Teamwork

rdhdnrs · May 21, 2002

The way we've been best able to foster teamwork where I work is having set schedules and working together with the same people long enough to form bonds. Also just help each other. Even if you're the only one who does, it will make a difference.

Send Salutes or Attaboys to someone who you notice going above and beyond for a patient or the unit.

It can be done!! Hang in there.

Rustyhammer · May 22, 2002

The best way to teach others is by the example you set.

fedupnurse · May 22, 2002

Rachet, you took the thought right out of my head. I am at work now. When I came in tonight a nurse I have worked with since I became a nurse said to me quietly, Nancy, what has happened to this unit? What can we do to get morale up and get people to work together again? I really couldn't answer her. Our major problems are we have a nurse manager who will not give you a straight answer and tells you she will follow up with a problem and then doesn't. We have 4 assitant nurse managers, 2 on each shift, who are so demoralized that none of them give a rat's butt anymore. This has now filtered down to the staff. It seems to be a hospital wide phenomena. I am staff but when people complain I ask them what do you suggest to make it better and they, just like me today, don't have an answer. I think we are so mired in our misery that we can't see the forest or the trees.

Where should we start? We help each other on my shift and like working with each other (with a few exceptions). Staff is fed up with mgmt and vice versa. HELP!!!!

Tiiki · May 22, 2002

You don't realize the importance of teamwork until it's not there. I worked on an acute care floor. It was amazing. Even thought the work load was heavy, we pulled for each other. If one nurse was finished he/she'd look around to see who needed help. I was sent to a rehab floor after hurting my back. I have come to call it "the island of misfit toys." I have never met such a group of disfunctional nurses in my career. They are so busy gossiping or reporting one another they have no concept of support. I think the problem started with a nurse manager who is so wishy washy and chooses to remain aloof. Most of the staff there have been working in such circumstances for so long they know of no other way of working. It's unfortunate. I am returning to my previous place of work, transferring to the ER. I am counting the minutes. Rachet....I wish you luck. Some poor work habits are so ingrained, no amount of coaxing will change it. You change things a step at a time. Start by befriending any new staff..show, they are the ones most likely to integrate themselves into working together. Watch your team, see the work habits.

Wish me luck people. I am being rescued off the island!!

ciao!

Jo

Trauma Columnist · May 22, 2002

Personally - I have worked agency in Chicago and notice that when I'm up there, there are usually more agency nurses than staff!! (This is in level I ER). We too (in downstate IL) are employing travellers and I see the morale issue too.

rachet65 · May 23, 2002

Thanks for the thoughts, everyone. I worked nights for a year, and the teamwork is excellent (with, of course, the obligatory exceptions). When I got transferred to days, it was like I was a new employee- I felt lost. My manager is the most spineless, gossip loving person I have ever worked with.

But what really makes me mad is, when I interviewed for this job, I stressed the importance of teamwork as an integral part of my work ethic, and she said, "Oh yes, you"ll find that here"

Bulls**t!!

I think most of the nurses I work with don't even have a work ethic.

Thanks for letting me vent.

talaxandra · May 23, 2002

How topical! I went in to work today (I work nights) for a leadership meeting, to discuss morale and other problems on the ward at the moment. The leadership group is the Unit Manager, the associate charge nurses, our clinical support and development nurse and all the clinical nurse specialists. After letting things slide for a while we're back to fortnightly meetings where we talk about general and specific problems (eg there's been an increase in drug errors, is everyone aware of Thingummy's poor time management?) and come up with strategies to resolve them. I came away feeling inspired, recharged, and like part of a team - the enthusiasm was really contagious :)

For me, the key things were identifying the issues, being aware that I'm not the only one noticing the problems, having a plan to implement change, and that reinforcement that it's not just me trying to combat a cultural malaise.

I'm fortunate that there's been a strong culture on my ward of togetherness, but it seems to have been eroded over the last year or so. I'm hoping that this renewed feeling of team-ness (surely there's a better word!) will spread out through to all the staff.

Don't know if any of this helps, but I hope so.

Tara