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Biomedical subjects

R L Veninga

Publications and source records attributed to R L Veninga.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Preserving our vitality: strategies for personal and professional growth.

How then can we stay renewed in our work? How best to manage the stresses that diminish our vitality? Establish priorities. Find creative solutions to organisational dilemmas. Manage conflicts skillfully. Give support to one another and protect your health. For if you do these things, your work will have new meaning, and that which is important will be rediscovered by you-and everyone you meet on your journey.

Efficiency, Organizational↗
PubMed1994

Valuing our differences. How to manage a culturally diverse work force.

How can we become aware of cultural blind spots that keep us from understanding one another? To adequately prepare for the new work force, healthcare organizations must establish work force diversity goals. Of course, goals by themselves will not empower minority workers. And if goals are perceived as "window dressing," resentment builds. Most organizations claim their hiring practices are not biased. One way to ensure that your hiring practices are unbiased is to ask important questions: Does the ethnic makeup of our work force resemble that of the community? If not, what can be done to strengthen our affirmative action programs? In a multicultural work force, misunderstandings are bound to arise because human behavior is conditioned by cultural factors. One way for an organization to identify problems that are culturally based is for supervisors and subordinates to meet informally to ensure that the organization is maximizing the minority worker's talents. Climate surveys and exit interviews are two other frequently used methods. Cultural diversity training programs can also make a difference in an organization. Some training programs help participants learn how culture influences the way we communicate. Knowledge of the cultural basis of how we interact is one factor in building bridges of understanding.

Conflict, Psychological↗
PubMed1992

Rekindling the spark. Five strategies to help healthcare administrators remain motivated when facing change.

Many healthcare administrators find it difficult to stay renewed in their careers as pressure mounts on an already stressful work environment. Five strategies can rekindle the spark that once made a healthcare career so attractive. Sharply focused goals are the infrastructure of a harmonious work environment. When people progress toward achieving goals, dissatisfaction with their work environment decreases. Healthcare administrators must also find solutions to problems that chip away at happiness, such as chronic understaffing or a personality conflict with a colleague. If supervisors develop positive problem-solving attitudes, employees tend to emulate them. Administrators need to personalize their leadership style. If subordinates sense their administrator is involved in their occupational struggles, their loyalty will increase and their stress will decrease. A manager needs to be surrounded by creative, energized people because upbeat people have a way of renewing one's spirits. Meaningful friendships can provide support and a fresh perspective on problems. Finally, healthcare administrators must remain steadfastly hopeful even when budgets cast red ink and the future direction of healthcare is uncharted.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1990

Strategies for managing the merger. Helping the staff adjust.

A strong reason why many mergers fail is the corporation's neglect of the human side of the venture; the resulting high turnover of personnel naturally takes its toll on the young conglomerate. While keeping everyone satisfied is obviously not easy (or even possible), there are concrete strategies for leading your staff through the transition.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1989

Meetings that matter. Committees are here to stay, so we might as well learn how to deal with them.

In any hospital during any hour of the day or night, there are meetings. These meetings represent an enormous cost and, if not managed properly, a drain on institutional resources. Nevertheless, committees will continue to be a permanent hospital fixture because they are a critical management tool to resolve complex issues. What are the advantages of implementing a sound committee structure within the hospital? Group problem solving is generally superior to individual problem solving. Small groups represent one of the best ways of gaining consensus on politically sensitive issues. And committees can actually decrease hospital costs. Hospital administrators can follow seven steps to create a meaningful committee structure: Determine the necessity. Select the members. Have an agenda. Begin and end promptly. Keep the meeting focused. Expect resistance to new ideas. Reward productive group members.

Cost Control↗
PubMed1987

When bad things happen to good nursing departments: how to stay hopeful in tough times.

How does a crisis impact a hospital? And how should nursing executives manage the crisis so that productivity and morale remain high? The purpose of this article is to trace an organizational crisis from its inception to its resolution. Every crisis has predictable components that if recognized will enable an administrator to diminish interpersonal hostility and conflict. Key strategies for resolving a crisis include sending objective messages to staff concerning the magnitude of the crisis, enlisting staff support in resolving problems contributing to the crisis, and projecting an optimistic vision of the future.

Communication↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Crisis management: strategies for building morale in uncertain times.

In economically stringent times, clinical laboratory managers face additional obstacles to boosting morale. This article describes five time-tested strategies that help strengthen morale in these tough times, including: developing a culture supportive of collaborative problem solving, controlling rumors, building a group identity, making yourself available, and projecting an attitude of hope. By using these strategies, laboratory managers will improve their chances of staying hopeful and positive during this time of crisis and change. In addition to the practical techniques described, managers will also learn that uncertain times require looking beyond the bottom line to their staffs and their needs. Managers must learn how to care and affirm others to truly succeed in building morale in these uncertain times. This article combines practical advice with stories and anecdotes from a variety of settings--from East Indian folklore to the television series "M*A*S*H" Managers will find both ways to stay positive when the joy has gone out of their work and reminders of why we must remain hopeful in the face of crises.

Laboratories, Hospital↗
PubMedDate not supplied

After the downsizing. How to build loyalty and productivity in the wake of restructuring.

The restructuring forced on many healthcare organizations today increases employees' stress and threatens their loyalty and productivity. To restore trust and improve morale, and maintain hope, healthcare leaders can implement six strategies: Clearly communicate decisions that affect employees, using verbal and written methods, and show compassion to displaced workers and acknowledge their contributions. Support remaining employees. Tell them why they survived and provide them with new challenges. Allow employees to participate in developing a shared vision of the organization's future. Empower employees by rewarding their accomplishments appropriately. Workers perform better when they develop their "personal power" and believe they are part of a team facing new challenges. Focus on learning and professional growth. New knowledge sparks workers' imaginations and helps them find better ways to accomplish their goals. Ask employees to reflect on their professional legacies-what they wish to be remembered for.

Efficiency↗