WORK SESSION #2:

New Nurse Outreach x 10

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“New nurses are ANTI-UNION. They are UNGRATEFUL for what the union has done. And they are SELFISH and APATHETIC.”

• Have you heard others say these things or reflect these beliefs in their attitudes and actions toward new members?

• Do you find yourself saying these things?

• Are these true?

• What is wrong with this way of thinking?

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When it comes to engaging new nurses . . .

• There is no “magic solution” to be found, so save yourself the time of looking for it.

• Lots of information available on generational differences—most of it not very useful.

• There is a danger in focusing too much on differences vs. similarities.

• Also dangerous to over-generalize. Get to know your own new members. This means LISTENING!

• Most important: Engagement means organizing!

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Union as “First Friend, Best Friend” as a strategy for building enthusiasm . . .

• New nurses, regardless of age/experience, share needs for survival and success. They want support in the form of a person on the job when they need it.

• This gives us the perfect opportunity to engage in a relevant way that builds enthusiasm.

• But it requires that we organize our efforts so all new nurses get a personal contact at least twice a month over the first few months to year on the job related to real needs.

• Help to:– Know the worksite and their colleagues– Survive and thrive professionally– Navigate bureaucracy and cope with worklife “events”– Understand the union (and the contract)– Learn the value of union membership/activism

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We need to say and new nurses need to hear . . .

“Your success on the job is a priority of your union

and an important part of my job as a union activist.”

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Some thoughts about “captive audience” orientation events . . .

• Carefully examine the effectiveness of current efforts. Are we achieving what we think we are achieving? Do we even know what we are trying to achieve?

• Have we asked new nurses who attended the orientation what they think?

• Are we giving deliberate thought to things like: Who is the best “messenger?” How do we take care not to “third party” the union? How do we stand out as an organization of nurses, a community of colleagues vs. an extension of the employer or just another bureaucracy? What is the central message we ware trying to communicate? How do we focus to ensure that is what is heard?.

• What can we do to make sure that the orientation just the beginning of our outreach efforts?

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ACTIVITY ONEIn your group, consider the previous discussion about “captive audience” orientation events, and . . .

•If your local unit currently participates in such an event:

“How can we evaluate what we are doing and/or what improvements can we make immediately?”

•If your local unit currently does not participate in such an event:

“How can we gain a place on the orientation event agenda (if one exists) and/or how can we improve the quality of our

first contact with each newly hired nurse?”

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ACTIVITY TWO• In your group, brainstorm a list of three to five “needs”

new nurses might have in relation to the following:

– Knowing the worksite and their colleagues– Surviving and thriving professionally– Navigating bureaucracy and coping with worklife “events”– Understanding the union (and the contract)– Learning the value of union membership/activism

• Then for each of the needs you have identified, see if you can come up with at least one way the union might meet that need, preferably with a personal contact.