This month we bring you our third and final article in our series on Caring, Caring for Ourselves. This is the foundational building block for every nurse that is thriving and not merely surviving in their personal and professional life. One of the pillars in the Shift Change Coaching logo and one of our Six Keys to Nursing Success, is “Shifting from Selflessness to self-care” or, as we like to say, self-care before nursing care!

     Shifting seasons, from summer to fall is the perfect time to revisit our philosophy on the new shift in nursing; a shift involving increased respect, self-care, excellence and autonomy for nurses and the nursing profession alike. We have long since surpassed the auspicious days of Florence Nightingale. Nurses are asked for far more than bedside nursing and we must create and sustain nurses that can rise to the level of excellence required of this profession in today’s world and have them “keep on keepin' on” once they get there!

     The profession is calling for a new breed of nurse, one with self- respect, self-fulfillment, consistent practices of self-care and passion and the usual required technical skills. This picture we are painting of a nurse with a well-balanced, fulfilled life is the nurse who will enter the workforce (or shift into) an area that creates a good fit for him/her personally and professionally. This is the nurse who may have been in the profession for a short time and is burned out or the nurse gracing the profession for many years and no longer able to stay in the current climate of nursing.

     Shifting nurses from within and shifting nursing schools and employers to fostering these qualities in its nurses will create the sustainable workforce needed in this profession and one that regains and sustains its passion. The results are far reaching. The ripple effect can extend outward without limits.

     There is an expression, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” This can be no more true than when applied to the nursing profession. The new shift simply changes this to deleting the currently implied after phrase, “at the nurse’s expense.” We no longer can afford nurses working “at their expense”. Disillusioned and burned out nurses are the ones working in a 2nd profession rather than nursing. Their talent, training, dreams and years devoted to becoming and working as a nurse are gone. The profession is left short staffed. The remaining nurses are all the more overtaxed.

     Let us wake up and want more for ourselves as nurses, our nursing schools, places of employment and patients. Are you worried about a “bottom line”? Hiring nurses into a specialty where they will stay and keeping them in the profession drastically decreases overhead and hugely increases quality outcomes, which in turn positively impacts facility liability and productivity. Worried about transitioning nursing students into the “real world” of nursing? Give them the life and professional skills to get through school, make the transition and sustain a rewarding, fulfilling and long career in nursing.

     Working with the nurses themselves is key. What can you do to take a step towards “Self-care before nursing Care” for yourself and/or your staff and organization? No longer are external fixes saving the profession. Plugging one hole in the dike is far from adequate. Support the shift. Be on the cutting edge of the profession. Add huge strides in health and wellness for the nurse. Healthy nurses are the best role models to create healthy patients and organizations. We must first walk our talk, then lead others to their best health. It starts with each nurse supported by nursing employers and educators. Help yourself and other nurses to meet the intrinsic needs first, then add technical training and expertise to create the most valuable package. Utilize our Shift Change Coaching foundational 6 Keys to Nursing Success to improve nurses and nursing from the inside out! The time is now. Today is the day. Make the commitment. Make the shift!

     The NC Nurses Association’s new vision for nurses, “Caring for others, Caring for each other and Caring for ourselves.” Shift Change Coaching is taking part in creating and implementing this vision. We teach you what caring is really about!

     We hope you have found value in this 3-month commentary on caring. In our October newsletter article, we will address the topic of conflict resolution. See you then!

Best regards,

Merrily Sable, RN, BSN and Betsy Smith, PhD

Hire the Shift Change Coaching Group to train you and your staff in the Six Keys to On Fire Leadership and the Six Keys to Nursing Success. Build the foundation to promote excellence in your leadership and that of your organization. Convenient teleclass (conference line calls) or in-person speaking or workshop formats are available. Schedule now as our remaining 2010 is filling up fast!

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