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Engaging night shift staff on the journey

HCPro's Weekly Update on the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®*, March 6, 2007

Helping night shift staff feel involved in the journey to ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® (MRP) designation can be challenging, but at Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City, "Magna-Carta" rounds have done the trick. The strategy involved stocking a cart-dubbed the Magna-Carta-with candy, stories from staff nurses, and a variety of give away items, says Cheryl Smith, MS, RN, clinical director, transplant ICU, and MRP and NDNQI project coordinator at Integris Baptist Medical Center. "We knew that we had to take the information to the staff, [and] not to expect the staff to come to us," says Smith.

Smith checked with the clinical director of each area where nursing is practiced to determine the best times to visit each area, and then developed a schedule so the cart could be taken to staff member across all shifts. "On cart rounds we would have two people man the cart. We would roll into the unit and ask [the staff] what they knew about designation," Smith says.

When staff answered questions, they were rewarded with candy or another giveaway. "This helped to draw the staff on the floor over to the cart," Smith says. The examples of excellence staff shared with the "Magna-Carta" operators were then shared with staff in other areas. "The cart rounds worked great for us," Smith says.

Source: Cheryl Smith, MS, RN

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