Discovering the Passion for Nursing: Lovelace Health Systems
Focus of the Appreciative Inquiry:
To improve nursing retention and job satisfaction.
Client Organization:
A nationally recognized integrated health care organization, Lovelace
Health Systems includes a hospital in Albuquerque, NM and a statewide
network of physicians, hospital and clinics. Of 3,182 employees,
over 500 are nurses. The vision for Lovelace Health Systems is “to
be the best place to get care and the best place to give care”.
Achieving this vision was challenging with nurse turnover ranging
from 18-30%. Short staffing, unfilled vacancies, and low morale
were among the negative effects.
Client Objective:
The aim is to discover why nurses choose to stay at Lovelace and
to gather this insight in such a way that the process, in and of
itself contributes positively and minimizes negativity. Specific
goals:
- Increase nurse satisfaction and retention at Lovelace
- Discover why nurses choose to stay at Lovelace Health Systems
- Generate qualitative findings that articulate the “positive
core” the nursing organization
- Identify tactics to enhance future retention
What Was Done:
Within the hospital population of over 300 nurses, an inquiry was
conducted on four topics that were generated from real stories from
interviews. Stories reflect existing positive aspects of work life
at Lovelace that nurses wish to amplify. Lovelace topics are - The
Privilege of Nursing, Humor: The Other Vital Sign, Appreciation,
and The Exceptional Team.
Outcomes:
Benefits to Lovelace professional nursing community include: reduction
in nurse turnover by 13%; nurse vacancy rate reduced by 30%; hospital
nurse rating of Lovelace as a place to work increased 16% and; Press
Ganey patient satisfaction with nursing measures rose 20 percentile
points on the ranking. Qualitative benefits include improved communications
between nursing colleagues, rediscovery of the essence of the nursing
profession, ability to transfer newly acquired Appreciative Inquiry
skills and techniques to other areas of professional and personal
life and new found energy to participate in improving work life
at Lovelace. Specific results include a new recruiting brochure
featuring “Discovering the Passion for Nursing” at Lovelace,
new assessment and orientation programs, a recognition process,
a calendar illustrating stories and quotes of nurses at work, a
video for Nurses Day, training.
For Further Information:
Contact: Susan O.
Wood
1+ 717-964-3069 Susanowood@toast.net.
www.positivechange.org
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