How to Inspire and Motivate Very Busy Healthcare Employees
By Barbara C. Carey and Mike McCall, RN
The world of healthcare is very busy. The day to day tasks can be overwhelming for those who have direct care of patients. The decisions and constant change weigh heavy on those in leadership positions. How do you stay inspired and motivated in work on which lives depend?
TCI believes that leaders at all levels can inspire and motivate in the messages that they bring to their meetings and gatherings. Starting each meeting with a message that focuses on the importance of the work can help. For example:
“The people in this room will provide support and services to patients who seek our help today. They will also comfort the families of those patients. Let’s not forget to also help each other with a kind gesture or word. Our work is hard, but important and together we can do our best. “
Focusing on the importance of our work and on our patients and families always brings us back to “center” ourselves and not overlook the most important things. Establishing a strong culture of teamwork is the best way to prevent burnout. If someone can pick up the task or take the shift or provide the solution to the problem, it lightens the load for everyone. Let’s remember that truth and keep it in front of others.
Another way to “focus on the patient” is to have a short patient story in your meeting from a caregiver or even an administrator. If someone can express a “caring moment” about a patient who benefited from an infusion, recovered from a difficult surgery, had a wonderful birth, completed radiation
or chemotherapy or finished rehab after knee replacement, it is inspiring. Physicians telling of a difficult diagnosis and how it was achieved and how the patient had a good outcome is incredibly motivating to other physicians who may be struggling with a diagnosis or the right treatment protocol.
Someone who did a community outreach program and learned the story of a patient who benefitted from the providers’ services has a great story to share. When you are out in the community, you will hear these stories, especially if you are open to
them. Someone whose life was saved in the ER may be a family story that has never been told to a hospital employee.
Enabling and allowing a few minutes at meetings, conferences and gatherings to tell these narratives strengthens the culture of quality and caring. It also helps to lessen the fatigue and feeling of being "overwhelmed" that many healthcare professionals experience.
Try it and see if it helps!
TCI offers marketing consulting and marketing, public relations and community engagement programs. We have over 20 years of experience helping hospitals to increase their revenue.
TCI offers marketing consulting and marketing, public relations and community engagement programs. TCI has 20 years of experience helping hospitals to increase their revenue.
We Help Our Clients Understand Their Environment and to Find Solutions.
Call Us 1-888-922-2824 or Email barbara@tciconsults.com
