FIVE-STAR experience in a Luxury Hospital?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

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?

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
But as soon as the "different culture" that we are talking about is that of the wealthy, some of us suddenly don't want to provide for the comfort or the emotional needs of those patients. It's a form of discrimination -- similar to other forms of discrimination.

Almost choked on my soup when i read this.

When i take care of my pts. "comfort and emotional needs", i couldn't give a flying rat's rear how much money that have don't have, nor is it even on my mind, since their health comes first.

I have had pts. who have said "i'm paying CASH to be here, that pays your salary" as if the fact that they're paying cash means they deserve preferential treatment. Of course that doesn't sit well with me, since one pt. in my care will not be treated any better than the other. That's not discrimination. That's equality.

As for the five-star hospitals, someone else can work there, but i won't. Not because it'll be the wealthy that will go there, but if i wanted to work in a hotel-like atomosphere, i would apply to work at a hotel.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
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.

I can almost see that as being some sort of therapy though. For the pt. to be getting back to their daily activities (aside from all the cable TV channels available).

We once had a CEO (only way i knew this was that he did his own TV commercials) who had a colon resection, and as soon as he could, he was sitting up using his laptop for business purposes.

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Specializes in Infusion, Oncology, Home Care, Med/Surg.

As for the five-star hospitals, someone else can work there, but i won't. Not because it'll be the wealthy that will go there, but if i wanted to work in a hotel-like atomosphere, i would apply to work at a hotel.

Agree. :bow: :yeah:

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Specializes in Infusion, Oncology, Home Care, Med/Surg.
I can almost see that as being some sort of therapy though. For the pt. to be getting back to their daily activities (aside from all the cable TV channels available).

We once had a CEO (only way i knew this was that he did his own TV commercials) who had a colon resection, and as soon as he could, he was sitting up using his laptop for business purposes.

Once I had a 18yo girl using her laptop to research her newly diagnosed disease. She used computer to look up normal values for her labs, learn treatment options..etc. I have a lot of respect for patients who are involved in their own care. Not those concerned about eating steak or duck or those expecting massages.

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I agree partly with all of you. There are some appauling places to work out there and some awfull aswell as excellent nurses. I feel sad that some places have a two tiered system for the rich and poor but unfortunatly as the saying goes 'you get what you pay for'. There is nowhere exempt from the two tiered system. I am a community nurse and unfortunatly have had the opportunity to experience this first hand. There are a few patients on our caseload that are affluent people and know their rights. These are pandered to by some nurses as they want to be seen as giving the best service ( that is:- appointments by convienience of the person etc) whereas the others such as myself who may have to wait for a nurse all day. This is only one example. There are many more. The GP's around here are the same. Will only do home calls for certain people and believe me if I have seen a patient and wish for a GP callout it is for a good reason. I have been personally repremanded for doing this. Is this not my job? If it is not then what is. Sorry if I have digressed a bit!! The article in question beggers belief as I feel that in the NHS all sould have the same high quality treatment and care. If you want private arrange to go elsewhere where the normal people cannot feel inferior.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency, Education, Informatics.

making blanket staements about not working for 5-star hospitals because if you wanted to work in a hotel you would have applied at one, is a little short sighted.

Look at the hosptal as a whole. Yes there are some there that ignore nursing staff when they develop these programs, but there are soime hostitals that actually include nursing in the planning and development. Nurses can actually benifit from this arrangement if the hospital wants to make sure that it has the best nurses possible for their patients.

As to the comment about if the patient starts thinking about a massage then it's time for them to be discharged. Well I may just have been doing this to long, but I remember when we actually used to give "massages" to out patients under the guise of backrubs and skin care. And for some reason I actually found time to provide backrubs to most of my 10-12 patients. But then they weren't as sick as they are now. And no I won't tell you how long ago that was.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
making blanket staements about not working for 5-star hospitals because if you wanted to work in a hotel you would have applied at one, is a little short sighted.

No, actually i see the bigger picture on it, which is why i still say no to it, for my work, and my personal healthcare.

That statement was made for my own career choice, and why, and not what's best for others'.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
Almost choked on my soup when i read this.

When i take care of my pts. "comfort and emotional needs", i couldn't give a flying rat's rear how much money that have don't have, nor is it even on my mind, since their health comes first.

I have had pts. who have said "i'm paying CASH to be here, that pays your salary" as if the fact that they're paying cash means they deserve preferential treatment. Of course that doesn't sit well with me, since one pt. in my care will not be treated any better than the other. That's not discrimination. That's equality.

As for the five-star hospitals, someone else can work there, but i won't. Not because it'll be the wealthy that will go there, but if i wanted to work in a hotel-like atomosphere, i would apply to work at a hotel.

I'm sorry if I didn't make myself clear, causing you to misinterpret my remarks. I have never said, nor intended to say, that we should be nicer to rich people than to poor people ... or that rich people are entitled to be rude ... or that rich people are entitled to more qualified care givers ... or anything like that. My point is that ALL people should be treated with kindness and consideration and that ALL people should have their psycho-social needs included in their care even if they are rich. The fact that they are rich should not cause nurses to belittle their needs just because we personally do not share their lifestyle.

Also, as I said repeatedly, providing extra services for those willing to pay extra (such as a private room, or a private duty nurse, or a more expensive physical environment) should not come at the expense of the other patients. That would be wrong.

As nurses, we should be prepared to take care of all patients from all cultures and respect their cultural differences -- as long as it doesn't hurt the other patients. That's true of patients from a different country ... or from a different religion ... or a different socio-economic class.

llg

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
I'm sorry if I didn't make myself clear, causing you to misinterpret my remarks. I have never said, nor intended to say, that we should be nicer to rich people than to poor people ... or that rich people are entitled to be rude ... or that rich people are entitled to more qualified care givers ... or anything like that. My point is that ALL people should be treated with kindness and consideration and that ALL people should have their psycho-social needs included in their care even if they are rich. The fact that they are rich should not cause nurses to belittle their needs just because we personally do not share their lifestyle.

Also, as I said repeatedly, providing extra services for those willing to pay extra (such as a private room, or a private duty nurse, or a more expensive physical environment) should not come at the expense of the other patients. That would be wrong.

As nurses, we should be prepared to take care of all patients from all cultures and respect their cultural differences -- as long as it doesn't hurt the other patients. That's true of patients from a different country ... or from a different religion ... or a different socio-economic class.

llg

I was offended when "patient" became "client" (hookers have clients; I always had patients). As long as I don't have to refer to them as "guests"!

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
I was offended when "patient" became "client" (hookers have clients; I always had patients). As long as I don't have to refer to them as "guests"!

All of my nursing books have used the word "client" but i have yet to hear this word at all where i work.

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I'm sorry if I didn't make myself clear, causing you to misinterpret my remarks. I have never said, nor intended to say, that we should be nicer to rich people than to poor people ... or that rich people are entitled to be rude ... or that rich people are entitled to more qualified care givers ... or anything like that. My point is that ALL people should be treated with kindness and consideration and that ALL people should have their psycho-social needs included in their care even if they are rich. The fact that they are rich should not cause nurses to belittle their needs just because we personally do not share their lifestyle.

Also, as I said repeatedly, providing extra services for those willing to pay extra (such as a private room, or a private duty nurse, or a more expensive physical environment) should not come at the expense of the other patients. That would be wrong.

As nurses, we should be prepared to take care of all patients from all cultures and respect their cultural differences -- as long as it doesn't hurt the other patients. That's true of patients from a different country ... or from a different religion ... or a different socio-economic class.

llg

I'm not a nurse yet (still a student) so you can take or leave my opinion, but I agree with you llg. As long as everyone is getting (rich and poor) the best medical treatment, why can't the people who can afford the plasma tv or private room get it if they are willing to pay for it.

If it brings in money for the hospital to improve the medical care for everyone, then I say let them do it. As a patient, I could care less if someone is getting a steak dinner while watchin cable on a plasma tv next door, as long as my medical needs are being met.

Again this is just my opinion.

ERin (nursing student)

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Heme/Onc.

But would that nice lady who can't seem to make it to the bedside commode in time insist on wearing that robe along with her girdle and pantyhose?

I guess you can no longer say "hospitality" without "hospital". :nurse: I also dislike the use of the word "client" - even in esthetics. I figure that if you are providing someone with a medical service, then they are the patient and you are the practioner. Clients make me think of stockbrokers! And I've only heard nursing school instructors and management call people "clients".

Blee

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