Engaged and caring employees ultimately contribute to the mission and vision of the organization and can influence strategic goals for success such as improving patient and family satisfaction. The B+ committee aligns with the ABC hospitals nursing strategic plan to improve patient and employee satisfaction and to promote safe and healthy work environments. The B+ Committee is directed by bedside staff RN’s who welcome all members of the department to participate. The B+ committee is integrated into the new graduate RN fellowship program to help acclimate a culture of staff engagement for new nurses in our work environment. The committee meets once a month with the nursing manager and director as facilitator’s only. Ideas and topics are discussed and presented each meeting. All members of the staff are welcomed and encouraged to attend monthly meetings.
The team ensures measureable results are tracked for success using established organizational tools. One such tool is for employee recognition called Applause. The Applause system affords staff members the ability to be recognized and receive awards such as gift cards for demonstrating patient and family centered care and hospitably behaviors with one another or with nominations from patients and families. For consistency and fairness employees receiving Applause nominations from co-workers receive 1 point, for Applause nominations made by patient or families employees receive 2 points. Each month based on the number of points a staff member earns, 1 RN and 1 EMT is awarded the employee of the month, Employee of the month recipients receive a unit jacket and their picture displayed on the unit ALLPAUSE board in the main corridor of the ED. All RN winners are placed in a drawing for a trip to Emergency Nurse’s Association’s Annual Conference to promote professional development. RN’s attending sponsored national conferences are then required to present/share information at a staff meeting within 3 months of the conference. Recognizing the importance of partnerships and collaboration, the Chairman of the Department of Medicine, enhances the recognition program and professional growth of the nursing staff by providing a scholarship to an outstanding RN for an evidenced based conference. This RN is chosen from B+ winners.
The B+ committee’s impact on staff members and hospital goals, is measurable. In April 2015, an employee engagement survey was completed via an anonymous electronic tool by Press Ganey. The department had 70% of bedside staff respond to the survey. The survey score indicated that staff engagement or staff satisfaction had improved to tier II. Scores for the 3 previous years were tier III’s, indicating poor employee engagement.
In 2016 and 2017 the B+ committee expanded to coordinating social and scholarly events. Quarterly social gatherings are organized to help engage and strengthen relationships among the staff. A few examples of recent events include; dayshift versus nightshift kickball game, holiday potlucks, Valentine’s Day candy grams and a graduation beach party. The team also embraces nursing education or evidenced based practices (EPB) in efforts to improve work-flow throughout the department. Every two months, the team and staff members gather outside of the hospital for Article Club, in which Emergency Nursing related articles are explored for EBP translational opportunities within our department. The most recent topic discussed during Article Club investigated hemolysis of laboratory specimens sent via a tube system. From this meeting, a proposal was sent to our unit counsel and a group was established to find ways to improve this challenge as blood specimens with hemolysis may result in delays of care or incorrect lab results for our patients.
The only constant in healthcare is change. The B+ committee embraces change and innovation with an open mind to leverage improving patient and staff outcomes and more importantly a healthier work environment. The committee continues to advocate for staff in the emergency department. Practicing staff advocacy for new and current staff members will ensure we work in a healthy clinical environment. Continuing to strive for a healthy work environment helps staff improve outcomes for the patients and families we have the privilege to serve.