Are Nurses inspired by their profession?

[Reggie Aquilina]

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering about the situation of Nurses around the world at present in relation to motivational factors. My work as a Practice Development Nurse in Malta has a lot to do with such issues and personally I am very interested in helping people attain their peak performance and find meaning in what they do.

We have just moved to a new Hospital and its quite nice but we still have issues related to lack of beds, leadership styles and motivation of staff.

I wonder if there is anywhere around the world where a personal development course is included in the teaching curriculum. I mean not just superficial communication skills but things like Values clarification, creating a solid groundwork of personal standards and such type of coaching for both students and staff. We are still lacking in this at least in my country and it worries me a bit because I believe that being in contact with vulnerable people requires nurses to have personal self-mastery and leadership skills if we are to empower others. I intend to push forward such a course but was looking out to see if there is anywhere around the world that invests in such human potential.

I hear that in USA there is what's called Magnet hospitals but I heard both positive and negative comments about them. Some people said it does lead to staff motivation and lower turnover while others said that it is just a guise until the hospital gets accredited and then things just go back to normal.

Wonder what your ideas about this are and whether you are aware of any initiatives in relation to this - maybe a program you found actually effective in raising motivational levels of staff.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

no other comment except your goals are inspiring and will watch to see what responses you receive. I personally believe that it comes down to the individual. If someone is willing too learn and to change there will be outcomes but too often it is easier to go back to the familiar.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Reggie,

A formal 'Values Clarification' workshop was actually included in my undergraduate education (1979) at the University of Texas in San Antonio. I guess they were ahead of their time. I agree - it provided invaluable insights into my own assumptions and motivation which has served me well throughout my career. Even as a new nurse, I distinctly remember many instances in which I was better able to cope with distressing situations by applying the analytic skills I learned in that class.

I have not noticed a trend in nursing education, but health care organizations have begun to focus more on this area over the last few years. My own organization has several layers of management and leadership development (from charge nurse to senior leadership). Our philosophy is that leaders must always function as advocates for their staffs. We have incorporated this content into all our leadership development curricula. For instance, at every level we have some content on the importance of listening - as part of communications. We also emphasize the importance of trust between leaders and their subordinates, and have established leadership competencies based on behaviors associated with these qualities.

My organization does include hospitals that have achieved Magnet certification. This program is mainly concerned with essential structures that are deemed necessary for a supportive environment for nursing staff. However, to borrow an academic phrase, these structures are "necessary but not sufficient" in themselves. It takes ongoing effort by courageous leaders to make it happen.

I am in absolute agreement with incorporating values clarification at every level of nursing education.

[Reggie Aquilina]

Thanks a lot for that. I feel that we still lack the transformational/resonant style of leadership and its still mostly transactional in our case. People are still afraid to take calculated risks and I think that if people are given space and assisted in actually clarifying who they are and why they act and take decisions in the way they do such awareness will be useful