5 Things Nurses Need to be Successful in the Workplace

Nurses need tools of the trade to be successful. They need a quality stethoscope, good pens, and supportive shoes. But, have you ever considered what you need to provide to your nurses after you hire them? You play an essential role in the success of your nursing staff by providing learning opportunities and more. Here are a few things you can offer to add to the success of your nursing staff.

5 Things Nurses Need to be Successful in the Workplace

What Should You Provide

1. A Mission Statement

Nurses’ want to know the mission of your organization. They will proudly stand behind your mission, vision, and values. The nursing mission involves caring, compassion, respect, responsibility, and patient-centered care. Aim the organization’s mission to mimic those qualities to align your facility with the values of your skilled staff.  

2. Continuing Education Courses

To keep their nursing license active, nurses must complete continuing education hours. Not only do these continuing education hours assist in keeping an active and current license, it allows Nurses’ to stay on top of the latest evidenced based research. Provide unlimited access to continuing education courses to help your staff meet the requirement of their license. Offering these courses will also help with staff retention and morale as nurses’ complete continuing education or higher degrees.  

3. Tuition Reimbursement

Tuition reimbursement motivates nurses to continue their educational journey and career success. By 2020, it’s recommended 80% of RN’s hold their BSN degree. Without workplace tuition reimbursement, many nurses won’t be able to continue their education due to the cost of tuition, books, and other college fees.  

4. Leadership Support

Leaders create the workplace culture and ultimately aid in the success of their nursing staff.  Nurse leadership teams can: 

• Deal with patient issues – As a leader, you should visit patients and explore what might make their experience better. Be a patient’s advocate, as much as the primary nursing team.  
• Listen to Staff – Nurses have a lot of responsibility, and sometimes they need to vent about personal or workplace issues. They need open lines of communication with the leadership team who can provide understanding and empathy.  
• Build Trust – Leaders need to build trust with their nurses to facilitate teamwork. This includes huddles with the staff in the morning and “checking in” with the charge nurses on night shift to make sure they have their needs met. Nurses want to know leadership is behind them and supports their decisions. 
• Acknowledge Staff – Delivering patient care can be challenging. Patient conditions and attitudes can become barriers to good nursing care. Provide your staff with positive reinforcement for a job well done. Sharing patient compliments can help boost the confidence of the nursing staff too. 

5. Clinical Education

Teams that work together express better engagement with the organization and better patient outcomes. If the nurse leader does not have time to provide educational training sessions, consider hiring a qualified educator. Educators focus on the latest evidenced based research to make sure everyone on the team is up to date and can practice skills that they may not always have a chance to perform. This will help to make every nurse in the department confident and successful. 

To be successful in the workplace, nurses must maintain an open mind towards learning. What you offer as an employer can provide the added benefits toward career success.