Posted by: Duke Raleigh Hospital | June 22, 2020

Three Good Things Make the Difference on Orthopaedics Unit

Bethany Gallagher completed training and became the well-being ambassador for her unit. Gallagher is pictured on February 10, 2020, prior to the COVID-19 response. Photo by Kevin Seifert Photography.

Bethany Gallagher, RN, BSN, ONC, clinical nurse IV on the orthopaedics and neurospine unit at Duke Raleigh Hospital, volunteered to become the resilience ambassador for her unit in an effort to reduce turnover and make it an even better place to deliver care. ​

The training, offered through the Duke Center for Healthcare Safety and Quality, focuses on decreasing team member burnout and increasing team member resilience and well-being.

While many tools are explored in training, Gallagher implemented the “Three Good Things” tool, which quickly became a team favorite.

“I wanted something we could do while on the unit and not make it feel like homework,” said Gallagher. “I wanted to focus on increasing positivity without adding any stress.”

As a group, each shift was encouraged to write three good things that happened that day on a special white board by the nurse’s station. The good things were then read to the next shift to start their day on a positive note. 

“This tool gave us a chance to reframe the events of our shift to better appreciate the positive and not get lost in the negative,” said Gallagher. “It also gave us the opportunity to take part in the positives that other team members had experienced that maybe we didn’t personally experience.”

Fellow clinical nurse, Babou Touray, RN, CNII, said he participates in the “Three Good Things” tool every time he works. “We enjoy seeing each other highlighted on the board. It’s really inspirational.”

After trialing it for three months, the group voted to continue the “Three Good Things” tool. It has been added as a permanent part of the team’s huddle.

According to Touray, the “Three Good Things” tool helped his team become more positive.

“Everyone is happier since we began incorporating this into our daily routine,” he said. “I think it has helped morale on the unit, which will enable us to work better together and deliver the best possible care to our patients.”​


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