Analysis | Copper Trace RR

Analysis

After thorough consideration of our digital research, a survey of Copper Trace’s nursing staff, and expert interview our team began an analysis of the information. This analysis focused on sociability, recognition, and communication and how they relate to our recommendations’ ability to increase the retention of Copper Trace nursing staff.

Implementation of a Mentorship Program

Our team saw a potential benefit in the implementation of a mentorship program in addition to the preceptorship program Copper Trace already has in place. This mentorship program would entail a senior employee of Copper Trace (1+ year of employment) being assigned to a new employee as they exit their preceptorship. The function of this mentor would be to serve as a social facilitator for their mentee as well as continue training with an incentivized goal-based system in which if goals of continuous improvement of new employees are met, both the mentee and mentor receive a monetary reward.

Implementing a Mentorship Program: Improving Employee Preparedness and Reducing Employee Layoffs at Copper Trace

The addition of a goal-based system to Copper Trace’s current time-based system can lead to increased employee preparedness which can help reduce employee turnover caused by unpreparedness, improving retention rates.

To find industry standards and practices for this program we used the following search terms in the Medline (OVID) database and Google Scholar:

“Mentorship OR Preceptorship”
“Goal-based training”
“Nursing home”
“Employee Preparedness”
“Employee Retention”

Mentorship Developing Upon the Preceptorship Program: Goal-based training

The Mentorship process chooses to focus on a goal-based process of evaluation rather than a time based process of the Preceptor program. Greene, a Clinical Nurse Educator discusses this in her layout of the mentorship process in which an implementation phase, or the actual training that occurs on shift be it supervised or unsupervised, is followed by an evaluation phase in which the mentor partakes in a “direct observation of skills and interventions”; moreover, there is the feedback phase, which Greene states can be done formally and informally but that both “informal and formal manner is crucial to the success of this program” (Greene, M., T. & Puetzer, M., 2002). This means that both formal review of work to meet standards and informal socialization and community building are important aspects of the mentor-mentee relationship.

"Focus on a goal-based process of evaluation rather than a time-based process."

Mentorship Developing Upon the Preceptorship Program: Real-World Results

This goal-based design can be seen in real practice in the Banner Good Samaritan Medical center, where Hurst, a Clinical Nurse Specialist, has successfully implemented and recorded a mentorship program. Hurst’s program uses a goal based training program, in which the mentor and mentee formally meet to discuss whether preset goals have been accomplished. Hurst has found that the goal-based system has reduced terminations of new staff by 3.1% (Hurst, S., & Koplin-Baucum, S., 2003). Greene also saw a “significant decrease in the number of novice staff terminations” when the goal based program was implemented (Greene, M., T. & Puetzer, M., 2002). Both of these examples show an increase in employee preparedness resulting in a decrease in turnover, due to the implementation of a mentorship program

Implementing a Mentorship Program: Increasing Copper Traces Employee Feelings of Embeddedness

Our team wanted to look at how mentorship programs can lead to increased employee embeddedness and sense of community, which both contribute to increased retention. To find the best industry practices when it came to implementing this program to improve social environment of facilities we used the following Boolean modifiers in the Medline (OVID) database and Google Scholar:

“Preceptors OR Mentors”
“Employee Retention”
“Employee Embeddedness OR Socialization”
“Communication”

Employee Embeddedness: A Sense of Community

Through our research our team discovered that an important factor in employee retention is a concept called employee embeddedness. Employee embeddedness can be described as employees ties to others at their job as well as the strengths of those relationships (Holtom, B. C. & O’Niell, B. S. 2004). Essentially, employee embeddedness refers to the feelings of belonging and community of the employees that work there. This means that when employees feel that they mesh socially with their coworkers and company climate as a whole, they are more likely to continue to work there.

These findings can be directly applied to the nursing field by looking at the research of Riggs, a doctoral student of Nursing, who details “the importance of a supportive organizational climate and effective interpersonal relationships [emerging] as a prevalent theme” in nursing staff retention (Riggs, J. C. & Rantz, M. J., 2001). These findings highlight the importance of socialization and embeddedness in nursing staff retention.

"When employees feel that they mesh socially with their coworkers and company climate as a whole, they are more likely to continue to work there."

Mentorship Programs Improving Employee Embeddedness and Reducing Social Stress

Greene’s Mentorship program also recognized that one of the roles of a mentor is to be a socializer by “actively [integrating] the mentees into the social culture of the unit and facility” which will “[make] them feel welcome in peer groups, with coworkers, and in their organization” (Greene, M., T. & Puetzer, M., 2002). This role is clearly aligned with the embeddedness discussed above. Hurst confirmed this connection through a real-world scenario in which mentees “[reported] a decreased level of social stress during their first 12 months of employment” (Hurst, S., & Koplin-Baucum, S., 2003). This decrease in social stress is akin to an increased sense of belonging which as mentioned should lead to increased retention of employees.

Figure 1.1

Copper Trace Significance: Employee Support and Socialization

According to our team’s survey of Copper Trace’s nursing staff, 50% of respondents who have worked at Copper Trace for 3 months or less feel they receive no support from either their colleagues or management. This is indicative of a need for increased social support for these nurses, who are our target population for increased retention. This becomes increasingly important when we see that 100% of employees who have worked there one year or longer have received support of some kind from management, coworkers, or both.

This demonstrated the need for social support among Copper Trace’s new employees which could be solved with the implementation of a mentorship program. The proven efficacy of mentorship programs at improving sociability of new employees as well as helping build a sense of community were seen from Riggs’s work. This increase in sociability and community sense among nursing staff, especially new nursing staff, should lead to decreased turnover.

Implementing a Mentorship Program: Best Practices for Copper Trace

Our team recognizes that simply telling you to implement a mentoring program does not provide enough guidance. Therefore, our team began to look at best practices for implementing a mentorship program in the nursing industry. There are many factors that can affect the efficacy of a mentorship program, so to ensure the most effective program, certain aspects must be considered in the implementation and maintenance of the program. This was done by searching these terms on the Medline (OVID) databases and Google Scholar.

“Mentorship OR Mentor”
“Implementation of” along with above terms
“Nurses OR Nursing Home”

Implementing an Effective Mentorship Program: Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation

A literature review and meta-synthesis of qualitative study data conducted for the China Medical Board found that 3 common themes across the qualitative data analyzed were:

Capability of the mentor
Opportunity in the mentorship program
Motivation of mentorship program

The review and meta-synthesis concluded that these themes “can help us identify what influences effective mentorship programmes” (Liao, L., Xiao, L. D., Chen, H., et al. 2019). Each of these themes is representative of an area of the program that must be considered to ensure an effective mentorship program.

These findings are backed up by another more real world analysis of a hospital’s successful nursing mentorship program conducted by Hurst, a clinical nurse specialist. Hurst’s analysis revealed key aspects of the program that they attribute the program’s success to, which line up surprisingly well with the findings of the study above. These attributes included:

Mentors being selected from senior nursing staff
Mentors attending a 6-hour class to prepare mentor for the position
Mentorship program being introduced to the new hires and reintroduced to units and floors on a regular basis
A mentor and mentee incentive program in which they both receive a monetary reward

Hurst and Koplin-Baucum continue by stating that they feel that “a nursing mentor program [can] increase retention [and] promote a culture of excellence in nursing…” (Hurst & Koplin-Baucum, 2003).

The theoretical component presented by Liao’s review and meta-synthesis of past studies and it’s real world equivalents shown in Hurst and Koplin-Baucum’s analysis of a successful nursing mentorship program show that if the factors are considered and managed, the mentorship program has the ability to improve retention rates amongst many other improvements to both quality and climate of nursing.

Figure 1.2

Copper Trace Significance: Mentor Selection

Based on the results of the survey distributed to the nursing staff at Copper Trace we can see that of your senior staff, defined as those who worked there for 1 year or more, 75% are willing to act as mentors. Additionally, 50% are willing to serve as mentors with no initial promise of incentives.

"The mentorship program has the ability to improve retention rates amongst many other improvements to both quality and climate of nursing."

*See Appendix B for more information on the implementation of this program.

Increase Employee Recognition through a Web-based Platform

Using Website Platform to Increase Employee Recognition and Engagement

Our team wanted to understand the motivators for nurses to stay with their organization. In order to do this, we conducted research in which we found that employee recognition and engagement is one of the most important factors in increasing job satisfaction, which would ultimately increase employee retention. This was done by searching these terms on the Google and Ebscohost:

“Employee recognition”
“Effects of recognition in healthcare”
“Employee engagement and recognition”

Promoting Peer-to-Peer Recognition Can Encourage Employee Engagement

In a series of interviews of 6 long-term care facility nurses, done by an experienced registered nurse, Erika Paxman, the nurses insisted that recognition and appreciation were a couple of their most motivating factors to stay at an organization. When asked to rank their values, number five was ‘increased recognition- want to feel more valued by management.’ This fell right under ‘having a say in how things are organized’ both of which can be achieved through better relationships among coworkers, which also increases employee embeddedness as mentioned previously.

The nurses also stated that “the single most important thing to them was the support they received from their peers.” (Paxman, 2002) The recognition and support from peers can increase job satisfaction and provide value to the employees, making it more enjoyable to stay with an organization. Employee engagement not only reduces turnover rates but also increases patient satisfaction.

“Recognition is an inexpensive and highly impactful means to influence retention and acquisition rates, and the overall patient experience.”

(Healthcare, 2019)

According to workproud.com, implementing an online employee recognition program to increase employee engagement would result in satisfied employees and patients, keeps your organization inspiring and innovative, as well as increase productivity. “Recognition is an inexpensive and highly impactful means to influence retention and acquisition rates, and the overall patient experience.” (Healthcare, 2019)

This article goes on to share findings from multiple studies which conclude that employee recognition can be a very effective tool to improve an organization. By using a platform built specifically for employee recognition, Copper Trace can easily transition their current practices to implement recognition programs.

“Recognition is the most important satisfying element for health care employees.”

(Hunt, McKinney, 2010)

Another study done by Selina Hunt McKinney, qualified with her Ph.D. in Nursing, aimed to identify the best strategies for increasing retention rates, specifically in nursing homes. To do so, he conducted a survey of nearly 1,200 nursing homes in the United States. In comparison to each facility’s retention rates, she analyzed the trends seen in them.

Within her analysis, she supported the idea that “[Recognition is] an important and cost-effective method to add meaning to the difficult work of elder nursing care.” (Hunt McKinney, 2010) She also concluded that 81% of the facilities with above-average retention rates she surveyed had some sort of recognition program. This culminates the evidence that implementing a recognition program can ultimately improve not only the work environment, the quality of care, but also the retention rate in nursing homes.

"81% of the facilities with above-average retention rates surveyed had some sort of recognition program"

Figure 2.1

Implementing a Web-based Recognition Platform: Platforms for Employee Recognition and Engagement

In order to determine which platform would be the most beneficial for Copper Trace, we went to a website that compares services based on the benefits of the program, pricing, features, as well as listing the pros and cons of each. For this comparison, I chose 4 platforms that claim to increase employee recognition. These platforms include; Bucketlist, Reward Gateway, Kazoo, and Nectar. These four platforms all have a similar goal, but different approaches to achieving that goal.

Each platform was ranked on a checklist for a list of features in Figure 2.1

Bucketlist

Number of reviews: 166
Rate: 4.9 out of 5 stars.
Pros: users enjoy using the app and picking rewards
Cons: criticized the page layout and visual complications.
Pricing: They offer a free trial of the platform, but there is no free version available after the free trial.

Reward Gateway

Number of reviews: 22
Rate: 4.9 out of 5 stars
Pros: increased recognition for their company
Cons: technical difficulties and user errors
Pricing: They do not offer a free trial and there is not a free version available after the free trial.

Kazoo Employee Experience Platform

Number of reviews: 23
Rate: 4.8 out of 5 stars.
Pros: users enjoy using the app and the choice of rewards
Cons: criticized the page layout and visual complications.
Pricing: They do not offer a free trial of the platform, and don't offer a free version. The price is $4.25 per month/per user.

Recognition App Reviews

NectarHR

Number of reviews: 283
Rate: 4.8 out of 5 stars.
Pros: enjoy the quality and layout of the app
Cons: confusion on the purchasing of rewards 0
Pricing: They offer a free trial of the platform, but there is no free version available after the free trial. The price for the standard version is $2.50 per month/per user.

Copper Trace Significance: What’s Best for Copper Trace?

With these comparisons in mind, our team ultimately decided that NectarHR would be the best platform to use for Copper Trace, because it allows for the majority of the same features as other popular platforms, as well as including a free trial which is perfect for Copper Trace to get a feel for the program. This will allow you to try the app before fully committing, and if you choose to do so there is even a free version of the platform.

Implementing a Web-based Recognition Platform: NectarHR for Employee Recognition

NectarHR was created precisely to increase employee recognition and, “create a culture people won’t want to leave” (NectarHR, n.d.). This platform is a website and mobile app that allows organizations to create connections between management and employees at all levels.

With Nectar Copper Trace will be able to;

Set goals and challenges for employees that are aligned with Copper Trace’s values
Gift and receive points to be used in the reward shop
Use rewards on things like gift cards, discounted purchases, and more.
Increase employee engagement and recognition

Each of these features exemplifies the recognition of employee actions and allows peers to engage with one another while fulfilling goals and collecting rewards.

Copper Trace Significance: Would Copper Trace Employees be interested in Nectar?

In our local survey of Copper Trace employees, we asked if they would be interested in an employee recognition program via mobile app. We mentioned that the app would include the following benefits; challenges and rewards, discounts, mobile store, and a communication platform. Figure 3.2 shows the results of one question in the local survey.

Figure 2.2

The survey concluded that 81% of Copper Trace employees that took the survey would be interested in a recognition program. From the pool of surveyors;

6.25% were employed for less than 3 months
18.75% were employed for 3-6 months
31.25% were employed for 6 months - 1 year
25% had been employed for over 1 year.

This tells us that even those who have been working there for a longer period of time would appreciate such a program. We didn’t specify any particular platform, which tells us that the employees of Copper Trace are really interested in a recognition program.

*See Appendix C for more information about NectarHR

Performance Programs and the Role of Communication

Our team wanted to explore programs that improve organization performance as a whole and how that affects employees. Along with our research for best practices, we interviewed Nancy Buss who is an RN and administrator at Franciscan VNS and she introduced us to the program The Uncommon Leader. The program addresses organizational issues while consistently implementing change. We wanted to understand how this program and its benefits can affect retention rates.

Several search terms were used in Google search and EBSCOhost for details about the program and to locate organizations that have used this approach:

“Uncommon leader” AND “hospital” OR “nursing home”
“Uncommon leader” AND “Goshen”
“Communication” AND “retention” AND “nursing”

The Uncommon Leader: Building a Stronger Organization

The Uncommon Leader is a fast-paced program that provides extensive and long-lasting change in the organization. It allows the development of a high-performance team that takes the initiative to address problems within the organization and propose a plausible solution with methods in which it can be executed.

The Uncommon Leader aims to build more determined managers and enhance their skills, improve staff satisfaction and devotion to their work, and increase customer satisfaction by improving quality of care (GoldStandardManagement). Management development is an integral part of this program as it requires a dedicated team to carry on with the requirements of the program, otherwise the expected results won’t be achieved. With full efforts, the process gives the team confidence and pride in their achievements whether they are small or big. Large scale changes that greatly benefit the organization can earn the individual a monetary reward. They may also be recognized by the organization through award trophies for their outstanding contributions and efforts.

"Provides extensive and long-lasting change in the organization."

The program is a two-year long project in which the first year requires the accomplishment of a rigorous list of coursework and goals. In the second year, the organization moves away from implementing new strategies and rather focuses on strengthening the changes in place. The first twelve months are dedicated to building the framework for the success of the organization. This is accomplished by following the six modules provided by the program. Each module contains a set of PowerPoint presentations, readings, discussion topics, and assignments for executives, managers, and associates. To cover each module, the individuals involved in the implementation of this program are required to meet for a two-day seminar session every two months.

The program also highlights the purpose of each seminar session and the expected outcomes from each module. A few examples of those outcomes are as follows:

Train management on best practices and improve skill set
Establish leadership, eliminate or improve poor performers, reduce turnover rates
Raise customer satisfaction and improve engagement with customers
Improve socialization and independence of management
Increase efficiency, form an organized decision-making process, and decrease number of lawsuits
Increase engagement, facilitate execution of solutions, and minimize costs

The Uncommon Leader: Real World Results

The design of the program is well structured so that it can be implemented in any type of organization that can benefit from its approach. The coursework may be adjusted to fit the organization’s needs and performance goals. However, the timeline for execution remains the same. Nancy Buss who has applied this approach to Goshen Hospital mentioned that it has “improved retention rate by 8%” and the hospital was named as “one of the top 100 places to work in Indiana”. Additionally, John Schwartz who was a former CEO at Trinity Hospital in Chicago stated that The Uncommon Leader “aggressively integrates associate and customer needs; financial and quality goals; and rapidly generates a culture of pride, achievement, and team” (“Bucking the Trend”). These results show that following a program that allows members of the organization regardless of ranking to have a say on areas of improvement increases the organization’s performance, communication and staff satisfaction and through that retention.

"Improving communication between staff and management leads to better relationships and improved retention of nursing staff."

Implementing Performance Program: Increased Communication within Organization

To tackle different issues in the organization, the program allows the formation of “Do It Groups” or DIGs which address issues that require executive consent as it affects multiple units. This type of teamwork encourages communication between staff members and management without allowing ranking and amount of experience to create a barrier. Joe Gavan, the vice president of corporate development at Goshen Health stated that “We have no employees here, only colleagues” as he confirms that this practice was the principle of the organization along with the approach of The Uncommon Leader (Salisbury, 2006).

Butterworth Hospital was another location that achieved outstanding results by following the same approach. The program allowed staff and management to work closely together as colleagues. Bill Gonzalez, the president of Butterworth Hospital stated that “the whole program was geared not only to the development of managers and the organization, but to a socialization process that would bring about trust” (“Rigor of Discipline”). This shows how effective the program is in increasing communication as it is being recognized by multiple organizations.

"Encourages communication between staff members and management without allowing ranking and amount of experience to create a barrier."

How Communication Affects Retention

Research on retention and turnover of nursing staff including CNAs and RNs in nursing homes has shown that employee interaction with management is a crucial element to increase retention. According to a study done by Ruth Anderson, a Duke associate professor of nursing, indicated that improved and open communication in combination with a reward-based climate at the facility, characterized by merit-based rewards, clear goals, concern employee welfare, and good relationships with administration, lead to increased retention of CNAs (Anderson, R. A., Corazzini, K. N., & McDaniel R. R., 2004). Encouraging communication enhances information flow and quality of connection between staff and management. Combined with merit-based reward climate, staff feels more heard of their concerns while receiving rewards for their efforts.

Further research done by Siket Ujváriné agrees with Anderson that communication is a factor in retention as she says “confrontative communication decreased nurses’ intent to stay in nursing by 50%” (Ujváriné, 2020). Increased communication allows for collaboration between staff and management as they work together to address and solve concerns and issues. Both sources indicate that improving communication between staff and management leads to better relationships and improved retention of nursing staff.

Communication at Copper Trace:

In the survey that was distributed to Copper Trace nursing staff, we asked if they feel comfortable sharing concerns with management to determine the level of communication at the organization. Based on the results shown in Figure 3.1, 13% of employees do not feel comfortable sharing their concerns while 25% only bring up minor concerns. This means that almost a third of employees feel uncomfortable sharing concerns with management. This indicates that Copper Trace could use a program such as The Uncommon Leader to maximize the level of sociability and improve relationships within their organization while improving retention.

*See Appendix D for additional resources on the Uncommon Leader.

Figure 3.1