Digital platform encourages connectivity, ongoing learning, and career development, and supports mental health for nurses and clinical teams
Fresenius Medical Care, a provider of products and services for individuals with renal diseases, today announced the launch of Carrie, a custom-built mobile app that connects, informs and supports Fresenius Kidney Care nurses and clinical teams in the Asia Pacific region. As one of the largest employers of nurses across a vast network of dialysis clinics, the organization was motivated to develop a digital platform that champions nurses at the heart of healthcare.
Named ‘Carrie’ in recognition of the limitless care provided by the organization’s nurses and clinical teams, the app is an initiative of Fresenius Medical Care that has been developed and piloted in Asia-Pacific. Initially launching in Australia, Hong Kong, Philippines and Singapore, the app will later be offered more widely across the region and beyond.
Boosting engagement and job satisfaction amongst nurses not only benefits nurses themselves, it has a significant impact on the quality, safety and experience of care provided to patients.1 In today’s highly complex health environment, improving population health, enhancing patient experience, and reducing costs can only be achieved with an engaged workforce that finds joy and meaning in their work.2 In fact, health facilities with poor nurse engagement are estimated to lose more than US $22,000 per nurse per year as a result of lack in productivity.1 On the other hand, companies with the most highly engaged workforces compared with the least engaged can be up to 23 percent more profitable and have 66 percent greater level of employee wellbeing, while healthcare providers with highest engagement report 58 percent fewer patient safety incidents than those with the lowest engagement.3
Driven by both the research literature on the power of nurse engagement and their own vast internal employee survey findings, combined with the desire to recognize and reward the organization’s nursing and clinical care teams for the extraordinary care they provide, Fresenius Medical Care Asia Pacific has dove deeply into developing a mobile app designed to understand and respond to the unique needs of nurses. “Carrie is one of many ways that we can support our nurses and clinical teams in the care they provide”, said Mr. Harry de Wit, President & CEO Fresenius Medical Care Asia Pacific. “Our nurses and clinical teams give so much of themselves to the organization and to our patients, and Carrie is one way we can return that care: supporting their development and wellbeing, and helping them to thrive.” This platform is part of a broader ecosystem of communication initiatives, led by the organization’s commitment to evolving and improving engagement with frontline healthcare teams.
Carrie enables nurses and clinical teams to learn on the go – accessing essential clinical training, and short courses that foster professional development and encourage career progression within the organization. Course content has been developed by leading experts in their individual fields. The app keeps users informed with updates and success stories from colleagues, country teams and across the organization, as well as providing quick snapshots of company news and business developments. Importantly, a significant focus of Carrie is to help nurses build skills that support their self-care and strengthen their own wellbeing.
Cinderella Nyathi, Registered Nurse, Fresenius Kidney Care Liverpool, Australia, is amongst a group of nurses in the region who has been beta testing Carrie ahead of the official launch: “Carrie is like a pocket assistant, a little helper … it’s about us, for us. I love the professional development courses, and the reminders on the importance of self-care and wellbeing. We often forget about this for ourselves.”
Shane Angelica Lipnica, Clinical Unit Head, NephroCare Dialysis Clinic E. Rodriguez, Philippines echoes this experience of the app: “I now know there is more to learn with the courses, and the videos are also helping me take care of my mental health. I can’t wait to share it with my team.”
Other nurses have provided positive feedback on the modern design and technology of Carrie, its interactivity, and the ability to view company-wide news that encourages users to feel part of a bigger team.
“Carrie will continue to evolve over time”, said Harry de Wit. “Ultimately, it will build an online community where nurses and clinical care teams can connect across country borders.” This sense of connectivity has already begun for Nurse Manager, Melanie Alonzo, from Fresenius Kidney Care Buangkok Dialysis Clinic, Singapore. “Carrie has become part of my daily browsing”, she said. “When I open the app, I feel really connected. I am very proud of my company.”
References
- Dempsey, C., & Reilly, B. (2016). Nurse Engagement: What are the Contributing Factors for Success?. OJIN: The Online Journal Of Issues In Nursing, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.3912/ojin.vol21no01man02
- Dempsey, C., & Assi, M. (2018). The Impact of Nurse Engagement on Quality, Safety, and the Experience of Care. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 42(3), 278-283. https://doi.org/10.1097/naq.0000000000000305
- Gallup. (2020). Gallup Q12® Meta-Analysis (p. 31). Gallup. Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/workplace/321758/2020-employee-engagement-meta-analysis-pdf.aspx?utm_source=report&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ee_meta_analysis_full_report&utm_content=Download_Now_CTA_1&elqTrackId=c046350b7c8f4e24acc2a25f781d708d&elq=402af2db802b4186a0fbe9b14e7c7e7a&elqaid=5211&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=
About Fresenius Medical Care
Fresenius Medical Care is the world’s leading provider of products and services for individuals with renal diseases of which around 3.7 million patients worldwide regularly undergo dialysis treatment. Through its network of 4,151 dialysis clinics, Fresenius Medical Care provides dialysis treatments for approximately 345,000 patients around the globe. Fresenius Medical Care is also the leading provider of dialysis products such as dialysis machines or dialyzers. Along with its core business, the Renal Care Continuum, the Company focuses on expanding in complementary areas and in the field of critical care. Fresenius Medical Care is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FME) and on the New York Stock Exchange (FMS).
For more information visit the Company’s website at www.freseniusmedicalcare.asia.