Incentive for aides

You mention the aides who do just enough to get by. Any chance of getting rid of the dead weight? A big morale booster would be having a team where everyone comes in ready to work and work together for pt. care and comfort.

Then there is always:

Gift certificates to a nice restaurant or specialty store (ie, cinnabuns, starbucks)

Manicure

Facial

Massage

Flowers

Gift certificate to uniform store

Employee of the month/quarter could have 4 hours PTO

The above could be the CNA's choice, to be able to choose from a pool of goodies. The gift certificates can be $5-10 for the monthly award and a higher amt. for the quarterly award. Let us know how it goes.

We used to 'catch' CNAs doing something really well or a staff member going above and beyond. Since we had a union it was difficult to reward extra good job performance without causing a ruckus. So, we went out and bought gift certificates for the local grocery store which also sold gas. It was all very unofficial, but the staff members who were rewarded certainly appreciated it.

I write letters to thank CNA's who go above and beyond and it gets put in their files.

Thank you's are still important, but twice a year we send 3 employees (with their date) to a fancy restaurant, we also give financial bonuses to employees who respect their shifts, don't call in or come late etc.

The problem is I am more "on the field" than the adm. who doesn't always check with me as to who gets these rewards and sometimes the rewarded employee is not one that I would choose. So I just shut up. The good ones know...

CNA morale depends alot on the floor nurses I think. If nurses are willing to help out and be nice ("thank you, nice work or that resident looks great today") morale starts to go up little by little. (I've been conducting my own informal test with this). So I would start there.

I agree, getting rid of dead weight helps tremendously. Nurses need to start writing up those not carrying their load.

We have Good job cards at our facility. I fill them out like mad. At the end of the month, a few of them are drawn for gift certificates 5-10 bucks or so.

There must be a CNA forum on this site? I would love to see this thread moved there and what the responses are. Or maybe it would be too volatile a thread?

I agree with getting rid of the dead weight. Nothing kills a good mood faster then having to work short because so and so called in again. I can see the morale going down when one or two CNAs have to do the work of another CNA all day long. I do not care how many times a floor nurse writes up a CNA it means nothing if management does nothing about it. When you have a crew of good workers that can work as a team you have good morale.

Working as an aide, I could definitely agree with that. I would rather work short than with someone who refuses to carry their weight, or has an attitude etc

Does your facility have a newslettter? We just started one a few months ago ( we have a new activites director that just rocks). There are little tidbits about staff in a little section. Maybe you can start something like that.

I like the cheap and easy written letters that you would give to the CNAs and also include it in thier file. Remember to let them know if a family or resident gives them positve reviews.

Things I use include:

1. Hand written thank you notes that I mail to their homes...and place a copy in their H/R file.

2. I have a communication board in our nurses station where we communicate QI info, Education, etc. One column on this board is for all staff to post Thank you notes to each other....C.N.A.-C.N.A., Charge Nurse to C.N.A. and C.N.A. to Charge Nurse. The under performers who never get thanked tend to step it up a bit and those that provide the thank you's seem to get as much appreciation out of it at those who are thanked. (WORDY...Sorry).

3. Our organization has a RROAR committee...(Recognize & Reward Outstanding Actions Regularly) A committee meets monthly to review nominations based on pre-established criteria. Nominations can come from any employee, family or resident...awards range from High Honors - nice fleece jackets with company logo, Honors - pick of Coffee Mug, Umbrella, Lunch Bag. During NH/Hospital Week all people with Honors have their name placed in for a drawing for $1000.00

4. I bring in goodies for staff meetings and if there has been a particularly difficult shift have pizza delivered for the staff as an immediate reward.

5. The Charge Nurses (RN, LPN) are involved in immediate recognition for jobs well done, never underestimate the meaning of recognizing how well a resident looks, how well they are positioned or the approach a C.N.A. has taken that achieves positive results. The correct words used at the correct time has a powerful impact on staff behavior. Too often we as nurses criticize what is wrong but don't stop to praise what is right.

Hope this provides some ideas

i love the idea of a thank you board!!! we have an extra wipeoff board in our charting room. i'm going to steal your idea away if you dont mind.

i try to do things for them personally. i plan dinners with the staff. you know, like pot luck dinner for the 3-11 shift. when i have coupons i get them donuts. i order them pizza when they are having a hard shift or beg the kitchen to feed them for free. my DON fusses at me constantly for spending my own money on things but i like to do what i can to show them how much i appreciate them...be it a homemade cake, bagel and juice for breakfast or a card just to say thanks.

i was a cna and i know how hard that job is. on my worst day they still work harder than i do. i try to make sure i dont forget to tell them how much i appreciate them.