Why Nurses Cry

– By Dr Nav Ropra.

One of the biggest issues that face any business is to have competent and confident staff that are congruent with the needs and values of that business.

A dental practice is no different and anything that distracts it from the chief aim of that business will devalue the business and take up time and effort to resolve.

Personal conflicts within a dental practice are perhaps one of the most difficult internal challenges a practice can face.  This article looks at conflicts from the nurses’ point of view and how difficult it can be for nurses to deal with the expectations placed on them from managers, associate dentists and practice owners.

It is not easy at interview to know how you will perform when you take up the job, and how you will respond when working with others.  This can be compounded with pressure situations, time constraints and lack of experience in a new environment.  The best position can turn out to be a nightmare if the communication goes wrong and each party is stubborn enough to feel and think that they are right.

Here are some of the chief complaints that nurses can have about a dental practice:

1.  Too aggressive dentist

2.  Bullish approach by manager

3.  Very high expectations of them

4.  Not enough training given

5.  The feeling of being unappreciated

6.  Being overworked

7.  Lack of experience to do the task given

8.  Low level of pay for services rendered

9.  No appreciation

10.  Poor working environment

11.  Mental stress and exam pressure

12.  Being talked down to or blamed

13.  Changes in working conditions

14.  Not being listened to

15.  Lack of respect

16.  Not enough time

17.  No lunch breaks

18.  Overtime procedures

19.  Holiday restrictions

20. Continual criticism

Any nurse whose values are challenges will either; reject, repress, react, respond or retaliate to that challenge.

Some get overwhelmed and break down with the pressure and leave.  This is rejection of the situation and can also lead to rejection of self.

Others deny that is occurring and carry on for the sake of a pay cheque and sacrifice their own self worth in the process.  This is called repressions and can be unhealthy for them and the team.

Reactions occur when emotional buttons are being pressed and the person doesn’t have a connection with what has happened and their interpretation or behaviour around it.  Tempers can flare and things can be said which afterwards people can regret.  Doors can be slammed and people can isolate and cry in solitude when they don’t feel heard or respected.

There are those who encounter the problem in a mature and healthy way that is a win-win scenario for both themselves and the people involved, remembering the higher needs of the practice and of service, whilst taking care of their own needs in the process.  This is called responding. Once whatever is getting in the way is resolved, it can lead to a more deeper and fulfilling working relationship.

Lastly, some retaliate by sabotaging things at work; not arriving to work on time, taking unexpected time off, not have a willingness to work or look at their responsibility in the dynamic are examples.  The extreme progression of this can be a notice of termination of employment or legal action against the practice.

As Dentistry is primarily a caring profession, it is absolutely essential that we care for our nurses and understand their point of view before things get out of hand.  It makes no sense having websites that state that ‘we are a caring practice’ whilst your nurse is going home upset and crying because they are not being heard or feel disrespected at work.  We cannot make patient care of the utmost importance  at the expense of disrespecting the needs of our own team in order to achieve it.  This will cause a split in the practice and ourselves as care givers.

It is appreciated that the above complaints are few and far between and can happen in any profession or job and that responsibility needs to taken equally between all people concerned.  However, many practices have got the balance right and have amazing teams of nurses and clinicians all working together in synergy for the best care and needs of the patients and the profession. Alignment of the practice and the team has occurred and any conflicts or problems can therefore be easily resolved.  There is a healthy base of communication, relatedness and a willingness to work together for a common purpose of the practice.  Here is where fulfilment of the individual and the practice occurs and the business grows as individuals grow.

Dentistry is a caring profession and caring is caring full stop. You cannot care about something or someone when the circumstances are right.  That is conditional caring.  True caring occurs when you can convey what is important to you, in a way that it is important to the other person.  Care enough about your nurses that they can’t wait to come to work and be of immense service.  Become a practice that cares about people.  This includes; yourself, your nurses, your patients, your relationships, your family, your friends, your community, the world and beyond.  Then your caring is endless and your care does not depend on what is going on around you.  You simply care.

“Care so much that the carer disappears and all that is left is caring.  That is the way of the Master Practitioner.” – Dr Nav Ropra –