The spirit of cooperation

A few years ago, I was privileged to be part of a program to teach front-line nursing leaders to master the art of managing a project.  It included identification of a need, problem-solving, developing a plan and implementing the plan.  To a man, they each said the hardest thing associated with the project was getting others to buy into the plan or goal.

Today, I participated in a work group that was developing a fairly simple goal.  Documentation format for a simple treatment of patients - urinary catheter care documentation.  There were around twelve people in the room.  There was already a format to develop the documentation - it still look us almost 2, count 'em, two hours to complete a few pages of electronic documentation.

I left the meeting and went back to the nursing unit where I mentioned as I walked through that I had just left a 'particularly harrowing meeting'.  One of the staff members looked confused and said "Harrowing?  Why would you be taking harrowing at a meeting?"  Now it was my turn to look confused -- "Huh?"

She said, "I don't know what that is."  I spelled it to her, "H A R R O W I N G"  It means, like particularly difficult or scarey.  She laughed and said, "I thought you meant heroin". 

Now it was everyone laughing as we joked about how heroin could be harrowing in the end.

You are wondering how I went from participating in a diffult project to heroin, aren't you? 

COMMUNICATION.  All effective projects are limited and supported by communication.  My interaction with the young staff member depicts the very issue of the project.  Everyone must learn effective communication techniques and use those techniques to be successful in endeavors.  A breakdown in communication leads to failure to succeed.

So, heroin can be harrowing....