Think about what you will do when they are gone, and do that right now…

Today's healthcare environment is filled with challenges. Particularly for our managers who often find themselves reacting to one crisis after another. These events weigh on them, and can impact them mentally and physically. In healthcare, have you ever heard the statement, "she went home to sleep, so she can work tonight" or "she was at her father's birthday party, but had to leave early due to an unexpected call-out at work". These situations are not uncommon for nurse leaders. Their resiliency will fade over time, and these work practices are unsustainable. They will eventually decide to quit or even leave the profession. My message to leaders is to "think about what you will do when this leader is no longer there, and EXECUTE those creative strategies right now!" How will you fill that shift when you no longer have that leader to call on. Perhaps your conversations with the team might look a little different. Perhaps, you will look at the resources that you do have and allocate them differently. Perhaps you will EXECUTE a robust on-call schedule that would prevent your leader from receiving requests to come to work when they are spending valuable time with their families. Whatever you will do then, do it now,  and protect the precious resource you have in your mid-level leaders.