We're strong advocates of positive feedback and meaningful recognition. We all love that feeling of job satisfaction when we’ve had a great day – but we think it's important to celebrate when you do great work, when your actions or your team’s made a difference in the lives of others or help us to be a better organisation.
Here’s just some of the ways we promote a culture of recognition:
Senior staff nurses
At regular intervals, we host award events where the status of senior staff nurse status is conferred on those nurses we want to recognise and thank for their experience, competencies and commitment to mentoring. Our senior staff nurses are identified by their new blue epaulettes.
Tea with our Director
Tea and cake hosted by our director of nursing, midwifery, AHPs and patient services is one of the less formal ways we like to say thank you and well done to those healthcare assistants, midwives and nurses who’ve helped to deliver the best possible care to patients, delivered a specific project or had a great idea for improving patient care.
International Nurses’ Day
We like to make a big fuss about International Nurses’ Day. As the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, it’s a very special occasion for everyone at Team NGH. We use it an opportunity to reflect on all the positive benefits of working in such a fantastic profession; we celebrate the contribution our nursing teams make to delivering the best possible care to our patients; and we thank each other for helping to create the warm and supportive family we work in.
Nursing and Midwifery conference
Our Nursing and Midwifery Conference has fast become the must-attend event of the year. Creative workshops with meaningful outcomes, fun brainstorming sessions around innovation and improvement - and our annual Love Nursing Love Northampton awards for outstanding contributions are just some of the features of the conference.
The Daisy Awards
The Daisy Award scheme was created in the USA in 1999 by the family of J Patrick Barnes following his death from complications of the auto-immune disease ITP. The DAISY Foundation commemorates the appreciation Patrick’s family had for the care and compassion shown to him and his family. Following Patrick’s death they felt compelled to say ‘thank you’ to nurses in a very public way.
Each DAISY Award honoree will be recognised at a ceremony in her or his ward or department. They’ll receive a DAISY Award pin, certificate and a hand-carved sculpture A Healer’s Touch.
Everyone in the ward/department will be invited to celebrate the occasion with cinnamon rolls, which were a favourite of Patrick’s during his illness. The Barnes family hope that whenever and wherever nurses and midwives smell that wonderful cinnamon aroma, they stop for a moment and think about how special they are.
Nominations for the awards will be accepted throughout the year.
To nominate an extraordinary nurse or midwife visit the Staff Recognition page.
Cavell Nurses Trust
We’re a founder member of the Cavell Nurses Trust
The Cavell Nurses’ Trust is a charity providing support for UK nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants, both working and retired, when they’re suffering personal or financial hardship – often because of illness, disability, domestic abuse and the effects of older age. Link and info here: https://www.cavellnursestrust.org/