sign up    Input
Authorisation
» » Civility in Nursing - can it go TOO far?
experience

Civility in Nursing - can it go TOO far?

Rating:
(votes: 0)


1 Hi all-

I'm writing a paper right now, and would like some help with some topics regarding civility in nursing, mainly on the issue of how civility can go TOO far - in any aspect.

Some examples we were given in class were: games like dodgeball being banned from schools because it might "hurt" a student's feelings, the word "mankind" being politically incorrect when referring to the both men and women in the human race.

We can choose any topic we'd like, and I'd like to relate it to nursing/healthcare somehow. I am not in NS yet (just doing prereqs) so I was hoping maybe some current nurses could chime in with any ideas or input.

It would be GREATLY(!!!) appreciated! thanks and hope everyone has a great weekend!
GOOD question, Candice7409! Can we ever be TOO courteous?Superficially, I say, "No. Being polite opens many doors."However, upon deeper introspection, I am reminded that courtesies are sometimes interpretted as a sign of weakness or a selfish attempt at manipulation.Cases in point: An irritated patient was in the process of being admitted to the Adult Male Behavioral Health Unit. He responded to my appropriately-phrased greeting as a sign that he could be rude without ramification. Upon confrontation, he apologized and showed insight to his behavior. He admitted that he took my courtesy as a sign of weakness. I let him know that I appreciated his apology and respected his reconsidered actions. It got our instrumental relationship on good, realistic grounds. The admission process concluded on a positive note.In the past, when I've complimented my co-workers, they would often respond with a question like, "So what do you want from me?" I usually said back to them, "Just say 'thank you' and I'll leave you alone." A "stroke exchange" is merely that: I give you a stroke for recognizing a positive action, and you give me one back. Done and done. The end. I'm not giving a stroke because I want to manipulate them. I'm merely attempting to support their positive action to further their endeavors. (I think it also enhances the working relatioship.) All I expect in return is a simple word of thanks.Some people just need to be shown the rules of appropriate behavior in our society. Usually, they respond accordingly.Once again Candice7409, good enquiry. And, good luck in your endeavor.

Comment:
My thoughts about your paper: 2Civility is associated with words like politeness, courtesy, respect. The popular belief is that too much of a good thing is always bad. When something good gets demonstrated excessively, it becomes too good to be true, therefore, not true. Human society has changed a lot. What was once a proper and genuine greeting to another person can come across in so many different ways now. This is because people don't trust each other anymore. Evil has taken its toll in all aspects of human existence. These days no one can accept a thank you or give a smile to another person without the chances of coming across as manipulative, as " hitting on someone," as a way to ridicule, being sarcastic, as a weirdo etc., then you become subject to suspicion. The practice of civility defines the human being from other animals but it gets perceived as a sign of weakness, why, because today many good honest people who are polite and respectful are taken advantaged of and pushed around. It would probably be interesting if you include in your paper the cultural aspects of civility. How should a nurse respond when worlds collide? Trust is the basic element when a nurse tries to establish therapeutic relationship with a patient; civility when carried out properly is the best approach. I don't know how rudeness, foul language or cold aloof attitude can earn a patient's trust anyway. Good Luck and success on your paper..

Comment:
This goes back a ways, but remember that it was in the name of civility that nurses were once admonished to avoid using gloves in various aspects of patient care so patients would not "feel badly." I'll bet you could find indications for gloves as ppe in earlier nursing texts that refer to this practice.Talk about the collision between culture and care. Whew!

Comment:
Hmmm. I don't know if this will help you, but it's known that V.I.P.s tend to get worse care. If you google that phrase a couple of NY Times articles will pop up. I think this recent trend towards "customer service" instead of patient care is toxic to the nursing environment. It messes with my personal mission statement to refer to my patients as customers. And I don't think we do patients any favors when we constantly kiss their butts. Back in the day, if a patient was being difficult and noncompliant, the attitude wasn't "how can we make it better." The attitude was "you don't like it, there's the door." Oh, I miss the old days.

Comment:
"I think this recent trend towards "customer service" instead of patient care is toxic to the nursing environment." I agree with you 100% Fungez. I think hospital administration should spend less time working on trying to accumulate great patient satisfaction surveys. At the end of the day, all that really matters is that I gave great patient CARE.

Comment:
Recently our pt surveys came under notice.We had a serious drop in satisfaction...so the manager when to examine the data. Seems that nursing was still scoring high, with the standard lower scores for nutrition. However, the MDs scored lower than usual. Ironically, it was one of the better, well liked most ethical, honest and appropriate MDs that got clobbered on a couple of surveys.After some examination of the time period and the other MDs on....part of the problem, is this MD while polite and forthright, told the truth in regards to diagnosis, potential for cure and recovery, and options (or lack of) for treatment and research protocols. He is not rude but he also does not tiptoe around the truth.....and in oncology the truth can be very hard to hear, no matter how kindly one tries to tell it.Because quite honestly, we as people tend to shoot the messenger. Ever see those ads for "Cancer Treatment Centers" about the MD being "so cold" when delivering the news. I've been in the room for many of those conversations, and it rarely true that the MD is that brusque (though I know that it does happen). But no one is going to take that news well, especially if their family referring MD has sugarcoated the truth and built up the pt's expectations about "The well-known specialty hospital". And that colors perception.I have had MDs that evaded "the truth"...That your relative is too old, has too many comorbidities, the disease is too far gone or of a type that there is no good treatment for even in research. I have dealt with MDs who felt "forced" by family members to treat what should have been palliated, because it would merely make the pt's remaining time miserable to no good end.In this case being kind can be harmful to quality of life.

Comment:
BTW Candice, once you've written your paper, do you think you could post it for us all to read? I think you've chosen a wonderful topic. I'd love to opportunity to read it. Thanks.

Comment:
One definition of civility might be not responding to a baiting question from a patient. The same patient may consider no response as being rude or having an attitude.
Author: peter  3-06-2015, 16:36   Views: 915   
You are unregistered.
We strongly recommend you to register and login.