This time of year brings a fresh beginning for many. Whether you are welcoming students into the classroom or into the clinical setting, welcoming new nurses to the unit or floor, or starting school or a new job yourself, this is a time when the “little things” can make a big difference. Let’s revisit some tried and true strategies for making a first impression to give yourself and others a solid start.

Smile.

The benefits of smiling are numerous! Smiling can actually impact your mood, even if the smile isn’t genuine. Using those muscles releases dopamine and serotonin, which are mood-boosters. Also, smiling is contagious. Often, it’s an unconscious reaction to smile back at someone who is smiling at you. So, if you smile, you are not only impacting your own mood, but those around you as well. Plus, it’s been shown to help you live longer and healthier!

Listen.

So. Many. Interruptions. Do you feel it too? How often are you cut off during a conversation and how does that make you feel? So often, we ‘listen’ to respond; we are formulating what we will say before the person we are conversing with is done talking. Make a conscious effort to listen and hear what the other person is saying. It demonstrates respect and allows the other person to feel heard. Even when they are done speaking, take a minute to gather your thoughts before you reply.

Ask questions.

Unsure of something? Don’t guess the right answer or arbitrarily approach a task you are unsure of. Ask questions, be curious, and seek out learning experiences. Also, need to break the ice with a new colleague, student, or teacher? Ask them to tell you about their journey to their current role. It can put the other person at ease and help you get to know them. They can share what they are comfortable with, and they may even ask you to share your story too.

Be aware of bias.

We all have implicit biases; they are generated by automatic cognitive processes. What’s important is that we try to identify them and counter them. To do this, be open to broadening your social circles and spend more time with people that are different from yourself. Be mindful, be welcoming, and practice humility.

Collaborate.

We are all in this together! It takes a team to care for people and we all have a role to play. Patients are the center of the team with providers, staff, family, and caregivers collaborating to inform and educate, provide care and compassion, and respect the patients’ wishes. To provide the best care, we must work together, drawing on one another’s knowledge and expertise.

Say ‘thank you.’

Gratitude is the quality of being thankful, the readiness to show appreciation, and to then return that kindness (Cumella, 2022). Being grateful can upend even the most negative situations and force us to shift our thinking and consider a different perspective. Also, demonstrating gratitude does not need to be a grand gesture; often a simple ‘thank you’ goes a long way in making someone feel appreciated.  
What other strategies do you use to contribute to an environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and friendly?

References:

Beamish, A. J., Foster, J. J., Edwards, H., & Olbers, T. (2019). What's in a smile? A review of the benefits of the clinician's smile. Postgraduate medical journal, 95(1120), 91–95. https://doi.org/10.1136/postgradmedj-2018-136286

Cumella, K. (2022). Gratitude journals can improve nurses’ mental well-being. Nursing2022, 52(12), 58-61. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NURSE.0000884760.97338.8b

 

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