[oramar]

There is section in RN magazine called Helpline. Managers send in questions and advice is given, these questions are located on page 26 of April issue. The first question is from a manager who complains about older workers getting negative and nasty in response to change. The second question is about nurses in ICU refusing to volunteer for precepting, the nurses say they are too overwhelmed to take on new task. The advice given to these managers is the usual garbage. It is automatically assumed that the nurses are at fault and all they need is a change of attitude. Mangers are advised to use a little carrot and maybe a little stick to clear up these bad attitudes. Could somebody please advise these managers to sit down with their nurses and talk to them like adults and find out what it really bothering them. My guess is that these bad attitudes are directly related to very real problems these nursing are experiencing in their working enviroment. Maybe those ICU nurses really do have to much to do to take on precepting duties. Maybe the older nurses are nasty because the lift team was eliminated in order to cut cost. Respectful managment would at least look into the facts behind the complaints. The real danger in this bad advice lies in the fact that these distressed units will soon be short staffed because the real problems are not being addressed.

[gwenith]

I could/s agree more with both issues raised here.
1) poor advice in magazines
2) Quick fix (magic wand) management

Please bear with me while I expand on your rant (OOPS opinion)

There are articles in Nursing which verge on professional bullying. Take the great pressure area debate. I have read articles which insist that pressure areas are solely caused by poor nursing care - these same articles list all the physiological variances contributing to the development of pressure areas. Despite this they still insist that it is solely the nurses fault.
There are articles that hold unrealistic expectations for nurses Patient assessment, rapid assessment techniques among the many myths perpetrated by these articles is that poor nursing care comes from not doing complete physical assessments in 5 minutes. GAKKK!!! (when I finally get off my Butt I am going to write an article proving that nurses shouldn't do one off , wheel re-invention assessment but can and do do continuous evaluation)

The second issue is the magic wand management - got a problem with a patient who developed a pressure sore - run a 1/2 hour inservice onit which reaches only 1/5 of the staff and then mark the issue solved. Someone objets to an unreasonable request - mark them as "change resistant" and dismiss them,

I'm signing off before I give myself RSI

[mattsmom81]

I seldom stick with any nursing mags for these same reasons you give, Oramar...it's the same old tired rhetoric. For the most part I find management wants little true feedback regarding changes that will impact nurses positively. I've only had a few managers who really talk to their nurses. These managers don't last long because upper administration does not seem to want this type of a manager... What most of today's administrators really want is compliance...and for us all to adapt to the party line... they have made up their minds already so there's generally little point in debating their latest decision. Too many bosses only pay lip service to being 'responsive' to their employees...(or else it's selective to their pets who stroke their egos.)

Now this stuff tends to create passive aggressive workers, IMO, so they create their own problem employees in many cases. But the top brass rarely wants to see their role in this...

[Sleepyeyes]

Ever try the AJN?

I like that one. Here's the link. Enjoy.

http://www.nursingworld.org/ajn/2003/03home.htm

[oramar]

Yes I get AJN, I like it. I have done a post or two complaining about some stuff in it but for the most part I like it. Always read it cover to cover. My overall favorite is Advance. My least favorite is Nursing 2003. I must say that I have read good and bad articles in all these magazines.

[JNJ]

Sounds to me as if all of you above posters are ready for independent contracting.

[SmilingBluEyes]

I like to read them all (AJN, NURSING, RN, ADVANCE). and I learn so much. I subscribe to so many it is not funny. I don't agree with all articles but I think they TRY to provide a valuable service. The advice lines, well I disagree about 1/3 the time. I blow it off to human beings and differing opinions, I guess. Being in OB these mags help me keep abreast of nursing issues beyond my little scope.

[fab4fan]

I like "Revolution" magazine; they try to tell it like it is.

AJN is OK if you buy into the ANA philosophy.

Nursing 2003 can be a bit too pie in the sky; have a problem...tell mgmt...if mgmt doesn't respond, get another job.

[liberalrn]

Perhaps a simple equivalency will clear this up:

Nursing magazines are to real nurses as Cosmo and Glamour are to real women. Questions?

[sanakruz]

Originally posted by liberalrn
Perhaps a simple equivalency will clear this up:

Nursing magazines are to real nurses as Cosmo and Glamour are to real women. Questions?

You mean the ones that tell us to fake orgasms? I LOVE those mags......