Nursing at The Miriam Hospital
Articles

How Do We Empower Nurses?

Angela Creta, RN; Cheryl Szargowicz, RN; Dawn Hanley, RN; and Danielle Gdowski, RN

by Angela Creta, RN; Cheryl Szargowicz, RN; Dawn Hanley, RN; and Danielle Gdowski, RN, staff nurses at The Miriam Hospital (Published August 26, 2001, Nursing Spectrum)

How often have you heard other nurses say, "Our job would be so much easier if we just...?" This often-expressed sentiment was the catalyst that helped our nursing unit develop a unit council that gives nurses the opportunity to self-govern.

The unit council on our 32-bed med/surg unit includes five RNs with varied education, expertise, seniority, and knowledge base. The common thread that binds these individuals is the desire to improve patient care and the working environment. The council meets once a month and attendance is open to any staff member on the unit. A suggestion box and bulletin board are maintained to facilitate the exchange of information.

Immediate Improvements

Some of the council's major accomplishments have been improving the nurses' working environment by reorganizing patient supplies and assessing the layout of the unit. Moving the patient's refrigerator and ice machine into the same room, replacing carpets, lightbulbs, and chairs made the unit more inviting for patients' families. Some easier and less costly improvements included increasing the amount of stock on frequently used items, reorganizing the patient kitchen, and placing signs in rooms with phone numbers for families.

The new layout allows nurses to be more efficient in the care of their patients. The council met with other hospital departments, such as pharmacy, dietary, laundry, and environmental services to address specific issues on our unit and patient satisfaction. These meetings had many positive outcomes that helped improve both staffs' and patients' satisfaction levels.

Recognition Equals Retention

The unit council feels that it is important to maintain a reward and recognition program. Currently the council recognizes employee's date-of-hire anniversaries, maintains a "sunshine fund," and nominates staff for employee of the month and nursing awards.

Also, to make new staff members' transition easier, the council created a comprehensive new employee orientation manual as an ongoing resource. The first step in this project was to review the hospital's current orientation materials and find a way to individualize and supplement it for our new nurses. Staff nurses felt is was important to support our newest members as they completed their orientation. The resource proved to be helpful with the learning objectives and continues to be used by all staff. Other units in the hospital reviewed this manual and considered incorporating it into their practice. A postorientation survey was developed by the unit council to help assess the orientation process.

Patient Satisfaction a Primary Focus

Patient satisfaction became a primary concern and is addressed at each meeting. By making patient satisfaction a primary focus, the council has been successful in increasing staff's awareness of ongoing patient concerns. This has helped us provide the highest quality of care to our patients and fosters an environment where we become true patient advocates.

In response to the increased number of patient falls during hospitalization, the council reviewed the incidents of falls within the last nine months. The data was analyzed and a fall prevention fact sheet was produced to heighten awareness of this serious problem. The fact sheet highlighted the average patient who falls and offered nursing interventions that could be implemented to decrease the number of falls. The interventions were supported by current nursing literature.

Success Thanks to All

The council has been successful because of the commitment of its members as well as the support of our nurse manager and clinical coordinator in recognizing the importance of maintaining a self-governing body present on 3 East; recognizing the importance of giving nurses a voice, and empowering them. The council is more than two years old, and while it continues to evolve, we look forward to continued success.

Editor's Note: The authors wish to recognize council member Karen Joost, RN, for her assistance with this article.