Throughout my professional career, the TEAM APPROACH has always been front and center to any discussion about increasing productivity and morale without more resources being provided by "Big Pappa Corporation."
The bottom line being most important to any for-profit organization; money is what makes a businesses world go round. A business is not a person, but for some sick reason elected officials changed the game by giving an unfair advantage to non-carbon entities.
For what reason?
Money and power.
Compassion is non-existent in the business world today. Instead, it's exchanged with fear and people are forced to work longer hours with little respect for their human dignity. People in the work force, the lucky ones with jobs, are mistreated and beaten down for one thing, profitability. No wonder nursing homes all seem to have the SAME problem, regardless how much one pays to live under their roof.
How do we get back to basics of caring, where's the compassion?
People are capable of having compassion, it's what makes us human. It's born in our hearts and I believe it's what drives people to become nurses and aides in nursing facilities. We all need compassionate nurses and aides, without these unsung heroes, life would be unbearable for those of us who find ourselves in a long term care facility.
Unfortunately, mixing profit and basic human needs seems to be perverted; each is on the opposite spectrum of life. Profiting on the backs of the most dependent and helpless is sick and goes against the grain of caring individuals who want to make a difference.
How can a for profit business expect employees to do more with less if they are not given the tools to get the job done?
No wonder nursing homes are such sad places to visit. The energy in healthcare facilities is heavy with illness, add to this the sad energy of staff caused by intense demands; dangerous environments spawn.
How can we allow this to happen?
How can we change it? One person at a time. Begin with yourself and re-remember why you became a healthcare professional in the first place. Empower yourself, open your eyes and listen with your heart.
It may sound like a fairy tale, an ideal that is unattainable, but it's not. It's possible to change, people have the ability to make change. Change begins with you and you and you.
Teams. Working as a team, using our collective minds to solve problems, is smart. It's cost effective and when done right, happy work environments manifest even when the world seems to be falling apart at the seams outside. The team approach allows all of us to do more with less. The old cliche, "no man is an island" holds volumes of truth.
Respect eachother. Roll up your sleeves and work together even if it’s not your job. Be patient. Check your baggage at the door and find the joy in your work; there’s always a silver lining even in the most undesirable job.
Caring for seniors who have lost control and are incontinent is a “crappy” job that literally stinks. It’s not glamorous but it’s something that caring folks do every minute of every day in nursing homes around the globe. The people that are helped are helpless, unable to do simple daily living activities like wipe their own asses.
Compassionate care. I’ve witnessed it. It’s possible. Team work. Working together with egos set aside creates peace among all residents. The best way to know that your team is working like a well oiled machine is to listen for the silence.
Raise the bar on yourself. Challenge yourself to be the best nurse or aide that you can be. Feel compassion. Feel good about yourself knowing that you made a difference in someone’s life. After all, isn't this WHY you chose this career path in the first place?
Smile, laugh and give warm hugs; you will be rewarded with a full heart. Smiles and laughter are contagious, it’s not difficult, it requires one element… you. It all begins with you.
I am challenging you, create the change... it all begins with you!
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Way to go Susan! You said it all! Yesterday I was researching the required staff for a nursing home at both the federal and state level, I think people would be shocked to see how we all will spend our "golden years". I know I was! Something needs to change.
ReplyDeleteSusan, what you said is so true. Somehow our society has lost sight of what is truly important. Most would say that people trump money, but somehow that isn't how they act. It is a reality that in order to provide care and service there must be a monetary base, because money is required to live. But those who lose sight of their compassion, caring, and conscience in order to accumulate great personal wealth, (as is unfortunately true of many in business and government)do so at the expense of their humanity and forces the rest of us to live by their rules in order to survive.
ReplyDeleteBecause that is partly what drives any business, including a nursing home, those nursing home residents (which are generally our parents, grandparents, elderly relatives or friends) who are slowly dying a bit each day, don't receive the respect, attention, or care they not only need, but deserve!
It's the kind of thing that we all recognize on some level, but either cannot or will not work to change.
And the residents who are languishing in places where all they get is a place to die, will be us one day. Will anyone care?
Sheri... it's frightening. The majority of us will end our years in a facility. I too have considered opening my own non-profit facility. I hope your desire becomes a reality; it will help so many folks.
ReplyDeleteMellodee... The way things are now the answer to your question whether anyone will care is NO.
People are objects who are fed drugs. Little human interaction creates loneliness and depression in the residents. It breaks my heart.
Instead of feeling helpless, I do something... I take time to know the other residents who live with my mom and visit with them too. I hug my new friends and I try to engage them in conversation even if they speak in word spaghetti. The greatest gift is when I get a smile, a hug or a recognizable string of words.
I believe that nursing homes can change. We all need to get our heads out of the sand; more than likely, there's a nursing home in our future.
Together, we can begin a tide of change. Awareness is the first step.