7th Floor Unit Based Council Members
May 2019
h Floor Unit Based Council
Members Henry Ford Allegiance Health
Henry Ford Allegiance Health
Jackson
,
MI
United States
Kristy Casagranda, BSN, RN, CMSRN; Kaylie Tyler, RN; Mary Rentschler, RN; Heather Patrick, RN; Elise Davis,
BSN, RN, CMSRN; Shannon Richardson, BSN, RN; Laura Thomas, BSN, RN, CMSRN; Courtney Honeck, BSN, RN; Alexis Bowman, RN; Rene Silva, RN; Katie Blanton, RN; Jennifer Rice, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BC, SCRN; Mandy Davidson, BSN, RN, CMSRN

 

 

 

As part of the Unit Based Council (UBC) 2018 goals, the members decided to focus on nurse retention activities and opportunities to better transition newer nurses to the unit. The members were aware of six new residents coming out of orientation in May 2018, to work on the 7th floor, and the residents would require additional support. The team members wanted to provide the residents with additional mentoring support and began discussing a nurse mentor program specifically for the 7th floor in an effort to reduce the nurse voluntary turnover rate of clinical nurses and help retain the nurse residents.
The UBC members reached out to their peers on the 7th floor in an effort to campaign for nurse mentors. After receiving positive feedback, the members proceeded to establish objectives for the mentoring program. Sixteen clinical nurse mentors, day and night shift, were recruited to become mentors. The UBC members developed education about the program and responsible for pairing each new resident with a nurse mentor. The program would provide support and additional resources over the course of one year.
The 7th floor mentoring program for clinical nurses was implemented in May 2018. Out of the nurse resident group enrolled in the program, only one staff member left prior to coming off of orientation due to a long commute. The added support reduced overall turnover as new staff felt supported and the mentors felt valued by contributing to the overall success of the nursing unit. Now an organizational mentoring program is in effect to continue.
Another great initiative that was established out of this team of nurses includes the 'Word of the Month'. The UBC members were challenged to improve the 7th floor patient satisfaction scores. The members became more familiar with the questions and wording in the satisfaction surveys provided to the patients. The members wanted the patients to become more aware of the small task done for them during their hospital stay and remember key words while taking their surveys post-hospitalization.
The UBC developed the 'Word of the Month' program and rolled it out for the first time in December 2018. In January 2019, the staff began using the key word, "Respect", as much as possible when caring for the patients. A new word is used each month. Since the start of the program, the 7th floor has had increased patient satisfaction and has shared the initiative with other departments to embrace the 'Word of the Month'.