Nurses leaders Need Coaching Too
After many years in nursing, you might think you’ve got it all figured out and don’t need any additional training. However, being an effective nurse leader involves much more than learning the technical skills of your profession—it also requires an extensive understanding of your duties as well as how to interact with patients, their families and your staff. Fortunately, nurse coaching can help with all of these things by giving you practical advice that’s easy to apply to your job on a daily basis and providing guidance on how to interact with patients in different situations so that you can meet their unique needs.
In most cases, nurses leaders are simply providing daily tasks that are required to support their department. They’re also working with doctors and other medical staff to get patients back on their feet and feeling healthy again. As much as they want to help their patients and staff, it’s easy for nurse leaders to lose sight of their own well-being—they work long hours, deal with serious illness every day, multiple challenges and experience emotional trauma in a big way and have a lot on their plates.
A nurse coach’s job is to provide support, guidance, and motivation to nurse leaders. They help nurse leaders meet their goals and improve performance. Nurse coaches can be internal (in-house) or external consultants. Internal nurses should also see a nurse coach on a regular basis because it helps them maintain self-awareness and professional development. Your organization may also refer you to an external consultant as part of your long-term care career management plan.
A nurse coach can come from a variety of places, but they all have one thing in common: They’re there to help you be your best. Whether you need encouragement or professional advice, a nurse coach will take into account your goals and aspirations when coaching you. Best of all, you don’t need to do anything but meet with them for about 30-45 minutes three to four times a month.
There’s a good chance that when you were going through your nurse training, no one taught you how to be a leader. For most people, becoming a nurse is not just about technical skills; it’s also about growing into a role of responsibility and authority. Nurses who lack leadership skills are held back from reaching their potential in nursing, which means that there are plenty of nurses out there who would benefit from professional coaching.
Nursing can be a lonely, isolating experience. Nurses work 12-hour shifts with minimal time to rest and recharge; burnout is common in their profession. By working with a nurse coach, nurses can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, increase job satisfaction, and manage any on-the-job challenges more effectively. They’ll also have someone to talk to who understands their struggles and successes in a way few others do.