B W Bach | PubMed Health

PubMed1998

The language of mentoring in a health care environment.

In this article, 4 models were tested on the relations among mentoring, job expectations, job reward value, job involvement, and organizational commitment of hospital nurses. In the model with the best fit to the data, mentoring and job expectations were positively related to job reward value. Organizational commitment and job involvement were increased by job reward value. A direct effect on organizational commitment was found for mentor assistance in learning skills. Specific methods used by mentors to convey supportive communication to their protégés included encouraging them to do their best, helping them gain additional training, providing support and encouragement when others criticize, helping deal with jealousy, and providing protégés with needed information. Nurse mentors were admired for standing up to administration and for challenging unfair decisions, thoughtless actions, and lack of respect on the part of administrators, doctors, and patients. Nurses indicated that working hard and not having anyone notice, being frequently criticized and rarely rewarded, and being exposed to serious diseases were particularly challenging and stressful aspects of nursing. Implications of this study for nurses and those working in health care environments are that mentoring and organizational commitment may be avenues for increasing the degree to which nurses feel that their job is rewarding.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1988

Communication between physicians and physical therapists.

The purposes of this study were 1) to identify therapists' and physicians' attitudes and opinions about the physician-physical therapist communication dyad, 2) to identify potential areas for improvement in this communication process, and 3) to provide physical therapists and physical therapy students with basic guidelines for optimal communications. Ten physical therapists and 8 physicians participated in individual interviews that were taped and subsequently transcribed. The transcriptions were compiled and analyzed by an interpersonal communication expert (B.W.B.) for trends and themes. Findings of the study include 1) physical therapists want increased accessibility to and communication with physicians and 2) physicians want brief communication with clear objective data provided by the therapists. Basic guidelines developed for physical therapy students as a result of this study include 1) identify physicians with whom you can communicate most easily, 2) learn your physicians' schedules, 3) organize beforehand so that communication is clear and concise, 4) be polite but self-assured, 5) ask your supervisor or other staff therapists for advice, and 6) use the telephone discriminately. This study emphasizes that communication with physicians must be approached on an individual basis. Each physician differs in personality, philosophy of patient care, and expectations of physical therapy. Therapists should take the initiative in developing good rapport and maintaining a viable relationship with physicians.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗