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Learn MoreNurse engagement measures the degree to which a nurse is committed to their job, the organization for which they work, and the nursing profession as a whole. A nurse needs to be fully engaged to deliver quality patient-centered care. When nurses are lacking in engagement, patient care can definitely suffer.
What Causes Nurse Disengagement?
Some of the characteristics of the nursing profession make disengagement a natural risk—long hours on the job, a typically chaotic and stressful work environment, staffing shortages, budget cuts, and a lack of resources.
What Are Some of the Risks of Nurse Disengagement?
When the level of nurse engagement is low, the risks to a healthcare organization are sizeable. Here are ten possible results of disengagement that can keep nurse leaders and healthcare executives worried:
1. Lack of efficiency – If nurses are not working efficiently and getting as much as possible done during a shift, patient needs can go unaddressed or neglected.
2. Lower patient satisfaction – Nurses have major influence on the patient experience. Patients often can tell if a disengaged nurse is just going through the motions.
3. More work-related injuries – According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurses experience “some of the highest injury and illness rates in the healthcare and social assistance sector” (BLS, 2018). An inattentive, disengaged nurse may be more likely to experience an injury.
4. Financial costs – The cost of a disengaged nurse may be as much as $22,200 a year, according to NurseGrid. If a facility employs thousands of nurses, these costs could add up to millions of dollars (Smith, 2018).
5. Patient-centered care falters – If a disengaged nurse lacks the energy for the increased demands of patient-centered care, outcomes may suffer.
6. Rushing increases chance of errors – Following procedures too quickly and in a hurry risks mistakes and possible disastrous results.
7. Compassion fatigue and burnout – Disengaged nurses may inadvertently demonstrate a lack of real caring.
8. Inability to focus – If a nurse is not paying adequate attention to every detail of the care being provided, what falls through the cracks may lead to a catastrophe.
9. Chronic lateness/tardiness – Inattention to arriving on time for one’s shift can create lasting problems for morale on an entire nursing unit.
10. Poor communication with peers – Good communication, especially for handoffs between shifts, is a hallmark of successful nursing care. If communication suffers, so may patient outcomes.
The Solution to Improving Nurse Engagement
NurseGrid, a HealthStream partner committed to transforming healthcare for the better, recently posted How to Keep Nurses Engaged and Motivated on the Job. They suggest “If a facility wants to improve nurse engagement, everyone will need to play a role. Staff members should be willing to speak up if they feel that one of their peers is disengaged with the job. The facility will need to do everything it can to provide nurses with the assistance they need, including advice and support for those that may be struggling with excess grief or stress on the job.” Nurse leaders and other staff members should know and look for signs of nurse disengagement, so they are prepared to take steps to improve this situation. Reaching out to a nurse who appears to be in need and listening is the first step towards improving and recovering engagement.
References
BLS, “Occupational injuries and illnesses among registered nurses,” November 2018, Retrieved at https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2018/article/occupational-injuries-and-illnesses-among-registered-nurses.htm
Smith, Zach, “How to Keep Nurses Engaged and Motivated on the Job,” NurseGrid, December 17, 2018, Retrieved at https://nursegrid.com/blog/how-to-keep-nurses-engaged-and-motivated-on-the-job/?utm_source=healthstream&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=10-risks-nurse-disengagement
Learn more about HealthStream Clinical Development Solutions.
HealthStream’s learning management system and healthcare training solutions support medical training initiatives and allow for the best patient care.
View All Learning & PerformanceHealthStream offers performance learning management solutions to help develop your healthcare staff into leaders and reduce turnover.
View All ProductsHealthStream works with healthcare organizations to create engaging and high-quality training videos for your staff and management.
View All ProductsImprove care quality and save money by making informed decisions about your healthcare facility and staff with HealthStream's reporting analytics solution.
View All ProductsHealthStream's proven methods for the improvement and overall engagement of your healthcare staff foster a positive workplace and increase retention rates.
View All ProductsWhen you enact HealthStream's quality compliance solutions, you can do so with the confidence your healthcare organization will meet all standards of care.
View All Quality & ComplianceBe confident in your staff’s ability to reduce risk by providing compliance training that changes behavior.
View All ProductsDevelop next-level people for next-level care by prioritizing quality and safety improvements.
View All ProductsEstablish a culture of belonging with education supporting DEI, wellness, engagement, and leadership development.
View All ProductsUtilize patient access solutions and advanced reimbursement solutions to manage clinical denials and improve your organization’s reimbursement strategy.
View All ReimbursementExpand the decision-making skills and effectiveness of your healthcare workforce with HealthStream's clinical development programs and services.
View All Clinical DevelopmentLearn about our advanced resuscitation training solutions. Our solutions are designed to help improve patient outcomes.
View All ProductsOur competency development solutions personalize learning for clinicians to bridge the gap between theory and practice for your nurse residents.
View All ProductsEnhance maternal & child nursing care with solutions focused on improving the quality of care for mothers, infants, and children.
View All ProductsAddress staffing orientation challenges to easily achieve and maintain certification with our emergency and acute care training solutions.
View All ProductsAs a premier provider of healthcare education, we are committed to promoting safer, more successful surgical and sedation outcomes for each and every patient.
View All ProductsOur solutions are designed to cater to the needs of patients, healthcare professionals, and organizations dealing with illnesses or chronic conditions.
View All ProductsMake sure your healthcare staff can schedule out appointments and work schedules with ease using HealthStream's line of software solutions.
View All SchedulingHealthcare workforce management is essential. We provide advanced scheduling solutions for organizations to solve issues such as nurse retention
View All ProductsComprehensive, industry-leading provider onboarding and credentialing software that validate health outcomes and support provider assessment.
View All CredentialingOur affordable CVO credentialing services establish patient safety by enabling primary source verification for your healthcare organization.
View All ProductsIntegrate with Epic to validate and add new providers directly to your provider master file.
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