Nurses play a large, important role in patient care in hospitals, and keeping nurses engaged in an organization can boost not only nurse satisfaction, but patient satisfaction as well. One way to keep nurses engaged is through recognition programs.
"Recognition programs with initiatives designed specifically for nurses lead to a more engaged nursing staff and a positive, patient-friendly work environment," said Ashley Fina, president of Michael C. Fina, an employee engagement consulting firm, in a news release.
In honor of National Nurses Week, the following are the top five employee recognition initiatives for nurses, gleaned from a Michael C. Fina infographic.
1. Patient satisfaction. Hospitals should recognize and reward nurses who provide exceptional patient care. "Linking rewards to patient experience outcomes is quickly becoming an industry best practice," according to the infographic.
2. Manager-to-peer. This can be in the form of on-the-spot recognition, achievement-based awards and team awards. In any form, hospitals should make it simple for managers to recognize their outstanding nurses.
3. Service awards. It is important to recognize nurses for their loyalty to the organization. While recognizing employees for five, 10 or 15 years of service is fairly commonplace, 67 percent of organizations are now advocating for recognition after an employee's first year, according to Michael C. Fina.
4. Above and beyond. Nurses should be recognized for the extra effort they put into caring for patients and their families, helping out on their unit or developing new best practices to improve patient experience.
5. Compliance. Hospitals can incentivize nurses to renew their certifications or comply with training standards. Michael C. Fina calls this "an excellent motivator."
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