[banditrn]

I always gave very good 'patient care', and did everything I could to be helpful to their families. In the first 10 years at the hospital, I had two wonderful supervisors, and it was their expectation that we did everything possible to make the patient stay as 'therapeutic' as possible.

Then along came a new CEO, and the DISNEYLAND model. Very expensive!!

It's my opinion that not everyone deals with people the same way - and all the seminars in the world aren't going to change that. Things went downhill after that.

They then started doing everything they could to get rid of the older, experienced nurses, and replacing them with the cutesie, young things with the eternal toothy grins pasted on their faces. Immaterial that some of these gals were lousy nurses - as long as they flashed their pearly whites at the CEO, he was happy.

[letina]

"All fur coat and no knickers" is what I say

[Mulan]

Originally Posted by Ruby Vee

Would that we had it as good as the Disney employees! I'd love to have an escort off the premises for all yellors, cursers, tray throwers, and urine and feces finger painters!

yeah, and don't you just love those people that deliberately fart in your face

[marie-francoise]

Originally Posted by banditrn

I always gave very good 'patient care', and did everything I could to be helpful to their families. In the first 10 years at the hospital, I had two wonderful supervisors, and it was their expectation that we did everything possible to make the patient stay as 'therapeutic' as possible.

Then along came a new CEO, and the DISNEYLAND model. Very expensive!!

It's my opinion that not everyone deals with people the same way - and all the seminars in the world aren't going to change that. Things went downhill after that.

They then started doing everything they could to get rid of the older, experienced nurses, and replacing them with the cutesie, young things with the eternal toothy grins pasted on their faces. Immaterial that some of these gals were lousy nurses - as long as they flashed their pearly whites at the CEO, he was happy.

Ay ay ay! Awful...

[ksilty]

Emmanuel, I wasn't saying that customer service is a criteria for the hospital, I think most hospitals place quality of care first. But the consumer finds customer service important. Many don't know how to qualify quality of care, but they do know a bad experience (hospital stay) can be more pleasant if the staff is nice to them. Studies have found that patients are less likely to complain if staff is nice.

[Emmanuel Goldstein]

Oh I understand and I agree. My comment wasn't directed at you so much as to my frustration that the people who DO know how to qualify quality care seem to want to put less emphasis on it.

[jlsRN]

Originally Posted by Rnandsoccermom

Let's remember that at Disney World if you curse loudly and throw your tray at someone you get escorted out of the park. Same thing goes for throwing urine and feces .

In 22 years of nursing, I have politely listened and go about my job the way I always have. Never a complaint against me. Be respectful, and close the door when you need too!

Very good point.

[marie-francoise]

Originally Posted by Emmanuel Goldstein

The underlying theme (and even stated by some of the speakers) was that so long as we smiled and played nice, they really didn't care if we knew what the hell we're doing.

I wouldn't be surprised if this were the case, unfortunately, esp. since there was some oft-mentioned study - I think from the late 1990s - about how patients are less inclined to sue when they have a nice rapport with their health care provider. And then, of course, patient satisfaction ratings seem to be becoming the gold standard for "quality care"...

So, reimbursement, plus keep the customers comin', plus keep the customers from suin' - these seem to be the orders of the day.

[Altra]

Originally Posted by marie-francoise

So, reimbursement, plus keep the customers comin', plus keep the customers from suin' - these seem to be the orders of the day.

I applaud your insight, marie-francoise.

Just remember these pieces from the mission statement (or vision statement, or strategic principles, or whatever XYZ organization wants to call it) are not bad in and of themselves:

The customers gotta keep comin' -- a hospital is a tremendous investment in infrastructure - an empty bed or unused equipment is by definition a financial liability.

Keep the customers from suin' -- no individual practitioner or organization can function well under the cloud of litigation.

Reimbursement -- bottom line -- no money, no hospital, no staff, no equipment.

I share some of your indignation but remember: this customer-service/relationship building stuff is ingrained in every industy, not just health care. You can expend energy on the obvious disconnect between the fluffiest of the customer service BS and the real priorities of patient care every time you get a memo, email, or have to attend an inservice ... or you can momentarily roll your eyes and then return to expending energy on what really matters.

[Emmanuel Goldstein]

I agree. I know that 'being nice' is important. I can understand the principle of going that extra mile in the name of 'customer service'.

But unlike other industries, we are unique in that sometimes we must annoy and inconvenience our 'customers' in order to fulfill our duty to them. We're going to perform unpleasant (and sometimes painful) procedures on them, we're going to wake them up at un-Godly hours to assure they receive the care they deserve. We're going to delay attending to their requests at times when another 'customer' has a more urgent need--- there's no 'first come, first serve' in a hospital setting.

Therein lies the disconnect and where administration is dropping the ball. By encouraging the public to equate hospital care with a five-star hotel or restaurant service we're only setting ourselves up for even more frustration and unhappy 'customers'.