Things about your workplace that make it nice to be there

[cerendipity, rn]

Hi everyone! I am an RN who will be working with a group to determine what we can do to make our small community hospital a place that employees, patients, and their families find a safe, comfortable, and pleasant place to be. Our unit cares for patients in ante-partum, labor and delivery, post-partum, women recovering from surgery, newborn nursery, pediatrics, and hip or knee replacements.

I have been challenged to create a list of "if money was no object, what could we do". I decided to include what could be done for the employees too. I am sure that our management is aware we all want shorter hours, more pay, more staff, better insurance for less cost, and to not work on holidays.

What do you see at your workplace that makes it better for you or your patients? I appreciate your input.

[RxOnly]

I really appreciate a comfortable and clean nurses' station... with enough storage and enough space for more than one or two nurses to chart at the same time!! It looks more professional to clients/families when they approach and a clean space makes for a clear mind!

At my job, we get free meals from the kitchen. It's nice not to have to worry about packing lunch/dinner or bringing change for the vending machine

[netglow, ASN, RN]

I'll put this out for the nurses at one of the hospitals in my area. Bathrooms for nurses.

Nurses should not have to sprint to the end of the unit, then down the common hall, then around the corner to enter the nurses break room to stumble over all that stuff jammed in there to find that the one toilet is "occupied" They also should not have to share public bathrooms with patient families.

Put bathrooms with code keys on the unit interspersed between patient rooms for the staff only!!! And, more than one!!

[Guest717236]

Interior design tip....

Design nursing units in a semi circle so the nurses station is equi distant

to each patient room. Although the extra cardio is lovely, it is

unfair to a patient/s to be so far away from the nurses station in a linear design

.

For staff, it is easier to reach each patient and time is spent with

your patients not on the track up and down the hall.

I worked in a hospital that had this semi circle design and it was heaven.

[JaneyW]

Enough supplies and linens restocked regularly. A breakroom that has enough room to actually sit in. Enough chairs for visitors and staff. Enough pillows. Clean floors and rooms.

[StNeotser, ASN, RN]

Do not do away with a nurses station. As it is we only have two chairs which are full up during the day with doctors, PTs OTs a passing secretary or social worker who has her own desk 20 feet away. I'm tired of telling people to get up or stop putting their things over my work and my charts.

[prettyinblu]

Ive been reading a lot of articles about nurses gaining weight because of fast eating in between patients. Which I agree with, so how about providing healthly meals for nursing staff including the night shift?

[serenity1]

My cna's!! They make my place a nice place to work. Also, as previously mentioned, we do have our own bathroom on the unit for nurses only! Our unit is clean, there are plenty of computers to chart at. Our med room is clean and organized. I agree about the nurses station being semi-circular around the patient rooms. Worked in a hospital like that and it was nice to be right there. Now, we have long hallways with meds in the middle. It would be nice to have everything closer. Calming hues on the walls with some nice artwork/murals would be nice. Our unit is beige. That is the one thing I would change about our unit. Some nice paint! Hope this helps!

[Nurse1966]

Free coffee and real coffee creamer for staff!! The ability to be paid for yearly education/updates if done at home on personal computer, instead of making me drive 30 minutes (one way)to complete an education module that may take me three hours or ten minutes.

The best thing about my workplace is my coworkers, what a great team!

[JulieCVICURN, BSN, RN]

If money were no object I would definitely suggest providing a free soda/coffee station. That kind of stuff doesn't really cost that much to provide and it would really boost morale.

Honestly, though, the thing that makes my job the best is the constant recognition of my efforts and the appreciation that the people I'm working with show me all the time. It's a complete difference from when I worked bedside.

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

My colleagues, co-workers and our doctors. There's a real "family" atmosphere amongst the staff, and we're very lucky in that, for the most part, our drs are so nice and genuinely respect us. Sure, there are conflicts and squabbles from time to time, but we're a bunch that likes laughing together, so they usually just serve the purpose of clearing the air.

To make it perfect I'd need the following:

A top brass that respected us sufficiently to ask for our input on issues that affect us.

A top brass that has more sympathy and consideration for their own patients, instead of just viewing them as a source from which they can wring more money.

A blank cheque so I can remodel the entire hospital to make it more efficient and user-friendly. Yeah, right....

[ShayRN]

I work in a beautiful facility with EXCELLENT co-workers. What I would recommend to every one who is remodeling is a BLANKET WARMER! My patients (and their families) get so cold. When I pass on these little gems, I am queen of the world.