Patient Satisfaction Surveys

[anurseadvocate]

Hello All: I was wondering if you could answer the following ---

What is your facility's process for 'patient satisfaction' surveys. Does your facility give to patient for completion then expect patient to return to unit, or is patient given separate envelop to send to another address, other than unit?

For questions e.g. 'Are you satisfied with staff's infection control practices?" are patients educated sufficiently in order to know if staff are, in fact, implementing correct practices? We are finding that patients are not being educated enough in order to give accurate, valid responses... in fact, one of the most common deficiencies in surveys, (with the new Conditions) is that of lack of implementing correct infection control practices.

thanks.............................for your help.

[Lacie, BSN, RN]

We gave them in the unit and had them return them after thier treatment. If they didnt or forgotten to return them to the assistant then they would have us hound them to death to get them lol. The assistant would compile all the info and then send them to corporate. Hmm think they should require satisfaction surveys for staff also but send them to CMS instead lol.

[anurseadvocate]

From what you are saying this method of dispursing patient satisfaction surveys, imho, is not truly valid.

In order to these surveys to be valid (think about if you were the patient).. the following has to be incorporated into the process (1) complete confidentiality e.g. bringing form home for completion and sending in to different address with nothing to identify who the patient is....................

Further, in order for survey to be valid patients must be fully educated. One example that definitely affects delivery of care and can improve care is the following example... The survey includes a question if staff are implementing correct infection control practices.....................OK... now, if the patient has not been educated as to what practices the staff will be conducting to prevent the spread of infection then patients can not answer the question with any validity. We are finding more and more patients who have not been adequately trained in the area of infection control.. thanks for input.. Am wondering if each facility has their own procedure or if these are corporate e.g. all Davita facilities do the same, etc. thanks.