The Downside of Premature Application
I am recently attending the RN Residency Program at work. One recurring topic that the instructors delve upon is assertiveness. “Assertiveness is the ability to express yourself and your rights without violating the rights of others. It is appropriately direct, open, and honest communication which is self-enhancing and expressive.” I have no objection that such notion is constantly being ingrained to us. In fact, there is a connotation that nurses are passive, and assertiveness is some instances are very much vital.
Arguably, I am opposed to the notion of pseudo-assertiveness. Pseudo assertiveness would fall on the category of situations not requiring assertiveness, but people are doing it anyway so as to have a story in the debriefing session of the RN Residency Program, as applied to its attendees. I would call it as a gray are in being assertive and aggressive.
For the purpose of example and not for the purpose of full disclosure, there was one attendee who would fall into the category of pseudo-assertiveness. An RN orientee made a big deal about a Respiratory Therapist mistaking her for a student, and not as an RN. Then, she delivered a spiel: “I am an RN now, and not my preceptor’s student.” She considered it as an act of assertiveness. Not to burst her bubble, I would say that the mistake was an honest one, and would not warrant a very remarkable and assertive correction.
One of the pitfalls of having a well-appreciated concept (in this case, assertiveness) in the class is to have a premature application. This is an appeal to my fellow attendees of the RN Residency Program. I suppose it would be more appropriate if we would apply the concepts that we learned based on its needs, and not based on the whimper of a suggestion. Arguably, people will eventually detect what is a genuine assertive experience as opposed to whimper crazed-driven pseudo assertiveness.
Now that I have used the word “assertive” and its derivatives more than 4 times in this entry, I hereby pronounced thee as a commonplace word.
2 comments:
Hello Paul Ryan Hernandez!!!! Assertiveness in the workplace is indeed so important. We are our patients advocates, and it is in our assertiveness that we are able to tell the doctors what is happening to the patients, and with our experience on the floor, we can suggest in a tactful manner what we think should be done. I always appreciate doctors that would call me and sit down with me to discuss what is happening to a patient and would ask me for my suggestions. It makes me feel so important in the treatment of my patient. I think it is also in whatyou know. Kung isip eng-eng ka, kung ako ang doctor, why would I trust your judgement. When you know what you are talking about, the doctor would always trust your nursing judgement and skills. See you Thursday!
I agree with being assertive!!! I am really for it. I may have made my claim too implicit. What I find objectionable is is pseudo-assertiveness which I defined above.
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