Abstract
Background: Globally, HCWs have reported worsened mental health since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened the well-being of 51% of healthcare workers (HCWs). In 2020, Mental Health America reported that 93% of HCWs experienced stress, 86% experienced anxiety, 76% reported feeling burned out, and 75% felt overwhelmed.
Problem: A 2023 employee engagement survey, conducted at a Certified Home Health Agency, revealed 72% overall favorability among HCWs. The lowest favorability rating was related to managing work and personal life (52.3%), feeling supported to do the job (60%), and receiving recognition from one’s manager at (61.2%).
Methods: During this project, the translation science model was used. A descriptive comparative design was used to analyze pre- and post-survey data to determine if leadership rounds impacted the perceptions of HCWs concerning a healthy work environment.
Intervention: Over a period of eight weeks, two nurse managers conducted bi-weekly leadership rounds for all of their nurses. Nurses were given a pre-survey of the Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool (HWEAT) and a post-intervention HWEAT survey.
Results: The pre- and post-survey results showed that nurses felt they worked in a good environment. There were significant improvements in three of the six Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool domains (i.e., communication, effective decision-making, and authentic leadership).
Conclusions: Leadership rounds have an impact on communication and relation with managers.
Nursing Implication: The post-COVID-19 pandemic has left the healthcare workforce more vulnerable than ever. Some COVID-19 trends persist post-pandemic, which has left many healthcare workers feeling unsupported, burned out, vulnerable, and as if they have lost all control. It is important that healthcare organizations shift the current paradigm to create a healthy workplace where employees feel heard, valued, and appreciated, which can be achieved through the presence of a leader. Based upon the findings of this project, nurses want to be formally recognized. Therefore, developing a recognition program can aid in promoting a culture of appreciation and acknowledgement. Open communication is the key to having a healthy work environment. Nurse leaders are encouraged to be transparent even when the news is terrible. For example, if there are staffing challenges in the organization, leaders might consider the following approach: (1) explain why there is poor staffing, (2) highlight current and future plans to improve staffing, and (3) express details about how staffing updates will be communicated.
Impact
- Micro: Leadership round positively impacts nurses' satisfaction, improving patient outcomes and patient satisfaction.
- Meso: fostering a culture of a healthy work environment through leadership rounds, enhanced communication, building resiliency, and retaining staff.
- Macro: A healthy work environment promotes a safety culture that can influence reimbursement.
Application: Leadership rounds can apply to any healthcare environment to foster a culture of safety and excellent patient outcomes.
Notes
References:
Mental Health America. (n.d.). The mental health of healthcare workers in COVID-19. https://mhanational.org/mental-health-healthcare-workers-covid-19
Raso, R., Fitzpatrick, J. J., & Masick, K. (2020). Clinical nurses' perceptions of authentic nurse leadership and healthy work environment. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 50(9), 489–494. https://doi.org/10.1097/nna.0000000000000921
Sexton, J., Adair, K. C., Leonard, M. W., Frankel, T., Proulx, J., Watson, S. R., Magnus, B., Bogan, B., Jamal, M., Schwendimann, R., & Frankel, A. S. (2018). Providing feedback following leadership walkrounds is associated with better patient safety culture, higher employee engagement and lower burnout. BMJ Quality & Safety, 27(4), 261–270. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2016-006399
Sexton, J., Adair, K. C., Profit, J., Bae, J., Rehder, K. J., Gosselin, T., Milne, J., Leonard, M., & Frankel, A. (2021). Safety culture and workforce well-being associations with positive leadership walkrounds. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 47(7), 403–411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjq.2021.04.001
Sigma Membership
Alpha Alpha Sigma
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Descriptive/Correlational
Research Approach
Quantitative Research
Keywords:
Work Environment, Leadership, Patient Rounds, Rounding, Work Engagement, Outcomes (Health Care), Communication
Recommended Citation
Seemungal, Sarojini V., "Sustaining a Healthy Work Environment With Leadership Staff Rounds" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 73.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2024/presentations_2024/73
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2024
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
2026-02-20
Sustaining a Healthy Work Environment With Leadership Staff Rounds
Washington, DC, USA
Background: Globally, HCWs have reported worsened mental health since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened the well-being of 51% of healthcare workers (HCWs). In 2020, Mental Health America reported that 93% of HCWs experienced stress, 86% experienced anxiety, 76% reported feeling burned out, and 75% felt overwhelmed.
Problem: A 2023 employee engagement survey, conducted at a Certified Home Health Agency, revealed 72% overall favorability among HCWs. The lowest favorability rating was related to managing work and personal life (52.3%), feeling supported to do the job (60%), and receiving recognition from one’s manager at (61.2%).
Methods: During this project, the translation science model was used. A descriptive comparative design was used to analyze pre- and post-survey data to determine if leadership rounds impacted the perceptions of HCWs concerning a healthy work environment.
Intervention: Over a period of eight weeks, two nurse managers conducted bi-weekly leadership rounds for all of their nurses. Nurses were given a pre-survey of the Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool (HWEAT) and a post-intervention HWEAT survey.
Results: The pre- and post-survey results showed that nurses felt they worked in a good environment. There were significant improvements in three of the six Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool domains (i.e., communication, effective decision-making, and authentic leadership).
Conclusions: Leadership rounds have an impact on communication and relation with managers.
Nursing Implication: The post-COVID-19 pandemic has left the healthcare workforce more vulnerable than ever. Some COVID-19 trends persist post-pandemic, which has left many healthcare workers feeling unsupported, burned out, vulnerable, and as if they have lost all control. It is important that healthcare organizations shift the current paradigm to create a healthy workplace where employees feel heard, valued, and appreciated, which can be achieved through the presence of a leader. Based upon the findings of this project, nurses want to be formally recognized. Therefore, developing a recognition program can aid in promoting a culture of appreciation and acknowledgement. Open communication is the key to having a healthy work environment. Nurse leaders are encouraged to be transparent even when the news is terrible. For example, if there are staffing challenges in the organization, leaders might consider the following approach: (1) explain why there is poor staffing, (2) highlight current and future plans to improve staffing, and (3) express details about how staffing updates will be communicated.
Impact
- Micro: Leadership round positively impacts nurses' satisfaction, improving patient outcomes and patient satisfaction.
- Meso: fostering a culture of a healthy work environment through leadership rounds, enhanced communication, building resiliency, and retaining staff.
- Macro: A healthy work environment promotes a safety culture that can influence reimbursement.
Application: Leadership rounds can apply to any healthcare environment to foster a culture of safety and excellent patient outcomes.
Description
Creating a healthy work environment, using leadership rounding and aspects associated with a transformational leadership approach, promoted staff engagement, improved communication, and had a ripple effect (i.e., impacted patient quality outcomes and patient satisfaction). Leadership rounds reduced workplace stress and promoted a healthy work environment.