Boosting Morale

[Kelly_the_Great]

Hey Guys,

I just read a post on another thread where a nurse gave some examples of things she does to try to boost morale and asked for additional suggestions. So I thought maybe we could start a thread...:)

Here's a portion of her text:

A bag of candy for the nurse with the first discharge, because odds are they will get the first admit.

One day I brought a flower in a vase with a note that said the flower was to brighten your day for one hour and then to pass it on. That flower went around for a couple of days. Nice to see the smiles on the faces of the nurses as well as some doctors.

We have also had drawings, everybody who wants to donates thier change and thier name is entered in a cup. Who evers name is drawn get all the change for the day.

Do any of you have any good ideas of little things that can be done to help keep the moral up?

I might add that the candy doesn't just go to a nurse, if the person cleaning the room gets the room done right a way a bag of candy goes to them, the CA who helps get the room set up for a new patient or gets a hard lab draw, gets a bag of candy. I am open to ideas that you come up with.

I'm new to hospital nursing & am working as a staff nurse in a rural hospital. One of the nurse aides fixes healthy snacks for us on Tuesdays b/c @ times we don't get our lunches. Anyways, my 1st step (in addtn. to already having expressed my thanks to her) is a card I'll give her tomorrow from the nurses!

So how 'bout it, any of you have any suggestions? I'd love to hear them maybe it could really make a difference in someone's day.

[classicmusic09]

Hey Guys,

I just read a post on another thread where a nurse gave some examples of things she does to try to boost morale and asked for additional suggestions. So I thought maybe we could start a thread...:)

Here's a portion of her text:

I'm new to hospital nursing & am working as a staff nurse in a rural hospital. One of the nurse aides fixes healthy snacks for us on Tuesdays b/c @ times we don't get our lunches. Anyways, my 1st step (in addtn. to already having expressed my thanks to her) is a card I'll give her tomorrow from the nurses!

So how 'bout it, any of you have any suggestions? I'd love to hear them maybe it could really make a difference in someone's day.

Pitch Ins and Pizza Parties are nice! They are incredible energy boosters!

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

I had a horrible shift the other day and I got to go to the box. Where it is full of prizes for diffent events. I chose a plastic drinking cup with a straw-only cost a small amount of money but I felt appreciated. It doesnt take much really.

[RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN]

Gift cards in small denominations for the cafeteria are nice. Where I did my clinical rotation, the nurses would rotate and bring something in (bagels with cream cheese or the like). They always had something on that table to grab and go-especially since lunch was non-existent on that floor. They also had a huge basket with snacks, fruits etc available on that table. It really meant the world of a difference to the cranky nurse/aide that didn't get to take their lunch yet again. I know I get hypoglycemic and very cranky if I don't eat.

Mgmt, keeps that basket full but you'll be surprised how the employees bring stuff in and keep it overflowing. I used to bring single serving cereal boxes and they were a hit

[ceecel.dee, MSN, RN]

In my former life (staff development nurse at a small, rural hospital) I took on the "morale issue" (sigh). This is an exhausting project if administration does not recognize the issue as important.

I like the "flower for an hour" idea...one I never thought of.

I think that morale must be seen as a worthwhile working project by the staff too...they must be bought in...or burn-out is inevitable. All (at least most) must be active participants at the urging of administration.

I'll leave that project, happily, to someone who retains the energy needed.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

My morale is boosted whenever a coworker, nurse manager, patient, or family member says something to the effect of "Good job" or "Thank you." For me, it is the little things that add up most substantially.