I'm sorry, but I didn't realize I signed up to please the customer. While the nurses go around reminding the patients this is a hospital, not a hotel, we get notices that we SHOULD make these people feel like they're in a hotel. Or "even if you know they're wrong, you should apologize and let them know that they're right" THIS IS AN ACTUAL MEMO THAT APPEARED IN MY MAILBOX.
... oh but it gets worse.
I got tapped on the shoulder by the "hospital customer service rep" telling me this patient (customer) really really wants a milkshake and would really make her day if she could have a milkshake. And I tell this rep this patient just had a bowel resection yesterday and not only can she NOT have a milkshake, but she probably can't even have water, even ice, for the next couple days. I spend all day listening to this patient whine and complain, and now the hospital has provided her a rep to follow me out in the hallway to whine and complain. And neither of them can admit that although a milkshake would make the patient really happy for about 15 mins, going back to surgery and prolonging the recovery would not. I know there's a lot of things in the medical field that seem downright cruel. But if we go by "the customer is always right" keep the patient/customer happy, there will be consequences.
Should customer service be #1 priority? Or am I just being delusional believing that patient safety is more important than patient satisfaction?
If the doctors had to put up with the Customer Service crap that the nurses must abide by, there would be a revolution. Remember, to the hospitals the DOCTOR is the MONEY MAKER while the NURSE is the MONEY TAKER :angryfire. No wonder all the younger nurses go for their masters - so as NOT to be at the bedside. Bravo to them.
If the doctors had to put up with the Customer Service crap that the nurses must abide by, there would be a revolution. Remember, to the hospitals the DOCTOR is the MONEY MAKER while the NURSE is the MONEY TAKER :angryfire. No wonder all the younger nurses go for their masters - so as NOT to be at the bedside. Bravo to them.
We nurses are the front line at hospitals Mookie, representing the quality of care given there. It sounds like you are quite unhappy with your work. Doctors refer their patients to hospitals, which results in money paid for their care. Nurses give the care there, and without us patients wouldn't be there.
Not all younger nurses go for their master's degree. Some are quite enthusiastic about bedside nursing, if they work at a facility that is employee friendly. I take it that you are not working at one of those. Find a place where you can be happy at work, because "If the nurse ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!" I wish you the best......:heartbeat
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
we nurses are the front line at hospitals mookie, representing the quality of care given there. it sounds like you are quite unhappy with your work. doctors refer their patients to hospitals, which results in money paid for their care. nurses give the care there, and without us patients wouldn't be there.
not all younger nurses go for their master's degree. some are quite enthusiastic about bedside nursing, if they work at a facility that is employee friendly. i take it that you are not working at one of those. find a place where you can be happy at work, because "if the nurse ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!" i wish you the best......:heartbeat
i guess i'm wondering how long it's been since you've actually been at the front lines -- because it sure sounds as if it's been awhile! i don't know whether or not mookie is unhappy in her work, but she's sure got a realistic picture of how nursing is today. you don't seem to.
i guess i'm wondering how long it's been since you've actually been at the front lines -- because it sure sounds as if it's been awhile! i don't know whether or not mookie is unhappy in her work, but she's sure got a realistic picture of how nursing is today. you don't seem to.
the tone of mookie's post was angry and resentful about the attention doctors get, as representing income of hospitals, while nurses cost hospitals money. there's nothing new about that. nurses need to realize that they won't be referring patients, and they'll cost the hospital money, so being advocates for their employer isn't too much to ask - unless, as i said, the issues weigh heavily against a good working environment. when there's no time to smile or talk to patients, it's time for a change.
while it has been a few years since i was a staff r.n., having moved to positions in teaching and infection control, i discuss their work and attitudes with staff nurses at the local hospital here in williamsburg, and they don't resent being representatives of their hospital. it's usually when doctors act like god's gift to everyone, and put nurses down, that it gets testy. rants are healthy outlets for resentment, but mookie's seemed a little over the top.
when the length of time worked is as long as mine is, an important factor when working with patients and their families, is loyalty, the ability to reflect confidence in the care given, and honesty. if a nurse can't honestly support members of the healthcare team, he/she needs to discuss problems with the supervisor in an effort to improve working conditions, or find another place of employment.
Specializes in Home Care, Primary care NP, QI, Nsg Adm.
"I am not a nurse yet, so probably shouldn't answer this, But I have volunteered and worked as an emt and at a hospital, so here is my $0.02.I don't mind kissing a little a$$, if it makes them more comfortable and helps them get better."
"I'm more than happy to cowtail to their whims, I mean, they are paying and probably are already feeling miserable."
This thread has been going on for some time and it seems just about every opinion on the subject has been given.
A lot of '2 cents' worth of opinions have been given.
Kissing 'A' is not what we do. Just giving 'good care' is not enough, assuming the care is good. Many nurses claim they give excellent care while taking a hard line to satisfying other needs of patients. I take their claims as stated, but frankly, when someone takes a hard-line, hard-nosed stand on issues of patient satisfaction thinking that their 'excellent care' is sufficient makes me wonder about their overall approach towards, families and even staff.
Patients are customers, like it or not. Because hospitals have patients, we have work. I used to quip with my patients when I worked in primary care that; "you're sore throat pays my rent", but it is true. I now work in addiction, a horrible problem, but the reality is that it is putting my kids through college and paying for my graduate program, besides all of our other needs. So, just 'giving good care is not enough'.
There is a balance in everything and understanding the needs of a health care organization helps to broaden the scope of a nurses understanding. I understand that there are often barriers between management and front-line staff, but a certain level of maturity, experience, wisdom and knowledge generally can bridge that gap.
A sick patient has needs beyond just receiving good care. I am sure most of us have called a customer service department, demanded to see a manager in hotel, restaurant or other service industry environment and likely displayed anger at least once. Those people we dealt with may have been professionals as well and likely have the same ideas that many nurses have, i.e., 'I don't have to take this crap'.
Because we deal with the sick and injured does not grant us exclusive domain in deciding how we will deal with patient satisfifaction. I believe this point is well understand by mature nurses and may be instructive for those just starting out.
Whether a patient pays for his care or not is not the issue. 'Good care' is multi-faceted with pleasing patients and families just a piece of that and an important piece for various reasons. There are limits and any health care professional who believes that these limits are being stretched beyond what is reasonable, safe, etc., then must speak up in a mature and professional manner. When communication is done properly I feel certain that in most instances the issue is resolved amicably and properly.
Here is an interesting brief article on the subject that I believe offers an insight into the importance of customer service.
Well, the article Saifudin referred to, in the March AHA newsletter, points to Cleveland Clinic's acknowledgement that nurses can't do it all, customer service-wise. They've hired a "Hospital Navigator" (stated as a "staff" person) for all 26 of their areas, who follows patients from admission to their homes after discharge. I guess the 10% return on questionnaires asking for satisfaction rates, wasn't enough.
The prevailing reason given for good customer relations in the article, seems to be, in southern terms, "Y'all come back, heah"! Well, from my perspective, that's likely, if patients stay with the same physician. I've only been asked once by my doctor, in which hospital I'd like to be, and that was 35 years and many admissions ago, during my first OB visit.
There were 3 community hospitals nearby that catered to expectant parents and most of the OBs were on staff at all 3. One was a Catholic hospital, the other had recently had a "staph" episode in its nursery which was written up in the local newspaper, and the 3rd was the newest. Guess which hospital I chose. The one that recently had the "staph" infection in its nursery...... which I knew had to have been zealously cleansed, everyone working there would be known not to have "staph" (at least for the week the nasal cultures had been taken), and meticulously monitored. Well, that's what's important to a nurse teaching childbirth preparation, who also is an Infection Control nurse. Most of the community's expectant public chose the new hospital, or if the family was Catholic, the Catholic one.
It was understood, that if the OB on call from the group of physicians where the patient had her prenatal care, was imminently involved in a delivery at one of the 3 hospitals, that was where other patients in labor would have their babies at that time...... So the private medical records went to all 3 hospitals, as faxes weren't available then, and HIPPA hadn't entered anyone's mind. Most patients didn't mind being admitted to the hospital not of their choice, when in labor. All of them had Champagne and steak dinners for new parents to enjoy, by candlelight.
Even though Maternity was not a money making department for the hospital, their PR folks thought it was a given, that once there, patients would happily return for other more profitable maladies. This wasn't predictive, as it turned out, as the community was fickle, and the doctors knew where to swing their clout. One of the 3 hospitals became a Cancer Center.
So fear not, nurses, the survival of your facility doesn't rest with your customer service skills (even though that's held over your heads, if only for the fact that patients and their families are far more litigous these days, and TV shows demonstrate how remiss, if not blatantly careless doctors can be). I don't know of one show that placed blame for patients' complications on the nurses, since doctors seem to push all the WCs and guerneys therein.......
It is true that when hospitalized in reality, patients and their families are surprised that their doctors aren't constantly hovering over them, or fascinated by their charts. It disconcerts them when their doctor mutters that the latest blood or other diagnostic test isn't in the chart, disappears to find it, and isn't seen again by them for days.
So to whom do they transfer their anger (especially if he/she hasn't been especially personable)? Bingo! The nurse! There's usually one of them around - or not, with NMs and supervisors to be found, when discontent occurs (which it usually does, because no one likes being in pain and incapacitated). So do sharpen those warm, fuzzy characteristics that each of us has, and which take no time at all to exhibit. That will make you feel better, too.
No matter how hard you work or what you do, you will NEVER please everyone. Take care of your patients to the best of your professional ability and know that you did a good job. In the end, it is you that needs to be satisfied that the care you provided was the best possible care you could have given. What more can anyone reasonably expect than that?
Mookie is very satisfied with the line of work HE does (RubyVee - im a male nurse - a growing species in the field). And thank you RubyVee for seeing a point of view shared by many nurses but are afraid to say. For then we are NAY sayers.. What i visually see and report here does not pertain to job satisfaction. I work in a busy ICU of a teaching hospital in South Florida where I know i am making a difference in peoples lives as the nurse and frontrunner with my care and skills. But that does not preclude the fact that physicians are the ones who bring the work in per se, and the nurses are the ones, as pointed out, that are with the patients the majority of the time.
i switched into this field not for what the MD's did, but for how the nurses were the ones that cared for an ailing relative of mine. I saw the BS that they had to take from patients families, and knew what i was getting into.
And as far as the younger nurses all going for their higher degrees, its is true. Given the choice of working on a floor and working behind the scenes, most are going for that degree to escape floor life. If i had the choice of working with 6-7 patients or getting a masters and working as a clinical educator,,,,,thats what those in their 20's and 30's are doing now. The day of the 40 year career floor nurse is over.
And please dont account for my views as being bitter, its what i see day to day. and yes, this will be my career till i have to retire (and with the economy now, thats pushed back.. lol).
Mookie is very satisfied with the line of work HE does (RubyVee - im a male nurse - a growing species in the field). And thank you RubyVee for seeing a point of view shared by many nurses but are afraid to say. For then we are NAY sayers.. What i visually see and report here does not pertain to job satisfaction. I work in a busy ICU of a teaching hospital in South Florida where I know i am making a difference in peoples lives as the nurse and frontrunner with my care and skills. But that does not preclude the fact that physicians are the ones who bring the work in per se, and the nurses are the ones, as pointed out, that are with the patients the majority of the time.
i switched into this field not for what the MD's did, but for how the nurses were the ones that cared for an ailing relative of mine. I saw the BS that they had to take from patients families, and knew what i was getting into.
And as far as the younger nurses all going for their higher degrees, its is true. Given the choice of working on a floor and working behind the scenes, most are going for that degree to escape floor life. If i had the choice of working with 6-7 patients or getting a masters and working as a clinical educator,,,,,thats what those in their 20's and 30's are doing now. The day of the 40 year career floor nurse is over.
And please dont account for my views as being bitter, its what i see day to day. and yes, this will be my career till i have to retire (and with the economy now, thats pushed back.. lol).
I agree with this. Not all truths are palatable, and I would say that this is true, that this is truly what's happening.
Now, lamazeteacher, I have to say, your Southern is slipping. The CORRECT phrase is : "Y'all come back now, y'hear?"
Tee hee hee, sorry, please don't get mad. I couldn't resist. 28 years of Southern living, and I have heard it all.
I appreciate knowing better. You guessed it! I'm a recent transplant from California (45 years) to Virginia
(2 years)..... I writes it like ah hears it.
Of course I'm not mad! Embaressed a little, but still trying my Scarlett on. My neighbor and friend made green beans with bacon fat for dinner tonight, and tries to get me to eat fried foods (but they're all not spicy enough).
In his book, "Customer Service: Career Success Through Customer Satisfaction," Paul R. Timm talks about what he calls the "Takla Syndrome." He writes:
"Early in my career, business took me to a pulp and paper mill in Takla, a small community in the interior of British Columbia.
"As we approached, I was hit by a distinct and overwhelming odor, which I subsequently discovered was sulfur. As discreetly as I could, I asked my client, a longtime resident, how people put up with the smell. His response. "Smell? What smell?"
"He was quite serious. After a while, people who lived in Takla simply became inured to the smell -- they didn't notice it anymore. In fact, for them, it didn't exist.
"And that, I believe, is what's happening when we encounter those nonresponsive employees. Often, they've lived with the smell of poor customer service for so long that they don't notice it anymore." (page. 115).
Mookie427
26 Posts
If the doctors had to put up with the Customer Service crap that the nurses must abide by, there would be a revolution. Remember, to the hospitals the DOCTOR is the MONEY MAKER while the NURSE is the MONEY TAKER :angryfire. No wonder all the younger nurses go for their masters - so as NOT to be at the bedside. Bravo to them.