Re: A Simple Thank You

Abstract

I was pleased to read Maureen Iacono’s article, “A simple thank you,”1Iacono M.V. A simple thank you.J Perianesth Nurs. 2011; 26: 164-166Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (3) Google Scholar and wish to provide accolades to the writer. As a postanesthesia care unit nurse for more than 16 years, I agree wholeheartedly with the notion that perianesthesia nurses live behind closed doors in a private vacuum. The perianesthesia environment is an area that is easily overlooked and forgotten by patients and their families during satisfaction surveys. So, the power of verbal and nonverbal praise provided by leadership cannot be overemphasized. However, I would like to contribute another dimension to the cause.Both rural and urban health care systems are infusing foreign-trained nurses into the organizations in an effort to address staffing shortages. In 2008, 13% of all newly licensed registered nurses were foreign trained.2Schumacher E.J. Foreign-born nurses in the US labor market.Health Econ. 2011; 20: 362-378Crossref PubMed Scopus (31) Google Scholar Although foreign-trained nurses are exuberantly welcomed to the organizations, leading the culturally diverse group comes with numerous considerations. Specifically, one peer-reviewed article’s research found that not all languages have a direct translation for the English praise, “thank you.”3Okougha M. Tilki M. Experience of overseas nurses: The potential for misunderstanding.Br J Nurs. 2010; 19: 102-106PubMed Google Scholar For example, the people of Ghana use intonation within a sentence rather than expressing the exact words, “thank you.”3Okougha M. Tilki M. Experience of overseas nurses: The potential for misunderstanding.Br J Nurs. 2010; 19: 102-106PubMed Google Scholar The same research found that “thank you” is not routinely used within the Filipino culture. To maximize the benefits of praise, one strategy that all leaders may implement is simply to ask the staff how they wish to be praised—publicly, privately, or in writing. As leaders, we want to express our praise effectively and avoid offending our colleagues.Thank you for your time. I was pleased to read Maureen Iacono’s article, “A simple thank you,”1Iacono M.V. A simple thank you.J Perianesth Nurs. 2011; 26: 164-166Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (3) Google Scholar and wish to provide accolades to the writer. As a postanesthesia care unit nurse for more than 16 years, I agree wholeheartedly with the notion that perianesthesia nurses live behind closed doors in a private vacuum. The perianesthesia environment is an area that is easily overlooked and forgotten by patients and their families during satisfaction surveys. So, the power of verbal and nonverbal praise provided by leadership cannot be overemphasized. However, I would like to contribute another dimension to the cause. Both rural and urban health care systems are infusing foreign-trained nurses into the organizations in an effort to address staffing shortages. In 2008, 13% of all newly licensed registered nurses were foreign trained.2Schumacher E.J. Foreign-born nurses in the US labor market.Health Econ. 2011; 20: 362-378Crossref PubMed Scopus (31) Google Scholar Although foreign-trained nurses are exuberantly welcomed to the organizations, leading the culturally diverse group comes with numerous considerations. Specifically, one peer-reviewed article’s research found that not all languages have a direct translation for the English praise, “thank you.”3Okougha M. Tilki M. Experience of overseas nurses: The potential for misunderstanding.Br J Nurs. 2010; 19: 102-106PubMed Google Scholar For example, the people of Ghana use intonation within a sentence rather than expressing the exact words, “thank you.”3Okougha M. Tilki M. Experience of overseas nurses: The potential for misunderstanding.Br J Nurs. 2010; 19: 102-106PubMed Google Scholar The same research found that “thank you” is not routinely used within the Filipino culture. To maximize the benefits of praise, one strategy that all leaders may implement is simply to ask the staff how they wish to be praised—publicly, privately, or in writing. As leaders, we want to express our praise effectively and avoid offending our colleagues. Thank you for your time. A Simple Thank YouJournal of PeriAnesthesia NursingVol. 26Issue 3PreviewWHEN YOU RECEIVE a thank you note or a letter of praise, someone has taken a few moments to remind you of your gift, your contribution, or your value. If a verbal acknowledgment of your skills or interventions is made, the same message is shared: Thank you for what you did, for how you made a difference, for caring. Do you graciously accept the praise or do you think, “I’m just doing my job” or “It was nothing special”? Do you dismiss the thank you and indicate that it was somehow not deserved? If this is the case, the message is diminished and the person extending thanks is less appreciated in the response. Full-Text PDF