Implementation of a Nursing Task Force Focused on a Positive Work Environment Utilizing Praise and Awards to Impact Nurse Personnel Satisfaction

Nursing personnel satisfaction in the healthcare industry is a priority. Hospital leaders need to implement strategies to promote job satisfaction utilizing praise and awards. This study described the implementation of a nursing task force and its impact on nurse personnel satisfaction. The task force developed a Nurse Recognition and Satisfaction Educational Session including three topics: available awards for staff at the Community Healthcare Center, leadership styles' impact on nurse personnel satisfaction, and employee morale and recognition of staff accomplishments. Herzberg's theory of motivation was used to address the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that enable employees to satisfy their personal needs and experience job satisfaction. A quantitative descriptive pre-test/post-test pilot study was conducted on a convenience sample of twelve Nurse Managers and Assistant Nurse Managers employed in the Community Living Center (CLC). Data were obtained from the CLC Educational Session Questionnaire, CLC Award Submission Database, and the All Employee Survey (AES). Analysis included descriptive statistics and independent sample t-tests. The CLC Educational Session Questionnaire revealed that the participants' perceptions of meeting each objective were "Agree" or "Highly Agree" with an overall mean of 4.87. The CLC Award Submission Database using the independent sample t-test indicated no statistical significant differences in the number of awards submitted pre and post educational session per unit (p=0.197). The AES revealed an overall mean of increased satisfaction of all nursing personnel (FY 2014 = 2.96, FY 2015 = 3.36, change = +0.40). Nurse Managers must incorporate recognition strategies on their units to promote nurse personnel satisfaction.