patient satisfaction

lunakat · Sep 28, 2006

We just had a big meeting about this the other day, Thankfully our current administration finally listened and we are getting a new group of docs in (the last bunch was horrible, 2 hours for medical screening exam for urgent pt came in with back injury by ambulance, one doc arrested off clock for being under influence of drugs and carrying drugs). But they are now going to make us call pts back to ask about their stay. I can already hear it now (xray took too long, lab takes to long, CT takes to Long). The thing that really sucks is that it really does take that long, we are a rural hospital and things take longer because our lab is small and CT has to be called in or suddenly everyone in the hospital needs an xray, ultrasound, ct all at once. These things are out of my control! I especially hate when out current docs don't go in and see a pt for hours! I am stuck trying to tell the pt he will be with you as soon as he can, or trying to explain why they are held up (code). I really don't want to make these call backs, I hate trying to apologize and eat crow over this. Maybe one day things will change?! *SIGH*

shelynche · Oct 3, 2006

Patient satisfaction starts with satisfied staff. We get a drill-down quarterly of the pt satisfaction scores and if we meet our minimum goal, every full-time employee gets a nice bonus. It's usually only around $200 but hey, it's free money for doing a good job. Since we're not-for-profit, I guess that's how they use some of the money. Fine by me!

Jennifer, RN · Oct 4, 2006

No matter what, some pts are not satisfied. The pts that are really sick, treated and admitted usually don't get to fill out one of our pt satisfaction questionnaires. The other ones, that come in with a sore throat and cold, wait for a pretty long time (since they are NON-EMERGENT), and then sent home usually get the questionnaires and don't give us a high score d/t the wait time. The pt that codes, gets vented and sent to ICU doesn't get a change to fill out our form. Not a very fair sample in my opinion.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Oct 4, 2006

when we turn the rooms over and clean them, we are leaving chocolate mints on the pillows now.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Oct 5, 2006

when we turn the rooms over and clean them, we are leaving chocolate mints on the pillows now.

The Omni down the street does the same thing.

jojotoo, RN · Oct 5, 2006

when we turn the rooms over and clean them, we are leaving chocolate mints on the pillows now.

You ARE kidding, right?

barbara1 · Oct 5, 2006

Does insurances pay for patient satisfaction?

That's what I want to know! "Customer" Satisfaction has become a joke.

Surveys & scores aren't based on patients who are actually admitted through the ED (and, thus, actually need to be there). Not to mention the fact that the surveys often focus on things like "availability of parking" (over which we have no control) and "Were you seen in a timely fashion?". Obviously, those people (F.F.'s) with the lowest acuity will wait longer - sometimes hours upon hours giving you the greasy eyeball. Why is it that they always seem to get the surveys??? We provide them with t.v.'s, beverages, warm blankets - everything but a chocolate on their pillow. And it's all "free". Why

wouldn't they come back for every little sniffle or rash?

:madface: Cheers - Bitter & Burned Out.

EmerNurse, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2006

I have decided that true patient satisfaction isn't possible, especially in the ER. They survey only a VERY small percentage of our monthly load of patients to begin with - we're assured that the number is statistically relevant (yeah right) but...

I have mild abdominal pain at 0300 - I'm NPO but I'm HUNGRY - what do you MEAN the cafeteria isn't open at 0300? I haven't eaten since yesterday! Am I satisfied? Nope

I came in by ambulance for a hang nail, waited fooooorrrreeever in triage (where they called me twice but I was outside smoking and didn't hear my name), and now they discharged me with Tylenol and I need a ride home! I deserve a cab voucher! I don't want a bus token! Am I satisfied? No way, Jose!

My baby's fever was 100.8 and no, I didn't give Tylenol, after all, I wanted you to SEE the fever. What do you mean my other 4 kids, grandma, my current boyfriend and sister can't come in the room? What are they supposed to do all night? How come they can't get a tray or ME even? Am I satisfied. Uh Uh Nope.

I had no intention of killing myself, those cuts were an accident, what do you mean I can't go home? What's a Baker Act? Satisfied? GET REAL.

I only took 47 Xanax to get my boyfriend to pay attention to me, instead of his other girlfriend. I wasn't trying to kill myself. You're putting a what in my where? Hell no, I don't want no charcoal. Am I satisfied? Go ahead, send me the survey, muhaha!

My husband had chest pain and you took him right in. You put him on all those monitors, got him AND me an extra blanket, and he was admitted so quickly to the CCU. You were all so sweet to me and my husband's doing great now! Survey? What survey, dear? I don't remember getting any survey. But you were just wonderful, dear. Thank you so much!

Bah - hey administration - get the picture?

:madface:

lauralassie · Oct 9, 2006

seems we all (or so the hospital admin thinks) we strive for 5 on our pressgainy scores. I wish admin would come spend a couple 12 hour shifts in the er with us. Let them try to deal with a seeker that takes up most of your time, when the little old lady next door who may be having an mi but won't complain because she is too nice. The RN is leary that if she doesn't take time with the "seeker" she'll get a bad rap on the patient survey. It's pretty sad when the staff feel like they have to give narcotics to make people happy. I'm not in any way saying we shouldn't treat pain. And , I'm not saying that all people who ask for pain meds are seekers, But if you've worked in the ER long enough you know what I mean. I bet it's been a while since the people sitting in the office have been kicked, spit at, called a Fu#!*&, B*!#,Ho*%!@, multiple times during the night for simple things such as , The vein "blowing"( which we know isn't our fault most of the time,), heaven knows it's not beacause they smoke, use drugs have poor health in general, it's always those F*#!ing nurses that don't know what their doing. You have to just laugh or it will drive you NUTS!

daisey_may · Oct 9, 2006

You know how I feel about patient satisfaction scores? When we get sent a copy of an "anonymous" patient who was unhappy with our floor, it is left in the break room for all to read. We can usually figure out who the patient is by their comments. They often are angry about things that are not in the nurse's control: such as when the doc does his rounds, reactions to medications, etc., but the doctor was a wonderful, wonderful guy and the nurse was the bad guy! Often times, the nurse doesn't even have control over what the patient was upset about. And no matter how much we apologize, when the supervisor doesn't show up to start and IV 4 hours after she was called (and many other calls), the nurse is the one who is in trouble. They can be distorted.

Also, I was talking to a nurse last night about patient satsifaction because we have a patient who *can* feed herself (she has no problem hitting the call button every twenty minutes and drinking out of a pitcher) but claims that she has to be fed. the nurse said that once she had told a patient that he needed to feed himself because he had done it the night before. THe supervisor came up to the floor and said that the patient had the right to want to be fed based on patient satisdaction. The sup said that if the patient wants to be sick and feel cared for and if it takes feeding him his own dinner is what makes him happy, then feed him. I don't konw, but if he was on the rehab unit, which is only a floor down, then he would most certainly be feeding himself. :confused:

jojotoo, RN · Oct 9, 2006

You know how I feel about patient satisfaction scores? When we get sent a copy of an "anonymous" patient who was unhappy with our floor, it is left in the break room for all to read. We can usually figure out who the patient is by their comments. They often are angry about things that are not in the nurse's control: such as when the doc does his rounds, reactions to medications, etc., but the doctor was a wonderful, wonderful guy and the nurse was the bad guy! Often times, the nurse doesn't even have control over what the patient was upset about. And no matter how much we apologize, when the supervisor doesn't show up to start and IV 4 hours after she was called (and many other calls), the nurse is the one who is in trouble. They can be distorted.
Also, I was talking to a nurse last night about patient satsifaction because we have a patient who *can* feed herself (she has no problem hitting the call button every twenty minutes and drinking out of a pitcher) but claims that she has to be fed. the nurse said that once she had told a patient that he needed to feed himself because he had done it the night before. THe supervisor came up to the floor and said that the patient had the right to want to be fed based on patient satisdaction. The sup said that if the patient wants to be sick and feel cared for and if it takes feeding him his own dinner is what makes him happy, then feed him. I don't konw, but if he was on the rehab unit, which is only a floor down, then he would most certainly be feeding himself.

You have got to be kidding!! I am NOT feeding or wiping the butts of people that can do that for themselves. I see enough patients that actually need help with these ADLs to spend time being a personal servant to those who don't need it. What happened to fostering independence for patients? And what kind of sick puppy would want to be fed by another when it wasn't necessary?

Medic/Nurse, BSN, RN · Oct 9, 2006

Save you life? Yep.

Kiss your A**? Nope.

I will be professional, technically brilliant with any procedure, kind, compassionate, sensitive to your hunger & thirst, I will enable your need for drama, I will gladly give you all the narcs I can without killing you, I will give you the truth straight up, I will provide coloring books & TV remotes & sodas & juices & fresh reading material & warm blankets & footies & snacks for your guests & unlimited long distance phone calls, I will also allow you family/friends/posse to trample through like a herd of gazelles. Whatever you NEED/WANT/DEMAND - I'm okay with it. REALLY. But, the second that you threaten, become disrespectful, abusive or batter me - my rules will change. There are some that will never be happy. But, the vast majority of complainers are serial offenders. Most have the state GOLD cards and they have LOTS of time to call and complain (not having to work, does impact your free time). And keep calling to make sure "that something gets done!".

Some of my favorites - I especially dislike the:

"I'll call your boss and you'll______". My response is okay. Do what you think is right. (After all I've documented very well)

My next favorite is "I pay your salary!". Well, in a perfect world I'd tell 'em to sit back and shut up - 'cause I'm getting ready to earn it. But, I refrain.

But, my all time favorite is "I'm gonna call my lawyer and then you'll be sorry". This is from the patients that don't get whatever it is they want (usually narc's). I tell 'em I'm already sorry and then I get them the phone.

* I can just imagine me calling my lawyer at 9pm on a Friday - once it was determined that I was not needing some type of judicial intervention in a life threatening situation, in jail or having committed a major crime and looking to turn myself in - he'd just ask that we discuss this in his office the next day. HA! *

I'm not sure - when healthcare is gonna wise up and realize that patients are NOT ALWAYS RIGHT and taking aim on the employees at every little issue is abusive. I am certain that this "customer satisfaction" makes ALL the difference in the cost of healthcare (cheaper?), litigation (all these happy folks never sue?), reimbursement (always pay their bills/co-pays?) employee retention (I know that nothing brings me more satisfaction than happy customers). Where does it stop. I can say with near 100% confidence that nurses want to do the right things for their patients, most do truly care and given the power to solve the problem - they do an awesome job, even with limited resources!

Sometimes I feel as all I've done is survive the shift. I am not so naive to think I really ever make a difference in most cases. I just show up, shut up and put up with it - if I want to stay employed.

I find myself wanting to be employed less and less - thank God I have other options and means of support.

Regardless of the circumstances, I have determined that maintaining my self respect and preservation of my "core values" is as important to me as ANYTHING else. Any job. My satisfaction is more important than any "Customer Satisfaction" survey. I'm beat with knee-jerk management responses to the whims of the "customers". Where are all the nurses gonna come from over the next 10 years - I think many systems ought be looking into "Employee Satisfaction" - or else getting some Stepford nurses ready!

THE WINNER!!!!!!!!!! "The 30 minute GUARANTEE" - if your care is not commenced in 30 minutes they send you 2 tickets to a local cinema for your wait!!!! This is not a joke.

An ED that has announced (with BIG BILLBOARDS) that your care will be started within 30 MINUTES of your triage - the DOCS are advocating bring ANYTHING to any open bed before triage even. The hospital has even linked the doc's compensation to how quick "they" meet the 30 minute GUARANTEE! They haven't staffed any more nurses - so I can imagine that the tension between doc's and nurses will at some point hit the wall due to the turn around time. Do it now, Do it faster - Next Please?? And just when I think I can't imagine a more f'ed up system - I have to admit this one gets me. I had a patient in triage tell me they drove past 3 hospitals (the patient had urinary retention) because of the 30 minute GUARANTEE! I also had a patient that was triaged (Rash on arm x 2 weeks) that banged on the triage glass and then pointed to her watch - to remind me of the 30 minute GUARANTEE. :eek:

Anyway, I'm still taking my T.V. Time out from Nursing. And, oh yeah,

My satisfaction scores have gone up, up, up!