It's Time for a Nurse Engagement Strategy

 Resources in Today's EpisodeShift Nursing PodcastReviveHealth COVID-19 Comms Resource PageBlog on the No NormalCounty Health RankingsTransforming Care at the BedsideCleveland Clinic “Empathy” Video Key TakeawaysLearnings from an Experienced Health System Marketer Turned Nurse Remembering the patients are your number one priority!Yes, your job is to bring in business to the hospital or health system you work for, but it is truly all about the patients at the end of the day.Have a very firm understanding of what is happening in the community you serve.Use language that your target audience can actually understand, not what the physicians want you to use.Internal comms and marketing all need to be talking — and you can’t forget that internal is a key audience too.Engaging Nursing Staff Encourage teamwork: Being in VERY close contact with the internal communication team will help marketing teams know what struggles nurses (and all staff) are facing.Be genuine:Get to know actual nurses, and do from a place of genuine concern for them and their well-being, not just to gather inelegance for your own gain.Ask for feedback: Ask nurses to be part of the conversation when developing materials and ask for feedback. Ask them to the table.Show support: Get leadership to get out on the floor and make an effort to learn about the issues and challenges that the staff are facing.They would rather have proper PPE than a pizza party.Listen to needs: Needs change, and they change quickly during COVID-19.Express empathy: Create a culture of empathy in your materials. Show empathy for each other and patients.Nurse Engagement Strategies  Don’t accept turnover as a given.Nurses shouldn’t be treated as cost centers.There needs to be a recognition that turnover is costly.It costs less to retain an employee than it does to recruit and employee.Nurses are good at telling when people aren’t being genuine and don’t want you to waste their time.The messages and feedback nurses provide need to get to the right people to actually make change.Engage nurses in the community, not just your employees.Guidance on How to Boost MoraleAuthenticity is key: Encourage leaders to jump in and support in any way possible, even advocating for nurse’s needs.