.
To understand the situation more deeply, I spoke with two colleagues about what they see in their area of practice and what they suggest nurses do to address the current challenges across the care continuum.
Advice from Colleen Morley, DNP
Colleen Morley, DNP is the Associate Chief Clinical Operations/Care Continuum at a Tertiary Medical Center in Chicago. Everyday, she sees the effects of the stress healthcare professionals are facing.
Colleen suggests that leaders investigate salaries, benefits, and work/life balance opportunities to support the workforce. Nurses are the most trusted profession, and are considered the backbone of healthcare, yet, we are not treated that way.
Why is there a nursing shortage?
Because current nurses are not recommending the profession to young people. She would like to see bedside nurses come together to amplify their voices to demonstrate the value they bring to their organization, to their colleagues, and most of all, to their patients. Nurses have the passion, respect, and ability to promote unity. They can gain the attention of the leadership and make changes. Doing this will empower the nursing workforce to address issues and resolve conflicts.
Colleen also suggested that instead of leaving the practice, experienced nurses need to look beyond bedside nursing. Specialties like case management, quality management, and other areas that are not routinely covered in nursing education. These specialties offer opportunities to use the skills you have gained over your career and to move away from the routine of a bedside nurse. Think about going back to school to get an advanced degree. It will open many doors, renew your focus, and help you see the value you bring.
Implement educational programs for medical professionals in multidisciplinary care teams, so together, we learn to create a collaborative, respectful work environment that is critical for addressing today's challenges.
David Dovel, RN & Writer, Weighs In
Next, I talked to David Dovel, a seasoned registered nurse (RN) who works at a specialty hospital in New Jersey. He recently launched a blog, TheNewRN.com, to give back to the nursing community and help new nurses embark on their careers. His spirit and ability to give back to the nursing profession is empowering. I hope that other nurses can learn from his example to inspire new nurses as they move forward in their careers. All nurses can do this to ensure we have a robust workforce as nurses retire or move away from the bedside to explore new ways and exciting opportunities.
He recommended that hospital leaders take a close look at how they communicate and provide support for their staff and consider the following:
-
Does the workforce have a voice?
-
Are their concerns taken seriously?
-
Are reasonable actions put into place to improve systems?
-
Do nurses feel comfortable and safe when working or walking around parking areas?
A supportive and happy nursing environment with resources, amenities, and advancement opportunities will make it much easier to retain current staff and attract new nurses rather than repelling them.
How you can Improve Your Work Setting?
Healthcare needs to get back to making the patient the center of care. Whether that starts in nursing school, medical school, or even public school, this country needs more caring providers. I don't think everyone in healthcare is in it for the wrong reason, but the system needs to be reevaluated and revamped. How do we get back to the basics?
What are your ideas for improving the challenges in your organization? What are you doing in your area of practice to improve morale and help your colleagues be the best they can be? I would love to know what you are doing. Email me at allewellyn48@gmail.com, and I can write a follow-up article with YOUR comments.
Nursing is an exciting and enriching profession. We can overcome these challenging times and feel good about pulling on comfortable scrubs for work if we stay focused and work together to show our value to the patients we care for and the organizations we work.
About the Author:
Anne Llewellyn, MS, BHSA, RN, CCM, CRRN, CMF is a registered nurse with over forty-three years of experience in critical care, risk management, case management, patient advocacy, healthcare education, including training and development. Anne speaks and writes frequently on topics for consumers, caregivers, and all healthcare team members so together we can improve each person's healthcare experience. Follow her in her weekly Blog, Nurses Advocate, where she shares stories and events to help people be better prepared when they enter the healthcare system.
