My employer has experienced falling Press Ganey scores and has decided putting nurses through Press Ganey's C3 program is just the way to fix it!
So, today I learned:
There is an easy way to cut off a patient's conversation - Connect, Summarize, Close.
It looks like this:
1. Connect - Make a connection with the patient
2. Summarize - Confirm listening
3. Close - End the conversation
If Ms. Smith in bed 4 is rambling about her flower garden, here's what you can do about it:
1. Connect - "Oh, I love flowers!"
2. Summarize - "It's great that you're able to grow roses and lilies! That sounds like a beautiful combination!"
3. Close - "You're going to have to tell me more about your garden when I come back next hour."
See, it only takes about a minute and a half to learn about the patient, parrot back what they told you, and tell them how interested you are in talking about it again when you come back for hourly rounding!
I also learned that whenever someone is upset, you can come up with an Empathy Statement with a simple formula:
1. Lead in - I hear/I see/It sounds like/It seems like...
2. Acknowledgement of the other person - You/Your family
3. Description of feelings - Anxious/frustrated/nervous....
4. Situation - This part is optional.
So, if Mr. Doe in room 3 is angry because it took a while for someone to come after he pressed the call bell, you can always say: "Mr. Doe, it seems like you are upset that it took a while for your nurse to arrive after you pressed the call bell." This will make you look empathetic and responsive to his problem. Don't forget to use silence therapeutically after you make this statement so he has time to express his feelings.
So, what customer service things have you all had forced down your throats recently? Inquiring minds want to know.
Actually, with the rate of turnover in acute care now, we'll be lucky to upsell a nurse having more than one year experience.
" Hi , the is Nancynurse. She's our most senior nurse on the floor with 2 years experience. You'll be in VERY GOOD care.She will serve your most excellent needs":roflmao:
Actually, with the rate of turnover in acute care now, we'll be lucky to upsell a nurse having more than one year experience.
" Hi , the is Nancynurse. She's our most senior nurse on the floor with 2 years experience. You'll be in VERY GOOD care.She will serve your most excellent needs":roflmao:
Irony at its finest, because this is *me*. I'm the nurse with 2-years experience on the floor AND the most senior nurse.
Some honest talk-ups for a few choice coworkers (names changed to protect the guilty):
"This is Sarah Staller, your day shift nurse. She doesn't really like to deliver babies, so be prepared to be pregnant and laboring until I get back tonight."
"This is Nellie Needles. That's great that you want to labor as naturally as possible, but she hates those kinds of patients, and she will do everything she can to get you an epidural, especially when the pain gets intense and you most need her in your corner."
"This is Cara Cutter. She used to be an OR nurse, and she really enjoys C-sections. She's been known to make things look worse than they actually are in order to get her patients delivered surgically."
"This is Felicia Fumbles. She's so disorganized, she can't draw a straight line, much less walk one. So make sure she bonds your baby's Hugs tag to your Kiss band and not your neighbor's."
Oh, there are so many ways to be too honest. I'm sure I'll be back with more. :Emoticon-Devil:
During new hire orientation at a hospital I worked at, the VP of nursing talked at us about how we were to make our patients feel like they were at Disneyland. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that one.
I don't feel comfortable with these scripts--my patients aren't stupid and neither are we. They can see through BS. A hospital isn't a theme park and I'm not Tinkerbell.
At that same hospital, someone decided that we weren't allowed to say "you're welcome," "no problem," or "no big deal" when a patient thanked us for doing our jobs, because apparently someone decided that it sends the message that the patient is a problem. So instead, we were supposed to say, "It was my pleasure." Try it out in a few scenarios and see just how creepy you sound.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
During new hire orientation at a hospital I worked at, the VP of nursing talked at us about how we were to make our patients feel like they were at Disneyland. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that one.
I don't feel comfortable with these scripts--my patients aren't stupid and neither are we. They can see through BS. A hospital isn't a theme park and I'm not Tinkerbell.
At that same hospital, someone decided that we weren't allowed to say "you're welcome," "no problem," or "no big deal" when a patient thanked us for doing our jobs, because apparently someone decided that it sends the message that the patient is a problem. So instead, we were supposed to say, "It was my pleasure." Try it out in a few scenarios and see just how creepy you sound.
I can understand why you can't say "no problem" or "no big deal." But "You're welcome" used to be the polite, accepted response to "Thank you."
"No problem" and "No big deal" are like nails on chalkboard!
During new hire orientation at a hospital I worked at, the VP of nursing talked at us about how we were to make our patients feel like they were at Disneyland. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that one.
I don't feel comfortable with these scripts--my patients aren't stupid and neither are we. They can see through BS. A hospital isn't a theme park and I'm not Tinkerbell.
At that same hospital, someone decided that we weren't allowed to say "you're welcome," "no problem," or "no big deal" when a patient thanked us for doing our jobs, because apparently someone decided that it sends the message that the patient is a problem. So instead, we were supposed to say, "It was my pleasure." Try it out in a few scenarios and see just how creepy you sound.
Since when does "You're welcome" as a response to "Thank you" make a person feel like they're a problem? I know a lot of older folks who would be pissed off if I said anything else, and might just ask me who taught me my manners!
Periodically, one of our PsychSoc people tries to pull stuff like this. She tends to be met with silence and blank stares.
Also, I agree with Ruby: "No problem" and "No big deal" can come off as flippant or disrespectful (especially the latter), and should be discouraged.
I can understand why you can't say "no problem" or "no big deal." But "You're welcome" used to be the polite, accepted response to "Thank you."
"No problem" and "No big deal" are like nails on chalkboard!
It depends on how the phrases are used. I routinely have patients who apologize when they soil the bed, or when they ask for something simple like a glass of water. I usually say, "It's no problem at all!" or "It's not at all an issue!" I really don't see how these can come off as insincere. Perhaps if the person simply says, "No problem." and leave it at that, it can seem curt, but as with all communication, one's tone is just as important as the words used.
pt: im sorry I didnt make it the bathroom on time ( feels really bad)
nancynurse: It was my pleasure to attend to your toileting needs.
addendum-
So, I understand you didnt make it to the bathroom on time( pt is embarrassed as heck)
would you like to talk about it?
Id really like to see the idiots who make this crap up actually listen to how stupid it sounds.
No one listens to how stupid it sounds, and that's the problem. The people that create the unrealistic scripting have no idea what bedside nursing is like, much less what the patient experiences while in that bed receiving said nursing care.
Some honest talk-ups for a few choice coworkers (names changed to protect the guilty)
I love you for this! I've got to add a few of my own:
"This is Betty Bookworm. She is a brilliant nurse, and knows everything there is to know about critical care, but she's so burned out she always gives herself the easiest assignments so she can sit and read all night. The good news is you're healthy if she assigned herself to work with you!"
"This is Sally Studious. She graduates from NP school next month and already has a job lined up, so she has stopped caring about pretty much anything. Don't expect to see her except in dire emergencies."
"This is Penelopy Pretty. She likes to sleep with attendings, so the good news is they will actually answer her call to get something for you if they don't want to be faced with closed legs the next time they see her."
"This is Carol Confused. She doesn't seem to be capable of adding two and two together to get four, but she is very nice so at least you will feel like someone cares about you while you are coding."
At that same hospital, someone decided that we weren't allowed to say "you're welcome," "no problem," or "no big deal" when a patient thanked us for doing our jobs, because apparently someone decided that it sends the message that the patient is a problem. So instead, we were supposed to say, "It was my pleasure." Try it out in a few scenarios and see just how creepy you sound.
I bet that practice stops the first time a male nurse says "It was my pleasure" after sticking a Foley in a female patient.
martymoose, BSN, RN
1,946 Posts
Stepford nurses comes to mind:wacky:
Actually, with the rate of turnover in acute care now, we'll be lucky to upsell a nurse having more than one year experience.
" Hi , the is Nancynurse. She's our most senior nurse on the floor with 2 years experience. You'll be in VERY GOOD care.She will serve your most excellent needs":roflmao: