Increasing Press Gainey Scores

[karlamparo]

For those practicing in an acute care hospital, besides AIDET, hourly rounding, etc. What EBP nursing interventions do you guys do in your hospital that increases HCAHP scores?

[Davey Do]

Administration at Wrongway Regional Medical Center believe Happy Employees = Happy Patients. Therefore, in order to make morale high, Administration is utilizing visual reminders:

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

UGH! So happy to not be in a direct care position any longer.

The answer administrators don't want to hear is "Satisfied NURSE = satisfied patient" despite it being the ONLY answer to this alleged problem.

[SaltySarcasticSally, LPN, RN]

We are to smile and say good morning to everyone we pass while on the clock lol! I am not sure if this is EBP but they are certainly pushing it. But yes, I agree with happy staff = happy patients. When staff are invested in and feel valued, 9/10 they are way more likely to deliver a positive patient experience.

[NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN]

Read the book "Patients Come Second". It is explaining how happy workers equal happy patients.

On my unit, we don't talk HCAHPS. We talk about improving rewards and recognition of bedside staff. But we have implemented something to reduce call light delays. Our patient care techs work 6-6 and the nurses work 7-7. This gives us call light coverage during shift change.

[JKL33]

UGH! So happy to not be in a direct care position any longer.

The answer administrators don't want to hear is "Satisfied NURSE = satisfied patient" despite it being the ONLY answer to this alleged problem.

That's right.

And I would propose the idea that management doesn't even need to stress themselves with trying to make the nurses feel surrounded by rainbows and unicorns. The "rewards" and little happy notes and all that other junk are worthless.

Simply treat us the way you ask us to treat patients.

Period.

Goals will never be reached by treating bedside nurses like "human capital".

[quazar]

Great news for administrators wondering what to do about the ever present patient satisfaction question!! There is actually RESEARCH out there that shows how patient satisfaction measures cause HARM and increase bad outcomes! Patient satisfaction linked to higher health-care expenses and mortality

The Problem With Satisfied Patients - The Atlantic

The cost of satisfaction: a national study of patient satisfaction, health care utilization, expenditures, and mortality. - PubMed - NCBI

Want to know the secret to what DOES increase patient satisfaction?? MORE NURSES. Shocking, I know.

[quazar]

My hospital has great HCAPS scores. Our patients are satisfied and give glowing reviews. We don't AIDET. Ever. Hourly rounding happens not because it's mandated but for one quirky reason: because my hospital is WELL STAFFED and has appropriate nurse-patient ratios. My hospital focuses on the bizarre concept that good scores come from good patient care, which comes from adequate staffing and nurses and PCTs that have the time and energy to provide said care. Tada. P.s., if you're not an administrator, I apologize for the snark. If you're just a regular nurse looking how to actually improve your scores, the only way to do that is to honest to God have more nurses and more PCTs to do the job they need to do and the supplies and teamwork to do it. That's it. That's all. No other answer.

If you're an administrator, then wake up and smell the research.

[3peas]

Read the book "Patients Come Second". It is explaining how happy workers equal happy patients.

On my unit, we don't talk HCAHPS. We talk about improving rewards and recognition of bedside staff. But we have implemented something to reduce call light delays. Our patient care techs work 6-6 and the nurses work 7-7. This gives us call light coverage during shift change.

Best book ever!!!!

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

My manager encourages excellent and EB nursing practice. We do exactly nothing for the goal of increasing our scores. We do lots for the goal of optimizing patient outcomes, such as making post-tPa pts 1:1 for the first 8 hours, and adding a nurse to be a resource for the ICUs (in addition to the house float scheduled for the whole hospital.)

[quazar]

Read the book "Patients Come Second". It is explaining how happy workers equal happy patients.

Ooo, adding that to my Amazon w/l.

[karlamparo]

Oh yeah, I forgot to let everyone know: I'm not an administrator. And yes, I totally agree with happy nurses = happy patients. We do fight for higher pay and better employment benefits, better staffing ratio (oh yeah, 4:1 or 3:1 telemetry ratio is no bueno for us, we want better!), hiring experienced staff, all the rainbows.

Our patient demographics are mostly the unfortunate souls, low income, no insurance, I-pay-taxes-so-you-work-for-me patients. The I'm-allergic-to-tylenol-motrin-vicodin-and-morphine-but-give-me-norco-and-dilaudid-and-wake-me-up-if-I-happen-to-be-sleeping patients.

I'm just wondering in your practice what works as far as EBP interventions to make patient stay experience better.