Unit Councils---help!!!

[irishnurse68]

I am the chair of our unit council, in a family birthing center. We have had our council in place since 2002, and most of the time things run fairly smoothly. However, we have a problem with communication to the staff. Our UC is comprised of nurses, support techs, our unit educator, and our manager. We meet bimonthly. After every meeting I post memos in the lounge, and type up a newsletter for staff to read. The problem started last year when we stopped having monthly staff meetings. At the monthly staff meetings, we would give a verbal UC update to the staff. This way they really weren't held accountable to read information for themselves. Since we went to quarterly staff meetings, the staff are not taking the time to read the memos/newsletter on the UC board in our lounge. It is frustrating, because I personally feel that as an RN I am accountable to read all posted information to keep up to date on what's going on in the unit. Obviously, not everyone has that same attitude. I would like to know how other unit council's communicate information to the staff successfully. Any ideas or input are welcome!

Secondly, when we have a topic that needs to be voted on or receive input from staff, our process is to post the topic in the lounge for a 30 day open comment period. People can write their comments/ideas/suggestions on a sheet of paper, and provide feedback to other people's comments. UC then takes those comments and makes a final decision based upon what the majority of people seem to want. The problem with this process, is that out of 80 or so staff members, only a handful of people actually take the time to comment. My feeling is that if they don't comment, they either don't have an opinion, or they don't care enough to take the time, and that the people who DO bother to comment should have their voices heard. My manager however, says that if only a handful of people comment, it is not a true representation of the desires of the unit, and the votes should be thrown out. I would like to know what other unit council's do to get the opinions of the staff. Any ideas are welcome!

Thanks:)

[Morning-glory]

Do you have email for staff? This might be a way to get the info out where people will read it. We have email at work and we get the minutes of all meetings that concern us. It can also be tagged to see how many people opened the email. Might be worth a try.

[dthfytr, ADN, LPN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-I]

Bummer! You had a system that worked, then some changes were made that made it dysfunctional. Now it all falls on your shoulders and you're stressed out by it. When someone throws you a hot potato, throw it back!

Communications seems to be the problem. My first suggestion, a memo book for which all are responsible to read and initial. Second, when appropriate I would address a (note, survey, email, questionaire) to each individual asking for their response.

This way, individuals are held responsible for their own actions. If they don't read the memo book and err, they can only blame themselves. If changes are made and they haven't bothered to reply to your (notes, surveys, email, questionaire), they can only blame themselves for not participating.

Hope this helps you feel like you're not juggling a hot potato anymore.

Paul

[Kyrshamarks, BSN, RN]

I am afraid that my opinion is not going to be popular with you but I suspect like me that many of your staff members just do not care about UC's and the things that they do in general. I honsetly can say I have never seen anythong good come out of a comittee or group mandate.

[Hoozdo, ADN]

Maybe the unit members just don't have the time to go searching for the information.

Maybe they don't even have time to read the documents.

My unit emails the information in addition to have one notebook in the

break room to read. We can use our own home email address used

instead of the company email.

Seems to be very effective.

[irishnurse68]

Thanks to all for your suggestions! The email is a possibility, we do have several older nurses who do not use email though. I like the suggestion of a notebook that people have to read and initial. Accountability for reading info is something we truly need. Thanks! Any more ideas are welcome!

[Butterfliesnroses]

We have written inservices that is mandatory for us to read and sign. They are posted on the break room table or at the nurses station. 2 places everyone must go (time clock is in the break room). If they want our input they'll print out forms for us to fill out and leave copies in the break room or at the nurses station.