Disney Princes Nurses

[KenH]

As a family we have two new nursing grads that recently got together with some of their former classmates.

There was the standard I hate working with ….., they are so mean, but I have learned so much from them. The discussion turned to the trend that they were all experiencing, the pushing of the Disney Princes Nurse.

At one hospital they had a staffing meeting to go over the importance of focusing on patient satisfaction scores; they were told that patients want a NICE nurse not a SMART nurse.

This has setup a clash between the Nice nurses and the nurses that were offended by the nice vs. smart nursing focus. The not so nice nurses have started calling their Nice nurse champions as the Disney Princes Nurses.

Anyone else seeing this trend in patient care/ satisfaction?

[llg, PhD, RN]

I don't think that is anything new. I think it has always been the case for many (if not most) patients. In my considerable experience (RN since 1977), patients can't tell which nurses are really smart, good, skilled, etc. -- They tend to "like" the nurses who seem the most "caring" to them, however they define that ... regardless of whether that nurse is actually dangerously incompetent or brilliant.

My hospital used to have an "employee of the month" award picked by a multi-disciplinary committee who reviewed the patient feedback comments, letter, etc. Unfortunately, the committee wasn't all that knowledgeable about proper professional relationships. They kept picking winners who had received glowing comments from families because they had broken rules, ignored policies, crossed-professional boundaries, etc. After a string of particularly "inappropriate winners, " the administration had to put a stop to it.

That's why I am cynical about such awards and recognition programs.

[OCNRN63, RN]

You know, it's entirely possible to be smart and nice. People here carp on and on about NETY, but think nothing of demeaning more experienced nurses, otherwise known as NETO.

[Asystole RN]

People don't necessarily want a "nice" nurse, they just don't want an a**hole nurse.

I am entirely confident it is possible to be smart while not being a jerk, but what do I know.

[BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN]

Patients want a confident and nice nurse. They don't care how many initials are behind your name, where you graduated from or where the top in your class. Patients always respond best to the nicest person.

Now ow if you are bending the rules etc, not cool. There is a way to be nice and enforce rules and get people to do what you want.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Nothing new here. Judging medical care by patient satisfaction scores had been around for a long time.

By "Disney Princes" I assume you mean Disney Princess?

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

Nothing to write home about.

It is kinda funny to see patients and families after months in hospitals with highest possible HCAPS scores and such, slowly drifting down the drain in circles, coming at last in LTACH where things just could not come with thick sugar coats any more. When they start to see real results, they are so much amazed.

And, yes, it is entirely possible to be smart and not rude at the same time. Not possible to combine responsibilities and duties of a waitress, maid, bartender and an RN... and I have a feeling that in some places escort and strip services might soon be added to that list of "other duties as assigned".