Morale of the Nursing Home

I'm a CNA and what causes a "low morale day" for me is having to work with other lazy CNAs and/or getting stuck with the same boring assignment over and over again with people that annoy me. Based on that I would say try to put more variety in the floor plan. Don't put the same CNAs on the same hall every day. I don't think there's much you can do about lazy/annoying employees but at least don't make the same people work with them for days in a row.

Where I work, we have 4 halls and a lot of people are trained to work on more than one. I work 3 and it really helps when I jump around all week. When they put me on the same hall (especially the same assignment on the same hall, uggh) for several days in a row I get so bored and aggravated.

Do you have a staff room? We eat together so one Head Nurse decorated the room, put up pictures of the staff smiling in various poses and surprise shots, added a toaster and brings in cookies or mini danish or something to perk up the meal....then arranged a barbecue for the staff (they all chipped in for the meat...) and they had a great time, took a group picture that she blew up and framed and put on the wall...
Its true that it is hard to work with lazy staff, and the head nurse has to be on them like a wet blanket so the work doesnt fall to the other staff- that will damper any day!!
We do Movie nights in the nsg home- staff suggests (clean) movies and we watch together, we even organized exercise classes but not enuf attended- it might work for you...some facilities let the staff use the treadmill and PT equipment on their hours off- (not us)
I liked the idea of poker hands from another post- if you answered a call bell not from your rooms, you get a card (randomly) and at the end of the shift, the best hand gets a candy bar...
Anyway- good luck
BTW I always found February (with the least sun) to be the month that drags along with the lowest morale...

In answer to fuzzywuzzy, most nursing homes will routinely place the same staff on the same units for long periods of time as it provides for continuity of care, this is something that the state is looking for. There is usually enough work to keep everyone busy that there should be no time for boredom to set in.

We have a shining star program and anyone in the facility can put in a little note to the NHA about someone else that above and beyond their job. The yhave a star placed on a bulletin board and quarterly a little party is had to recognize these people. They also receive a small gift.

Quite a few families donate memorials to us when their loved one passes. Most of the time they will mention that they would like something done for the staff. This is where depending on the time of the year, we have cookouts, picnics, pizza parties, etc.

We have a monthly party, where there are games to play (like bean bag toss and such), food, and drawings for prizes. The prizes are usually like a nice blender, or maybe movie tickets, or something like that. Every single employee is invited and encouraged to attend, from housekeeping to dietary, CNA's, nurses, anyone on payroll. It helps to get to know other shifts as well as all of the people who all work together to keep the facility running smoothly. We also have monthly drawings for people whose name has ended up in the "did good" box, to recognize those who have gone above and beyond to help someone. They usually receive a $50 gas card. It's the little things that help make it a better place to work than most of the facilities I have worked for. Plus, it helps to know that I can go to anyone above me with just about anything. They are truly there to help. I'm lucky to have been hired by such a great company!

First, Nikki69, I applaud you for working towards a more pleasant workplace for the staff you oversee. + .....More managers than you'd think simply aren't concerned with morale.
In all my years of nursing, I've seen every thing from the monthly potluck meal, secret-pals, employee of the month, gift cards given as incentives, the special parking place...you name it....I've worked places where the laziest ones were those who were rewarded the most & held in the highest regard....only to learn later that management hoped that they could improve that person's performance by giving them extra recognition.

I'll tell you about the most meaningful: At my very first job, fresh out of LVN school in 1993...the supervisor would always say, "Thank you" at the end of the shift.

As a newbie, I really didn't understand why she was thanking me for showing up for work, since I was getting paid to be there...so one day, I asked her.

She told me that everyday I was on the schedule, I showed up on time, ready to work...always looked for extra things to do, offering to help anyone I could, and gave +100%....she said that she appreciated the teamwork & how I made a sincere effort to leave things better off than I'd found them. The 2 words 'Thank you' meant more than any other token of appreciation I've ever received...because of the sincerity behind them.

Whatever you decide to implement to improve morale, always make sure to be sincere, consistent & fair......And never, ever give kudos to one who hasn't earned it or doesn't deserve it to "make a point"

And from a different angle....the managers in my building would get a huge boost in their morale if the employees treated us with the same respect we show them and if they would do what they've been asked to do without talking back and giving major attitude.