Employee Engagement in a Cardiac Catheterization Lab by Rhonda J. Smith Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice Walden University February 2016 This study adds to the existing body of knowledge on employee engagement and workplace climate in the catheter laboratory setting. The study goals were to discover the current state of workplace satisfaction and then to share the results with the staff to determine what to improve and how to guide them through the Lean process. This study was guided by Kanter's structural empowerment theory, which holds that structural factors inside the workplace have a greater impact on employee work feelings and behaviors than do the employees' own personal tendencies. It was also guided by the Lean model, which aims to transform an organization's culture via a customer-focused method to constantly produce improvement opportunities, remove waste, and create value. This project utilized a descriptive research design. The catheter laboratory staff were e-mailed a link to complete a staff engagement and workplace climate survey. The survey was based off of a prior staff satisfaction survey used by the organization for consistency, but was not validated in the process. This survey provided a means to establish employee attitudes on several aspects analyzed by a 7 point-Likert scale. Of the 19 staff members who received the survey, 11 completed it, yielding a 60% response rate. Overall, the staff indicated that they were satisfied with their job and enjoyed working in their department. The findings from this survey were shared with the catheter laboratory staff and they chose to work on improving teamwork with departments outside of cardiology. The results of this study reinforce existing literature that demonstrates that employees who are engaged in the workplace are happier and more productive. The concept of staff engagement has been linked to higher quality patient outcomes, greater financial viability, increased productivity, and higher employee satisfaction.