Trust

Hello All,

I love starting the blog with feel good stories! Covid 19 is a lonely disease – quarantine, isolation – and loneliness exists whether one is in the hospital or not. In fact, one of the cruelest things – and especially in the hospital setting – is the isolation from loved ones. So kudos to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Michigan! Sparrow Hospital is a 733-bed teaching hospital. They have designed a way for each Covid patient to have at least one in-person visitor for one hour! One of their chief physicians noted that they wanted to help; they wanted to connect the patients in person with their family for the critical emotional support and love that only family can bring. The visitor gets a crash course in full personal protective equipment, and the donning of this is assisted by a staff person. They noted that currently they have the PPE and resources for this to occur. They know that not every hospital is able to do this, but it is the right thing for them at this time. They monitor the visitation closely, and they note they are taking it day by day. This story made my day!

I can only imagine the trust that the community has in this hospital! This story, the recent hospitalizations of my little mom and my mother-in-law,  and an article in the December 2020 issue of Nurse Leader led me to think trust might be a good topic for the month.

It is difficult to have loved ones hospitalized now – as it is difficult for both hospitals and hospital staff too. My little mom had a procedure that resulted in a two-night hospital stay. Only one person could visit per day, whether it was for one hour or the entire length of visiting hours. Since I “speak medical”, I stayed with her for as many hours as allowed each day. My brothers and sister  trusted that I would keep them informed – frequently and accurately – about mom’s condition. (I had to bring my phone charger with me every day!) Similar situation for Bob’s mom’s hospital stays, though the one person in  the room could vary through the day. So he and his sisters could do face-to-face handoffs. (Spoken like a true hospital person!) When his mom got transferred to rehab, the visitations were behind glass (with us outside when the weather was good) and behind plexiglass inside (on the less than delightful days). Then we had to trust the staff for the other 23 hours of the day to be our eyes and ears and keep us informed. All it took was one failure in communication or care to significantly impact our trust.

I began to think about how critical trust is for leaders and the led. Back in November I wrote about love and leadership after reading an article in Nurse Leader. Well, Angela S. Prestia, PhD, RN, NE-BC is back with an article called “Contemplating the Importance of Trust”. Once again, she wrote it from the perspective of nurses and nurse leaders. Dr. Prestia noted that “Trust is a critical attribute of effective nurse leaders. Staff flourish in environments free from psychological strain; knowing their leader is transparent in communication, action oriented, and has their best interests in mind.” The truth is if you take the word “nurse” out, those comments are the truth for every leader and in every sector!

H. L. Menchen stated “It is mutual trust, even more than mutual interest, that holds human associations together.” Trust is built with small actions over time, and is maintained in the same way. Trust is earned. It is not a technique – it is not a trick – it is not a tool to be wielded – it IS about character. I love this quote from Jesse Lynn Stoner because it is so true – “People follow leaders by choice. Without trust, at best you get compliance.”

People who trust feel more committed to the organization (whether one is staff, customer or a patient’s family). They feel like the organization supports them more. They also believe that the leaders allocate resources more fairly, listen for understanding/perspective, and care. Trust is the glue that holds the relationships together. In today’s environment, trust is critical!

Dr. Prestia ended her article this way:

“Trust matters. It is of paramount importance to all those the nurse leader” (or take out the word nurse!) “has the privilege to serve. Trust is multidirectional. It flows downward to the staff and upward to the leader. When it is adopted and becomes a core organizational value, it flows outward, touching all staff, patients and the community served.”

Trust is the cornerstone. Keep making those actions every day to keep trust healthy!

Phyl

P.S. Sunday is the Super Bowl! Woohoo! I enjoy the games, the commercials and the excitement. Enjoy! Hope your team wins!