We’re delighted to share a conversation with Melissa Williams, BSN, RN, from Ballad Health. Melissa shares the impact that Practicing Excellence micro-learning content has had on her development as a nurse leader and how those impacts have cascaded to her team.
How long have you been in Nursing, and what are your favorite parts about it?
I have been an RN since January 2016. I absolutely fell in love with the patients, the processes, and the sheer desire to learn so many new things each and every day. For me, the thing I have learned to love the most as a Nurse is the ability to be kind and see what a huge impact that can have on not only my patients but my teammates. I love the fact that each and every day I can choose to do good and make a difference.
What are your favorite parts of leading a team of nurses?
I really thrive on having that connection with my team that allows them to trust me enough to come talk to me and work with me to create even the smallest of solutions to improve the environment for everyone.
What areas has your team improved most? How do you know?
We started off with a “getting back to basics” journey that really started focusing on the patients and not the numbers. I also required KINDNESS. Our patient care and staff care has become predictable and consistent, staff is making time to bond with each other and our patients.
I had to show the team what they were doing (very reluctantly) was in fact working. I started printing out our weekly Press Ganey comments, highlighting the good and the bad. As time progressed, we saw those comments go from a lot of negative, to less negative, to slightly more positive, to mostly positive and as of a couple weeks ago we reached 100% POSITIVE comments. I could see how EXCITED the staff were about this milestone. They were so proud. It wasn’t easy to get there and there are times we can do better, but I know they now believe in themselves and this department and are proud to work here.
What have you done to engage your nurses to prevent this feeling like “one more thing?”
We have done multiple things to make this journey part of our culture. First- the department nominated their “Champions of Change” ( our Influencers). And our Champions have dedicated themselves to helping our team grow. We have created a “You’ve got Mail” wall in our breakroom, where team members were each given white boxes and asked to decorate, and we hung them up on the walls for everyone to drop in notes of encouragement, thank yous, and even little treats to recognize each other.
In what ways have you seen your nurses implement tips into their work?
I will hear comments from one team member saying that the patient in room X just bragged about their nurse, saying she was the best nurse they have ever had. We have moved from not sharing those positives, to coming to the nurses station and being proud of their co-worker. I have also seen a lot more collaboration from the team. They are all getting up and helping each other and being cognizant when others need help. I have also heard many times from staff “we should treat each patient like they are my family,” which is core to the Be Excellent Journey.
Now, more than ever, skill-building in healthcare is crucial. If you’re seeking support to kickstart your organization’s continuous improvement journey, get in touch with us now.
Practicing Excellence builds skills to drive outcomes in well-being, patient experience, and leadership effectiveness. Built for busy clinicians, our micro-learning solution delivers short, evidence-derived, video-based coaching to clinicians, leaders, and teams through our mobile app. We partner with some of the nations’ most prominent health systems and medical groups to deliver coordinated skill-building programs that provide measurable results. Learn more at practicingexcellence.com.
