What is nurse appreciation?
Appreciation is an expression of admiration, approval, or gratitude. When you show nurses how much you appreciate them, even with simple words of praise, your nurses will feel valued and cherished.
Why nursing appreciation is crucial in healthcare
The nursing profession is very tough, both physically and emotionally. It can be very hard for nurses to balance the stress from dealing with difficult patients, family members, coworkers, and management. According to a survey from American Nurses Association, “75% of nurses felt stressed, 69% felt frustrated and 62% overwhelmed”. Showing your nurses appreciation will significantly help to:
- reduce nurse turnover rates and burnout
- reduce mortality rates
- increase patient satisfaction
- increase the quality of patient care
- increase nurse retention rates
- improve your team culture
5 effective nurse appreciation ideas
Here are 5 nursing appreciation ideas to help you get the most out of your nurses.
1. Give nurse appreciation gifts
Create a system where your nurses get appreciated for outstanding achievements. Announce the nurse of the week and present them with a gift to show that you appreciate their hard work. Making the effort to make the gift specific to each nurse will be far more effective at strengthening the overall sense of appreciation. Getting rewarded at work will go a long way in keeping your nurses happy and will effectively build a happy and committed work culture.
2. Show appreciation with a thank you letter to your nursing staff
Showing appreciation doesn’t just have to be through big gifts or bonuses. You can show appreciation to your nurses with a simple thank you letter. You will be surprised how far this will go, and it will help you build a positive and trusting relationship with your team.
Thank you letter also reminds nurses why they chose the field, the importance of their work, and that their efforts get noticed.
- Provide constant positive feedback
Providing constant positive feedback or offering a kind word to your staff is another powerful way of saying, “I appreciate your hard work.”
Positive feedback also helps to boost confidence and shows your nurses that you value them. It helps your staff to understand and develop their skills. And all this has a positive impact on your nurses, team, and facilities’ performance. Giving positive feedback should be a simple part of your manager’s practice.
- Be encouraging and supportive
Nursing is a high-stress job with a lot of physical and emotional demands. Nurses are exposed to accidents, injuries, violence, and mistreatment, making it one of the most difficult jobs to retain. To keep nurses happy, they must feel supported and appreciated by their managers. It is essential to create a nurturing and appreciative environment to improve how nurses feel about coming to work. Some great ways to show support are to organize meal support during tough times, deliver lunch or baked goods to their home and thank your nurses publicly.
5. Take advantage of national nurses week
National nurse week and national nurses day is a time to show appreciation to your nurses. Here are some ideas on how to make national nurses week special in your facility:
- Encourage families of patients to give gifts and letters to their nurses
- Honor nurses with a bonus or gift
- Decorate your facility to make this week festive for nurses
- Bring an inspirational speaker into your facility to praise and encourage the nurses about the special and life-saving work they are doing.
Nurse appreciation week and national recognition day show that you acknowledge the importance of their job and how much dedication it takes to be a nurse. Nurse appreciation is one of the best ways to keep your nurses happy, engaged, and productive.
How Dropstat can help increase nurse appreciation in your facility
Dropstat’s on-platform rewards nurses with points towards amazon gift cards and bonuses for taking shifts. This makes nurses feel their work is appreciated and not taken for granted. Dropstat has also integrated a gratitude feed where staff can share positive messages and show appreciation for fellow nurses, creating a positive and supportive work network. Dropstat recognizes the importance of showing nurse appreciation in every healthcare facility, as that is key is engaging and retaining your nursing talent.
