Ten Tips for Creating a Healthier Work Environment
Ten Tips for Creating a Healthier Work Environment
By Kathleen Bartholomew, RN, RC, MN
1. Compliment a co-worker every day. Be specific. Point out the skill or art. e.g. “You did a great job de-escalating Mr. Jones’ anger.”
2. Never be a “silent witness”. Never stand by and listen while a coworker is gossiping, criticizing or talking badly about a peer.
3. Be a team player. If you see someone in need of help, offer assistance. The greatest patient safety net cast to catch mistakes is only as strong as your relationships.
4. Speak your truth – always say what’s on your mind. Start the conversation by sharing your perception of what happened. Ask for what you need.
5. Ask someone you don’t know very well to share a meal.
6. Never insist on only working with certain nurses – every time you do, you are rejecting other nurses. Exclusion hurts.
7. Always stay patient focused. When in doubt, ask, “If this patient was my mother, father, baby - what would I do?”
8. Address issues head-on. Take classes in conflict management and increase your skill of directness. Ask your manager to help role model difficult conversations with you.
9. Non-verbal innuendos and forms of communicating are damaging. Say what you see; call these non-verbal messages out into the open.
10. Hold yourself accountable. Professionals ask for peer feedback. Ask: “What is it that I do well?” and “What would you like to see more of?”
Employee Engagement Solutions Designed Specifically for Healthcare
Juice Inc. is an organization dedicated to helping the healthcare community create highly energized work environments – environments where employee engagement is optimized and potential is released. With proven expertise in the healthcare field, we offer the tools necessary for healthcare organizations to navigate through tough issues and achieve positive outcomes, despite cost constraints, heavy workloads and competing priorities.
Our approach is simple: we use the power of conversation to cultivate trust, respect, commitment and collaboration. The results are profound, as evidenced by our clients, including Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance, Botsford Hospital, Saint Elizabeth Healthcare and Central East CCAC.
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About the Author
Kathleen Bartholomew
Kathleen Bartholomew, RN, MN, has been called the most important new voice in American Nursing. With breakthrough professional books such as SPEAK YOUR TRUTH and ENDING NURSE-TO-NURSE HOSTILITY. We are proud to partner with Kathleen and represent her keynote presentations in Canada.