SHIFT the conversation about Ebola

Conversations about the Ebola virus that occur in the press range from hard facts and figures to downright scary real-life stories of illness and death. 

The CDC has provided helpful information for caregivers and hospitals are ramping up quickly to educate their leaders & staff. This is all necessary & good.

What's missing is helping staff members deal with this very real challenge at an emotional level. People are afraid. And the fear is justifiable and warranted. However, fear is a dangerous thing when it gets in the way of the care that healthcare providers deliver. Fear is dangerous when nurses preemptively say they will quit if they are asked to care for patients with the Ebola virus. Here are 5 steps to lower stress and increase engagement of team members as the story unfolds.

In "6 Shortcuts to Employee Engagement: Lead & Succeed in a Do-More-With-Less World", I describe the 5-step SHIFT Process™ for effectively communicating with a team regarding their response to workplace challenges. The potential for the Ebola virus to spread in organizations certainly qualifies as a workplace challenge. Here's a proven method for having a productive conversation with staff.

What does SHIFT stand for?

Stop and breathe.

Harness harmful knee-jerk reactions.

Identify and manage negative emotions.

Find new options.

Take one positive action.

Using the SHIFT Process

This 5-step process works for individuals and with teams. In this example, we are focusing on the team aspect. The leader of the group "the manager" gets the team together in a private place and owns up to the fact that the potential for a virus like this is scary. She acknowledges that while we can't change the fact that this is happening, we can change the way we respond to the challenge.

This conversation is definitely NOT a substitute for training about effective infection control. It is an add-on to that conversation. Here's an overview of how the process might sound when talking with staff about the Ebola virus. (To download a sample Team Meeting Agenda using the SHIFT Process, visit the website and click on the link to the Bonus Tools.)

The manager explains why the group is gathered and gives an overview of the 5 steps. Now, he or she is ready to guide the group through the process together.

Stop and breathe. The manager asks the team to take a deep breath. Everyone does this together. It's always a good idea to take another deep breath – or 2 or 3 - just for good measure. Let your shoulders relax and your arms hang down. Breathe deeply. You might even close your eyes or lower your gaze.

Harness knee-jerk reactions. The manager asks the team to share what kinds of negative knee-jerk reactions people might display in response to a scare like this one and records their answers on a flipchart. This might start out slowly. Be prepared with a few examples. Here are some harmful knee-jerk reactions folks might share:

· Make proclamations about what they will do before anything even happens

· Complain about how the hospital is handling things

· Share worries about things that "might" happen

· Withdraw and pout

· Start looking for a job in a different environment

· Form cliques for stirring up trouble

· Sabotage efforts by refusing to participate

Just record the responses so that everyone can see them. We'll come back to this later.

Identify and manage negative emotions. The manager asks the team how they are feeling about the situation and records those responses on a second flipchart. That list might include the following emotions: fear; anger; frustration; feeling overwhelmed; uncertainty; worry, etc.

Ask folks to talk about things they can do while at work (and at home) to effectively manage these emotions. Tap into your psych nurses, social workers and therapists since they have the knowledge to help with this list of ideas. It might include creating an informal support network, increasing communication between peers, taking breaks, going for walks together, taking care of themselves outside of work, etc.

Find new options. Use three questions to encourage the group to brainstorm new options for dealing with their negative reactions to the situation:

1. What have you done in the past in a similar situation?

2. What would someone you admire do?

3. What would someone objective do?

Go back to the list of potential harmful knee jerk reactions and create a list of ways to find new options to minimize those reactions. Encourage everyone to share ideas. This is a great time to let folks discuss it in small groups and then report out to the larger one if the group size warrants.

Take one positive action. The manager facilitates a discussion asking the group to create a prioritized list of positive actions for coping with the challenge. For a team, there might be 2-3 positive actions that the group commits to and that's okay.

Facing the facts and the feelings

I know you are having meetings to talk the facts and figures regarding the Ebola virus. This process allows for people to address their feelings as well. This is important because our beliefs and mindsets drive our actions and outcomes. If you just focus on the actions and outcomes and don't allow people to process their beliefs and mindsets you are setting your organization up for failure. It's time to SHIFT the conversation.

 

Vicki Hess, RN, MS, Certified Speaking Professional, is the go-to resource for employee engagement in healthcare. She works with forward-thinking healthcare organizations to develop fully engaged employees and leaders who deliver remarkable results. She is the author of 6 Shortcuts to Employee Engagement: Lead & Succeed in a Do-More-with-Less World; SHIFT to Professional Paradise: 5 Steps to Less Stress, More Energy & Remarkable Results at Work and The Nurse Manager's Guide to Hiring, Firing & Inspiring. To learn more and download FREE TOOLS, please visit my website.

 

The views, opinions and positions expressed within these guest posts are those of the author alone and do not represent those of Becker's Hospital Review/Becker's Healthcare. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content belongs to the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them.

 

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