Avoiding self-defeating feelings. Tips for managers.

The feelings identified in this article are self-defeating and harmful to the OR nurse and the nursing profession. To be successful in the operating room, a nurse manager needs skill in reacting to stressful situations so that he or she can deliver quality, cost-effective care.

The immature employee. A manager's challenge.

Skill in managing immature employees is seldom learned in nursing management classes and is usually developed as a result of difficult experiences. A technique in which limits are set is most effective. As with other difficult management situations, the manager cannot expect immediate rewards. The immature employee who has trouble with authority will not readily offer appreciation to his or her manager. The manager's reward is knowing that he or she handled the situation well.

New managers: establishing a niche with former peers.

Being a well-prepared manager involves having managerial and interpersonal skills. Establishing a proper distance with subordinates is one of the interpersonal skills that gives a new manager the most difficulty. Following the guidelines in this article for establishing healthy interpersonal distancing can benefit all managers--experienced, new, and would-be.

Changing nursing students' attitudes--an exploratory study.

Stereotypes, competition, and limited contact can contribute to nursing students from different programs developing negative attitudes about one another. This study applies an attitude change model to a small sample of nursing students in different programs to determine if this negative attitude can be changed.

Maintaining student interest in CAI.

Students seem to be losing interest in computer assisted nursing instruction (CAI). CAI needs to be stimulating and motivating to promote optimal learning. This article presents four instructional design features of CAI that facilitate interest and motivation: objectives, attentiveness, individual control, and reinforcement. Authors of software should use these features in design and nurse educators should include these design issues when evaluating CAI for purchase.