How to improve metrics with low employee engagement

[HShearerRN2011, BSN, RN]

Good morning,

As I start my second practicum of my MSN admin, I wonder if I will be able to meet my objectives. My CNO asked me to do my project on improving supply scan percentages as ours are the lowest in the division. Her rationale was to improve employee satisfaction by ensuring the resources we need. My first 8 week practicum centered around identifying barriers and implementation of education and awareness. I saw a brief increase followed by a settling into a baseline 70%- 20% lower than the goal.

As I evaluate the bedside environment, it is apparent that morale is very low. Nurses are not engaged; even more so than the same time last year. How can I expect to increase a supply scan percentage; hardwire it, when employee engagement and morale is so low? I’m hoping to get feedback moving forward for two reasons- for the health of our nurses and to continue to implement an impactful project this next 8 weeks.
Thank,

Heather

[klone, MSN, RN]

Does the CNO want your project to be increasing supply scanning, or improving employee morale? Because it's illogical to think the former would have a meaningful impact on the latter.

Why are the nurses' morale low?

I do think a project to improve nurse morale is a lofty goal for a school project. Employee morale is a function/reflection of workplace culture, which really takes many months/years to change. I think improving supply scanning is a good project for the scope of what you need to do, as it's tangible and small enough to do within the confines of your school semester. And I don't think employee morale has a lot to do with whether or not it's something that can be hardwired.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

I second the above advice. Don't confuse the two issues. If increasing scanning supply rates is the goal, stick with that goal. Low engagement/morale is a separate issue.

[JRT1, MSN, RN]

One of the hardest things to accept as a leader is how little you can impact morale. We do set the tone and can certainly contribute to a positive or negative environment. However, we can only support the culture of a positive environment. The staff have to choose to work at it. "poor morale" is often a crutch for a bigger issue. Usually it is one or two people who are making everyone else miserable in my experience so its best to address performance issues with those individuals.

Anyway, your question was about supply scanning. I have had this issue in the past. what I did was post the supply scanning reports each week and plug that into a dollar amount of total lost revenue. Now the management side of me knows thats not exactly a reflection of revenue as thats not how we are typically paid but it does help them understand the impact.

Good luck. I agree with the other posters however, dont focus on the morale for the completion of your project.