| Sumario: | Background: The Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Framework for improving joy in work, identifies recognition and rewards in supporting the wellbeing of health professionals. Despite numerous studies on recognition programs for doctors and nurses, research tailored to pharmacists remains limited. Aim: To evaluate a newly designed recognition and rewards program (Appreciate) by exploring nomination patterns and staff perceptions of the program's impact on workplace joy and morale. Method: In July 2023, Appreciate was implemented over four weeks in the pharmacy department at one hospital site, located in Victoria, Australia. Pharmacists and technicians were invited to nominate colleagues exemplifying organisational values. Nominations translated into points redeemable for prizes. Following the intervention, participants were invited to complete a semi‐structured interview or anonymous survey. Descriptive qualitative analysis was used to analyse nominations, interviews, and survey responses. This study was exempt due to the local policy requirements that constitute research by Monash Health Research Support Services (Reference no: RES‐23‐0000‐328Q). The justification for this exemption was as follows: the study conforms with the National Health and Medical Research Council Ethical considerations in quality assurance and evaluation activities and utilised only routinely collected data. Informed consent was obtained from all participants via the distribution of project information and completion of written consent forms. Results: Nineteen individuals participated in the study, with nine participants completing surveys and 10 individuals participating in interviews. Analysis of program nominations revealed emphasis on colleague qualities such as teamwork, compassion, and leadership. Interviews and surveys highlighted the importance of expressing gratitude whilst providing insights for Appreciate implementation. Participants perceived formal acknowledgment and personalised peer feedback as contributing to a positive workplace culture. Potential barriers to program use included pharmacist time pressures, point allocation challenges, and concerns about potential bias. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that qualities such as teamwork, compassion, and leadership are valued, whilst formal recognition and personalised feedback are pivotal in fostering a positive work environment.
|
|---|