Nursing as a customer service profession?

Nurses General Nursing

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I am graduating from nursing school in the next few months, and I am just beginning my job search. I have discovered that many hospitals have something about nursing as a customer service profession in their mission statement or RN job description. For example, the performance review at one hospital rates nurses on customer service skills-- such as phone etiquette, meeting patients needs, and acting in a friendly and courteous manner.

I don't see nursing as a customer service profession. I think that my primary responsibility is to help patients get well, and if that means making them get out of bed when they don't want to, then so be it. I think the best nurses are nice yet firm at the same time. I don't think it's my job to coddle patients and give them whatever they want. What does everyone think about this-- is nursing a customer service profession?

Originally posted by maia1212

Now it would be nice if they would send the doctors to these customer service classes....after all they get paid the big bucks and get all the glory when its over and done....and I've known many to piss many a patient off and when its over they are suddenly "god".

I've said this before, but the thing that irritates me THE MOST when I get to work is the sign in our break room 'Remember, the doctors are our customers, too'. What happened to being professional colleagues? I know the doctors don't believe that, but a little 'education' can go a long way, and acting as their 'service providers'is not the way!

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FAQ's

Q. What is Nursing?

A. Nursing is the fine art of caring for patients who know everything. Nurses spend years of their life honing their clinical skills and expanding their knowledge base so that when presented with a clinical problem, the patient can tell them not to worry, they have something in the medicine cabinet at home to take care of that.... Nursing also requires tremendous skill in filling water pitchers and adjusting bedside televisions.

Q. Do nurses always respect the Doctor?

A. Absolutely (Tee-hee)

Q. Nursing School is all about making beds and emptying bedpans, right?

A. Yes. The primary function of nursing school is to instill a sense of pride in forming *perfect* corners at the bottom of the bed. In my years of nursing practice I've also taken pride in my bedpan emptying skills. All those lectures on physiology, biochemistry, anatomy, pharmacology, psychology and etc. were primarily to kill time between bed bath classes.

Q. How do nurses keep their uniforms so white?

A. I'd tell you but I'd have to kill you.

Q. Are women in hospitals all nurses? Are all men Doctors?

A. Yes. We do that so you'll know the difference.

Q. Will the nurse fluff my pillow?

A. Yes, he will.

Q. Why do I always have to wait for the nurse to come into my room?

A. There are two possible causes for the nurse not coming to the room immediately. First, you may not be using the call bell enough. Try hitting the call bell as soon as the nurse leaves the room. Nurses love the feeling of being needed that this evokes. Second, the nurse may not have enough patients to keep his/her attention focused solely on you. Please let the nurse know that you'd like his/her undivided attention for the entire shift.

Q. How do nurses read Doctor's handwriting?

A. Years of meditation and incantations. Experience in reading sheep entrails is helpful before trying our skills on Doctors' handwriting.

Q. Nurse...what should I do? It hurts when I do this.

A. Don't do that.

Q. Why are Nurses frequently seen with pizza boxes at the Nurses Station?

A. A Pepperoni Pizza supplies all of the four basic food groups, the dairy group, the bread group, vegetable group and the meat group.

Q. Why are Nurses never actually seen eating the pizza?

A. Nurses don't actually have time to eat; they just wish to be good role models for Healthy Nutrition.

This FAQ is based on years of unscientific research and in no way should be taken seriously.

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Originally posted by debRNo1

They showed a cute video of a man and his dog. They get hurt while jogging. The man is treated so badly at the doctors office and then at the hospital when he goes for Xrays. People are ignoring him and very rude. The doctor could care less and the nurse was mean. He gets lost at the hospital, nobody would direct him and one employee says "do I look like a MAP ?"Finally he finds xray and the tech picks a fight with him when he wants to xray the wrong body part. :eek:

Meanwhile the wife brings the dog to the vet. Top of the line treatment is given. Everyone is overly polite and helpful, the vet is caring and kind, and the staff is courteous and professional. Later on that evening the phone rings and it the vets office calling to see how the dog was doing- nobody called to see how HE was doing !!

Yes Yes my hospital is REAL BIG on customer service and that video was a good way of getting the point across.

deb

OMG!!! We had to watch that video in one of my nursing classes and it was so funny, sad but true.

Thanks for your input everyone. I agree that nurses should treat all patients with dignity and respect, but the current push towards kissing families and patients butts kinda irks me sometimes. And sometimes it just isn't possible to do all those nice little extras because we just don't have time! But I agree that a friendly smile and introduction and keeping the patient updated go a long way.

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I have also seen that video...hahahahaha.... in part of my orientation to my current position. Too funny.

I do agree that politeness and friendliness is essential to patient care, it is a shame that we need to be taught this. It should be an innate quality, that shouldn't take any effort.

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Originally posted by Gomer

Think of it this way, you treat your patients/patient's family/co-workers/etc (customers) as you wish to be treated. This is nothing new, our health system has been practicing on-going customer service for the last 20 years.

I work with people that complain about the needy people. The way I look at is, If someone is that needy, they are scared, lonely and need a little extra tlc. I would call this customer service. I've been asked why did you do that? My answer is, if I were here, and was going through the same thing, I wouldn't ask for a lot, but I would be very glad to have someone ask me if I needed it. Don't get me wrong, some times I get tired of running my hind end off, but it's rewarding in the end. I like to hear the family say when they leave, take good care of him/her. I always say I will and it's great when they say I know you will.

I have also found that if you make a little extra effort to make someone comfortable, they might not ask for as much.

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Originally posted by Gomer

Think of it this way, you treat your patients/patient's family/co-workers/etc (customers) as you wish to be treated. This is nothing new, our health system has been practicing on-going customer service for the last 20 years.

I work with people that complain about the needy people. The way I look at is, If someone is that needy, they are scared, lonely and need a little extra tlc. I would call this customer service. I've been asked why did you do that? My answer is, if I were here, and was going through the same thing, I wouldn't ask for a lot, but I would be very glad to have someone ask me if I needed it. Don't get me wrong, some times I get tired of running my hind end off, but it's rewarding in the end. I like to hear the family say when they leave, take good care of him/her. I always say I will and it's great when they say I know you will.

I have also found that if you make a little extra effort to make someone comfortable, they might not ask for as much.

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You know, I really don't buy the whole "the patient is our customer" business. IN the hospital I worked in, we weren't even supposed to call patients patients. The "proper" term was either customer or guest. Um, yeah, like its the friggin Hilton or something. The term customer, to me, gives the implication that said person has a choice in where they receive treatment. I don't know about anyone else's healthcare plans, but in mine, I am able to go to only one of the local hospitals and have to get prior approval to go to larger, metro-area hospitals. I do remember, though, having an hour long customer service session in our orientation in which the cust serv mgr handed out little badges that said "It's my pleasure!" that we were supposed to wear at all times. I think that thing is still somewhere at the bottom of my purse...

A

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You know, I really don't buy the whole "the patient is our customer" business. IN the hospital I worked in, we weren't even supposed to call patients patients. The "proper" term was either customer or guest. Um, yeah, like its the friggin Hilton or something. The term customer, to me, gives the implication that said person has a choice in where they receive treatment. I don't know about anyone else's healthcare plans, but in mine, I am able to go to only one of the local hospitals and have to get prior approval to go to larger, metro-area hospitals. I do remember, though, having an hour long customer service session in our orientation in which the cust serv mgr handed out little badges that said "It's my pleasure!" that we were supposed to wear at all times. I think that thing is still somewhere at the bottom of my purse...

A

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Here's another "customer service" situation that took place at my hospital last week.

I came to work for the 7 P-7A shift. Got report. One patient was in " the process" of being discharged. Making initial rounds, the 70'ish patient was fully dressed and sitting in a chair in her room with two family members about her age who had arrived hours before to take her home.

When I introduced myself and explained we were changing shifts;

she looked at me with frustration in her voice and demeanor, and asked , ""Do you know WHEN I WILL GET TO

GO HOME????? The doctor told me I could go home at 9:30 this morning.""

It was about 7:30 PM. I asked her what was taking this long?

She said the nurse had told her "one excuse after another, first, waiting for paperwork, waiting for wheelchair, waiting for a volunteer to take me down, waiting for my prescription, and waiting now for the paperwork to be finished."

I told her I would check on it.

I went out and ask the day nurse what was holding up this lady leaving, as she hadn't explained it in report. She said she "still had to finish the paperwork before the patient can go, and her prescription hasn't come up from pharmacy." I looked at the doctors' orders, told the day nurse, "I will finish the paperwork," gathered up the patients chart and "paper work."

Called the pharmacy, yes the script..(eyedrops) was there and had been there for hours....told the pharmacist I'd be right down to get it.

Went to patients room, said, "I understand that you are waiting for your eyedrops. Is there anything else that you need before you leave?? Do you know when you have to go back to see your doctor?"

She replied, "Yes, I know when to go back to my doctor....I don't need anything else, just for someone to LET ME OUT OF HERE. "

She & her family members were very "upset" to have waited over 9 hours to be "processed."

I said, "Well, you can go now. I will take you down and we'll pick up your eye drops at the pharmacy on the way out."

The three of them were in total disbelief. The above transaction took less than 5 minutes..... they actually ask: ""We can GO?""

"What about yhe paperwork??" I told them I'd do it after they were gone, that I could get all the info I needed from the chart.

She signed a discharge form and in one minute , we were out the door.. she did NOT want to wait for a volunteer, or a wheelchair..."they told me I HAD to wait for a wheelchair."

In less than 5 minutes, the three of them were in their car.

What is this situation about? Customer service and someone assuming responsibility. I was the first person (after the doc) these people had seen who assumed the authority to say, "You can go."

(I've been doing this 20 years, if I'm not at the "top of my game now, WHEN will I be?")

I'd like to see younger nurses assume more responsibility re: situations like this. The day nurses' perception of the "paperwork" was one of sheer drudgery. The discharge forms, also, in her view, had to have every t crossed and every i dotted, "before I can LET the patient go." And , she had made the patient wait > 9 hours while she shuffled the papers around.

I see this a lot where I work. Some nurses seem to be on a power trip, "they can go home when I SAY THEY CAN GO HOME."

I have my own "personal rule." I try to have every patient out within an hour of the doc saying they can go. I cross all the t's and dot the i's long after they are gone.

These three people, regardless of the patients' care during her hospitalization , left our facility, NEVER wanting to be "held hostage" there again. The "customer service" was non-existent in their views.

RN's have a lot of power & authority. For me, the buck stops with me. Once the doc discharges you, you are outa there. No volunteers, wheelchairs, pharmacy, paperwork, etc. is an obstacle to your leaving. I will personally facilitate your leaving ASAP, "within the hour."

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Here's another "customer service" situation that took place at my hospital last week.

I came to work for the 7 P-7A shift. Got report. One patient was in " the process" of being discharged. Making initial rounds, the 70'ish patient was fully dressed and sitting in a chair in her room with two family members about her age who had arrived hours before to take her home.

When I introduced myself and explained we were changing shifts;

she looked at me with frustration in her voice and demeanor, and asked , ""Do you know WHEN I WILL GET TO

GO HOME????? The doctor told me I could go home at 9:30 this morning.""

It was about 7:30 PM. I asked her what was taking this long?

She said the nurse had told her "one excuse after another, first, waiting for paperwork, waiting for wheelchair, waiting for a volunteer to take me down, waiting for my prescription, and waiting now for the paperwork to be finished."

I told her I would check on it.

I went out and ask the day nurse what was holding up this lady leaving, as she hadn't explained it in report. She said she "still had to finish the paperwork before the patient can go, and her prescription hasn't come up from pharmacy." I looked at the doctors' orders, told the day nurse, "I will finish the paperwork," gathered up the patients chart and "paper work."

Called the pharmacy, yes the script..(eyedrops) was there and had been there for hours....told the pharmacist I'd be right down to get it.

Went to patients room, said, "I understand that you are waiting for your eyedrops. Is there anything else that you need before you leave?? Do you know when you have to go back to see your doctor?"

She replied, "Yes, I know when to go back to my doctor....I don't need anything else, just for someone to LET ME OUT OF HERE. "

She & her family members were very "upset" to have waited over 9 hours to be "processed."

I said, "Well, you can go now. I will take you down and we'll pick up your eye drops at the pharmacy on the way out."

The three of them were in total disbelief. The above transaction took less than 5 minutes..... they actually ask: ""We can GO?""

"What about yhe paperwork??" I told them I'd do it after they were gone, that I could get all the info I needed from the chart.

She signed a discharge form and in one minute , we were out the door.. she did NOT want to wait for a volunteer, or a wheelchair..."they told me I HAD to wait for a wheelchair."

In less than 5 minutes, the three of them were in their car.

What is this situation about? Customer service and someone assuming responsibility. I was the first person (after the doc) these people had seen who assumed the authority to say, "You can go."

(I've been doing this 20 years, if I'm not at the "top of my game now, WHEN will I be?")

I'd like to see younger nurses assume more responsibility re: situations like this. The day nurses' perception of the "paperwork" was one of sheer drudgery. The discharge forms, also, in her view, had to have every t crossed and every i dotted, "before I can LET the patient go." And , she had made the patient wait > 9 hours while she shuffled the papers around.

I see this a lot where I work. Some nurses seem to be on a power trip, "they can go home when I SAY THEY CAN GO HOME."

I have my own "personal rule." I try to have every patient out within an hour of the doc saying they can go. I cross all the t's and dot the i's long after they are gone.

These three people, regardless of the patients' care during her hospitalization , left our facility, NEVER wanting to be "held hostage" there again. The "customer service" was non-existent in their views.

RN's have a lot of power & authority. For me, the buck stops with me. Once the doc discharges you, you are outa there. No volunteers, wheelchairs, pharmacy, paperwork, etc. is an obstacle to your leaving. I will personally facilitate your leaving ASAP, "within the hour."

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Originally posted by debRNo1

My hospital which is part of a larger system also uses customer service "classes" during orientation. They borrow what they teach from a major hotel chain and mentioned DISNEY WORLD (where ALL employees smile :D) more than once.

They showed a cute video of a man and his dog. They get hurt while jogging. The man is treated so badly at the doctors office and then at the hospital when he goes for Xrays. People are ignoring him and very rude. The doctor could care less and the nurse was mean. He gets lost at the hospital, nobody would direct him and one employee says "do I look like a MAP ?"Finally he finds xray and the tech picks a fight with him when he wants to xray the wrong body part. :eek:

Meanwhile the wife brings the dog to the vet. Top of the line treatment is given. Everyone is overly polite and helpful, the vet is caring and kind, and the staff is courteous and professional. Later on that evening the phone rings and it the vets office calling to see how the dog was doing- nobody called to see how HE was doing !!

Yes Yes my hospital is REAL BIG on customer service and that video was a good way of getting the point across.

deb

Saw the same movie too!! Do Doctor's see that video as well..just curious? Also, our hospital has sent nurses to the Disney Manners school...if paitents have complained about them being rude, not introducing theirselves, not knocking on their door, answering the phone & being impolite. Some of these same nurses have taken the "Manners" class 3x!!

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Originally posted by debRNo1

My hospital which is part of a larger system also uses customer service "classes" during orientation. They borrow what they teach from a major hotel chain and mentioned DISNEY WORLD (where ALL employees smile :D) more than once.

They showed a cute video of a man and his dog. They get hurt while jogging. The man is treated so badly at the doctors office and then at the hospital when he goes for Xrays. People are ignoring him and very rude. The doctor could care less and the nurse was mean. He gets lost at the hospital, nobody would direct him and one employee says "do I look like a MAP ?"Finally he finds xray and the tech picks a fight with him when he wants to xray the wrong body part. :eek:

Meanwhile the wife brings the dog to the vet. Top of the line treatment is given. Everyone is overly polite and helpful, the vet is caring and kind, and the staff is courteous and professional. Later on that evening the phone rings and it the vets office calling to see how the dog was doing- nobody called to see how HE was doing !!

Yes Yes my hospital is REAL BIG on customer service and that video was a good way of getting the point across.

deb

Saw the same movie too!! Do Doctor's see that video as well..just curious? Also, our hospital has sent nurses to the Disney Manners school...if paitents have complained about them being rude, not introducing theirselves, not knocking on their door, answering the phone & being impolite. Some of these same nurses have taken the "Manners" class 3x!!

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