When any of us all started out in nursing, did any of us imagine that part of your day to day work would include becoming a politician? It certainly was not the first thing that brought me into nursing. Ever since I stepped out onto a ward as a student nurse, I found that keeping the community on the ward happy and the general opinion of yourself to a high level could be exhausting. I always felt that ensuring the ward staff had a good opinion of me was an integral part of my training, that went hand in hand with achieving all the necessary competencies. I found it incredibly disheartening when I found a certain atmosphere of distain on some units, it could often be difficult to ignore unfair comments and unfounded negative treatment of students. I'm sure most students have a tale or two to tell about uncomfortable situations they find themselves in whilst on a placement. Its seems to me that it is a worldwide culture in the nursing profession.The situation remained that way when I found myself to be ward staff, as a newly qualified nurse I felt I had a lot to live up to...especially since I had move to that trust purely for my first job, I had trained elsewhere. The backbiting, gossipping and general politics that went on on the ward was an entity of its own. the relationship with other wards and departments could often be challenging to say the least and why...because gossip and opinion of another department had formed the basis of the relationship between the two of them. It was nauseating to be honest...a dizzying range of possibilities that taught me more about "politics" than I could have realised. That on occasions were responsible for the demise of several nurses I have worked with...sadly.
Even sadder, it the fact that nobody is ever left out of it, even if you keep silent and avoid it, someone always has something to say. I sometimes find myself saying to colleagues, that if there was a speciality in nursing where I had to work entirely alone, in isolation from people...with the exception of patients, I would probably choose to work there. Just for a quiet life. I can only believe that this is the case because of the difference in opinion. Nursing is a free, self regulating profession...not a police state and as long as we are free, we are free to speak ill of one another...shame, never more true would the saying be "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all".
I come to disapprove of "politics" particularly when good nurses suffer. For instance, I worked on a general surgical a about 2 years ago, the ward was run by a mixture of kind good hearted senior nurses and some that appeared to take enjoyment in belittling and putting the junior staff down, it became sickening that they were deluded and arrogant enough to believe that they were doing this for the protection and interests of the patients. Believe me, if poor practise occurs, I firmly believe in challenging this however bullying and abuse of seniority is intolerable. I soon became the victim of two senior staff which ultimately lead me to confronting the situation and then after concluding the situation, I chose to move to theatres as I refused to continue on that ward...I was not the only victim. I worked with some junior nurses qualified for a short time and very given opportunities over more experienced staff. Sadly a good friend of mine who worked on the same ward, left to find new opportunities as she was not given the development she felt she deserved...she had not taken her mentorship nor band 5 development meanwhile a nurse who had been working on the ward one year less that her was promoted to band 6. My friend later said to me that she felt her "face didn't fit".
Shame, a profession that is meant to be caring and yet we frequently attempt to tread on people to get what we want. anymore cut-throat and I could swear i was competing to be the apprentice sometimes. As if the NHS today wasn't hard enough, now I have not only to go to work, I sometime have to go into battle. I always promised myself that if i ever mentor a student or become a charge nurse, i won't make my students or staff feel how I felt in the past. I like to think thats is what might make me a good teacher or leader...perhaps.
