HELP me motivate

[dka]

I was a ICU Rn for 10 yrs. I just started as a Nurse Manager in the unit. I am overwhelmed by the complaints from the staff. They are not motivated they use the line "Its not my job to do that" Any one have ideas to help motivate learning?

[Stormy]

As a nurse educator, I will at times hear comments along that line as well. I find that the unwillingness to take part in orientation of new staff or participating in staff development programs is sometimes due to insecurity of their own knowlege base. I do think that the massive amounts of overtime the nurses are working as well as being chronically short staffed, has contributed as well.

I ran a 3 day ICU skills update where I enlisted the help of several keen staff members. The staff were all scheduled to attend, and were paid for their time. Staff who participated in putting it together became excited about their projects, and had a friendly competition on who's station would be the most fun, informative, etc. Staff attending the update were positive about the learning experience because they were being compensated, coverage was provided so all could attend, and they saw the benefits of what we were doing. They realized that information provided was actually going to help them in their care.

The bottom line for some seems to be that they are fairly compensated for their time and efforts. My experience has been that sometimes that is monetary, but most often it is just providing adequate positive reinforcement.

[JillR]

I have been thinking about this post for a few days now.

It seems to me that your staff might be thinking, now that they have someone new in your position, there is a real chance for some positive changes. So, what you see as complaints, they might be seeing as opportunity for change.

I would say that you could suggest that you are open to complaints, but ask them to bring suggestions for improvements with them. This allows them some say in how the unit is managed, and gives you an opportunity to utilize your staff for ideas and change.

Keeping the lines of communications open and allowing your staff say in what happens on the unit might just get them to unite and take pride in their unit, because now they really have input.

Just throwing some things out here. I don't know if anything I am saying is right or not.

What I have experienced in my own life is that when I feel like what I have to say is important to others and that my ideas are taked seriously, then my job becomes more important to me. If I feel that I am looked at as just another body and have absolutely no say in how things are done, and my suggestions for improvements are ignored, then you will only get out of me what is in my job description.

I work in a very small hospital and all RN's and LPN's are required to serve on comittees. The RN's and LPN's are resposible for the policy and procedures, developing Pt teaching, and nursing practice. The nurses are resposible for this and it make all of us involved in what goes on on the floors.

I have never heard from any nurse at our facility that "it's not my job" and I feel it is because we have a say in how our jobs are done.

I don't know if any of this even makes sense to you. I do hope it does and I do wish you luck.

Jill