Decreasing Turnover Through Recognition And Collaboration

Project Topic:

Meaningful recognition and team collaboration

Hospital, City and State:

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist High Point Medical Center, High Point, North Carolina

Unit:

• 4 South – Medical Intensive Care Unit

CSI Participants:

• Okiesha Baldwin, BSN, RN, CCRN
• Louisa Bourne, ADN, RN
• Jennifer McClary, BSN, RN, CCRN
• Jamie Miller, BSN, RN
• Coach: Natalie Jarrell, BSN, RN

Project Goals/Objectives:

1. Increase meaningful recognition and true collaboration within the MICU
2. Improve staff retention
3. Decrease turnover by 20%
4. Increase Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool (HWEAT) True Collaboration score to 3.75
5. Increase HWEAT Meaningful Recognition score to 4.00

Project Outcomes:

1. Decreased RN turnover 54.5% from 12 RNs from January to July 2025 to 5 RNs from January to July 2026.
2. Increased HWEAT aggregate score from 3.79 to 4.29.
3. Increased HWEAT True Collaboration score from 3.48 to 4.06
4. Increased HWEAT Meaningful Recognition from 3.63 to 4.21.
5. These outcomes resulted in a positive estimated annualized savings of $733,200.

Project Overview:

The MICU identified high turnover and lower scores in True Collaboration and Meaningful Recognition on the AACN Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool. The project focused on strengthening staff connection, recognition, and belonging through low-cost, visible, peer-centered interventions.

The team implemented monthly “All About Me” birthday bulletin boards, monthly incentive snack carts for day, night, and weekend shifts, and Employee of the Month nominations and recognition. A June cupcake snack cart served as the halfway point celebration to recognize progress and reignite momentum.