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Year of the Nurse - November 2020 - Subscribe to Outpatient Surgery Magazine

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mittee members individually wrapped cookies and delivered them to departments throughout the entire hospital," says Ms. Glanc. "We even went down to the doctors' administrative offices and they said, 'Thank you, everybody forgets about us.'" During the process, Ms. Glanc and the committee members learned that it's the small things that can change somebody's day and refuel their tank for the week. And while gratitude prac- tices can improve the workplace environment, the benefits can extend to patient care as well. One activity involves gratitude committee members walking around the surgical department to meet with patients and their families. They achieved a renewed sense of purpose and learned a gesture as small as giving a cookie to a patient's family member can mean the difference between a good and bad day for them. A happy habit Staff members who want to implement more grati- tude into their workplaces don't have to wait for formal approval, according to Ms. Glanc. "You don't have to wait for permission, and you don't have to wait for someone to create a structure for the committee," she explains. Gather people who are interested, schedule meetings, research ways to show gratitude — the activities Ms. Glanc included on the gratitude committee's daily calen- dar were compiled from Google searches — and get started. Ms. Glanc and her team had plans to continue the gratitude committee past the duration of the study, but COVID-19 threw a wrench in those plans. Ultimately, though, the gratitude project came at a perfect time. Participants went into the pandemic with tools to keep their morale and motivation high. "We were already supporting each other, thinking positively and open to what other people are going through," says Ms. Glanc. "You can't judge someone else for how they're handling the pandemic because everyone experi- ences things differently. Everybody's lives are different outside of work. If you appreciate them a bit more when they're stressed out, you forgive a little bit more. That builds a stronger work- place community." To build momentum for daily gratitude, Ms. Glanc recommends recruiting the go-getters of your team. "Find those individuals within your department who are the unofficial leaders, and get them on board to help you," she says. "Focus on the staff members who are positive influencers, and harness their abilities." After two months of daily gratitude activities, participants experienced a greater connection to co-workers, an increased ability to filter out nega- tive energy and gossip, a deeper appreciation of patients and improved overall job satisfaction. Participants even mentioned using the gratitude tactics at home. Consciously practicing gratitude is like medi- tation: It's very difficult at first, but it eventually becomes second nature. "Daily gratitude is a mindset," says Ms. Glanc. "It serves as a constant reminder that there's good in everything." OSM N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 0 • O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y . N E T • 1 7 Cleveland Clinic Foundation GIVING THANKS Members of the gratitude committee learned it's the small things that can change somebody's day and refuel their happiness.

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