ER Morale

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Hi folks, looking for a little help.

Our ED is going through some changes and not all of them are viewed as positive. There seems to be a lot of burn out and the majority of our seasoned nurses simply do not want to be there. My question is what kind of things can be done to boost the morale in the department?

Does anyone here do anything "special" for the nurses? Recognition? Anything

Thanks in advance

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

i am on the celebration committe at work. once a month we plan a pot luck or hand out cup cakes or do something nice for the staff. we do this for both shifts, and it's lots of fun. we also decorate the nurses station for holidays and make sure when it's your birthday you get a card and a happy birthday.

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Specializes in PICU, surgical post-op.

I don't work in the ED, but our PICU has been a warzone recently. We've unofficially started "happy hour." Most days, one of the nurses will bring in a special treat to share with everyone. A cake, fruit salad, pretzels, whatever. We try to hold off until 5, but usually break into it soon after lunch. Just having someone come around and announce that it's happy hour at the nurse's station has been doing wonders for our morale, even if there's no alcohol involved!

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Specializes in ER/EHR Trainer.

I have some suggestions that may or may not work. First your management team needs to be aware of the general morale issue. If they put their heads in the sand, then some of my suggestions will not work. Management along with physicians remember all nurses including agency and travelers during nurses week, and during ER nurses week. Physicians have brought in holiday meals for entire staff-every holiday.

We have an annual fund that all nurses contribute to for birthdays, baby shower gifts, moving on gifts and parties, and occassional lunches, and or dinners. We also provide input on how to recognize those in our departments. New orientees have a Meet and Greet Board-it has their picture and a bio(GN or experienced nurse). We also have a monthly mentions board for those nurses thanked by their patients either in survey, phone call, or letter. We are currently studying in groups for CEN exam, take classes together, and sometimes hang out. As a fairly new nurse who is older-I've made it my personal mission to thank those 'older, burnt, cranky nurses" for their input, help and experience. I share my experiences, ask for their advice, and thank them, thank them, thank them. I encourage others to do the same. It has made a difference with some-I want them to know they are appreciated!

People tend to care about something if they are personally vested in it's success. The other thing that is a known fact, people hate change! You never know, the changes that are being made may be for the better.

Good Luck

Maisy;)

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Specializes in ED, trauma, flight.

We've been through a lot of change where I work. We have had some very dynamic leaders and some, well, not so much...I'm not sure how your department is run or structured, but I imagine like most EDs, that it is terribly busy, no one gets breaks on a regular basis, you have boarders for days (many unit players, too), the doctor's offices dump on Friday afternoons, and the staffing stinks. Oh, and let me guess, the floors complain constantly and avoid taking report even though there are 25 inthe WR and an eight hour wait. Been there, still hanging out...

Anyway, I have found that the most important thing is that the staff has a voice. The traditional model of nursing and hospital management is not working. At some point, a core charge team was developed and implemented. This gave us some leadership opportunities and skills we had a part in decision making. It's really just an extension of the shared governance model in so many leadership courses. When the medical staff made a decision on how to run the dept without nurse input, they actually got told about it! It didn't solve all of the problems, as there will always be some even in the best of circumstances. What it came down do was that the nurses became empowered to do what it took to get their part of the job done. Bed management and patient flow became an initiative for the entire hospital. We had a manager who gave us a voice and stood up for us. If you have a lousy manger, it's a long road. I feel your pain and wish you luck!

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Specializes in ER, Med Surg, Endoscopy, Telemetry.

My ER experience has been that there never seem to be enough nurses and the workload is frequently impossible. I get discouraged too, because it seems that all the people making the big bucks sit in ivory towers while those in the trenches are working hardest. Does anyone else feel this way???

I don't know what all the answers are but I can say for myself that a little praise goes a long way with me. It at least makes me feel good for a couple of days.

Overall, I guess much depends on WHY the morale is low. Is it b/c of the changes you mentioned? Maybe a staff mtg should be held for everyone to voice their opinions and state a better solution, if there is one. But if a lot of changes have been made by admin without consulting nurses, but AFFECTING them, I can understand the poor morale.

Other than that, if there are nurses who are "burned out and don't want to be there" then they maybe should look at transferring to another unit for a refreshing change of pace. Sometimes you can get so burnt that you tend to lose your objectivity and sensitivity-dangerous in the ED!

A nice raise $$ never hurt either. Money talks and bull*&*# walks.:monkeydance:

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Specializes in ER, Occupational Health, Cardiology.

Having someone from management bring boxed lunches (suppers) on those days when nothing seems to be going right and few, if any, are able to get a BR break, much less a meal.

Also, on busy days, taking "drink orders" and coming back with tall, cool drinks and homemade cookies.

One time we were given an insulated cup-~~~yeehaw~~~, but upon opening it, found $50 inside.

Our hospital was undergoing restructuring, and they were trying, I'll say that for them.

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Thanks to all who responded so far. Some really nice ideas there. To those that have asked, other than the usual morale bruisers such as extremely busy, short staffed, the entire hospital treating us like the "red headed step-children", we also have closed our minor care, re-opened it IF we have extra staff and extra docs (what planet that occurs on I would like to know). Otherwise every bed is to have a patient in it at all times, but you will get reamed if you have a toothache in a monitored room (because that was the last bed) and an ambulance rolls in.

Plus in the non-punitive world of nursing, every screw-up warrants education right. Well we have several folks who have been "educated" on the same thing close to 10 times. If you don't start making it punitive at that point, then the rest of the staff has to wonder why they are working thier collective butts off with no reward.

I guess the ones who are "burned out" myself included just need a reason to keep on keeping on. I (we) love our jobs but it's obvious that management isn't going to make it better. So I guess it's up to us.

Please keep the ideas coming!:biere:

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Specializes in ER, Med Surg, Endoscopy, Telemetry.

i really feel for you and what you all must be experiencing. i have a friend who works er and they each have a 7-bed assignment. that is an impossible task!! she said she didn't go to lunch until 3:45 p.m. one day. she applied for and got another job in her city-not at a hospital!! another rn who works with her had not been off orientation long when mandatory ot was thrust on her when she had already made plans. so now she has applied elsewhere. there you go, mgmt just keeps running us off to other less stressful, out of hospital employment. :angryfire plus she tells me that the younger new grads think they are entitled to day shift positions right from the get go, and don't want to work. :uhoh3: i can certainly understand low morale in that type setting.

there is so much in nursing to be annoyed at, yet i still believe it is one of the best professions there is b/c of the choices we have. i sure hope things improve for you. :balloons:

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Specializes in Rural Health.

We have a thank you board - thank your co-workers. At each staff meeting we draw for a $10 GC to something in town. We have bi-monthly "treats" days/evenings where we get stuff like ice cream floats, happy hour (with virgin drinks), Mexican day, etc...We have picinics that are put on and the food is served by administration.

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Our ER is really, really having a hard time too. Over the past few years most of the old-timers have quit. There are no breaks and haven't been for years. Most of our doctors have left too when the organization stopped paying for their health insurance and retirement and malpractice and started subcontracting with some pretty marginal docs. At least, they're not the kind I'm used to working with. Some of our old guys and gals had been here for twenty or twenty-five years.

We also have had four or five new forms added to our each and every patient who walks through. The patients have very long waits because the nurses upstairs don't take report, or don't have staff to accept patients (like we do!) I work twelve hour shifts and never stop--except for lunch--I WILL eat lunch. Lunch is 1/2 hour. The other nurses in the hospital get 45 minutes or an hour. Our techs don't help (except for a few jewels who do work--but they never stay long) and don't get held accountable. The ER is dirty, dirty, dirty, and housekeeping doesn't seem to care, so we clean the toilets ourselves and mop the floors so we aren't embarassed to bring patients back. Doesn't help much--after a four hour wait people are angry anyway.

Our director is angry with us a lot because things aren't going well. Changes are made without our input and that's just the way it is. People are leaving in droves--and still i'm staying on; a few of us are because we hear it's worse elsewhere and I don't really want to do any other kind of nursing. But last week I saw a nurse get punched by a patient--frightening.

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I got so sick of the management induced "ice cream sundae" parties in the hospital and all of the little fluffy crap. We were so freaking understaffed and busy in the ER we could barely take LUNCH...so I'm pretty sure we cannot leave to attend the ice cream sundae party. Of course, all of the heel clackers were there. :angryfire

To boost morale the hospital needs to pay out the $$$$$ to have an adequately RN staffed unit. Then they need to reward RETENTION. Pisses me off that they hand out 3K sign on bonuses to reward people who float around from hospital to hospital collecting bonuses. Reward the people who stay with something more than a pissy ice cream sundae party. Recognize the value of a long-term employee with some extra PTO and a retention bonus. If they REALLY want to motivate a unit (after they have attempted to adequately staff it) then they could tie in some sort of productivity bonus.

THAT will improve morale.

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