I was recently doing a full-day patient experience workshop with staff nurses from several organizations and was stunned to learn that very few had ever seen the HCAHPS survey questions. Once exposed to the eight dimensions of the survey, they unanimously agreed that nurses could impact scores in all eight dimensions and were eager to explore solutions in greater depth.
What surprises me most is that when reimbursement is on the line, I would expect healthcare leaders to do more to engage nurses in making improvements. Improving patient satisfaction takes more than just telling staff to be nice. They have to first understand the patient perspective and then become involved in finding what works. Read more...
Essential Qualities for Improving Patient ExperienceThis past week, I had the pleasure of being the keynote speaker at a nursing conference. It is always so energizing to be among nurses who take pride in their profession. Surrounded by hundreds of nurses, I was struck by the sheer magnitude of their influence on human life. It’s the nurses’ hands that are often the first to hold and soothe a newborn, and it is also their hands that comfort the ill, injured, and dying. When nurses are inspired and engaged, wonderful things happen that shape not only clinical outcomes but the reputation of the organization. Their influence is felt far beyond the individual encounters extending to patient families and the community. Read more...
Every day, I have the honor of working with some of the most compassionate, hardworking patient advocates I’ve ever met. A day in the life of a nurse, tech, aid, phlebotomist, therapist, or physician can be draining and demanding both physically and emotionally. That’s why it’s so important to create an environment of support–a culture that nurtures and encourages one another.
Think back to a time when you had a rough day, and someone offered an encouraging word, a pat on the arm, or even a hug because they could sense that you were down, frustrated, or overwhelmed. Sometimes, that little boost is all you need to keep on going. Long days, demanding workloads, and difficult patients can sap your energy. Isn’t it great when someone shows even a small gesture of appreciation? Read more...
We’re coming up on nurse’s week and it always reminds me to take the time to celebrate this great profession of ours. I don’t know of another profession that carries with it the kind of opportunities to form meaningful human bonds like nursing does. Nurses’ hands are often the first human hands to hold a newborn as he enters the world. Nurses are there for many of life’s greatest milestones, injuries, and illnesses. Nurses are there to sooth and comfort families and individuals facing grim diagnoses and unimaginable loss. We’re also there to celebrate the triumphs of healing – big and small. We’re also frequently the ones who are there, holding the hands of our hospice patients as they take their last breaths. It is our touch that ushers people into life and it is our touch that sooths and comforts people as they leave this life. Read more...
You can’t pick up a health care trade journal without reading something about the nurse shortage. Many Health care organizations have responded by scrambling to attract new nurses through advertising campaigns and a variety of attractive perks. These methods may help to get the nurses in the door, but what is the nurse experience once they arrive? What is the culture? What strategies do health care organizations have in place to get and keep the nurses engaged?
