Professional Development section in March AJN

sanakruz, ADN · Mar 13, 2003

Oramar-

I'd love to read it and commiserate-Got a link to post?

-jt · Mar 13, 2003

I liked the description of the staff meeting where the CEO & VP of Nursing announced a new staffing plan. Only 2 RNs objected & said they were notifying their union to stop it but the others kept their mouths shut & had no comments either way. After the meeting, all the nurses were angry, demoralized, felt powerless, and griped about how unsafe the staffing plan was but they did so only to each other as venting - after the CEO had already walked away thinking everybody was for the plan & only the 2 RNs objected & they were just troublemakers anyway. How many times have we seen this kind of thing happen? When are nurses going to stop being afraid to speak up for themselves?

What about the example where there were 2 excellent RN candidates for RN director of ambulatory services but the search committee, which consisted of all RNs, rejected them because they were confident, independent and effective and the doctors might not like that. Although they thought these candidates were perfect for them, the RNs search committee decided to look for a nursing director that the doctors would like better than a strong nurse candidate - in other words someone more meek, mild, and better able to be controlled by them & keep the nurses in their place.

The article addresses the learned behavior of an oppressive group. It hit the nail on the head about nurses. Its not intended to be making nurses feel guilty. Its about opening up their eyes to how some of their own behavior - learned thru years of oprression - just makes their situation worse. Its about helping them to realize they have the means to change things, if they would only just use it - and how to use it. I thought it was an excellent article.

If you dont subscribe to AJN, check it out in your hospital library. The links to current issues are not available online.

oramar · Mar 13, 2003

I remarked in my original post that the article made me feel guilty. Some of you will say no one can make you feel guilty unless you let them. This is a fact of which I am well aware. However, I felt guilty for about 2 min., then depressed for about 2 min. During the 5th min. I startes to get mad. We older nurses put up with a lot of oppression because we felt we had a higher calling. The calling was to take care of other people. This revolt is taking place because we reached a place in the last part of 20th Century where we could no longer do that. I would say we all deserve a pat on the back for being true to our cause. Now I have recently joined the ANA for the first time. I did this because the orginization is coming around to my way of thinking. It is however a follower not a leader in this revolt. The change of course was started by everyday nurses. The same ones that are being targeted as responsible for the oppressive enviroment. PS to sanakruz, Karen might give a link, if it can be done.

oramar · Mar 13, 2003

I am currently reading the Jan-Feb edition of Revolution. I feel totally uplifted and validated by everything in it. It is the only nursing publication that does that for me.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Mar 13, 2003

Professional Development: Negative Behaviors in Nursing

by Rosanna F. DeMarco Susan Jo Roberts

AJN, American Journal of Nursing March 2003 Volume 103 Number 3 Pages 113 - 116

Costs $2.95 to read

http://www.nursingcenter.com/library/JournalArticle.asp?Article_ID=405617

oramar · Mar 13, 2003

For $2.95 you might as well join. It is basically a good magazine. A lot of other very good things in this months edition. Thanks Karen.

oramar · Mar 16, 2003

Like mana from heaven! PSNA sent me a development flyer that features a conference about the very work place issues we are discussing on this thread. One of the subjects is called...Ten Things Nurses Do to Stab themselves in the back. Best thing about it is that I get big discount for being PSNA member. Here is phone number for anyone interested. 1 800 707 7762 or [email protected]

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Mar 17, 2003

Glad to see your getting something out of PSNA membership.

oramar · May 6, 2003

Alas, got a phone call from PSNA saying the professional developement seminar mentioned above was cancelled. I am batting zero. I also recieved notification about a course at a community college that was cancelled. Both site lack of interest.

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · May 7, 2003

There is a line in the article that says, "researchers have observed that nurses lack a voice". I would be pretty embarassed to call myself the "Official Journal of the American Nurses Association" under those circumstances.

:roll :roll

I have only been a practicing RN for 7 years. I am very dismayed at what I have seen. Maybe I am just naive and inexperienced, but I have never witnessed such self-oppression, back-stabbing, catty behavior, passive-aggressiveness. Such behavior seems endemic to nursing (I have even experienced it as a nurse educator!!!!--can't get away from it, no matter where you go in nursing!). I know doctors, administrators, government bureaucracy have hurt our profession, but most of all WE are our own worst enemies!

pattyjo, MSN, RN · May 7, 2003

Oramar: So sorry to hear the PSNA seminar was cancelled in Pgh. I wasn't able to sign up due to another commitment, but it did sound valuable. On a related note, are you going to the PSNA district 6 mtg. on Monday? There will be speakers there, deans at Pitt and Duquesne I think. Email/pm me if you need any more information.

Patty