How to change the culture of a unit?

[oncohoe]

I honestly doubt I'll get any solid answers, I imagine this is more complicated than I make it sound, but here goes: Recently started a new job at a major hospital in a big city. I thought I would love it - teaching hospital, more funding for training and education, etc. - but so far I hate it.

There are a lot of issues bugging me but I think a major part of it is just the culture on the unit. Everyone has this weird mentality that they have the worst assignment literally everyday and absolutely refuse to help each other out. Literally if the unit clerk steps away for her break, NO ONE will answer a call bell or telephone, they're just "too busy."

I come from a slightly smaller but still major hospital with similar patient loads+acuity but everyone understood that helping others helps you too. I have tried to be the nurse I wish I worked with, i.e. helping out whenever someone asks/looks like their struggling but so far I feel like it is either going unnoticed or people just resent me for having the "easy" assignment all the time. Have you ever been able to shift a unit's culture or should I just suck it up/move on?

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

I don't want to be a downer, but it may be difficult for one person to change the culture of a unit in a short amount of time. Also, not too may people are coming to come to your side if you just say "buck up, it's no so bad."

My question would be, does your unit have an employee engagement and/or a recruitment and retention committee? If so, join. If not, talk with your nurse manager about establishing one. Look for 2 or 3 other staff members who have a good attitude and make them the core of the committee, along with yourself. From there, put together unit activities--a pot luck, maybe a monthly social meeting/activity outside of work (like bowling, a happy hour, going to a baseball game, etc.). It may not change overnight, but I feel like as more people engage with coworkers and get to know their coworkers, they are more likely to have a better attitude at work. It may take time to see results, but if it works, it would be way more rewarding to you than just "sucking it up."

[klone, MSN, RN]

From the research that is out there (there was a GREAT article about changing workplace culture in the Harvard Business Review several years ago), it has to start from executive level on down, and it takes approximately 5 years for true culture change to occur.

[wondern, ASN]

From the research that is out there (there was a GREAT article about changing workplace culture in the Harvard Business Review several years ago), it has to start from executive level on down, and it takes approximately 5 years for true culture change to occur.

Very interesting. So it's probably not a good idea to transfer to a unit with morale issues and meetings with management to address such issue unless you have at least 5 years of your professional life to devote to a unit with low morale issues. Don't go in thinking your positive attitude can handle it or even fix it. The management will manage to suck you in to their negative morale vacuum with total BS write ups etc., nothing to do with patient care, etc. Just saying, don't waste those years of your life! You don't think it brings you down but it does. The institution does not give a rat's patootie about you in a sorry unprofessional poor work culture environment. If you hear of it stay away from it. Your sanity is way more important.