Sydney/Sydney Eye Hospital's Nightingale Step Challenge

With the theme for this year’s International Nurses Day being 'A voice to lead: health for all', a challenge has been thrown down at Sydney/Sydney Eye Hospital (SSEH) to enhance nursing staff wellbeing during the month of June.

As part of the hospital's Nightingale Step Challenge, 11 units, both clinical and non-clinical, have received one Fitbit activity tracker, to be handed to different staff in each unit like a baton. Steps will be monitored for an eight-hour period over 24 hours, Monday through to Friday, allowing shift workers to also become involved.

Ann Hodge, Nurse Manager, Operational Nurse Support, SSEH, explained that the hospital is intending to host the Nightingale Step Challenge each year in the lead up to International Nurses Day as the initiative support the district’s Journey to Excellence Strategy 2018-2021 priority: workforce wellbeing.  

“This year due to time constraints we are holding it in June. First State Super has generously ‘stepped up’ and sponsored the challenge. I am sure our staff's competitive natures will make the ward/unit rivalry spark,” Ms Hodge said.

At the end of June, the unit with the most steps will be the Nightingale Steppers for 2019.