Recently we had our unit committee meeting and among all of the other topics that we handle it was mentioned that there has been a culture shift in our hospital, and not for the better.
We have had a lot of change recently and a lot of overcrowding. We have made many single rooms into double rooms to accommodate for the increase in census, spent many nights on diversion hoping something didn't walk in through the ER and boarding ICU patients in the ER.
I understand where the frustration is coming from however, our ER is feeling the backlash from all departments in a way we never have before. There is more attitude, yelling and meaningless reporting of things that were once handled between staff now going to managers (petty things). Our manager has said that this isn't just a couple of the units, it's all the units and of course we aren't excluded.
We have decided to start a little initiative. When we have staff in another department who are helpful, pleasant or nice we are going to give them a couple of piece of candy that have a little tag on it that says "Thank You" with room to write on the back as to why we are thankful for them.
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
Really? You have to PAY people to be nice? Personally I try to be nice for free, not be rewarded by a computer for "stuff"
I seem to be really out of sync in this thread.
There's a difference between being nice and going the extra mile. But it does make for a happier workplace when people are recognized for the extra they do.
Have staffing levels been increased in accordance with the increased patient census? If not, staff and patients will be stressed and frustrated, the solution is to provide more manpower, not empty platitudes.
exactly. all the little notes, the thanks, the stars, the cheap candy are silly gimmicks and do not address the problem. and calling it a "culture problem" is just a way for management to blame the victims. a true culture problem cant be solved with buying niceness
There's a difference between being nice and going the extra mile. But it does make for a happier workplace when people are recognized for the extra they do.[/QUO
if you want to recognize people for the extra they do, give them a pay raise, lower staffing levels. Hmm I have a LOT of ways to do it, a card is just BS.
It reminds me once when I worked a tele floor and some high heeled manager types decided that our floor needed, um, something. so they decided to make bread? they heard that the smell of bread made a better environment. it was hysterical. they would go prancing around giving bread to all the patients, til some patients choked, or were NPO etc, so we had to make a bread assessment. No S*&t. after report we had to then mark the board with a letter B if they were eligible for bread. Personally I would have preferred if they went around and turned my patients, instead. this might seen unrelated, but its the same mindset to me. Fluff vs substance.
@inshallamiami, I've heard that the smell of fresh bread is used as a sales tactic in selling homes. If you decide to quit nursing to become a real estate agent, you can list 'bread assessment skills' as a qualification on your resume.
It reminds me once when I worked a tele floor and some high heeled manager types decided that our floor needed, um, something. so they decided to make bread? they heard that the smell of bread made a better environment. it was hysterical. they would go prancing around giving bread to all the patients, til some patients choked, or were NPO etc, so we had to make a bread assessment. No S*&t. after report we had to then mark the board with a letter B if they were eligible for bread. Personally I would have preferred if they went around and turned my patients, instead. this might seen unrelated, but its the same mindset to me. Fluff vs substance.
This whole thing is just hilarious! So the high heeled ladies got to pass out the bread and appear caring to the patients, but meanwhile the patients probably didn't see their nurses more than a couple of times in a shift because the high heeled ladies decided that bread would solve the issue, not adequate staffing and by golly, they were going to be the ones who looked good passing out that bread.
I can just hear the patients talking to their families: "Well, I had to wait 45 minutes for a pain pill because my nurse was swamped and couldn't get to me when she wanted to, but that's okay, because I got a big, old slab of bread and boy, did it smell good!"
And why no response about my star idea? I seriously worked at a hospital where they had an honest to god chart. and if you got one of these cards saying you got "thanked" , they put a star on your day! Just like if you put your blanket away in your cubbie during preschool. my "culture" was pretty disgusted with this. Eventually it got to where the same people were thanking each other back and forth, didn't change our "culture"!
and don't get me started on pizza.....specially on night shift. Nothing says "thanks" like nasty old cold pizza in the break room. Well I apologize if I hijacked the OPs post, it just struck a nerve (evidently!) I"ll shut up now!!!
And why no response about my star idea? I seriously worked at a hospital where they had an honest to god chart. and if you got one of these cards saying you got "thanked" , they put a star on your day!
Our nurses are working more overtime, but nurse to patient ratios are not changing despite higher census and in fact all units have been given permission to higher more staff. Our management is surprisingly flexible and adaptive to our needs. Management and staffing is not the problem, from what I can see in my unit.
I'm a little surprised that sending up a little candy with the transport tech to a nurse, or passing some along to housekeeping is so offensive to some people. We've started doing it and it has gone over really well. A nurse on our behavioral health unit took a patient early, even though the patient's room wasn't quite ready, and offered to hold him in her intake/interview room while the room was cleaned. The ER was busy and it was extremely helpful. I thanked her when I gave report and she called to thank me for the candy. It was a positive interaction and hopefully made her feel like the ER wasn't dumping on her, but that we appreciated her flexibility in a time when some floors are refusing to compromise.
In response to the stars chart. One of our medical floors does in fact do that. Their staff lead unit council decided on it and has stuck with it. Some things may seem childish, but if they work for that floor... Who are we to judge what encourages and rewards them? It would never fly in my ER, though.
It seems since 'management and staffing is not the problem on your unit (ER)' it is ok to assume that staffing is not an issue on the overcrowded units that receive the ER patients... so what is the root cause of the cultural shift, frustration and yelling?
Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN
6 Articles; 12,058 Posts
There's a difference between being nice and going the extra mile. But it does make for a happier workplace when people are recognized for the extra they do.