Nurses Have The Power

As nurses we are the most involved in the healthcare system. I always wondered why then, do we not have the power we need to change healthcare? Why are we so threatened by the administrators who rule us? Some of it is because we know that we can easily be fired for whatever they want to fire us for if we make too many waves. So what can we do to help change the system?

1. STICK together. Yes stick together as nurses and remember nursing isn't just a job it is a profession. Help your peers by supporting them and don't talk about them to the other staff members if there is a problem. We all have our difficulties within our own lives as well as with managing a patient's needs.
2. GET involved. I know this sounds easy and in some cases it may be and others it may not. Get involved with creating a better work place by identifying what issues there are within your own practice and own unit. I know that's sometimes hard because you may not be a dedicated nurse to a particular unit anymore but you can probably come up with ideas to improve the system you are in.
3. DON' T talk about someone's failures. It doesn't make you look good and it doesn't help the person who had a failure. WE all fail at some point; that's how we learn and hopefully never hurt anyone in those failures.
4. TEACH each other what you know. We all know something that we can pass on to another. Whether it's how we dress a wound; a new medication we read about; or something about symptom management. Be a good teacher always
5. LEARN, never stop learning. Read articles, ask questions and if you are lucky enough to work in a teaching hospital you are surrounded by those who want you to learn as much as possible. Take advantage of those wonderful teachers and take it all in so you can share it with someone else.

WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THE POWER TO CHANGE HEALTHCARE; WE NEED YOU MORE THAN EVER TO BE THE NURSE YOU ARE AND BE THE NURSE WE NEED.

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Ask an Advocate is an ongoing educational series by Patient Advocate for You, Inc

Sharon Gauthier RN/MSN

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