The recession may be masking some of the nursing shortage because many health care organization have a hiring freeze. What is that feeling like for those of you who are working under these circumstances?

In the July/August 2009 Health Affairs, Dr. Peter Buerhaus and coauthors still project the nursing shortage will grow to 260, 000 registered nurses by 2025. This shortage would be double the nursing shortage experienced in this country in the mid-1960s.

One of the contributing major factors associated with nursing dissatisfaction is nurses’ relationship with their manager.

I recently conducted a case study of three nurse managers who participated in a Healthcare Leadership Coaching Program. The Nurse Managers took part in an assessment of 15 Leadership Competencies before and after the program. Their staff rated them higher on the leadership competencies after the program.

When nurse managers learn coaching skills they learn to ask questions, believe it the nurses they work with, and encourage and support nurses where they want to go. This could be a tremendous asset to any nursing environment.

On Sunday afternoon I read the book “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz. It seems simple enough to live life being impeccable with your word, not taking things personally, not making assumptions, and doing your best. However, I’ve only tried to do it for a day and I realize how near impossible it seems to actually do.

I see myself complaining all the time and now I understand why I have lots of complaining people around me. I take almost everything personally and I always assume I’m right. This may have been my best in the past, but to do my best now I have to stop.

I ask all you out there. What would nursing be like if we were impeccable with our words and never said anything negative about anyone? It seems to me we could have a whole new experience that would be wonderful.

As nurses, lets start a revolution and be impeccable with our words. Further when we see ourselves thinking negative thoughts lets get to the bottom of our pain that produced the negative thought. It always comes from some unhealed place within ourselves. I’m taking this on. How many of you are with me?

Read “The Four Agreements.” It could be a breath of fresh air for our profession and everyone in it.