Abstract
Purpose: A quality improvement project was conducted to improve nurse engagement on the Solid Organ Transplant (SOTU) unit at Nebraska Medicine. This was accomplished by analyzing data from the institution’s quarterly “pulse survey” (Appendix A) and evaluating nursing engagement and intent to leave the unit or organization. An educational program (Appendix B) was implemented to help encourage and promote nursing specialty certification. Finally, the results of the next pulse survey (Appendix A) were analyzed to determine if there is improved engagement following the intervention.|Background: The Solid Organ Transplant Unit was identified as an area with high turnover. At 40%, the unit turns over almost half of its staff each year. While the work completed on this unit is complex and meaningful, nurses are feeling burnt out and disengaged.|Methods: Using the institution’s quarterly pulse survey (Appendix A), baseline nursing engagement on the SOTU was determined. Engagement was defined as no intent to leave the unit within the next year. An educational program was offered to all staff nurses on the unit to describe the importance and benefits of specialty certification. A survey was completed at the time of the educational offering to ensure outcomes had been met (Appendix C). Following the implementation of the education, the data from the next pulse survey (Appendix A) was analyzed to determine change in engagement.|Findings: Overall, the majority of engagement scores improved following the implementation of the educational sessions. Nurses stating they “strongly agree” that they intent to work for Nebraska Medicine for the next year greatly improved across all experience ranges. The majority of participants see value in certification and look up to peers who are certified. However, fewer nurses plan to take their certification exam in the next year.|Conclusions: There is no direct correlation between certification and improvement engagement. However, certification is an important step in a nurse’s career, and therefore should be considered when a nurse becomes eligible. Further study could be placed on this direct link, and continued follow up of engagement is encouraged.