Blog

In this IHI blog post, the institute’s research team outlines how to improve safety and well-being by gathering and examining data on team member safety incidents, listening to frontline staff about safety needs and solutions, making a culture of safety a priority, and stratifying workforce safety data to build a baseline for equity.

In 2021, we surveyed more than 500 nurses globally and asked them to gauge the mental, physical and temporal demand of a communication experience from their most recent shift using the NASA Task Load Index (TLX). In addition to measuring demand, the NASA TLX also asks the nurse’s perception of performance, effort and frustration levels.

A group of healthcare workforce wellbeing experts in collaboration with the CEO Coalition and the National Academy of Medicine, published evidence-based actions to help support healthcare team members. The blog post outlines the to five critical actions leaders can take now to safeguard the emotional and psychological needs of healthcare workers.

In 2021, the CEO Coalition engaged the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) to research evidence- and experience-based practices that support team member safety and wellbeing principles outlined in its Heart of Safety: Declaration of Principles. The work uncovered a set of more than 30 practices that aligned to the Declaration’s six principles. IHI’s research team then used a mix of feedback from leaders and frontline team members, review of the evidence, and understanding of how widely adopted the practices already are to narrow the list to eight evidence-based practices and two emerging practices which, if broadly adopted, are likely to have a meaningful impact on team member safety and wellbeing.

The National Taskforce for Humanity in Healthcare (NTH) knew, even before the added trauma of COVID-19, that safeguarding clinician wellbeing would take more than a push for self-care. So, the Taskforce put together a change program that focused on building communication skills, training the skills of human-centered leadership, team-driven process improvement, and hardwiring positive emotions into daily work. The results? In a pilot study with teams at five healthcare organization from 2018-2020, researchers showed a statistically significant improvement in both emotional exhaustion and likelihood to recommend as a result of the intervention.

Together, NewYork-Presbyterian (NYP) leaders and frontline team members created a Respect Credo after delving into data, talking to staff, and reviewing exit interview notes and other resources. Based on the learnings and the credo, NYP applied the principles of respect to their process improvement work and to their efforts to attain Magnet Recognition Program® certification. NYP also applied respect to the concept of staff safety. “Trust happens when people feel they are listened to and responded to. That’s the foundation of respect,” said Rick Evans, Senior Vice President and Chief Experience Officer, NYP.