Promoting a positive work atmosphere...

[White Shoes]

I am a charge nurse and also a part time supervisor of our nursing facility.

I am just wondering, first from those who hold an overseeing position, what you have found that you can do that helps promote positive working attitudes among the staff you work with. Of course, remembering to thank those who do a good job is key... but have you found other things that give others a lift and encouragement?

And for those of you in a postion that does not involve staff management, what things are important to you that makes you enjoy working together or with the unit manager? What positive things do your charge nurses/supervisors do (or you would like them to do) that really encourage you?

We all have a tough job to do... I would love your input in what makes the work you do the most pleasant for everyone.

Thanks!

White Shoes

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

My facility I use to work for (ALF) had little rewards for staff according to things that needed improvment. Like MAR's for example...if you went one month without any missing initials you got a candy bar...doesn't seem like much, but they got good candy bars! LOL!!!!!

Posting thank you notes from patients so they can be seen daily (like in a break room) was also very cheery! And thank you notes every once in a while from management was a bonus too!

We also had staff appreciation BBQ's or Root Beer Float days served by the administrative staff. Those occured once a month during the summer and were very well accepted!

Every once in a while when we had a difficult situation or difficult pt, we would get personal letters of appreciation from administration! Those always made you feel good, and that you weren't just a body but appreciated! Nothing too grand, a nice card or something.

Once every few months my nurse manager got a small gift bag for each of the nurses (we had 7 nurses) and it would have items bought at the dollar store. Each item was put into a poem about nursing and represented something! Like lotion 'for your feet that run all day', or a candle "for being a guiding light", or soothing music CD for "resting those tired bodys after a long day". Stuff like that and we LOVED IT!

Opps, forgot another really cool thing! Every three months when administration went though pts care plans with pts and their family...any compliment was recorded and put into a memo about any changes in patient care plans! These really made you feel great!!! It was like "so and so will be having their laundry done twice a week instead of once. Pt and family expressed deep satisfaction with the Caregivers on their section and find them to be personable and helpful in a way that makes them feel like home".

There are just a few ideas of things that made working at that facility bearable! LOL! Just little tokens of appreciation...they meant so much!

[vloho]

Don't allow manipulative nurses run the show. I think it does not help when superiors show favortism, if one nurse is written-up for something ,all comitting same error should be written-up as well ,It is respect that you want not freindship.

[cardsRN]

this stuff is so on target! i think nurses need to feel like their supervisors know what is going on on the floor and like the supervisors know and care what we go through. a little thank you goes a long way (hardly ever seeing NM and never hearing a thanks for OT/dealing with a difficult situation is not good). fairness is also very important. we need to feel like our supervisors will back us in using our nursing judgement, so we can do our jobs without fear. we need to feel supported. jmo.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Prevent the formation of workplace cliques that, essentially, 'run things' like the silent partners or the invisible hand.