New to Staff Development...crisis of "faith"

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 14, 2009

Hi, aramance. Welcome to allnurses.

There are several of us in Staff Development on this website regularly -- and many of us will be happy to help you. But it will "help us to help you" if you could give us a little more information and/or ask some more specific questions. Exactly what are you haveing trouble with?

For example: Are you having trouble becoming a "self-starter" and being productive when there is nothing specific on your calendar for the day? When you are a staff nurse, you have a patient assignment that includes several specific things you need to do for their care. In Staff Development, you have to figure out what needs to be done yourself. There may be no set schedule of tasks to check off. Sometimes, you have to remind yourself to start with assessment ... then identify the problems ... then begin planning educational interventions ... then evaluate the effectiveness of those interventions ... etc.

Sometimes, new Staff Develop folks have trouble prioritizing which parts of the job to do first. Other times, it's the whole new set of politics that cause problems ... or it's problems caused by the fact that you are now a novice Staff Development person rather than an expert at your work.

Are you unit-based within your old unit ... or are you in a separate department? Are you all alone as an educator or do you part of a team of educators? Did you get a good orientation to your new educational role? (If not, that might be your number 1 priority.) Are you educationally prepared to be a Staff Development instructor? Do you have access to books on the subject ... journals... etc.? Do you have the resources you need (both personnel resources and material resources)?

So ... what seem to be your greatest issues?

aramance · Jul 14, 2009

There seem to be a number of issues I am having issues with. Let me give a little background about the facility. We are a new 60 bed facility acute care that has been open only since Novemeber. There was minimal staff development prior to my taking the position (the educator at the time was the infection control/employee health nurse). So, part of the problem is that there was no orientation to the position, just, "you are an educator now, go for it, we're sure you'll do great." Trying to prioritize where to start is very much an issue.

Because we are small, I am the only educator. I think (I hope) I am well prepared for the position, since I have taught nursing school for 6 years, precepted new grads and new nurses, gave clinical inservices at my former facility, as well as clinical orientation to new nurses at my former facility. I am my own worst critic, so yes, I think a large part is that I don't like being the "new kid" again. I was pretty confident in my critical care skills and patient care. Now, I feel like I am floundering in this new role, even though I am probably not doing poorly. I also am having a major issue just switching my thought process from, "I need to be there at the bedside, taking care of this patient or helping in code, etc." After so many years at bedside, it is ingrained in me to be right there in a crisis situation. I was told I need to remember that doing what I am doing now is still being there for the patient, but as the support to the bedside nurses.

I have been gathering more information about staff development and education. I am looking into starting a master's program in nursing education from U of Texas, El Paso, which focuses on clinical, bedside nurse education, not as faculty at a school. I have signed up to do a "Getting Started as a Staff Educator" CEU's from Indiana University. I am, in all honesty, not sure what resources I need, though I am trying to get materials ordered. Personnel wise, I do have folks to help with education issues. Also, having our own staff is making this a bit difficult, since we are still working with about 40% agency staff. I am really trying to immerse myself into the educator role (which may be a problem too, but I am not sure).

Thanks for the questions. They actually allowed me to do some inner questioning of myself and my fears. I just don't want to screw this up. And thanks for any advice you have.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jul 17, 2009

Aramance,

Welcome to the tribe. I completely understand how you're feeling. My primary role has been in education for over 20 years, and I still really miss the bedside and opportunities for direct patient interaction.

Don't want to get all "psycho-babble" on you, but you are experiencing the perfectly aftermath of loss - grief. Expert clinicians thrive on the continual stream of affirmation and reward associated with their jobs; it's the source of self-confidence and self-esteem. When we make a move into a very different environment, even if it's a promotion or career advancement - it means losing all those terrific 'warm fuzzies'. So we find outselves wondering why we can't just 'get it together' in this great new job.

Just like any other type of loss, the bad feeling will diminish over time as you become more attuned to your new practice. Take the time to pat yourself on the back periodically and keep track of your accomplishments. Establish a network of other educators who can support and mentor you. I would really encourage you to go ahead and pursue that graduate degree (MSN) with a focus in Education.

Best of luck!

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 17, 2009

I suffer from that "guilty" feeling a lot when the clinical folks are busy and I am in my office. It has been a major issue for me throughout my 20 or so years in staff development / CNS type roles. Here are a couple of tricks I have found helpful.

1. Allocate a certain amount of time (on a given day ... or during the week or whatever) to be out on the unit helping people with clinical tasks. Set limits on that time so that you don't get sucked into a unlimited expectation that you will function as an extra staff nurse whenever they get busy. For example: you can say something like "I am available today between 1100 and 1300 to help out while people eat lunch ... but I have something else I really need to do at 1300. Could you use some help over lunch?" That gives you "credit" for being helpful while still protecting the bulk of your time for office-type activities. People are happy that you helped out: you feel less guilty: you keep your clinical skills current: you get a "dose" of clinical activity to satisfy your satisfaction needs: you get an opportunity to assess staff skills: but you still get time to do your core work done in your office. Everybody wins.

2. If your office is too visible, sometimes it can be irritating to busy staff members to see you in their reading, working on your computer, making a poster, etc. Sometimes, it's best to leave and go do your worlk elsewhere. An older, very experienced boss taught me that many years ago. When people are really busy and you are not directly helping them, they find it irritating to watch you not helping them. So leave. Take away their source of irritation. Say that you have an important task to do ... a meeting to go to ... whatever... and go find somewhere else to work for a while, such as the library or the office of an understanding friend. If I needed an "excuse" not to be helping out in the unit at any given time, that same former boss gave me permissin to say, "Gee, I wish I could cover for short-staffing now, but I need to finish a report for ____ by the end of the day. She really needs it. ... But I can give you a half hour or so if that is of any help." Once again, everybody wins when you help out a little, but set firm limits.

It sounds like you are doing reasonable things to get started with your new job. Have you done a good needs assessment yet? Doing one will not only help you identify learning needs and wants ... it will give you something big and important to write up as a completed project and share with everyone. That may help you feel like you have accomplished something important and have a good foundation for planning specific educational activities.