I had posted something very similar to another thread, but feel this is a topic that may deserve a thread of its own because it hits home personally. There's a phenomenon in our society known as negativity bias. Let me explain further...
A nurse can accomplish thousands of good deeds during a decades-long career, but the one or two major mistakes that may have led to patient demise will be remembered the most. Therefore, a nurse could have helped save the lives of thousands of other patients, but the lone failure to rescue is what stands out to people.
I've also seen an uptick in threads with inquiries about appealing a dismissal from school for failing a couple of courses, or appealing after bombing a final exam, or even shouting a professor down because the test was 'bad.' The excuses made for the poor performance vary: "I worked a demanding job while going to school," "My relative died," or "The professor cannot teach well."
The cold reality is that we are expected to perform without excuses. Society is an inefficient bureaucracy, and no one cares much about our personal lives or what we are feeling. When it is time to perform services in our society, no one truly cares that the surgeon's mother died six weeks ago if the heart transplant is needed now. No one really cares that the CNA is homeless and temporarily living in a motel with her four children if three very sick patients need to be toileted and fed now.
In society, a person's value is partially determined by his/her utility to others, and those who have been deemed 'burdensome' (read: not stepping up to the place to be useful) are cast aside and disposed of like a piece of garbage. If you fail to perform, negativity bias will plague you, and people will move onto whomever can fulfill their needs.
We are all very much replaceable in bureaucracies such as schools and businesses. A student whose performance is subpar can and will be replaced. A healthcare professional whose performance is not up to snuff can be replaced. The administrative staff at schools generally do not care about the student's 1,000+ good grades on previous assignments and tests, only that they failed a course or two. The board of medicine does not care about the surgeon's 1,000+ successful surgeries if one patient died due to a medical mistake.
We're all very much replaceable and disposable in bureaucracies. It is called negativity bias. Think long and hard about it before carrying on about a sad event in your life because society will move on without you if you do not perform. I know I may sound heartless, but I'm being realistic.
I agree that our society has a bias towards negativity. Maybe it's because people objectify people. Maybe people objectify people because they don't feel a connection with others anymore. Does that come from being objectified? Or narcissistic traits??
I try to develop an understanding of others through empathy, and through common sense! I am the child of narcissistic parents and I know how much pain it's caused me personally to be more or less an object --- only worth what I can do for someone, or how I 'make' them feel.
I know it does seem that in today's society, especially among management, there seems to be an understandable burn out with those that constantly call out about a sprained ankle or "I hurt my back" or because they have 4 kids and "don't have a baby sitter." As Commuter pointed out, it seems society expects the work to get done without excuses. I believe it should, personally. It's hard to believe that these folks that are calling out often are legit when it's the same person that always has a different reason for missing work. Yet they seem
beggarly almost in the financial realm of things and mention to coworkers the need for money! It almost makes me wonder at some..."ok...are you wanting welfare or what?" I agree that it just seems like more and more that people just don't want to work. They want the easy way out in life. The burn out, at my workplace among mgmt has gotten to the point that even legitimate causes for being out of work i.e. for the birth of a child, almost seems frowned upon. It's like, "We need the staff...well...I guess go have your baby." It seems there are repercussions received for the birth of a child or even missing work for a dying family member of devoted staff due to this burn out. Maybe I went off on a rabbit trail. Another side point.
There was a drunk scot named McBride crying in his beer at the pub.
The bartender asks why he is so sad.
The drunk looks up at the barkeep and says "I've built dozens of bridges, you think they call me McBride the bridge builder? I've help saved many a life, you think they call me McBride the Savior? I've travelled thousands of miles, you think they call me McBride the traveler? But you F*** one sheep and ...."
Negativity bias is everywhere. Sabrina Nellie performs on MFC and is highly talented at what she does, but one night she popped a turtle head and that is what she is known for... forever
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I had posted something very similar to another thread, but feel this is a topic that may deserve a thread of its own because it hits home personally. There's a phenomenon in our society known as negativity bias. Let me explain further...
A nurse can accomplish thousands of good deeds during a decades-long career, but the one or two major mistakes that may have led to patient demise will be remembered the most. Therefore, a nurse could have helped save the lives of thousands of other patients, but the lone failure to rescue is what stands out to people.
I've also seen an uptick in threads with inquiries about appealing a dismissal from school for failing a couple of courses, or appealing after bombing a final exam, or even shouting a professor down because the test was 'bad.' The excuses made for the poor performance vary: "I worked a demanding job while going to school," "My relative died," or "The professor cannot teach well."
The cold reality is that we are expected to perform without excuses. Society is an inefficient bureaucracy, and no one cares much about our personal lives or what we are feeling. When it is time to perform services in our society, no one truly cares that the surgeon's mother died six weeks ago if the heart transplant is needed now. No one really cares that the CNA is homeless and temporarily living in a motel with her four children if three very sick patients need to be toileted and fed now.
In society, a person's value is partially determined by his/her utility to others, and those who have been deemed 'burdensome' (read: not stepping up to the place to be useful) are cast aside and disposed of like a piece of garbage. If you fail to perform, negativity bias will plague you, and people will move onto whomever can fulfill their needs.
We are all very much replaceable in bureaucracies such as schools and businesses. A student whose performance is subpar can and will be replaced. A healthcare professional whose performance is not up to snuff can be replaced. The administrative staff at schools generally do not care about the student's 1,000+ good grades on previous assignments and tests, only that they failed a course or two. The board of medicine does not care about the surgeon's 1,000+ successful surgeries if one patient died due to a medical mistake.
We're all very much replaceable and disposable in bureaucracies. It is called negativity bias. Think long and hard about it before carrying on about a sad event in your life because society will move on without you if you do not perform. I know I may sound heartless, but I'm being realistic.
"Failure to rescue" is quite different from "A major mistake that led to patient demise." And yet I've seen even the latter forgiven by the employer if the nurse was otherwise competent and reliable. We all make mistakes, after all.
"Being burdensome" is not someone who has a one-time or rare issue that the employer must work with. Being burdensome is the employee who can NEVER take care of a woman over 50 because "she reminds me of my mother, who died . . . " or who rarely shows up for work on her scheduled Sunday shift because "My grandma needed me" or "My kid was sick." If it's a pattern that every charge nurse knows to look out for, it's burdensome and being replaced at that point seems fair. Being burdensome is the employee who carried on about his ugly divorce in every conversation with every colleague for three YEARS. He's still employed, but I would not have been surprised or dismayed had he been asked to seek employment elsewhere. The legal issues alone should have been an problem for management; the social issues and the difficulties getting along with female employees were also problems. But they stuck by him.
In every hospital I've ever worked in, it takes an awful lot to lose a job. Long past the time when co-workers are screaming about having to work short AGAIN because Bob is in jail or Diane called in "sick" on a Sunday for the second time this month after being just fine on Saturday, those folks were still making their way along the disciplinary trail.
But I would think long and hard before "carrying on" about a sad event in my life because I have too much pride to be perceived as a victim.
Cola89
316 Posts
I agree that our society has a bias towards negativity. Maybe it's because people objectify people. Maybe people objectify people because they don't feel a connection with others anymore. Does that come from being objectified? Or narcissistic traits??
I try to develop an understanding of others through empathy, and through common sense! I am the child of narcissistic parents and I know how much pain it's caused me personally to be more or less an object --- only worth what I can do for someone, or how I 'make' them feel.