Emergency Departments are busy places, and, even in the best organized ones, people have to pull together in unexpected ways to make things work well. As you can see above, our folks decided to create an opportunity for staff to say "thank you" to one another to recognize those small and large moments when people made an extra effort for their colleagues and patients. Here is a sample of some of the messages, including one from a patient who noticed the form and submitted it:Sue J. (RN): What a Gal, the most gentle, courteous, pleasant nurse in the ER. Thank you for giving me Sue as my Nurse. Patient John Smith [name changed]. Keep up the good work.
Julie & Janice (Tech): Thank you for your help on Tuesday 6/30. Dynamic Duo!!!
Kim & Catherine (Reg): Thank you Ladies for holding down the Core Desk when I needed a break on Wednesday.
Lisa C. (RN): I want to thank you for the encouraging words that you gave me the other day. It made me look at my role here in a whole new light. Your advice also made my week goes a lot smoother and I was able to smile. Thank you!
Mary Jane (OBS): Thank you for your astute observation while sitting for a patient in yellow yesterday. You kept him safe before he was admitted. I informed the nurses upstairs. Thanks again.
Jill M. (RN): Thank you Jill for starting my patients IV Tuesday and getting his blood. You are so sweet!
Ana G (Tech): Thank you so much for all your help over the years, and for sharing all your goodies especially the artichoke–spinach dip. Also you are great!
Maggie (RN): You are a gift! You give a whole new energy when you are here. You seem to have endless supply of energy. It is a pleasure to work with you!
Claire (RN): Thanks for helping me with that IV today. Sometimes I feel funny
4 comments:
This is a great initiative!
When patients say thanks, it takes treatment beyond a service relationship and into genuine human contact. When colleagues say thanks to one another, they add depth to their team. It acknowledges that together the team is more effective than a bunch of isolated individuals.
People all too often take one another for granted at work. They can be downright rude to one another. They often say it’s because they’re too busy to be polite or they’re just trying to be efficient. But rudeness does not lower stress levels and bossiness does not improve teamwork.
Civility is the infrastructure of teamwork.
All the best,
Michael
www.workengagement.com/crew
Nice idea - for nice people, for a team of decent folks who are truthful and sincere and truly appreciative of each other, or for a huge hospital populated with more name tags than your memory can hold. But, what happens when this is perceived as just a silly gesture, or as a sycophantic tool? What happens when you don't know if the sender of the card is genuinely grateful or just sarcastic, or even pretending to suck up so as to divide and rule? No, no, really, I love the idea - but am simply trying to apply it to the world I know I live in as opposed to the world I live in (my mind). Would be very curious to see how it works out. And wishing and hoping that it will be successful.
I think this sounds like a great initiative. When someone in a busy enviroment takes the time to put pen to paper it seems far more meaningful than a hurried "Thanks".
A nice idea to let staff know they are appreciated by their colleagues and patients... and perhaps as importantly, it lets staff know that LEADERSHIP knows they have been recognized by their peers and patients too. I like it and look forward to a follow-up posting on its success in a few months.
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