Summary
- Leaders who actively support the health care team in rediscovering their core motivations foster a more positive, engaged work environment that improves patient safety. A nurse scientist shares her experience and insights.
In my role as nurse leader, I often encourage nurses to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN); however, many have shared that they are considering leaving the profession. When I hear this, I suggest that they need a new vision for their current roles — a shift that ignites a conversation about their purpose in becoming nurses. They start to feel engaged and open to hearing about advancing their career. As I help staff connect with their “why,” I am reminded that we all need a sense of purpose to remain motivated in our roles.
To share an example from my own work, I have found that teaching research methods to medical students can be difficult, especially when their focus is on clinical practice. One method I employed to increase engagement was to match each student with a trauma surgeon aligned with the student’s research interests so they could see how their research directly affects patient outcomes. This approach led to strong participation, eight national conference presentations, and lasting interest in medical research among students.
One strategy for strengthening clinicians’ professional identity and enhancing outcomes for both patients and staff is “coach to connect,” focusing on the following ways to CONNECT:
C – Check In — round with intention of connecting staff with patient impact
O – Observe for positive behaviors
N – Name the specific action
N – Note the link to patient outcomes
E – Elevate the clinician’s professional identity — make the invisible, visible
C – Cultivate resilience and engagement by connecting action to purpose
T – Translate daily work into meaningful impact
Leaders practicing the coach to connect approach observe and recognize positive team behaviors, explicitly linking them to clinical results. By being specific in their acknowledgment, leaders highlight the direct impact of a clinician’s actions on patient care, making the often-invisible cognitive work of clinical practice more apparent and reinforcing the significance of each staff member’s contribution.
Putting Coach to Connect into Practice
Recently, I observed leaders during rounds and noticed a common tendency: some viewed rounding as a routine task. In contrast, others focused solely on correcting nurses, missing the opportunity for genuine connection. Understanding how these interactions can influence patient outcomes and organizational success, I challenged leaders to coach to connect. Shifting the focus from correction to the positive impact the nurse has on patient care helped staff see the actual impact of their actions, improving communication and highlighting the value of every nurse’s role. Many leaders told me that coaching to connect made rounds more meaningful, as they actively sought ways to engage staff in quality care rather than merely checking boxes or rushing through rounds.
When practicing the coach to connect strategy, it is important to recognize the team members’ actions in the moment. For example, when a nurse is observed walking a patient in the hallway, leaders can offer precise acknowledgment: “Thank you for helping Mr. Jones walk; you’re supporting our early mobility goals and reducing his risk of complications.” This simple, targeted information not only affirms the nurse’s impact but also clarifies the purpose for the patient, encouraging their engagement.
At a Kaizen event, I observed a new nurse describing her patient assessments as “common sense.” By asking her to detail her decision-making process and then explicitly recognizing her clinical knowledge as nursing science, her confidence and leadership blossomed. This action step — helping clinicians see the expertise they bring — boosts engagement, confidence, and professional identity of staff.
Connecting to Purpose
In health care settings where new standard work documents are released almost daily, nurses can easily become overwhelmed and narrow their focus to tasks. When leaders help them remember the impact of their work on patients, that recognition can boost engagement and job satisfaction, both of which are linked to better patient safety and care coordination. When nurses feel connected to their calling, they’re more resilient and are less likely to make errors. Coaching to connect builds intrinsic motivation that benefits clinical staff at every level. Ultimately, strategies like this one that help staff reconnect with the meaning behind their work are crucial for delivering safe, high-quality care.
Coaching to connect is one example of how leaders can intentionally shape safer systems through everyday practice. These practical, purpose-driven leadership skills are central to Leading Patient Safety: Essentials for Managers and Directors, a new IHI course that helps leaders translate patient safety principles into action. This practical, high-impact course equips leaders with the tools to coach teams for impact, build safer systems, and align improvement efforts with organizational goals, helping both patients and staff thrive.
Teresa Wood, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, is the Manager of Nursing Research and Evidence-based Practice at OhioHealth, and Nurse Scientist and Graduate Faculty-Adjunct at Cedarville University. Dr. Wood is member of the faculty for IHI’s Leading Patient Safety: Essentials for Managers and Directors course.
Photo by Freepik
You may also be interested in: