CSI Summary
Available only to registered AACN.org users.
Project Topic:
Meaningful Recognition for a Healthy Work Environment
Hospital, City and State:
Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn, Illinois
Unit:
Cardiac Step-Down Unit (CSDU)
CSI Participants:
- Heidi DeVries, BSN, RN
- Kaylee Tutt, BSN, RN
- Nada Hinnawi, BSN, RN
- Coach: Madison Randall, BSN, RN, PCCN
Project Goals/Objectives:
- Increase Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool (HWEAT) aggregate score and meaningful recognition 5%
- Increase recognitions to 20 per month
- Decrease incremental overtime 5%
- Decrease unplanned absences 5%
- Increase the Mini-Z Professional Work Life Survey scores
Project Outcomes:
- Increased HWEAT aggregate score 8.7%, 4.22 to 4.59
- Increased recognitions to 39-149 per month
- Increased incremental overtime 18.4%
- Increased unplanned absences 13% (92 to 104)
- Improved Mini-Z survey scores 20%
Project Overview:
The CSDU has been facing challenges with nurse burnout as shown by the frequency of nurse call-offs, increased incremental overtime, and poor staff retention. We implemented a project designed to assist staff on improving team morale by providing meaningful recognition.
We put interventions in place during our project kickoff to get staff buy in. A spotlight board was created to recognize individual staff each month. Care stickers are passed around to recognize staff as well as kudos and daisy nominations. Raffles are done each month giving away care products including parking privileges. Our Mini Z score increased from 60% to 80% and our HWEAT increased from 4.22 to 4.59.
The feedback about our projects' interventions has been positive. One of the most successful interventions has been our monthly door decorating. Our door goes hand in hand with a monthly theme, and staff get to write notes of recognition to each other. This intervention created a fun outlet for staff engagement.
Permission to Reuse Materials
The materials associated with this AACN Clinical Scene Investigator (CSI) Academy project are the property of the participating hospital noted above, not AACN. Requests to use content contained in the CSI team’s summary, presentation or toolkit should be directed to the hospital. We suggest reaching out to the hospital’s Communications, Marketing or Nursing Education department for assistance.
Disclaimer
The AACN CSI Academy program supports change projects based on quality improvement methods. Although CSI teams seek to ensure linkage between their project and clinical/fiscal outcomes, data cannot be solely attributed to the project and are estimations of impact.