Scripting

Nurses General Nursing

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The most recent garbage to come out of my mailbox at work was a script, with actual things that they want us to say when we answer a call, enter a room, etc. I wonder if others have encountered this, and what are your thoughts? I was so busy memorizing my lines, I had trouble getting my AM care done!

ktwlpn, LPN

3,844 Posts

Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
Quote

Hey everyone! The most recent garbage to come out of my mailbox at work was a script, with actual things that they want us to say when we answer a call, enter a room, etc. I wonder if others have encountered this, and what are your thoughts? I was so busy memorizing my lines, I had trouble getting my AM care done!

Been there! And is this the most ridiculous bunch of crap? I am all for good customer service-after all if your customers(pts) are not happy with the care they receive they can find another hospital...But this is too much--the new CEO at our small community hospital started that his first yr-then came a large number of layoff followed by a several million dollar mistake in the yearly audit..Morale is worse then ever-pt care continues to suffer and who know how long the place can remain in business.But this buffoon thinks if the nurse says"is there any other service I can provide for you at this time?" before she leaves a pts. room that everything will be just groovy.

And what do you say to the junkie street bum guy that says"oh yeah baby I got something you can do for me" Some of these administrators have no respect for nurses-and no real idea of what we do all day either..Shoot em all..and let staff nurses make the BIG decisions-we will fix the whole mess in no time at all

MQ Edna

1 Article; 1,741 Posts

Yeah. $10 cups of coffee. One busy day the charge nurse said to to a male patient. We don't have any made. Why don't you make some and get yourself a cup. He did and continued making while he stayed in the hospital. But we had to warn him about Admin. Patients aren't supposed to go in the pantry - but that's who the food is for --Go Figure.

Janis Noone

17 Posts

Yes, I have seen this in place. The ones I have seen came from an effort to increase patient satisfaction scores. The consultants (from Florida) recommended this and from what I have heard it has actually worked. This was in a place however where staff were telling patients that they were "too busy" and "overworked" to get their care done and these comments showed up on patient comments post-discharge.

bunky, BSN, RN

187 Posts

I hope that they are providing clothing with an open back so that they can stick their hand in your shirt to make your mouth work?!

Doey, BSN, RN

93 Posts

At the community hospital where I work the only thing they have mentioned is that they would like us to introduce ourselves to our patients. I usually give them my first name and tell them I will be their nurse until 7am. I sometimes mention the other nurse I'm working with in case he/she answers the call light for me if I'm busy. But I in no way will be dictated to about how I interact with or what I say to my patients. The people who make these rules either have not been at the bedside in decades or never have done any patient care and have no clue what's involved. I'm a mature adult professional nurse and I expect to be treated as such. If I'm able to titrate vasoactive drugs, antiarrythmics, defibrillate, use an external pacer etc; then I think I'm capable of speaking to my patients without anyone's help. Especially when that help is from people who know next to nothing about nursing. And they wonder why there aren't any nurses!!

pickledpepperRN

4,491 Posts

We were once told NOT to tell patients we were understaffed or busy. We repeatedly asked what to tell patients when there was just not time for what they wanted at the time. The CEO and DON had no script for that one!

And they did not deny we were understaffed. They did not say they had a plan to improve staffing, in fact there was a layoff AFTER that! RNs were replace with dietary aides trained for two days to do nurse aide work.

Specializes in ER.

Our facility is also starting to "encourage" the use of scripting...My personal belief is that is reinforces the assembly line mentality that most patients currently associate with the state of today's health care. I like to refer to it in the ER as McMedicine!!

Ted

hollykate

338 Posts

Just a thought,

You know those people who have say 2 week hospital stays- won't they catch on that the nurses are using a script? I think most people would find it rather strange if the nurse- no matter who it was, said the same thing every day. One of the best things for some long term patients (CHF, CF, CA, etc) is to see their "favorite nurse" and share some bizarre joke- certainly not in the script. Bummer.

You wanna tell "them" that as a professional, communication skills are inbred and you do not need to be taught "parrot fashion" how to be pleasant and calm when interacting with people care comes first and foremost and empathy was born on the same day as you came into being....that's why you're a nurse, I think their job spec states "waste as much money as you can so that you can justify your position" !!!!

Repeat the script, sarcastically. Find ways to make it your own. Customer service, reflecting with clients, you want me to do ....? Share your neccesary tasks that you are responsible for, and present some or your problems to these same clients. "Therapeutic environment", What's that? Expectations, we in nursing need to lower our expectations so we are NOT disappointed. Lower the customer's expectation, too. Reality is a statement, by itself. Take a chance, you have job security! CIAO

sbic56, BSN, RN

1,437 Posts

Specializes in Obstetrics, M/S, Psych.

I'm reviving this old thread because I wonder if this practice is still being pushed by administrators in other places? Scripting is just part of this customer service plan at the hospital where I work. Along with that, we are now required to wear dept/title specific uniforms. We had to sign a contract saying we would comply with the new changes. If we did not conform, we could be expected to be dismissed. Also, we were informed that not all would like the new plan and we were welcome to find other jobs if we were not happy and they would understand. It is sad, because it was a nice place to work, we have always given great care and now this crap. I just don't get it. Nobody is impressed and morale is going to pot, but no one wants to say too much because of the contract we all signed. Anyone else experience this "plan" where they work?

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