Team Work?

Nurses General Nursing

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Do the nurses that you work with give you a helping hand if you need it or do they ignore you and let you struggle?

I work with two other nurses on nights. Usually it's myself and one or the other 4 nights and 1 night the three of us work together. One nurse is a God send and I have hugged her at times for giving me a hand when I needed it because I don't know what I'd do without her. The other, well let's just say she could care less if you're having a rough time. I thought we were all supposed to be a team?

:o

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Everybody is diffrent.

I've tried this and it often works. Offer this non-team player help from time to time. In fact go a head an just do things for her when practical. let her know your philosophy about this when she asks, as she very well may.

It makes it hard for her to ignore you.

Oh yea! And thank her for her help. If she didn't really help per say, and she asks why you are thanking her, tell her you appreciate what she does. (her job, after all at least she does that so you don't have to) Tell her you appreciate her comming to work. Or, If you learned something that day from her (even though it was how not to act) you can say I learn a lot from you.

This may sound strange but it does have an effect on people. Gets them thinking. Gets them feeling they are appreciated. People who feel appreciated are more inclined to do things to help others. Then when she really does something helpful, be appreciative.

In fact if I make a point to help someone even (especially) when I am bussy they notice and are more helpful to me.

Hope this helps you.

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Agnus,

I really like and respect your suggestion to this one.

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Specializes in Everything except surgery.

You know ...I don't know how supposedly caring people can just stand by and watch others who need help! In fact I'm totally puzzled by this:confused:! If someone says help me...or looks like they need help....even if I don't like them per say...there is no way I could just ignore them!

If your heart is that closed off....What are they doing in nursing??:confused: Many times...I will look at a nurse and see stress...and I will ask them if they're alright. If a team member comes to work and they're sick....hey go take your break...if I'm not busy...and let me do what you were going to do!! I mean seriously...I have done this! How can I just care about the folks I'm paid to care for...and not the ones who work right along side me...:confused:????

I just don't get it...and probably never will..:o

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The vast majority of the staff are great, and I've been on the same unit for a while so we all know eachother and get along well as a team. I had one nurse when I was new on peds who gave me attitude when I asked for help, but even she eventually helped me. I can't imagine ignoring a coworker who needs help!

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The real problem is we have so few real teams in nursing. We have work groups made up of folks with personal and sometimes competing agendas, not teams. For a complete discussion on what teams really do look like, see "The Wisdom of Teams" by Katzenbach and Smith. In nursing and other helping professions, the focus kept on the patient or client serves to move people into action regardless of personal issues with work or co-workers. Sometimes when a patient is in need, it becomes my responsibility regardless of assignments. Keep your eye on the patient first.....

best

chas

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Agnus, I agree with your response. The nurse who keeps to herself and doesn't help others may just need some positive reinforcement and recognition and I've found this to be true many times with 'problem' nurses. I've seen a little appreciation turn negative behavior around...and when staff offers help when the 'lone wolf' needs it, she can see the benefit. :)

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I work on a wonderful unit -- we don't let anyone "sink." If I need help, I ask for it. When I have a minute to spare, I always ask what can I do for you RIGHT NOW? Sometimes doing a dressing change or passing a med for a colleague gives them just the break they need. If a patient is actively "crumping" -- we always step in to help. Also, we will pass meds for the nurses other patients. Perhaps the wonderful teamwork on my unit is why we have the highest retention rate of nurses and aides. Unfortunately, mandatory floating will be the ultimate demise of my unit -- I fear a domino effect -- and we will end up losing the "tight-knit family" that we have. Nurses help the aides, aides help each other. Nurses pitch in to help each other always. Even make coffee/tea for others. It's not perfect, but we really get along by great great great consistent teamwork. It's an expectation -- we hold ourselves and others accountable.

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The unit I now work on is fairly new in it's creation (6 months) and several of the staff were not med-surg based, rather skilled nursing. In any case, it was very rough in the beginning when I first arrived on the scene and I'm sure my own comments on how things "should be done" were not exactly well received. It was very frustrating to be among a group of people who were so defensive whenever I would point out the protocols for this procedure or that, or too busy ragging on small nit-picky issues that only served to malign one or the other nurse. There were times when I was completely frustrated. Thankfully, a couple of the staff had the same mindset as myself... take care of the patient, work together as a team and the works goes much more smoothly. I decided to maintain my "Pollyanna" views, being of assist whenever anyone needed help, and that included all staff members... RNs, CNAs and anyone else.

In the past few weeks I have noticed a pleasant change (for the most part) and more energy being focused on the needs of the patient, rather than whatever competing agendas some on the team may have. The shift has definitely turned from getting in each others way, to one of helpful teamwork. It makes it more difficult for those few who still grumble and dig their heels in to maintain that position, when everyone else is working together as a team. Especially when I or anyone else proves we are more than happy to help them whenever they need it.

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Specializes in Everything except surgery.
Originally posted by susanmary

I work on a wonderful unit -- we don't let anyone "sink." If I need help, I ask for it. When I have a minute to spare, I always ask what can I do for you RIGHT NOW? Sometimes doing a dressing change or passing a med for a colleague gives them just the break they need. If a patient is actively "crumping" -- we always step in to help. Also, we will pass meds for the nurses other patients. Perhaps the wonderful teamwork on my unit is why we have the highest retention rate of nurses and aides. Unfortunately, mandatory floating will be the ultimate demise of my unit -- I fear a domino effect -- and we will end up losing the "tight-knit family" that we have. Nurses help the aides, aides help each other. Nurses pitch in to help each other always. Even make coffee/tea for others. It's not perfect, but we really get along by great great great consistent teamwork. It's an expectation -- we hold ourselves and others accountable.

WOW....susanmary...

I would sure love to come to your unit and work! But since you probably don't even have an open slot...you wouldn't have need of my services...:o. But it's nice to know....good places still exist! I sincerely pray your unit will be able to weather the MOT storm....and stay a unified group!

Much success to you and your unit of team workers...:cool:

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Our organization is a team based culture. One of the things management has done to promote that is to make it possible for each of us to financially reward good performance by other staff members. Each quarter we are given coupons (10 to each staff member worth $5 each). When someone does something extra for you or you observe them doing something extremely well, or above and beyond the call of duty, you give them a coupon. Coupons are redeemed by the Human Resources office for gift certificates at a variety of local merchants. I love this program because reminds each of us to focus on rewarding positive behavior.

Last Christmas one of our staff asked if we could donate our unredeemed coupons to pay for Christmas presents for a former patient's family who was destitute. Response was overwhelming and we ended up with enough donations to buy for an additional needy family as well. Our coupons did double duty...we were rewarded once with a warm feeling of being valued when we received them from another staff member, and again when we were allowed use them as a gift for someone else.

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Specializes in Everything except surgery.
Originally posted by aimeee

Our organization is a team based culture. One of the things management has done to promote that is to make it possible for each of us to financially reward good performance by other staff members. Each quarter we are given coupons (10 to each staff member worth $5 each). When someone does something extra for you or you observe them doing something extremely well, or above and beyond the call of duty, you give them a coupon. Coupons are redeemed by the Human Resources office for gift certificates at a variety of local merchants. I love this program because reminds each of us to focus on rewarding positive behavior.

Last Christmas one of our staff asked if we could donate our unredeemed coupons to pay for Christmas presents for a former patient's family who was destitute. Response was overwhelming and we ended up with enough donations to buy for an additional needy family as well. Our coupons did double duty...we were rewarded once with a warm feeling of being valued when we received them from another staff member, and again when we were allowed use them as a gift for someone else.

Ok....now I want to go to aimeee's hospital and work....:chuckle fickle ain't I :cool:

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