Connecting with Coworkers
Establishing and maintaining a good rapport with coworkers is crucial to ease the transition into nursing. From subordinate to equivalent, from student to nurse, it is an art and skill to convince others you are one individual deserving respect and worthy to be a member of the team. Becoming a respected member on the team can be easy for those individuals who take correction well, always maintain a positive attitude, and remain calm in the face of stress. Unfortunately nobody is fashioned with all these features therefore, a new nurse needs to work hard and discipline him or herself to be aware of their own actions and be sensitive to others. If graduates want to befriend the new team members they must 1. Take notice and quickly adapt to the unwritten rules of the team through observations 2. Consider how coworkers operate and find the best way to synchronize with the established team 3. Avoid the human traps of gossip and overconfidence, as these will surely guarantee failure.
Simply answer these questions and tell me what you would advise to a new graduate concerning how to become an accepted member of the nursing team.
1. Good first impressions are a must, what are your tips for making a positive impact on your team?
2. From your past experiences what are a few bad first impressions about new employees which initially left you disliking them?
3. When did your opinion change about them?
4. Then working with new team mates, what are some of your do’s and don’ts in communication?
5. How do feel when people open up too much?
6. When is it not appropriate to chat?
7. A person continually volunteers information when not personally asked. Would you consider this team member to be arrogant and a know-it-all or just trying to be helpful answering questions?
8. Where is the fine line between being helpful vs. arrogant?
9. How do you personally feel about rumors in the workplace?
10. What do you say when someone begins gossiping about another co-worker?
11. What are some suggestions to befriend your coworkers at work?
12. Think of your closest coworker, what helped you bond with them?
13. Having a sense of humor is important, what are some ways of you bring humor into the workplace?
14. Each team has an unwritten list of courtesy rules and etiquette which governs the standards and conduct of the team. From whose turn to answer the ringing phone to charting at a specific desk, what are some of your team’s unwritten courtesy rules?
15. There is no I in Team. How is this in action on your unit?
16. What are your suggestions on how to balance giving assistance to other team members with completing your own task list? compromise
17. There is most often one difficult person who can become frustrating and almost impossible to work with. Without naming names, how is that person difficult and what are you doing about it?
Recognize when a co-worker has done a good job at something or has provided good care for a patient. Even though it sounds simple, that sense of appreciation you provided them will help grow a bond with your colleague. Be sincere though and don't over flatter.
Constant moaning and complaining about people or policies is a negative for most people so keep your complaints to yourself and try to be part of a solution.
Since you can't change some people you must compromise with their personalities. Think of this old saying “Accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things you can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Concerning a new hire, the worst thing you could do is tuck your head down and ignore them. Offer your help to them and always look for opportunities to show them something new; show them how your facility does things.
Someone who does something different than you , keep an open mind and learn their ways. Don't snub their way cause there can be more than one way to do something right.
It's good to ask questions and get several opinions about your problem but be careful, some people are easily offened if they see you asking someone else the same question. They feel you didn't think their answer was good enough.
***I ask for advice from people in groups of two or more to avoid this problem and get more suggestions.***
Contributing gossip at the workplace can make you feel good and vent help vent some stresses of work but it not only makes you look small, it will slowly desinagrate your relationship with others cause they know you might be talking about them.
Don't listen to gossip either, you'll subconsciously make assumptions about people and situations you don't even know.
Posted by: LCC | Jan 27, 2010 at 13:14
Taking a moment of your time and help a struggling coworker. Or if you can't help just recognizing someone else’s struggle and sympathize with them, and encourage them to get through the task . This is a powerful trick to bond with coworkers.
Posted by: LCC | Jan 27, 2010 at 12:28