April 2016
IN THIS ISSUE

  

What's New at  

Guardian Nurses?


Saying "I'm Sorry"

 
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What's New at
 Guardian Nurses

 Another
Mobile Care Coordinator
Program Rides Again!!
 
Starting on Sunday, May 1st, United Steelworkers Local 286 will be the sixth labor fund to roll out the uniquely successful Mobile Care Coordinator Program to its membership. 

Since 2013, Guardian Nurses has proven that ENGAGEMENT IS KEY to positive results!


Mr. Carlo Simone, USW Local 286 President and Business Manager, is pleased to be partnering with Guardian Nurses to provide care management and advocacy services to his members and their families. 

Local 286 represents more than 1,200 union members living in the PA-DE-NJ areas working in the steel, paper, forestry, rubber, energy, manufacturing and service industries. 
       
Can't Make This Up.

One of our nurses recently had a test completed and went up to the facility's counter to check out.

She asked if the results of the test would be sent to her physician ("yes") and then she asked if she could have a copy of the results sent to her.

"Oh, no, we can't send results to you. That would be a HIPAA violation." 

Yep.  Can't make this  up.
 
If you're old enough to speak, chances are you have had a reason to say "I'm sorry" to someone.  Unless you're working in healthcare.  Folks working in healthcare don't like apologizing too often----it's like we don't want patients or families getting the idea that we may have done something wrong.   
 
But apologizing----saying "I'm sorry" is not just about apologizing for doing something wrong.  It can also be about expressing empathy---as in, "I'm very sorry you've been waiting so long" or "I'm sorry that you're not feeling well."  It seems so simple, doesn't it?  Yet, week in and week out, we accompany patients to outpatient settings or visit them as inpatients and seldom do we hear an acknowledgement that might be construed as empathetic.  And trust me, there are plenty of chances! 

This month's issue of The Flame explores the three different kinds of apology.  Read below to understand what those are and how it might help your relationships.  Maybe it'll even motivate you to think about your relationship with your healthcare provider.

 
Happy Mother's Day!!!
Betty
Betty Long, RN, MHA
 
President/CEO  
         Guardian Nurses Healthcare Advocates

 


 
The Value of Saying "I'm Sorry"

Apologies, if done well, can be especially effective when it comes to repairing hurt feelings, resolving conflict, and improving personal and professional relationships.  In healthcare, studies show that an apology can even keep physicians out of the courtroom.

 

But sometimes, despite your best intention, your apology goes unrecognized because you are apologizing the wrong way.      

 

So, what is a well done apology?  As with most things, the key to an effective apology lies in knowing you're audience.  Who you are delivering the apology to matters. Recent studies reveal that different kinds of apologies appeal to different kinds of people.  There are 3 unique forms of apology:

  1. Offer of compensation--an attempt to restore balance through redeeming action. Sometimes the compensation is tangible, like replacing your wife's iPhone when you accidentally drop it on the tile floor.
  2. Expressions of empathy--these involve recognizing and expressing concern over the pain you caused (e.g. "I'm so sorry that I didn't appreciate the effort you invested. You must have felt awful and that's the last thing I want.") Through expressions of empathy, trust is restored as you try to understand and value your friend.
  3. Acknowledgement of violated norms and rules--admitting that you 'broke' the code of behavior of your social group, your organization or society. (e.g. "No one on my team behaves this way, I'm really sorry.  I should have known better.")
Depending on how people think of themselves will suggest the type of apology to offer them.
  • People with an independent self-concept: focused mainly on their own rights, feelings and goals and as a result, experience transgressions as a personal injury  or betrayal. They respond most favorably to apologies offering compensation.
  • People with a relational self-concept: primarily defined by their relationships with significant others. More common among women.  Focus is on creating, maintaining and strengthening your relationships.  Transgressions are seen as betrayals of respect and trust, so apologies are most effective when they include expressions of empathy. 
  • People with a collective self-concept: see themselves as members of important groups--family, cultures, organizations to which they belong and there are rules to that membership. Transgressions are experienced as betrayals of the rules or values of the group and thus, apologies offer acknowledgement of violated rules are the best method of restoring your good standing.  

When crafting your apology, ask yourself "Who am I talking to and what troubles them the most about what I did?" If you're not sure, think about how the injured party most often talks about himself---their own qualities, their relationships or the groups to which they belong.

 

Knowing something about how the person you wronged thinks of himself is your first clue to what is probably bothering them the most and will help you craft your apology in the most effective way. 



Guardian Nurses Healthcare Advocates

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