Executive Director at Harvard Business School | Human Capital Sustainability | Case Studies | Franco-German born in Mexico, raised in Africa, Europe & the US
The theme of this Nurses Week is “Nurses Make a Difference!” Its motto, #NursesLightUpTheSky, honors their key role in helping to brighten patient lives. Nurses exemplify what it means to make a difference by triaging sensitive situations, collaborating across disciplines, seeing a person in context, and advocating for patient rights. When we or our loved ones are hurt or scared, a nurse's calm compassion can be a great source of solace. As the pandemic reshaped work, managers found themselves thrust into similar roles of emotional first responders, a role for which none of us were trained. Employee needs have only increased since then. Below, Angela Sigal Poock (who was one of the Harvard University Heroes in 2018) and I share how learning from nurses can remind managers of the key role they play in attempting to make a difference. We also share how to support these caregivers. Like managers, nurses are shock absorbers – pressured from the top by performance imperatives, challenged by turnover and understaffing, and affected by increasing human distress across all demographics. This week and every week, let's honor the dedication of nursing professionals worldwide, especially our five million registered nurses in the US. and the organizations that represent them, such as the American Nurses Association, the National League for Nursing, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership. Nursing Management Rosanne Raso, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, FAONL Anne Sheffield, SHRM-SCP Kelsey Fowler Manuel Cuevas-Trisán (he, him, él) #humanressources #nursing
Carin-Isabel Knoop
2 个月
John Bracaglia - I think you and Aparna Atluru, MD, MBA will appreciate Angela Sigal Poock's perspectives on nursing, care, and self-care
I wonder what we can also learn from the number of nurses reporting burnout symptoms and the number who are retiring or running for the exit. Is this not an example of how heroic mindsets and behaviors can result in personal mental wellness traumas when the system fails?
Patricia Bravo
4 个月
So many parallels. Nearly everyone nurses work with is under pressure or stress...similar to leaders. They must "hear" so much of what is unsaid in order to empathize....similar to leaders. Sometimes leaders resist the role of "shock absorber" yet those who do it well gain an advantage which can last for years - just like you remembered Angela's impact.
Thanks for the shoutout! Nursing Management was thrilled to publish Angela’s paper on kindness and the both of you capture a 360-degree perspective in your “essential skills.” There is much more than burnout in the workplace - there is evidence of joy, awesome nursing and great leadership. The time is now to evolve into a great future, and we have to do it together.
Thanks for sharing! What can we do for nurses? Be kind and respectful to them. I can't tell you all the stories of how rude & nasty people have been to my daughters (yet nonetheless receive quality care), but they also share stories of families bringing them a drink or saying thank you. I hope the tide turns where respectful behavior is more prevalent.
Nicolas de Beco
4 个月
Carin-Isabel Knoop what a great share! Still and always coming back to great communication skills.
Anton Mifsud-Bonnici
4 个月
Absolutely superb piece Carin. Nurses are better at good public governance than those trained necessarily to make quick decisions without reflecting much on the long-term consequences.
Carin-Isabel Knoop, your article helps us understand the ramifications of nurses' work. Let's celebrate their courage and humanity this week and acknowledge the complexity of their daily work, emphasizing their vision, resilience, empathy, knowledge, resourcefulness, collaboration, and openness to growth.
1000000 % very true
Executive Director at Harvard Business School | Human Capital Sustainability | Case Studies | Franco-German born in Mexico, raised in Africa, Europe & the US
3 个月James Barnett and Milton Garcia -- so nice to spend some with former (Angela Sigal Poock) and current Harvard heroes ;-)