Low morale at my new hospital job....

[AmyRN1227]

Good morning everyone!

I am a nurse with about eleven years experience in different settings...hospitals, home health and nursing homes. I decided after working a couple years in the nursing home to go back to the hospital. Well, the hospital I got hired at that's five minutes away, huge plus..is brand

new. When I interviewed with the manager of the unit, she had warned me that morale might be kinda low because they were short staffed. I already oriented on days a couple times, and didn't really notice low morale. Last night was my first time orienting on evenings and I did notice alot more low morale and alot of nurses talking about other nurses not doing this or that, and it really kinda disappointed me. Does anyone else deal with this? I don't want to get discouraged and start hating my job or anything. Is there a way to keep a positive attitude in a basically negative environment?

thanks so much and Happy Friday!!!

Amy

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

do not get involved with gossip. ask people who complain to provide solutions. ask mgr what are they doing about morale. need action, not words

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Yikes! A typical situation with a new 'team'. The manager is going to have to step up with effective interventions to improve morale and build positive staff relationships, but as an experienced nurse, you can help a lot by modeling more positive behavior and actively helping to diffuse negative interactions.

Hopefully, morale will improve over time as everyone's trust (for co-workers & manager) is built. Right now, it's every nurse for her/himself..... lot's of individual lifeboats paddling around and bumping into one another - LOL.

[RNperdiem, RN]

Don't contribute to the complaining or talking about other nurses.

Sure you can have opinions about other nurses, just don't talk about them.

There is no quick fix for low morale.

It helps to have a full and satisfying life outside of nursing/work. A person who is generally happy outside work is more resilient in tolerating low morale situations. Or maybe they don't tolerate and are the first ones to move on if things don't improve.

[Nurse ABC]

I second the not participating in the complaining and try to have a positive, cheerful attitude. Offer to help others and encourage them. Avoid gossiping like the plague. Find the positives of each situation. Attitude is everything-so have a good one and don't get bogged down in the politics. Good luck!