Peer feedback

I agree with Sour Lemon. I am a professional. I don't need a gold star to show that I did a good job. Simple reciprocal professionalism from my colleagues will suffice.

...and a pay raise.

Exactly. Rather than a kindergarten gold star, how about a non-slime token? That means when a patient complains about something stupid, management doesn't jump to the immediate conclusion that I did something wrong and seek to chastise me. How about giving me credit for being professional and treating me accordingly, regardless of the circumstance?

The high fives and other rinky crap don't count for much when I have to spend all my work time walking on eggs.

This. Plus don't forget about your aides! HELPING them when they stressed. Nothing upsets me more than when I have 16-30 patients and all the nurses are chilling in the break room. Meanwhile calls bells and alarms are going off while I'm in the middle of vitals or changing someone who is soaked from the prior shift.

Helping is the best way to show appreciation.

This seems like a common complaint from CNAs. I guarantee you that I've never seen "all the nurses" chilling in the break room. Many CNAs have gone on to become nurses and are shocked to find out how heavy a nurses patient care load is.

One place I worked had a teddy bear, with a note or picture of the employee they were "honoring". Seriously, it looks like kindergarten, same as the gold stars. If we are (and we are) professionals, please treat us so!

My current hospital has an online kudos board, where you can post nice things about anyone; put it in a category such as "ownership" or "hospitality". The managers have points they can award for things, called boosting the post. Enough points and you can choose what you like out of an online catalog. They have a nice get together for all the employees that have worked any multiple of 5 years, and on my certificate (25 years) it said $62 worth of kudos points had been awarded. Ordered a nice Skilz jigsaw for myself. Much better than the bowl with the hospital crest I got 5 years ago.

My coworkers really seem to appreciate someone taking the time to post a kudo on the board. Not all of the get points awarded, our manager only gets a certain number a month to hand out, but it works. The patient satisfaction callers doing follow up, if they get a name, will put it into the kudos. They actually look at that stuff during annual evals.

Psych is where you'll get the fewest thank yous from patients. Corrections even worse. Med-surg was the best for patients showing appreciation. And they often said it with chocolate.

I have to say I disagree - if the care is compassionate as ours is you can get many thank you's. I find a stabilized psych patient to be very grateful most of the time.

Hppy

I have to say I disagree - if the care is compassionate as ours is you can get many thank you's. I find a stabilized psych patient to be very grateful most of the time.

Hppy