The nurses swarmed a former manager with hugs and smiles as she approached the main nursing station for a visit back to see her old staff. “Help us,” the charge nurse said, “We are exhausted. The patient load is so heavy that I feel like a machine.” “In overdrive,” another nurse interjected. “I haven’t had lunch all week,” said another. She looked frazzled—maybe even fried.
Unfortunately, these sentiments are familiar in 2014. As the acuity of patients slowly increased, the length of stay decreased. The delivery of care became more compressed and complex.
Then, as the healthcare system tried to right its downward spiral, executives tightened control. They demanded increased efficiency in order to financially survive the storm of health care reform. Hospitals merged to increase their leveraging ability which placed additional burdens on staff nurses and managers.
Yet under these exact same conditions some nurses are happy. Why? What is the difference?
A skill set.
Instead of waiting to be rescued, some nurses and managers are advancing nursing practice, adapting, and delivering high-quality care. They have adjusted to the changes with a creativity and passion born of a common vision. These nurses can’t wait to get to work because their relationships with each other are meaningful and invigorating. Instead of seeing obstacles and barriers, they see challenges and problem solving opportunities. Instead of feeling helpless and overburdened, they leave work satisfied and proud because their voices are heard and their ideas executed.
These nurses are transformational leaders.
Transformational leaders understand people’s psychological, physical and emotional needs. These confident leaders encourage innovation by active listening and fostering a supportive, empathetic environment.
Unfortunately, some nurses and managers still lack competence in this skill set and don’t even want to try because of their underlying beliefs.
Because kings and queens were designated by birthright, the belief that leadership is a natural-born talent possessed only by a chosen few has held fast through the ages. But years of research and observation have demonstrated that leadership skills can be taught and emulated with great success. For example, a heightened sense of self-awareness and compassion for others results from a clear understanding of our own communication and leadership styles. And being aware of our own strengths and weaknesses makes us more tolerant and understanding of others.
“But I’m not the manager. I’m just a staff nurse.”
Learned helplessness is a characteristic of oppressed nurses who have lost or misplaced their own power. If you hear yourself whining, or complaining constantly about the same issue, you are speaking from a victim consciousness. This helplessness is most evident in the use of the word “just.” As Suzanne Gordon says, “You JUST save lives!” Our everyday conversations reflect how we feel:
“What can we do? Can you help us?” The nurses lamented as their old manager turned to leave.
“You must save yourselves,” she answered.
“How?” they asked, frustrated and confused. One nurse even looked angry.
“Speak your truth. Tell your story. Find your voice, and you will find your power. Get the skills and confidence you need to lead change. Stop waiting it out for retirement or hoping for things to be different someday. Nothing will change until you do.”
Leadership isn’t limited to supervisory positions. If our profession is ever to rise and meet our country’s healthcare challenges, every nurse at every level of an organization must acquire a new skill set and become an authentic, transformational leader.