17 Feb Nursing Shortage
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-02-15-nursing-shortage_N.htm
What do nurses do all day for a living? Nurses watch people. Their external awareness is very high. They notice things that most of us do not- they are not in their head thinking about themselves – they are searching the physiology of the beings in front of them.
High external awareness makes for an excellent communicator. It also can trigger stress and dismay if the leadership surrounding the nurse is inconsistent and in internal awareness. Add to this awareness challenge the fact that health care is front page news everyday resulting in a patient vs health care provider communication gap. Working within poor communication and leadership results in the loss of people truly meant to care for others.
A strong leader who builds people and mentors new nurses – someone who makes it their job to be the “steward” of the nurses career -will attract and retain the right nurses for the job. Internal culture is critical to face the challenges of the nursing shortage.  Nurses watch people for a living – I wonder what they see when they look at their leaders?
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