More than Hope

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One of the most memorable recent images was created by Los Angeles artist Shepard Fairey, showing a picture of President Barack Obama looking skyward with the word Hope inscribed underneath the portrait.¹ As moving as this image is, the expectations for the new administration are for far more substance than just hope, although hope can build a positive environment for needed change. It won't be enough for this country to continue with the bandage approach to problem solving, whether it is the economy, healthcare, Social Security, the environment, or our position in the global world of which we are an integral part.

This message is important for us to heed as we address issues concerning the nursing shortage, structure, processes, systems, and overall morale. Each generation brings a new expectation into the workplace, and trying to do what we once did doesn't work. At the same time, economics, public awareness, and consumer expectations require solutions that are transparent to the user but designed to address issues for the long term.

Granted, none of us is a soothsayer (that I know of); nevertheless, as nurse leaders, we must do much more than place bandages on the continuous symptoms that plague us in the work environment. I continue to be amazed by nurses who are new but demoralized about their workplace. No matter how much we have accomplished in many settings, such as achieving Magnet™ status, there still seems to be a broad contingency of new nurses who are discouraged, and the same old thing rears its ugly head—immediate supervisors' inability to manage people, conflict, and workplace demands. What needs to be done is not simple but rather involves an investment in each individual, including consistent interventions, time, and resources.

Selecting and preparing managers is really not a complex task; often it is common sense. Recognizing the individual needs of people, as well as the future needs of the organization, must be a constant priority. Ultimately, the upfront costs and time will yield positive results in both cost reduction and emotional stress. Although the latter can be difficult to measure, turnover and sick time can be reasonable surrogates.

It is no surprise to anyone that a nurse's immediate supervisor is a critical component in retaining or losing staff members. Although myriad other reasons exist for turnover and dissatisfaction, this is one of those key areas that can be addressed through the application of good judgment and thoughtful processes. Some ideas that can be useful in problem solving are:

Last, but not least, offer ample rewards. Management, particularly in these difficult times, requires excellent wages and benefits, as well as perks that are suited to each individual.

As nurse leaders, we must tackle this particular issue immediately and aggressively to avoid a long-term, continuing cycle of nursing shortages that negatively impact quality of care and the future of professional nursing. Please, no more bandages!