My friend “Terry” recently shared a story with me that is a great reminder that what may be a common experience for healthcare professionals can be terrifying to the patient. Terry said that her brother had an uncontrollable nose bleed. ...
Think of the most recent presentation you made to your leadership team. Chances are it was accompanied by a PowerPoint deck which likely included several charts and graphs. They typically do. But how much of the information had an impact? How ...
“I’m just a nurse.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that expression from fellow nurses throughout my career. I cringe every time I do. Nursing is a highly honored and honorable profession, and all nurses should be proud to ...
In the “old days” it was common wisdom that polite people didn’t pursue conversations about politics or religion with others. It just wasn’t done. But, as they say, that was then—and this is now. Today, political discussions in all sorts ...
You’re in the cafeteria when a political ad comes on the television, prompting a heated discussion among a group of employees on their lunch break. A patient asks you what you think about the upcoming election and Bozo ...
A few years ago, I started working with two hospitals to train and embed nurse coaches in inpatient units. Their goal was to provide staff with ongoing feedback on behaviors tied to quality, safety, and service. Their results have been ...
Several years ago, as I was collecting stories from nurses about their work, I learned a very troubling fact. Most nurses I interviewed didn’t accept compliments from patients very well. They would hear patients' statements of gratitude but not really ...
As long as healthcare leaders have measured patient experience, they’ve seen a strong correlation between nurse communication and the overall experience. After 25 years of conducting communication skill training for nurses, I have made a few important observations about the subject, ...
Creating an ideal culture in your healthcare organization requires a deep commitment to ongoing communication. Leaders cannot expect to convey their message effectively by saying it just once. Instead, it takes a well-planned and thoughtful strategy - or drumbeat messaging ...
Even the youngest patients know when their healthcare workers truly listen to them. When my youngest daughter, Hillary was nine years old, I told her I’d be scheduling her back-to-school physical with the pediatrician. She stopped me and asked, “Will ...
