Frustrated Nursing Grads

Written by LeAnn Thieman, CSP

Recently I was speaking at a hospital talking  to nurses recently recruited and heard their frustrations in not being able to work in the area of their choice.
Indeed, where once nursing grads could essentially write their own ticket and choose from several attractive job opportunities, some looking to enter our profession have had [...]

Retain Nurses with Life Balance

Written by LeAnn Thieman, CSP

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of presenting 4 sessions throughout the day for nurses at East Texas Medical Center, offering them tools for work-life balance. This hospital knows that happy healthy nurses sign on and stay on.
Their commitment to caring for their staff so remarkable, they gifted each nurse with a copy [...]

Nurses Can Help Change Healthcare Delivery

Written by LeAnn Thieman, CSP

The Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) Foundation and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) are working together on  the “Initiative on the Future of Nursing” study committee. Experts are hosting public forums across the country to gather information, particularly from nurses, on sharing innovative models of nursing care.
The ultimate goal of the 2-year [...]

Boost Nurse Morale During Recession

Written by LeAnn Thieman, CSP

Many hospitals have dealt with cutbacks from lower patient traffic during the recession. The census is often lower so they had to flex people off. This does affect nurse morale.
Scheduling changes, such as moving from eight-hour shifts to 12-hour shifts, meant that scheduling could be juggled to allow cutbacks without affecting nurses so dramatically.
Still, as [...]

How To Take Care of Nurses

Written by LeAnn Thieman, CSP

Last week I had the honor of speaking at Hancock Regional Medical Center in Greenfield, Indiana. Their entire administrative team and even the Hospital Board is committed to caring for nurses!
One of the criteria for the Pathways to Excellence designation is work/life balance. Rarely have I seen a hospital so committed to providing that for [...]