Our Nurses Are Effective. Youn find effective nurses at Meadowlands Hospital. Their efforts are focused. Respon- sible, Intent on quality patient care. Our nurses are ca- pable of independent thinking. They stand up for their beliefs and avoid taking the easy way out. If we've also de- scribed you, a dedicated, effective professional, we invite you to join our team. Contact Joanne Pearson, Nurse Recruiter, at 201-392-3540, ae Medica Genter Meadowlands Parkway Secaucus, NJ 07096-1580 An affiliate of UniFlalth America Ss E— C PROFESSIONAL GROWTH 1 ON 7 STEPS TO ASSERTING YOURSELF If you want to stand up for nursing, start by standing up for yourself. ‘OME OF US MAY HAVE LEARNED to express our needs honestly, to ‘use anger constructively, to improve personal and work relationships, and to build self-confidence through assertive behavior. But others still struggle with being assertive, perhaps because they dont believe they have the right to be assertive, they're anxious about assert- ing themselves, or they don't know how to be assertive, Nurse Lilia Shaffer is afraid to speak up about a probiem she's having with a doctor because he might retaliate. She's 126 NURSINGDI, NOVEMBER Cielo RSVP #186 a tote, Se pape 10. right—he might, but what is it she's afraid of? Perhaps that hell criticize her ‘and that she'll feel she's not a good nurse; more than likely, though, if he did have some negative comments about her, sheld be able to evaluate for herself if he was right or wrong, Then she could learn not only about her lim- itations but also about her strengths. Selfassertion doesnt mean turning the other cheek or insisting on havi your way. Although you're free to get ‘angry, your motivation isnt to get even, it's to develop personal power and con-‘SHEWARDSHIP * COLLABORATION Exercise the power of Positive Exceut Ss EC ‘rol. For many nurses, the most anxiety provoking situation is dealing with an- ‘er—their own and others’ ‘One way to eliminate anger from our lives is to become so personally secure that nothing threatens us. You're the Dest judge of how likely that is, but short of that happening, you'll find the skate, || Sepatined hoe wl yu dat wih femeoeet ich se pou dea wi inacices : Were 1. Acknowledge your anger Claiming your anger as your own is a helpful first step. It will increase your self-awareness and keep you from un- fairly blaming others. Turning blame and “you” messages into “I” messages acknowledges where the anger really is—inside you. Recognizing that will help you develop a sense of personal power and control 2. Dingnose the threat ‘Ask yourself “What is so frightening or ‘threatening about this situation? Am I overreacting to it? Is this feeling ra- ease at T Herter) tional?” Kentifying your feelings and the reason for them puts you in control and reduces their power over you. In ‘many cases, you'll find that its some ir- rational thinking that’s immobilizing you, not an actual threat. For example, ‘You may get angry because you assume that a situation is threatening; you may react so quickly that you dont even re- alize why you feel threatened. For ex- ‘ample, suppose your manager verbally attacks you because you disagree about a patient’ care. You may be afraid that shell fire you, but if you analyze the sit- uation, you'll realize that you and she simply have different values or styles. Both of you may be “right,” and your disagreement might even have been a healthy way to solve a problem, 3. Forgive and forget Forgiving involves releasing anger and ‘canceling the charges against the other person—and yourself, Forgiving and forgetting opens doors to better rela- Baystate Medical Center is the leading academic referal center in Western Massachusetts, and the second largest hospital in the state, We owe our success and stature to our people, Our staff is not only talented, but aso dedicated to working together in a ‘cooperative environment, Baystate people know that the best ‘healthcare comes from team efforts. And, here, eaamwork is evi- dent throughout every department and every level. If you're ‘committed to quality healthcare, join the group at Baystate. We also offer you one of America’s most rewarding locations. The city of Springfield has every kind of cultural, educational and recreational opportunity. This is a region where you can experi ‘ence the best of life. And Boston is just over an hour's drive away. Join the team that’s committed to excellence, Join Baystate Opportunites exis in: ¢ PSYCH ¢ ER ¢ NICU ¢ PICU * CSICU * ICU e CCU © Pediatrics ¢ Peri-natal We offers highly compertive compensation pockag, exalt benefits, a dynamic, profesional eam stmasphere, and great profesional advancement opportunites, including a 12-week cremation program, acini lader program, continuing edt- cation, nursing rounds seach opportunites, and more. Our commitment to family-centered care is demonstrated by the ‘opening of our new single room maternity care building which will house Masachust’s largest Neonatal Intensive Care Unit For consideration plese send your resume to or call our Nurse Recruiter, Baystate Medical Center, Recruitment and Staffing (Offi, Suite 30, 780 Chesnut Stet, Springfield, MA O1107, 1-800767-6612. An equal opportunity employer. ria Baystate Medical Center A Menber of ate Heath Systems "Te WESTERN CANPUS OF TUFTS UNEVERSTY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE 128 Nunsinost, NovewBen ‘Cele RSVP #148 oc ttion Seepage 100Your CLINICAL SKILLS ARE BUSINESS ASSETS ‘A: Bay Stato Health Cor, your clinical sis area leading network HMO, were a strong fost paced organization offering you mary hours, once Sy Care, an exceptional benefits peckage, anda professional ‘velabieaseet. As New England ‘vantages Including regular busin tenvironment. you're looking for en exciting new sta. bing your elicel shila to Boy Stat. CLINICAL REVIEW NURSES IN-PLAN & ON-SITE Thase poston involve monitoring, identifying end Intervaning in elncalatuations fo prevent inappropriate Ublzaton of recourcee, while malraining quality cae. To ‘qualify, you must have a current AN license wth 2 ‘minimum ofS yeas recent clncel experience, preferably im Med /Surg. Experterco In varied clinical backgrounds & pbs, in-Pian postions wil wok exclusively out of our Cambridge, WA heedquarers. OnSte postions alo 2 poops to review ulation, curent drivers license and Resources Department. Bay State Health Car 101 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142. We ofor [HEALTH CARE ¢# smoteses envronment Sy State Heath Coro F DOCTORS PERN Iwan ofiemathe acton/ equal eppartunly ployer ‘Ge VE IB, a ea on Soop 1 LUN RO sec T 1 ON 4, Avoid being aggressive Many nurses believe that the only way to avoid being pushed around is to shove first, that in our manipulative ‘world, you either pull the strings or be- ‘come someone else's puppet. In the Jong run, though, aggressive behavior — achieving your goals at any cost—is not only unfair and unkind, its ineffective. Although you may win short-term ‘gains, over the long run you'll damage ‘or destroy relationships, the stuff that ‘success is made of. Nonassertive behav- jor, on the other hand, is rarely effec- tive, Consider these examples ‘© Shirley's manager finds an error in her charting and tells her about it. If Shirley responded nonassertively, say- ing, “I always seem to make mistakes. T don't know what's wrong with me," she'd reveal her hurt and anxiety, which may surface later as anger. Her man- ager probably would offer her pity—or al least feel that way. If Shirley responded aggressively ‘with, “You're picking on me. You're al~ ways looking for something wrong with A NEW DIRECTION FOR NURSING ‘At Dartmouth-Hitcheock Medical Center patients experience excellent car, Jots of sunlight and a view of the ‘mountains. Nurses helped design it Before the new campus for the Medical Center was built, ideas were solicited from hospitals all over the country, from every one of, the Center’s patients, and from all levels of the Nursing Department. ‘The nurses knew what their patients needed, and they knew the sort of environment in which they could pro- vide the best care. The greatest distance between a nursing station and a ‘Med/Surg patient room is 12 feet. There is one nursing station for every 812 beds in the Med/Surg patient care towers and each sation is 35, feet from the next and. + Raised platform Nursing Stations in the ICU allow ‘uninterrupted monitoring of patients. * Lots of windows allow patents and staff frequent view of the Centers 225 acre forested surroundings. We are currently interviewing for additional Med/Surg and Critical Care positions. For mor information, please call 1800-JOB-DHMC or send a resume to Mary Beth Melton, RN, Nurse Recruitment Coordinator, Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, New ‘Hampshire 03756. Committed to equal employment ‘opportunity and cultural diversiy. hn Dartmouth-Hitchoock Medical Center Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital 130 [NuRsinod1, NoveMBERgas MONO s bc T 1 ON ry work,” her righteous stand would 5. Practice physieal cues seem like an attack on her manager. Developing assert strategies isnt all, ‘That's not likely to win any points. mental. or emotional work, though. But if Shirley simply commented, Physical cues usually accompany asser- crak not ht. I made a mistake. T'l try tive thinking and positive self-talk. to make that mistake again,” her © Bye contact lends sincerity and di- confidence and selfrespect would be reciness to your message. Keep a re- cevident, and her manager would most laxed, steady gaze, looking away as is ly respond in kind. comfortable UNDERGRADUATE NURSING PROGRAM: * Bachelor of Science in Nursing * 2yr-9mo Accelerated Transfer Track « BSN Option for Registered Nurses * Combine academic study with paid co-op employment GRADUATE NURSING PROGRAMS: * Master of Science degree in Nursing * Certificate of Advanced Study * Specializations in: Administration, Community Health, Critical Care, Primary Care, Psychiatric: Mental Health * FULL AND PART-TIME STUDY * FLEXIBLE COURSE OFFERINGS + Financial Aid available for qualified applicants For more information call: ‘Undergraduate Program 617-437-3610 Graduate Programs 617-437-3125 ‘Northeastern University, College of Nursing 102 Robinson Hall, Boston, MA 02115-5096 Northeastern University Boston ‘An equal opportunity/atfirmative action university. NURSINGDI, NOVEMBER Cree RSVP 168, or tate. Se poge 160, ‘© Body posture can add strength to your ‘message, When you stand up for your- self, do just that: Stind straight. A slumped, passive stance offers the other person an advantage. (© Gestures that are relaxed and natural cean add warmth as well as depth and power to your message, Uninhibited _movement also suggests openness, self confidence, and spontancity. © Facial expressions should correspond with your message. For example, deliver angry messages with a straight-faced, serious expression Voice tone and volume should be level ‘but well-modulated. Whispered mono- tones seldom convince or persuade; shouted expletives raise your listener's defenses and may alienate him. © Clear speech is a valuable asset. A slow but steady flow of comments will be more powerful than rapid speech peppered with pauses and stammers. 6. Keep listening istening is an important assertive strategy because it lets the people you work with and care for know you're committed to them. Assertively receiv ing messages, with sensitivity to others, is no less important than assertively sending messages. To listen effective tune in to the other person by ignor- ing distractions respond to the other's message with eye contact, nods, and if appropriate, touches understand before answering, rather than immediately interpreting or advis- ing. 7. Enjoy the results Through assertive behavior, you'll be able to assume a more powerful role in your practice for several reasons: You'll feel a stronger sense of personal and professional identity realize the control you have in negotiating more satisfying work roles, and grow professionally through the risks you take. You'l be in a better position to move both yourself and others to achieve goals, an impor- tant leadership attribute ~CLARAJEAN CHOUVARDAS, RN, MS Instructor ‘Mental Health and Adult Health Nursing Georgia Baptist College of Nursing Atlanta, Ga 8