In September, BWH moved forward with our second Staff Survey to assess our progress since the 1999 survey and to continue to identify areas where further improvement is needed. Thanks to all of you who took the time to participate in the 2001 survey and provide important feedback to ensure that the perspective of the nursing staff was well represented.

Since the beginning of this calendar year, I have had the opportunity to listen to a number of presentations on the 2001 Staff Survey data. The results are promising.

In nearly every reporting dimension, responses from the survey improved significantly from the 1999 results. While there is still plenty to do to instill a strong quality worklife at BWH, leadership remains committed to acting on the results and addressing areas for future development. Dimensions such as community benefits, research leadership and quality patient care continue to receive high marks among BWH staff and employees. However, we recognize that there are other areas in which we can demonstrate continued improvement.

Items that reflect staff satisfaction continue to remain strong among all employees, including the nursing staff. Some 85 percent of nurses reported that they were proud to work at BWH, up 8 percent from 1999. BWH is recommended as a site for care by 86 percent of nurses and 84 percent felt that the work at BWH provided a sense of personal accomplishment. Each of these dimensions ranked significantly higher when compared to the 1999 survey results.

While responses to the question about BWH being a well managed organization increased dramatically from a 39 percent favorable rating in 1999 to a 61 percent favorable rating by nurses in 2001, we recognize that we have work to do in this area. Other areas, such as recognizing staff and considering the impact of change, showed 15 percent and 17 percent improvements respectively, and these results provide us with a starting point for more initiatives.

As in 1999, BWH remains dedicated to acting upon these results and improving the quality of worklife at BWH. I encourage nurses who are interested in serving on follow-up teams to watch for announcements seeking volunteers. You may contact Martha Farrell via email (mpfarrell@partners.org) to express interest. It is important to note that teams consisting of second and third shift employees will meet at a time convenient to such employees.

Thanks again for your participation in BWH’s 2001 Staff Survey.

Sincerely,


Nancy Kruger, DNSc, RN
Vice President, Patient Care Services
Chief Nursing Officer