Do you compliment your co-workers?

Nurses General Nursing

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What do you usually compliment your co-workers on?

We have a board and we use it to "thank" one another for the tasks we do each day. We are a small, fairly tight knit ER, so these words are awesome.....especially if you've had a crappy shift or 2. It's so nice to come in and see a BIG Thank You on the wall.......

Our manager takes these once a month and puts them in for a drawing. We usually win $10 gift cards to places like Wal-Mart or McDonalds. Sometimes it's a goofy present like a tub of bubble gum......she tries to mix it up though to keep us laughing. One month was a free cooler with a GC to a local establishment that allowed us to fill up our cooler with our choice of beverage. It was great.

i think that is awesome.

what a great way to keep morale up.

thank you!

leslie

I agree, Leslie. Everyone needs to feel appreciated. Sad to think it's so rare out there too.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

I tend to nurture the newbies and complement them to death.

I need to be more complimentary to the old timers as well. We need our nuturing as well.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Tele, DOU.

A resounding yes, I do compliment.

There is nothing more draining than to have worked all day, given your best, and just leave :o. Or even worse, the next day when you come to work, someone ever so kindly points out the things you didn't do correctly:angryfire. This behavior of not passing compliments, wears on all relationships whether they be personal or professional:nono:.

Before long, colleagues become emotionally fatigued and more negative about coming to work. Then the complaining starts.

Too me, life is hard enough, why not pass on a simple thank you.

To colleagues, "Thank you for being part of our team today, we needed you."

To the nurse assistants "Thank you for bathing Mr. So and So, he is resting much better after feeling clean."

To housekeeping "Thank you for mopping the floor - it was looking pretty bad."

To the grumpy doctor I often deal with, "Thank you for calling me back."

I try to give a reason for the compliment as well. This way it is sincerely given by me. I cannot nor will not control whether the reciever accepts the compliment. I go home with few regrets and wake up feeling good in the morning because, I cared for my patients and my colleagues.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Tele, DOU.
We have a board and we use it to "thank" one another for the tasks we do each day. We are a small, fairly tight knit ER, so these words are awesome.....especially if you've had a crappy shift or 2. It's so nice to come in and see a BIG Thank You on the wall.......

Our manager takes these once a month and puts them in for a drawing. We usually win $10 gift cards to places like Wal-Mart or McDonalds. Sometimes it's a goofy present like a tub of bubble gum......she tries to mix it up though to keep us laughing. One month was a free cooler with a GC to a local establishment that allowed us to fill up our cooler with our choice of beverage. It was great.

Hey, thanks for the idea.

Specializes in IM/Critical Care/Cardiology.
I try to go out of my way to compliment my coworkers. Especially the nurse aides I work with if it has been a rough night. I don't compliment them on everything, only when I really mean it and am sincere. There is this other nurse I work with that is always super complimentary; to the point where she comes off as being really fakey most of the time, even though I think she really does mean it.

I can relate to this as one of our instructors talked specifically about keeping up morale, and complimenting from situations handled to how they look that day. Some folks are real comfortable in doing this easily and I could see it taken as nonsincere.

I try to keep it positive,do I succeed? Heck no, esp during a situation or intense moment. Adrenalin flows. But I will thank a person for their hard work, good catches,ect.:uhoh3:

Specializes in Staff nurse.

I try to thank whoever has helped me, esp. in a tense situation. Sometimes just being acknowledged that even though it is your job, someone appreciates it, goes a long way.

AND I nearly always thank the person who floats to our floor!! I want them to be comfortable asking questions and asking for help...I want them to feel at home here for the next time they are floated.

Specializes in ICU, SDU, OR, RR, Ortho, Hospice RN.

Yes I do and I always make sure I send an inter-office email if someone is having a tough time.. Makes for more smiles than frowns :)

....The ill-timed truth we might have kept-

Who knows how sharp it pierced and stung!

The word we had not sense to say-

Who knows how grandly it had rung!

excerpt from the Fool's Prayer

Edward R. Sill

I keep this poem in mind, especially this stanza, whenever I am tempted to say a 'harsh' thing to someone....or when I am tempted to restrain from complimenting a co-worker. (Isn't it strange how quick we are to criticize but slow to compliment). I always try to be generous with my praise, but stingy with my criticism:angryfire

Specializes in IM/Critical Care/Cardiology.

Love the poem!

Specializes in Long Term Facilitly.

I try to compliment my co-workers at the end of every shift. We also have extra-mile awards we put in writing and are reviewed at monthly meetings and placed where all can view. Saying thank you for the day is always a good way to end the day.

Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

I do my best to let my colleagues know I appreciate them...for dealing with a tough crisis, a tough family, for helping me out in any way, or for taking good care of a patient. We have a compliment board also, where we can thank our colleagues individually or as a group.

A couple times I've had particularly trying shifts and my colleagues have gone WAAAY above the call of duty to help me out. I thanked/hugged them myself and also sent emails to our night shift supe and our NM letting them know as well, to be remembered when eval time comes around. We all need all the help and thanks we can get. Good nourishment for our weary souls!

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