FIVE-STAR experience in a Luxury Hospital?

[Lenap]

recently i came across an article in nursing spectrum magazine called

"nurses help create a five-star experience"

http://community.nursingspectrum.com/magazinearticles/article.cfm?aid=22697

in summary: for paying extra $350-450/day out of pocket, patient can be upgraded to a decorated room with plasma tv, internet, special menu with choices of filet magnon, bass and duck; receive plush robe instead of a gown.

"the service upgrades begin at the door with a warm greeting by the concierge, who offers to accommodate a patient's every need-from scheduling a massage to arranging transportation for a family member to visit an historic philadelphia attraction. "

what are your thoughts on having hospitals with special units providing hotel-like services?

few parts of this article left me feeling angry. for example :

"the principles of service excellence offered build upon deeply rooted nursing values. more than 100 years ago, florence nightingale emphasized that nurses must diligently pay attention to the caregiving environment. nightingale stated that the art of "nursing ought to signify the proper use of fresh air, light, cleanliness, quiet, and the proper selection and administration of diet." this principle should not be applied to rich people only! sounds like "you get what you pay for".

i can't disagree more with this article. i don't think hospitals should have luxury floors.

what do you think about this. are you for or against 5-star luxury units?

[Lenap]

Thank you for your honest opinions! This hospital does mention they put earned money from those luxury services back into system. I know the location of this specific hospital and do understand it treats huge numbers of uninsured and homeless people. Knowing that this specific hospital spends huge money on new computers, state of the art equipment and agency/travel nurses (I know travel nurses there are offered thousand of dollars bonuses to renew contracts, while burned out regular staff are not rewarded) and now on VIP treatments.... There are better ways of managing money than relying on luxury units to bring more money in the system.

[Katnip, RN]

Can I just "buy" a nurse. I mean lets say I am on a med surg floor after major surgery and I am going to be there lets say 3 days. Can I pay the going rate per hour. Around here 18-20/hour. This person is solely my nurse. If I need meds, he or she is there to get them for me. They look only after me and not 8 or 10 other people. This is going to cost me 240 per day. I do not care about getting steak or plushy robes. I just want to make sure that I get the care I need when I need it! I am far from rich, but I do want to come out of the hospital alive.

Most places I've seen you are more than welcome to hire your own private duty nurse during your stay.

[Katnip, RN]

As for rich people..instead of throwing their money on useless fluff/crap, how about donating it to the hospital or some important fund or a cause.

quote]

How do you know they don't? Most rich people do give to charities. Not all announce it.

[Katnip, RN]

I find it frustrating that some people assume that if luxury services are available, it must take away sevices for the poor and/or average patients. That doesn't have to be the case. In fact, just the opposite is often true. The profit made on those luxury services helps to balance the budget -- thus allowing the hospital to offer services to those who can least afford them.

The fact that the patient in one room is paying extra for something special is what provides the cash for the poor patient in another room to get good quality basic services. Without that extra cash, many hospitals would have to cut the services they provide to ALL its patients -- including the poor.

This is not the first thread we have had on this topic. A common element in all of them seems to be a basic resentment of the rich -- as if there is something wrong with being wealthy and with wanting to use some of that wealth to make your hospital stay more pleasant for yourself or for a loved one.

Why do so many nurses resent people with money? Now, there's a topic for a new thread for you.

llg

I agree. It seems it's ok to be prejudiced against people with money. I guess we gotta pick on somebody, right? Rich blondes are especially in trouble.:wink2:

[Katnip, RN]

Exactly right. I want to give competent, compassionate care to ALL people. Frankly, I would much prefer NOT to know what a person makes or what he or she does. I would care for the homeless prostitute as well as the rich doctor's wife, every time, given the opportunity.

I love you Deb. But I don't see how allowing people who can afford more amenities takes from compassionate, competent care from others.

I have cared for the homeless as well as the rich, the extremely brilliant as well as severely disabled. I give them the same care just like I'm sure most nurses do.

I don't think that someone has has access to material amenities gets better or worse care than anyone in the hospital unless they happen to hire a private 1:1 nurse.

[Medic/Nurse, BSN, RN]

llg - its not the money I mind. Money is the easy part...its the sense of ENTITLEMENT that sometimes comes with it...that is what gets my goat!

Nightmare Conversation:

Entitled: I'm beginning to think that you don't CARE about your job. I told you about mommy having cold feet about an HOUR ago and you people keep it like an ice box in here - WHO do I have to call to get some of those little booties like last time?

Nurse: No, I do care about "mommies" cold feet, they didn't restock our booties supply - I called materials and the supervisor and they will get to it. I'm sorry that you have to wait and the warm blankets haven't helped... It its just that I have this poor asthmatic kid in the next room that were getting getting ready to intubate, so the warmed booties will, in fact, WAIT....

Actually, I have never made a distinction in provision if it was a bank president or a bum living under the 4th street bridge - if they needed care. But, you can bet the powers that be sometimes will make the distinction.

Well, what really has been getting me lately, has been all the ENTITLED folks with NO MONEY. Where do they learn this...? Not kidding....

wishingIwasatDisney- soon you will get to treat all patients like they are! I recently saw a seminar offering something like "What Customer Service will be like when Disney runs your Emergency Room" Still Not kidding.

I'm a little sad to report that I have become a bit "burned out". I have stopped nursing for now and maybe forever. I thought about working at Starbucks, but have you ever seen what happens if the "drizzle" gets left off the top of the drink? - Now, some of those folks are not just ENTITLED but caffeine deprived. (And you thought the narc addicts were bad

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Can I just "buy" a nurse. I mean lets say I am on a med surg floor after major surgery and I am going to be there lets say 3 days. Can I pay the going rate per hour. Around here 18-20/hour. This person is solely my nurse. If I need meds, he or she is there to get them for me. They look only after me and not 8 or 10 other people. This is going to cost me 240 per day. I do not care about getting steak or plushy robes. I just want to make sure that I get the care I need when I need it! I am far from rich, but I do want to come out of the hospital alive.

Private Duty nursing is available for extra cost in major hospitals. Some have own staff perform, others give family list of agencies for them to contract service.

My first homecare agency provided that service as extra feature. Took care of wealthy gentleman who had extubated himself and needed 24 hr nursing watch for second trach. Five years later we were still caring for him at home. When he was dying in ICU, we provided 24hr personal care in ICU....his familys choice and money permitted this level of care.

Got a peek into life of multimillionaire. Group of nurses involved in his care grew close together and we still get together yearly thirteen years later.

[HARRN2b]

Karen,

That is awesome, and that is what I call true nursing. I love caring for people but I hate corporate America! I wish it did not come down to the almighty dollar, though I realize that they have to make a profit. I just hate to see profits made when patients (and nurses) are at risk.

[HARRN2b]

NREMT,

Have you noticed that all of our society in America feels entitled in some form or fashion today. Even the folks that you are talking about at Starbucks. I, also, do not know where this is coming from. My mother said she is even seeing it in Florida in her retirement community. In my sociology class the other day, we discussed "handbags". I am not kidding. We discussed class warfare amonst handbag carriers. The woman with the true Louis Vitton looks down on the woman that carries a coach. I may be getting older, but I had never heard of such garbage in by life. What in the heck is wrong with people. Honest to God, we spent an hour discussing this!

[cindeeg]

Unfortunately, today's society expects to be pampered, even while recuperating from major surgery. They want and expect to carry on their lifestyle (cell phone use, laptop computer use, having ALL the cable channels available) while in your hospital. And guess what, hospital management is responding....with "hospitality". Call your nurse or nurse assistant on THEIR phone if you need help (as if you were calling room service). It's here, folks, like it or not!

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

And if they are well enough to think about eating restaurant food and getting pampered by massages.....maybe it's time to discharge them home.

I agree.

And notice that money wasn't even mentioned.

[Katnip, RN]

llg - its not the money I mind. Money is the easy part...its the sense of ENTITLEMENT that sometimes comes with it...that is what gets my goat!

Nightmare Conversation:

Entitled: I'm beginning to think that you don't CARE about your job. I told you about mommy having cold feet about an HOUR ago and you people keep it like an ice box in here - WHO do I have to call to get some of those little booties like last time?

Nurse: No, I do care about "mommies" cold feet, they didn't restock our booties supply - I called materials and the supervisor and they will get to it. I'm sorry that you have to wait and the warm blankets haven't helped... It its just that I have this poor asthmatic kid in the next room that were getting getting ready to intubate, so the warmed booties will, in fact, WAIT....

I've seen more of that behavior from lower socio-economic patients than in the upper ones. A lot of it has to do with simple manners.