Healthcare administrators can improve patient care and safety by stimulating nurse engagement as a means of improving internal relationships. The purpose of this case study was to explore engagement strategies that healthcare administrators use to stimulate nurse engagement. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 4 healthcare administrators in a Missouri hospital setting. The engagement theory informed the conceptual framework of the study. Data were analyzed using Yin's 5-step process that included compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, and concluding. Analysis revealed 4 major themes: teamwork, nurse and administrator communication, nurse recognition, and nurse empowerment. Strategies were identified through the exploration and analysis of the 4 themes, and the major findings included healthcare administrators increase trust with nurses by forming teams, and administrators who increase communication are more likely to stimulate nurse engagement. The social change implication for this study was that findings of nurse engagement may lead to improved patient care and contribute to a positive patient experience, which benefit patients and their families. Improved patient care may lead to greater faith and credence in medical care benefiting citizens, practitioners, and healthcare administrators.

Nurse engagement is essential for organizational success. If organizations can engage nurses, they may be able to improve organization and patient outcomes. The purpose of the evidence-based practice project was to use current evidence of direct supervisor influence on nurse engagement to create an educational program for clinical leads to use in their interactions with direct reports. The relationship-based care model was used as a framework for the project, and concepts included work engagement, nurse engagement, recognition versus meaningful recognition, professional development, communication, transformational leadership, and authentic leadership. Before and after attending the education program, clinical leads were given a self-assessment on a 5-point Likert scale to assess their perception of their leadership skills. The data were analyzed using SPSS descriptive statistics to describe differences in pre and post education self-assessments. All of the questions had increased means following the education program. The most improvement was in the following areas: coordinating relationships among staff improved by50% and accepting and using constructive criticism improved by 50%. Clinical leads recognized that having the knowledge and tools would give them the ability to impact nurse engagement. Researchers should continue to study the leader's influence on nurse engagement in relationship to other environmental factors that influence nurse engagement; as well as, how to better prepare leaders to engage nurses in his/her professional roles.