Increasing Nurse Satisfaction

[achapman763]

As a CIO for my hospital system, I am trying to understand various ways to optimize staffing and scheduling. Not only to have more cost effective workflows, but to also maintian the nurses job satisfaction to improve retention. I've implemented one software solution hoping to move the needle but have been disappointed with its capabilities. Has anyone tried anything that has helped with workflow as well as increasing staff nurse satisfaction?

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

If you want to increase nursing satisfaction, you need to ask your staff what they want. Did the nursing staff want this software solution?

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

Yes, I have worked with scheduling and nursing satisfaction. I do not know of any software for schedules that is perfect. However, the good news is nursing staff satisfaction is multifaceted and does not land on the shoulders of staff scheduler. The schedule, which creates some job satisfaction if FAIR and transparent (the reasoning behind the schedule is known to all, all had a chance at getting a particular schedule, and all have to follow the same rules to be booked or to take vacations/time off.. etc...) is only a part of the problem.

A major part of retention will be for the managers to round frequently on nurses outside of an office or disciplinary setting to help them to grow in areas of their career or lifestyle that will make them happy. Frequent rounding will increase loyalty to the team and the organization.

On the other hand, in your position, I think you can work with the scheduling department and come up with transparent fair rules to implement nursing schedules. If you work in an union environment or not you will get very good and helpful feedback by gathering a group of nurses together (both staff and managers) to discuss your ideas.