Teaching the next generation

We've all been there. That first semester of nursing school. Scared, excited, ambitious...no idea what really to expect, and a little curious to see what lies ahead. I remember one of my first days in nursing school, in fact, it probably was my first. Sonia, one of my first-level instructors, told us that many people that become nurses also considered being teachers at one time. This was true for me, anyway. (I had wanted to be a music teacher out of high school, and later a science teacher.) She went on to explain that this was not really surprising,and that if you didn't want to be a teacher, then nursing isn't for you, because nurses are teachers. I had no idea how much of my time would be spent teaching: patients, families, colleagues, new hires, and student nurses. A great deal of our time is spent educating others. Nurses really are teachers, like it or not. Now, some do a bit more than others, but you have to agree that nurses are the ones doing most of the teaching that goes on in an organization. So, if this is such an integral part of our job, why are many so resistant to this part of our profession? I think there are several explanations, and I will talk about a few.

Personality. This is an obvious one. Not everyone learns the same, and not everyone teaches the same...if at all. We cannot expect those that are "good nurses" to be "good teachers" as well. Sure, some may be, but not all will be. I think some of the best teachers may be the ones that really have to work to understand things. They know what it's like to need a bit of instruction, and time to let it soak in. Those that just seem to "get it" may understand things, but may not be able to articulate it well enough for others to understand in a meaningful way. It takes all kinds. Some have that perfect blend of understanding and skillfulness that makes them ideal teachers. There are some that love to teach others, and many that would rather slam their head in a door than have a student or new hire. Yet, I think we put new nurses with these people far too often, be it out of fairness to others, or perhaps out of belief that things will somehow "work out." There must be a conscious effot to place the right "personality" in the right situation if we ever hope to achieve any form of success. "Good enough" isn't acceptable, nor should it be.

Motivation. What "drives" you? What pushes you to achieve above expectations or minimum requirements? What makes you want to learn as much as you can about your clinical setting, and your professional role within it? The answer may vary with each individual...but perhaps more often than not, we may see themes such as "do what's best for the patient" or "need to know more", both of which are very important. We must always have that "need" to know more, to understand what it is we are doing, and moreover, why we are doing it. Additionally, whatever we do, we should have the patient in our focus, or we have lost sight of our ultimate goal. And to expand on that, in order for us to be effective, we must continually seek education and training in order to practice as we should. After all, not many people would want to go to a surgeon who stopped learning about his/her craft after becoming a surgeon. Why would we expect that patients would want a nurse that has failed to keep up on current evidence-based practice (EBP) and research? I wouldn't. In a previous blog post, I talked about nursing school being a "floor", not a "ceiling", and I truly believe that. Everything you need to know for the duration of your career was not provided during your time in nursing school...sorry to disappoint you. You are going to have to pick up a journal now and again if you want to be as effective as you think you already are.

Experience. Spend enough time in nursing, and you will most assuredly interact with an "experienced" nurse that loves nothing more than to eat you up and spit you out. And that's too bad. Why do we allow this? Why should we consider ourselves as anything less than professionals? Professionals do not tolerate this type of behavior. What good is education and experience if they are not shared? Not a lot, I can tell you. Those with a lot of "experience" may have just "punched the clock" a few more times than others, but that doesn't make them "valuable" resources, necessarily. Experience can be beneficial whether it is good or bad, especially when we opt to share it in a constructive and productive way. Otherwise, negative behavior is worthless, and is of no use to new nurses eager to learn from those before them. Share experiences, share stories, share your time. It is such a small price to pay for a world of difference.

Attitude. This one is key. If you have a great attitude, you will have a positive impact on others, even in the gloomiest of situations. A negative attitude often comes easiest, and most frequently, because it takes the least amount of thought or energy. Everyone has a bad day once in a while, but you do not need to share that with others. We must be much more conscientious of our actions and our interactions with others. Tearing others down to make one feel more powerful or in "control" is unacceptable, and should not be tolerated. We have all been there, new nurse in a new unit...new culture...and want nothing more than to "fit in" and "be accepted." "Eating our young" is what we have come to know and expect...and we need to break the cycle! We must speak up and take charge of our own career and our own ideas. We must be civil to one another, both as a colleague and as a human being. Everyone makes mistakes, EVERYONE. We are human, it's what we do. There are few things in this world that we can control, but our attitude is certainly one we can.

So, when you are asked to help train a new nurse or student, I hope you keep these things in mind. Please don't do it if you are not in the right mindset to be nice, be thoughtful, and be patient. If you are a new nurse, a student, or a seasoned nurse, make sure you never stop learning. We are not born with everything we need to know, and nursing school is definitely not an ending point for our training. Instructors, please create a culture of lifelong learning as a standard of practice, and nurses please continue this push in the clinical setting. These new nurses will be responsible for taking care of you and your families someday. They will train the generation following them, and so forth. A few extra minutes spent teaching is well worth the investment.

Thank you.

Steve