Other Titles
PechaKucha Presentation
Abstract
Introduction: The strain of post-pandemic nursing team member shortages, increased team member turnover and a perceived lack of joy at work on three acute care units prompted the Clinical Nurse Leaders (CNLs) to conduct a literature review of evidence-based components found in a Healthy Workplace Environment (HWE). Using the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) HWE research and assessment tool, each individual unit was separately assessed for the six HWE standards, in addition to the Great Places to Work (GPTW) survey, and the Wellbeing Index (WI). Research has positively linked the HWE standards to improved patient outcomes, increased nurse and patient satisfaction, nurse retention, team effectiveness, and decreased nurse burnout (Jun et al., 2021).
Methods: An action plan to address the HWE survey standards with lower scores were organized into system, hospital, and unit level initiatives. Specific action plans for each unit with common goals of supporting bedside nursing workflow, fostering teamwork, and promotion of nurse wellbeing were created and shared with senior leadership.
Several of the initiatives were well received by nursing team members, such as, adding Discharge-Admission Nurses, increasing Wound Care Nurse coverage, scheduled Employee Wellness Consultant visits, wellness educational opportunities, team member recognition boards, and incorporating real time appreciation of float team members. Another initiative implemented was an increase in spiritual health visits for prayer, consults, blessing of the hands, tea-time for the soul, and restarting a code-lavender program. One unit initiated bi-weekly celebrations (e.g., National Oreo Day, National Bingo Day, National Pie Day) as a positive way to reinitiate joy in the workplace. Another unit installed an interactive team building board and more security cameras in response to frontline team members’ request to address security concerns.
Results: After six months of interventions, the AACN HWE Survey was repeated, and results were favorable for all three units, in addition to increases in GPTW survey scores. The summary aggregate scores for all six standards increased by 0.24 points on average for all units. In addition, the nurse retention rate was 96% for the new nursing graduates enrolled in the nursing residency program (n=27). One unit’s GPTW score increased 44% for being a “psychologically and emotionally healthy place to work,” in addition to a 22% increase for “valuing joy in the workplace.” Another unit’s GPTW score increased 14% each for being a “great place to work” and “valuing joy in the workplace.”
Next Steps: Currently, ongoing HWE improvement strategies continue, while awaiting the 2023 Wellbeing Index results (October 2023). The next AACN HWE Survey will provide further assessments a year post-implementation of the action plan.
Discussion: Nursing leaders must strategically plan for creative ways to bring joy back into the workplace to strengthen the HWE standards. Rediscovering joy at work stimulates favorable nurse retention and nurse satisfaction which positively impacts patient outcomes. Authentic Leadership is a key standard in AACN’s HWE model as nursing leaders endeavor to create a culture of joy in the workplace with Meaningful Recognition, Skilled Communication, Appropriate Staffing, True Collaboration and Effective Decision Making.
Notes
Presenter notes available in attached slide deck.
References:
Blake, N. (2022). Starting now: Implementing the healthy work environment standards is more important than ever. AACN Advanced Critical Care, 33 (4):372-375. https://doi.org.10.4037/aacnacc2022958
Connor, J.A., Ziniel S.I., & Porter C., Doherty, D., Moonan, M., Dwyer, P., Wood, L., Hickey, P.A. (2018). Interprofessional use and validation of the AACN Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool. Am J Crit Care. 27(5),363-371. https://doi.org/10.4037/ajcc2018179
Dyrbye, L. N., Johnson, P. O., Johnson, L. M., Satele, D. V., & Shanafelt, T. D. (2018). Efficacy of the Well-Being Index to Identify Distress and Well-Being in U.S. Nurses. Nursing research, 67(6), 447–455. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNR.0000000000000313
Jun, J., Ojemeni, M. M., Kalamani, R., Tong, J., & Crecelius, M. L. (2021). Relationship between nurse burnout, patient, and organizational outcomes: Systematic review. International journal of nursing studies, 119, 103933. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2021.103933
NSI Nursing Solutions, Inc. 2022 National health care retention and RN staffing report. March 2022. Accessed May 3, 2023.
Sigma Membership
Mu Phi at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document, Video Recording
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Clinical Nurse Leaders, Leadership, Nursing Leadership, Workload, Employees' Workload, Enjoyment, Well-Being, Psychological Well-Being, Healthy Workplace, Work Environment
Recommended Citation
Barnes, Kristen A.; Giles, Margaret Diane; and Law, Tamela A., "Rediscovering Joy at Work: Implementing a Healthy Work Environment" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 135.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2024/presentations_2024/135
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2024
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Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-06-02
Rediscovering Joy at Work: Implementing a Healthy Work Environment
Washington, DC, USA
Introduction: The strain of post-pandemic nursing team member shortages, increased team member turnover and a perceived lack of joy at work on three acute care units prompted the Clinical Nurse Leaders (CNLs) to conduct a literature review of evidence-based components found in a Healthy Workplace Environment (HWE). Using the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) HWE research and assessment tool, each individual unit was separately assessed for the six HWE standards, in addition to the Great Places to Work (GPTW) survey, and the Wellbeing Index (WI). Research has positively linked the HWE standards to improved patient outcomes, increased nurse and patient satisfaction, nurse retention, team effectiveness, and decreased nurse burnout (Jun et al., 2021).
Methods: An action plan to address the HWE survey standards with lower scores were organized into system, hospital, and unit level initiatives. Specific action plans for each unit with common goals of supporting bedside nursing workflow, fostering teamwork, and promotion of nurse wellbeing were created and shared with senior leadership.
Several of the initiatives were well received by nursing team members, such as, adding Discharge-Admission Nurses, increasing Wound Care Nurse coverage, scheduled Employee Wellness Consultant visits, wellness educational opportunities, team member recognition boards, and incorporating real time appreciation of float team members. Another initiative implemented was an increase in spiritual health visits for prayer, consults, blessing of the hands, tea-time for the soul, and restarting a code-lavender program. One unit initiated bi-weekly celebrations (e.g., National Oreo Day, National Bingo Day, National Pie Day) as a positive way to reinitiate joy in the workplace. Another unit installed an interactive team building board and more security cameras in response to frontline team members’ request to address security concerns.
Results: After six months of interventions, the AACN HWE Survey was repeated, and results were favorable for all three units, in addition to increases in GPTW survey scores. The summary aggregate scores for all six standards increased by 0.24 points on average for all units. In addition, the nurse retention rate was 96% for the new nursing graduates enrolled in the nursing residency program (n=27). One unit’s GPTW score increased 44% for being a “psychologically and emotionally healthy place to work,” in addition to a 22% increase for “valuing joy in the workplace.” Another unit’s GPTW score increased 14% each for being a “great place to work” and “valuing joy in the workplace.”
Next Steps: Currently, ongoing HWE improvement strategies continue, while awaiting the 2023 Wellbeing Index results (October 2023). The next AACN HWE Survey will provide further assessments a year post-implementation of the action plan.
Discussion: Nursing leaders must strategically plan for creative ways to bring joy back into the workplace to strengthen the HWE standards. Rediscovering joy at work stimulates favorable nurse retention and nurse satisfaction which positively impacts patient outcomes. Authentic Leadership is a key standard in AACN’s HWE model as nursing leaders endeavor to create a culture of joy in the workplace with Meaningful Recognition, Skilled Communication, Appropriate Staffing, True Collaboration and Effective Decision Making.
Description
This presentation provides insight on how nursing leaders developed an action plan to bring enjoyment back into the workplace of three inpatient units. The strategies and common goals included supporting the bedside nurses' workload, fostering teamwork, and improving nurse well-being.