Yale University EliScholar – A Digital Platform for Scholarly Publishing at Yale Yale School of Nursing Alumni Newsletters and School of Nursing Magazines Winter 1-1-1977 Yale Nurse Yale School of Nursing Follow this and additional works at: http://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ysn_alumninews Recommended Citation Yale School of Nursing, "Yale Nurse" (1977). Yale School of Nursing Alumni Newsletters and Magazines. Book 119. http://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ysn_alumninews/119 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Nursing at EliScholar – A Digital Platform for Scholarly Publishing at Yale. It has been accepted for inclusion in Yale School of Nursing Alumni Newsletters and Magazines by an authorized administrator of EliScholar – A Digital Platform for Scholarly Publishing at Yale. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Yale Nurse Steering Committee Sigma Theta Tau Winter 1977 Yale University School of Nursing Many of you have wondered from time to time what it is that deans, particularly YSN's deans, ALUMNAE ASSSOCIATION do for a living. While Donna has been away on sabbatical, I've had a privileged view of the Newsletter deanship and would like to pass on to you my con ceptualization of the role. I've just returned from a Nurse Educator Conference in Chicago where I had the opportunity to hear Marguerite Schaeffer, D.Sc, speak about, "Managing the Knowledge Work er". I must credit her with providing the con framework for my on the Published three times a year ceptual thoughts deanship. defined the worker" by the YUSNAA Dr. Schaeffer "knowledge as those individuals who work with their "heads" on to do Margaret J. Cushman or rely primarily cognitive activity schools are almost Editor their job. Clearly, nursing entirely made up of knowledge workers and it is dean's to both the work and the Please address all communications to the job manage "working" within the organization (the school) Mrs. Mary C. Colwel 1 , which those workers. Sound mind Executive Secretary, employs knowledge intended to. If there is one Yale School of Nursing boggeling? It's thing that characterizes the dean's role it is Winter 1977 that it simultaneously requires an ability to tolerate chaos and to objectify and analyze the logical progression of work to be done. CONTENTS In summarizing the management literature, Dr. Schaeffer suggested that any organization has to Cover Steering Committee Sigma Theta Tau - undertake three major types of work: L-R Dorothy MacLennan, '52 faculty; Gail 1) Operational work: the day to day manage Kaler '78; Ann Bavier, faculty; Berna- ment commonly referred to as "crisis dette Forget '78; Judy Shindul '78; management" ; Virginia Fidrocki '78. 2) Future work: the planning ahead of goals Photo by Randy Smith to be accomplished and jobs that need to be done to implement them; P. 2 .. From the Assistant Dean 3) Top management work: the integration and p. 3 .. From the Editor synthesis of operational and future work to insure that one is meshed with (as op p. 4 .. Yale School of Nursing Honor Society posed to obstructing) the other. p. 6 .. Kudos One of the dangers in any organization, and ours is no exception, is that the operational work p. 7 .. School Activities will overtake the future work thus impeding pro p. 9 .. Faculty News gress. It is at this juncture that the dean's work is clearly laid before her. p. 10 .. Alumnae News YSN's future work includes plans for develop p. 11 .. Student News ing a continuing education program, creating and evaluating alternative health care delivery models, p. 11 .. Yale Medical Center News and moving nursing into more influential roles in existing health care models, to mention a few. From The Assistant Dean This work must take place against the backdrop of our operational work, maintaining the curriculum, admitting students, teaching students, faculty productivity, etc. In my experience a "typical" day in the dean's office involves an interaction between these necessary work functions of the organization. On the one hand the dean may have to deal with a pressing curriculum need which demands an instant decision that on the other hand will necessarily impact on long-term planning. For instance, if in an attempt to solve today's budgetary problems the school commits itself to joint clinical appointments in certain settings this decision will impact on our ability five years from now to "shift" our faculty from one setting to another, since their source of finan cial support will be partially dependent on the institution to which they are jointly appointed. Since the dean is one of the few people in the organization with a conceptual overview of all the work of the organization it is the dean who must raise questions about how today's decisions will feature influence tomorrow's planning. In addition, the readers. The expanding format includes of dean is constantly confronted with the choices of articles on major happenings at Yale School sections. making immediate decisions to effect today or de Nursing as well as the standing news laying decisions to allow time for planning for Upcoming issues will highlight midwifery at YSN, the future. and YSN and the community. In practice the dean's day is replete with The variety of future editions depends upon appointments, with students, faculty, program you. Contribution of brief articles for publica chairpeople, hospital administrators, university tion, ideas concerning format or content, and the administrators. .people who are responsible for letters to the editor are welcomed. We thank pieces of the work of the School. The "people following reader for being the first to write. issue. work" of the dean does not always progress as Hope to hear from more of you by the next objectively, systematically or logically as the other work of the organization but it is an ***** essential component of evolving a work situation in which people have a sense of achievement, responsibility and meaningful ness. "Knowledge Dear Editor: workers" demand feedback from their work and from the organization. As an agent of the organization, Really enjoyed the last issue of the Yale the dean is one of the people who provides both Nurse - found it in the School library. It took direct feedback and opportunities for feedback me about a week to read it because I can only go from others. to the library late at night when no one's there In short, it is the dean's responsibility to and it's very difficult for me to turn those big facilitate and participate in the definition of pages unless another mouse helps me. I loved all the "product" of the school, the analysis of the the information about the Dedication. I got to work to be done, the logical organization of that watch all of it, plus all the beforehand prepara work, the analysis of the expertise required to tion. Now, life is really great with all those do it and the introduction of check points to carpets. No more cold paws in winter. measure the progress of the work. It is this pro Those of us who were graduates of the origi cess which impacts on "working" at YSN and allows nal program at Cedar Street and got our M.M.N. 's people to do their jobs. (Master of Mouse Nursing) are busy boning up nights Are you tired? I am after only two and one with the cassettes, video tapes, etc., to get up half months on the job! More accurately, I'm dated in our techniques. We watch the physical alternately exhausted and exhilarated. .exhausted assessment classes and then try it on one another by the pace and exhilarated by the possibilities at night. Also, my friends and I use those nifty and potentials contained within the organization. new examining tables that come out of the walls I suspect it is the tug and pull between the pace - quite a challenge for us to put back. and the possibilities that make sabbaticals a We really are excited about all the renova useful respite for deans and other faculty who tions. We love the comfort and convenience and must take time away from being and managing know are hoping that some day if we work very hard, we ledge workers to replenish their supplies. can improve our skills enough to qualify as clini I am sure your dean will return with her cup cal practitioners. We're so impressed with what full. I shall try in the interim, to avoid drain the students of today are learning and doing. ing mine and look forward to the new possibilities Our best wishes for a Happy and Healthy 1978, for collaboration with Donna that my view from Florence N. M.M.N. her seat has allowed us. Skinnytale, - Judith Krauss '70 Assistant Dean The second class of students to enter the three- From The Editor year program took their State Boards in July of 1977, having completed 2 of the 3 years of their This issue of the Yale Nurse features the ef program. One student took the Boards in Oregon, one in New York and the other ten in forts underway among students, faculty and alumnae Connecti cut. Everyone with - to establish a chapter of Sigma Theta Tau at the passed flying colors the scores for the Yale School of Nursing. Several individuals have average group was 623! I They will graduate in of 1978. expressed interest and raised questions about a May Congratulations are due to each one of them!! Sigma chapter after reading about it in previous editions of the Nurse.