EP. 137: Creating a Positive Nursing Work Environment That Improves Retention

A healthy work culture does not happen by accident; it is built through shared ownership, visible leadership, and a clear commitment to helping people feel heard.

In this episode, Aine Davern, Deputy Director of Nursing at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Ireland, shares how her organization used the Pathway to Excellence framework to strengthen an already positive practice environment after the challenges of the pandemic. She discusses how the hospital’s journey began through the Magnet4Europe research project and evolved into a deeper focus on staff well-being, belonging, meaningful recognition, professional development, and shared decision-making. Aine also explains how active councils, nurse-led quality improvement projects, and visible leadership helped create a culture where incivility is addressed quickly and everyone feels responsible for maintaining respect.

Tune in to learn how one hospital built a workplace culture where nurses feel supported, empowered, and proud to lead change!

About Aine Davern:

Aine Davern is the Deputy Director of Nursing at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Ireland, where she helps lead nursing practice, professional development, and culture-building efforts across the organization. She has been with Our Lady of Lourdes since 2015 and previously served as a Nurse Manager CNM3 at Beaumont Hospital for over 14 years.

Aine holds an MSc in Leadership from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, a Diploma in Leadership and Quality from the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland, and a Diploma in Management and Employee Relations from the National College of Ireland. Her work centers on quality improvement, nursing management, staff well-being, and creating a positive practice environment where nurses feel valued and heard.

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What You’ll Learn In This Episode:

• Pathway to Excellence can serve as a practical roadmap for strengthening culture, staff well-being, and professional practice.

• A healthy work culture is sustained through shared ownership, not leadership directives alone.

• Staff well-being and belonging directly influence how nurses show up for one another and for their patients.

• Giving nurses a voice through councils, quality improvement projects, and professional development builds trust and engagement.

• Visible leadership helps create psychological safety by making leaders approachable, present, and connected to frontline teams.

• Meaningful recognition reinforces positive behaviors and reminds staff that their work and impact are seen.

• Frontline-led quality improvement is more powerful when staff identify the problems, own the solutions, and receive support to act.

• A strong positive practice environment creates resilience against bullying, incivility, and disrespect by making unacceptable behavior easier to recognize and address.

Links & Resources:

• Connect with and follow Aine Davern on LinkedIn or reach out via email.

• Learn more about ANCC Nursing Pathways to Excellence.

• Watch and learn more about Women’s Gaelic Football.

• Check out the 33 Scripts Guide to Address Disruptive Behaviour here!

• Buy Renee Thompson’s book Enough! Eradicating Bullying & Incivility here!

• Grab a copy of Renee Thompson’s book Do No Harm Applies to Nurses Too! here.

• Learn more about the Eradicating Bullying & Incivility eLearning Program here!

Have a question for Renee?

Email us at wecare@healthyworkforceinstitute.com to have your leadership question featured in an upcoming Q&A episode!

Disclosure: The host may be compensated for linking to other sites or for sales of products we link to. As an Amazon Associate, Coffee Break earns from qualifying purchases.

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