As nurse educators, we know that clinical knowledge is one half of success in the unit —attitude is the other. Having the right mindset can be the difference between a dedicated nurse who treats patients with compassion and an unhappy nurse who burns out quickly.
I was recently asked to deliver a keynote speech at a graduation ceremony for new nurses. I could have filled their minds with clinical anecdotes or aspirational platitudes, but I wanted to urge them, as I do when mentoring nurse educators, to move beyond the clinical information and enter their roles with the right attitude for success. I told them that path starts with asking two simple questions. But before I tell you what these questions are, let me share the story I told those graduating nurses.
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Before my educator days when I was still at the bedside, I started one shift with a report from the previous nurse. She gave me an earful about what a horrible patient assignment I’d been given and shared every supposedly terrible thing that the patient had said and done to her in the preceding shift.
It made me excited to care for the patient! Just kidding; not really. (Can you blame me?) But before I started the bedside report, I realized I had a choice. I could either take on that nurse’s attitude and assumptions, resigning myself to an awful day with an unpleasant patient, or I could ignore the negativity around me.
I chose to be my best self and foresee a different outcome than the one my fellow nurse had provided for me. Can you guess what happened?
Yep, that supposedly awful patient and I had a great shift because I treated him with respect —the way that he wanted to be treated. The way that I’d want someone to treat my “most loved person.”
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A Career-Changing Exercise: Your Most Loved Person
We each have a person we love most in the world; it could be a spouse, sibling, parent, child or best friend. Picture yours in your mind, or better yet, take out your phone and look at their photo. Now imagine your most loved person as a hospital patient that you can’t reach.
They’re injured or sick, and you don’t know if the nurse and healthcare team are providing the very best care. You can only cross your fingers and hope that their nurses are:
- Kind
- Compassionate
- Smart
- Proactive
- Up-to-date on current clinical practices
- Advocate for their patient’s best interests
Every patient is someone’s most loved person. Reminding new nurses of this can instill a sense of purpose and responsibility, inspire them to deliver excellent patient care and help them become more fulfilled in their work.
Start With Two Questions
When helping your new nurses define their best self at work, share the “most loved person” exercise, being sure to ask your nurses these two questions:
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1Who is your most loved person?
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2If each of your patients was your most loved person, how would you care for them?
The exercise is simple but powerful. When nurses consider taking shortcuts because they’re tired or pressed for time, they must remember: if they wouldn’t take the shortcut with their most loved person then they shouldn’t do it with their patients. When I shared my story and these questions in that speech for graduating students, I could see from the look in their eyes that it touched their hearts. It reminded them why they wanted to be nurses in the first place — I’m guessing it will do the same for you and your nurses.
Afterward, please feel free to provide novice nurses with these additional strategies for bringing their best self to work every day.
Healthy Work Strategies
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1Put Compassion First
- Think of someone you love at the start of every shift, and treat every patient the way you want that person treated
- If someone shares a negative opinion of a patient, request that they hold their opinion and share just the necessary clinical information
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2Build a Support System
- Seek support from nursing colleagues
- Ask for feedback on how to improve your patient care
- Join a professional nursing organization
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3Practice Self-Care
- Implement healthy self-care habits such as getting enough sleep and taking time for fulfilling hobbies
- Breathe!
- Have coping mechanisms for dealing with a bad day
- Celebrate everyday wins. Understand that nursing is a marathon, not a sprint; patient care is a 24/7 job, so you're not expected to be able to perfect everything before you head home
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4Create a Healthy Work Environment
- Promote healthy work environment standards
- Don't gossip about peers
- If you hear gossip about yourself, reach out directly to the source or your manager
I don’t have to tell you that new nurses often feel overwhelmed about all they must learn and do. In an ICU, it usually takes at least 12 to 18 months to internalize the most essential clinical knowledge. On top of that, they have to learn how to deal with sometimes unpleasant patients or families who are frustrated, in pain and vulnerable.
It’s ok to experience frustration and express negative feelings. In fact, working through tough emotions is healthy and should be encouraged. Still, there’s a time and a place to vent, and it’s not at the bedside.
Helping your novice nurses stay centered by remembering their purpose — bringing their best self to work and treating patients with compassion — can ensure that they stay engaged during these challenging months. And it starts with asking two simple questions.
Educators, how do you inspire new nurses to bring their best self to work every day?
Share your strategies in the comments.
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