Abstract
‘We are all sailing in the same sea, but we are all on different boats’. Does this resonate with you? Carolyne Crowe from VDS Training and Lou Northway from @LouTheVetNurse have been running free nurse support sessions over the past few weeks, and during this week's session, this metaphor really summed up the discussions around the challenges of returning to work after furlough and re-establishing teams.
Both nurses who have been working throughout this period and those who had been furloughed shared a range of negative and positive thoughts and feelings during the webinar. The discussion was rich and fruitful, and along with questions posed by the listeners, tools and tips were shared to help encourage action, move forward positively and proactively and improve the current situation.
Feelings of those who have been furloughed included:
Isolated, disconnected from my team
Guilty for not being able to work when everyone else is so busy in practice
Feeling unvalued — I thought they thought more of me
Worried about job security
Enjoying not rushing around at 100 mph
Nervous about returning
Concerned regarding all the changes and different protocols and ways of working
Exhausted while on furlough — schooling, feel like I am trapped at home
I love work and I miss it — it is part of who I am, and I feel lost not working
What if I have forgotten everything?
Feelings discussed from those who are working included:
Exhausted — same workload but half the team
Mentally drained
Thankful I have the structure and pay of work
Lack of communication from managers
No time to support each other
Finding it harder to switch off after work
Rarely get a break
Only seem to hear when we aren't doing things right, don't feel appreciated for what we are doing
Jealous of those who have been furloughed
Our team have really pulled together and feel we are in it together.
No matter what situation you are in and what you have experienced during these turbulent times, you are still part of a team. Even though it may feel different and often disunited, there are ways to make it better. It takes hard work and honest conversations to get people back on the same page, and below we consider some of the areas that were discussed and share some top tips that you may like to think about when returning to practice.
Have you:
Been in touch with your team while furloughed? Over 80% of webinar delegates said they had had no or little contact with their teams, but would have liked weekly catchups. What is possible, could you join Zoom meetings, receive weekly emails?
Asked for updates on protocols and procedures before you return? Read them carefully, noting down questions that you have (be as specific as possible). Then ask for a time to speak (phone or virtual call) with your practice manager, head nurse or clinical coach to go through the key things that have changed and what it means in practice. This will help fill in the gaps in your knowledge and understanding. Try to be as specific as possible with your questions so you can get the answers you need, rather than asking questions such as: ‘What changes do I need to be aware of?’, maybe ask: ‘How do we hand over animals to our clients?’.
Asked what the induction process will be? What time is allocated to it — remember this could be like starting a new job
Established expectations of your role? What is expected on your first day, within your first week and ongoing? What is the role of the other nurses, the vets and admin team at this time? Do not assume and presume your role and responsibilities will be the same as before — ask ask ask!
On your return keep a notebook of all the questions you have, the processes you are unsure of and then make a plan to work through them. Asking others about key areas that you are unsure about will help them target training and get you up to speed more efficiently for everyone. Always ask, just because information has not been offered it does not mean it is not possible to do, it may just not have been thought about or there may not have been the capacity to do it.
As someone returning, you will be bringing an injection of energy and a fresh pair of eyes to the ways of working and the situation. Look for the positive, lean-in to relationships, be intrigued and ask questions, offer ideas and your thoughts, but be kind in how you offer them. You will hear stories of how busy everyone has been, you might get comments on how lovely your garden must be or how good your tan is! I'm not saying that is ok, but try to take a step back before responding — remember comments like these may be aimed at anyone returning — it is a comment in response to the situation, and it is not aimed at you personally.
We can only possibly know the experiences we have had personally through this period. Ultimately, there will be some shared experiences and common themes, but as you can see from the thoughts shared above, working or furloughed, there will have been positives and negatives for everyone concerned. You are all part of your practice team, aim to work together to rebuild that team, ask questions, listen kindly and decide together how you will choose to move forwards, for you, your team, your clients and your patients.
