Dr. Bonnie Clipper, DNP, MA, MBA, RN, CENP, FACHE

There is much uncertainty for all of us. Our emotions wax and wane daily and we are all likely taking time alternating between being the support and needing support. These difficult times call for all of us to work together for the greater good and help each other through the challenges of the upcoming weeks. Doing this is going to require focus, discipline, compassion and a great deal of gratitude.

Gratitude is not simply for others; it is also about being kind and grateful to ourselves. There is a saying along the lines of “how we treat ourselves is a reflection of how we treat others”. While that makes sense, it doesn’t completely resonate because as healthcare professionals we tend to treat others better than we treat ourselves. As highly empathetic caregivers, we generally put others first and ourselves last.

Have you put much thought into how you treat yourself? Are you kind to yourself (self-kindness)? Are you compassionate to yourself (self-compassion)? Are you grateful to yourself (self-gratitude)? As I continue to sharpen my focus on kindness, compassion, and gratitude, there are many times that in hindsight, I think I am overly hard on myself. I can even think of the times that I haven’t shown myself the compassion, kindness, and gratitude that I deserved. This makes me think that I am not at all unique and makes me wonder how many of us don’t practice self-kindness, self-compassion, and self-gratitude.

Part of our practice of showing gratitude to those around us for their efforts and to recognize their hard work requires that we show ourselves the same gratitude. Yet so often we fall short on creating gratitude for ourselves. In a conversation on this topic with Vicki Hess, MS, RN, Employee Engagement Expert, she shared that “We always hear about how important it is to slow down and take care of ourselves so we can support others. Yet many are so overwhelmed with everything that they have to do each day that it’s tough to come up for air and be grateful.”

Hess goes on to say that “one thing that works well is to create Gratitude TriggersTM which reminds you to stop and be grateful. These can be at work or at home (or anywhere in-between). I frequently ask nurses to share what routines they use to pause and bring gratitude into their lives. Their examples include sitting down to a meal, walking the dog, pulling into a parking spot at work, washing their hands…and the list goes on.” Now, even the smallest opportunities present themselves for gratitude. Hess suggests considering this best practice for yourself, “Develop one Gratitude TriggerTM that you could utilize to remind yourself to stop and think about what you are grateful for because implementing this process can literally change the way you think, work and play.”

Another option may be to use a gratitude journal which is one of the most popular ways to practice gratitude and allows for reflection for not only self-gratitude but also self-compassion (Vetter, 2018). Now, is a good time to think about your own practice and start a gratitude journal. Lately, I find myself grateful on a more frequent basis. It’s a good reminder for me to write it down and reflect on it. Otherwise, I find myself taking things for granted.

Practice gratitude at least once a day and like most behaviors, over the course of time, it will become hardwired. Show yourself some gratitude and self-compassion, you deserve it. Much gratitude for all of those who are on the front lines of the pandemic and ensuring our safety and caring for those who are sick.

Be kind and be well.

Vetter, A. (2018). How Gratitude Can Make You a Better Person in Business and Life. Inc.com. Accessed on March 10, 2020. Accessed at https://www.inc.com/amy-vetter/why-celebrating-your-wins-no-matter-how-small-is-good-for-you-your-business.html.

A special thank you to Vicki Hess, RN, MS. Top 5 Healthcare Speaker, and author, guides healthcare professionals who want to create an environment where employees are engaged, customers are happy, and goals are achieved. Ms. Hess works with organizations and associations to positively impact employee engagement through consulting, workshops, retreats and keynote presentations. Her unique views on employee engagement are evidence-based, relatable and real-world www.VickiHess.com.

Nikki Lewallen joins Wambi as Director of Partnerships, to bring a new go-to-market strategy for this fast growing real-time recognition and feedback system for the healthcare industry. Nikki is passionate about meaningful human capital solutions that help employers increase engagement at work and is convicted by Wambi’s mission. In 2020, Nikki will lay the foundation to rollout a robust Wambi Partner Program in 2021.

Nikki is the show host of a trending podcast called Gut+Science. Its mission is to increase global engagement averages at work by equipping people-first leaders with the knowledge and tools they need to make better people decisions. Now with Wambi, Gut+Science will offer a healthcare sub-series that focuses exclusively on employee engagement in healthcare settings.

“I believe that the workplace is a mission field to live our strengths and maximize our lives. We spend the majority of our waking hours working. When we are energized and empowered by our work, we show up as a better version of ourselves in all areas of our lives (the opposite is also true). I believe that CEOs, and all levels of leaders, are the catalysts to make change on this topic. My passion, my area of expertise, is devoted to employee engagement. Longstanding statistics say that 70% of employees are not engaged in their work. The result of this is high turnover and low productivity. This poses more of a problem today than ever before with things like the talent shortage, average tenure being two years and five generations at work.

“In my mid twenties, I realized my passion for workplace engagement. This started with my “Loving Mondays” keynote and “Love What You Do” weekly inspirational messages. Since then, I have been working on this mission in various capacities like speaking, coaching, consulting, podcasting and working with great companies to maximize relationships to influence business development. My revelation that healthcare is a vitally important industry for employees to be engaged at work, lights my fire for Wambi’s purpose. The compassion, gratitude and joy of the Wambi culture influences the health systems we serve in an incredible way. With high burnout rates in healthcare, Wambi plays a critical role in reigniting meaningful work in the industry.”

If you’d like to connect with Nikki to discuss partnership opportunities, send her a message now.

Wambi is the only real-time recognition and feedback system fueled by the voice of patients and families. Its gamified approach increases employee engagement, reduces clinician burnout, and enhances the patient experience. Partnering with hospitals and healthcare systems nationwide, Wambi gives flight to the personal side of healthcare by surfacing the moments where a human connection makes all the difference, connecting patients and team members and improving the human experience for all.

Dr. Bonnie Clipper, DNP, MA, MBA, RN, CENP, FACHE

There has never been a more important time to thank people for their kindness and recognize people for who they are and what they do. At times like this, no act is “too small”. Understandably our minds are running in a million directions, however, anchoring to the positive is important in difficult times. Here are a few tips:

1. 1. Show gratitude for anything and everything. In a crisis, our perspective changes and reminds us that nothing should be taken for granted.
2. 2. Close your eyes for 15-30 seconds and clear your mind. Focus on what is going well. Tune out the news and limit social media. Think of what is important in your life.
3. 3. Send a thank you text. Send a text to share your gratitude to colleagues, friends, and family. Especially now, a simple note of recognition for coming into work, for picking up a shift, taking on a project, volunteering, working from a bedroom, dropping off groceries, etc. Find something to show that you are “thinking” of someone.

Take just a few minutes each day to contemplate your gratitude and share it with others.

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