What other profession invites you to intimately share in life's most personal moments? Nurses have the privilege, of untold measure, that comes with shepherding humanity through its most vulnerable moments. The profound impact of the bond between nurses and patients is illustrated in the relationship between Charlie, a critical care RN, and a young 34-year-old mother with COVID-19 in respiratory failure. After 42 days of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in the cardiac ICU, a bilateral lung transplant was determined to be the only option for recovery. The patient's 5-year-old son was unable to visit because of pandemic-related visitor restrictions. The separation weighed heavily on both mother and son. Charlie, her nurse, had an idea and worked with the patient's family, her care team, and security to arrange for a visit to the hospital garden while on ECMO. The patient and her family were able to come together and prepare for the upcoming surgery with hope, courage, and love. What was incredibly gratifying for Charlie was that he made a devastating situation more bearable and knew, without asking, his manager and vice president would support his plan. Several weeks after her discharge, the patient shared, "On my dark days, there was Charlie. When I wanted to give up, Charlie was at my side encouraging and pushing me. Charlie was the strength I needed...he was the wind beneath my wings."
No matter the circumstance, this is a nurse's purpose and joy-to make a difference in the lives of patients and their families. As nurses practice to fulfill their purpose, we as nurse leaders must support work that brings joy and ties to purpose. In a 2012 study, Lefton1 found that feedback to clinicians from patients, families, and colleagues cultivates environments where individuals flourish, teams feel nourished, and healthy cultures take shape. Subsequent studies provided further insight into the correlation between meaningful recognition and increases in clinician compassion satisfaction, and reductions in compassion fatigue.2-4 In other words, the ability to bond with patients and families builds a reserve a nurse can tap into on difficult and emotionally draining days.
Nursing is valued for its specialized knowledge, skill, and caring and is based on a social contract from which the nurse is granted privileges and in turn held accountable to the public. There has been little time in the past 2 years for reflection. It should not be surprising that, in a survey of 5000 nurses, 4 of the 6 key elements needed for a healthy work environment including meaningful recognition were reported as lacking or missing during the pandemic.5 Therefore, as leaders, it is for us to influence the care environment, celebrate acts of compassion, and make explicit that such acts are valued. Charlie's leaders recognized and celebrated his extraordinary compassionate care in front of hundreds of clinicians. Their actions reflected a partnership between leaders and frontline providers.
By shining a light on the extraordinary work of nurses and sharing exemplars within our organizations and with the public, we create a culture that applauds acts of kindness and promotes a culture of compassion. As chief executive officer for the DAISY Foundation, I am reminded daily of the difference recognition can make in the lives of nurses. New chief nursing officer Lindsey Casey (personal communication, January 26, 2022) recently wrote, "I have already had the honor of being part of 3 DAISY recognitions, and I can't say enough about the impact this has had on the staff. There were tears of joy and hope and reflections on positive times, which in today's environment is crucial for resilience. I am so grateful."
The evidence is compelling. As a leader, you can recharge your team and their passion for nursing. By ensuring there is a process for collecting feedback from patient families, supporting a selection committee, recognizing nominees, and celebrating both honorees and nominees, the impact will be profound. Sustaining the work of a program such as the DAISY Award encourages teamwork, rekindles a positive nursing culture, and promotes professional pride.1 Meaningful recognition buffers the effects of burnout, enhanced compassion satisfaction, and is associated with higher levels of team well-being.3,4,6-8 Whether a nurse has been in practice for 4 years or 40 years, positive reinforcement keeps the fire burning within.
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