Conduct base level surveys for nursing staff to assess their levels of self-efficacy, assessing both success and failure and how individuals attribute each along a continuum from internal to external and stable to unstable.
Construct surveys of nursing staff to measure the four main components of individuals’ self-perceptions according to attribution theory: ability (internal and stable), task difficulty (external and stable), effort (internal and unstable) and luck (external and unstable).
Promote a positive self-image among nursing staff, and foster a belief that successes are the result of a combination of nurses’ abilities and their efforts, and thus individuals are able to control the outcomes of their actions to a reasonable extent.
Teach nursing staff not to blame themselves for failures, which can result in a passive attitude known in attribution theory as learned helplessness and low motivation.
Reiterate to nursing staff not to blame failures entirely on the system or on other individuals within the institution, which can result in workplace cynicism and a belief among nursing staff that they have little control over the outcomes of their actions, also resulting in low motivation.
Talk to nursing staff about realistic cause and effect relationships within their daily work, using attribution theory to overcome a cycle of shame and blame among nursing staff by presenting mistakes as a balance of internal and external factors.
Give positive feedback for successes to boost self-efficacy and provide a safe environment for mistakes to occur without affecting nursing staff members’ views on their own abilities.
Lessen the difficulty of tasks presented to individuals who encounter repeated failure, since attribution theory holds that people are best motivated when they view themselves as successful and capable.