Press Gainey AARRGGHH

Specialties Emergency

Published

:angryfire Need to rant a minute ... then would appreciate your suggestions...

Our most esteemed powers that be have said that for each patient we bring to a bed...we need to ask them "what is the one thing that I can do for you that will assure that I am giving you very good care?"

WHAT??? I understand in the in-patient setting that the "little things" matter, as they do in the ER, and I'm all about warm blankets and coffee for visitors (or whatever) ... when I have time. But by asking the question, aren't we setting the expectations higher, and then when I can't "get me out of here in 1 hour or less" or "get rid of my pain" or "keep me fed (belly pain)" ... I totally have no chance of meeting their expectaion! Besides ... I really thought ER was to take care of the presenting problem ... and say GoodBye!

Truly, I treat my patients extremely kindly, I keep them informed, work my tail off ... but am I crazy to feel like this is setting up a disaster?

Specializes in ER, ALF.

My facility uses press/gainey as well. It is indredibly frustrating!!! We have some excellent nurses on nights and nights is always knocked. One of the big differences I have found on nights vs. days in my facility is that we have a "Patient Liason" who goes around getting drinks, warm blankets, etc etc. So, the time we come on (1900) we are hopping(as are most EDs) and when does said Liason go home? Yep! 1900! It was once said that the liason is the reason the scores are high only because of her....yet we can't get one for nights, or for just 1900-2300 or 0200! OY!

We also started the strive for 5 in our facility. The incentive to wear the button? If you wear it every day of the week you work, you get a FREE MEAL CARD!!:monkeydance: Big WHOOP! On nights the cafeteria now CLOSES at 2400!!!! We do NOT have time between 1900 and 2330(when the grill closes) to go to said cafeteria! My button is sittin in my box at work as I type!:angryfire

Seems to me that ANY open offer to do something for someone is asking for trouble. Even in an ER you could get some pretty off-the-wall requests - and a reminder that you had ASKED for it.

Specializes in Pediatrics, PICU, CM, DM.
Watch out ladies and gentlemen, next thing you know, the ER will have "secret shoppers!"

The scary part is that they probably already do. It's a trend that started in the boutique physician practices (e.g. dermatology, plastics, etc.) and is expanding into hospitals. There are obvious ethical issues involved when it gets into the ER, but do you really think that the consultants worry overmuch about this? Or hospital administrators either, for that matter?

This is an interesting topic and one that will not likely go away. As someone else already pointed out, patient surveys are here to stay whether Press Ganey or other forms of polling patients post admission. Scripting is nonsense. How silly I would think the staff if, as a patient, every nurse who entered my room said the same thing. As another pointed out, it is the Walmart syndrome. The first time you walk into a Walmart it's OK, by the second and third time it becomes rather annoying.

On the other hand, I don't fault administrative staff for wanting to assure that patients' needs are addressed, particularly comfort issues. I worked in acute care settings for a long time, floating to all the units of two differerent hospitals in two different states, working everywhere from the ICU units to the ER, med-surg, pediatrics and new born nursery. I have also been a patient myself a number of times. It is no secret that some basic comfort issues are not always given the attention they deserve. Small gestures can mean a lot and can in fact make a difference in the way a hospital stay is perceived regardless of the top notch care the staff has given when viewed from a clinical perspective. That is what administration is getting at and rightly so, even if their approach is rather silly. Nurses who care about patient comfort will find a way to show the patient they are interested in their needs without having to use some ridiculous scripted phrase.

Our agency sends out Press Ganey surveys and we get consistently high ratings. I see it as a positive reinforcement that we are doing a good job not because we asked some silly question but because we are all finding ways to make sure we are paying attention to the details. Every nurse I work with has their own style of doing that. If the fact that those surveys go out makes each of us sit up and pay attention to the fact that we are, after all taking care of human beings who are often scared, hungry, cold, in pain or distressed and who need some basic human kindness in the middle of all the machines and tests, poking and prodding, then that is, I think, a good thing.

One problem is that in the places I have worked in NJ, the admitted patients don't receive a survey from the ER. The non-urgent pts are receiving them and they are usually the ones who complain because while we are doing CPR on a 2 year old,we didn't address their foot pain that they have had for 3 years in a timely manner. Recently, while in a U-SUCK staff meeting, the ER was told by the nurse manager " They may not remember the dopamine you hung but they will remember that pillow you placed under their head, " Gotta love it...

I just don't think Press Ganey is fair ...at least not in ED because it doesnt take into consideration what may have been going on in ER at the time. Unless of course, feedback is good....then it Ok:trout:

Specializes in ER, ICU, PACU, ACT, Forensic Nursing.

Suzi,

That sounds like a script from a hospital I worked at in Jksn, Mi. Are you there?

Specializes in ER, ICU, PACU, ACT, Forensic Nursing.

OK, This is crazy!

Specializes in ER, ICU, PACU, ACT, Forensic Nursing.

You hit the nail on the head! Every time we respond to the demands we create a bigger problem. We are encouraging bad behavior on the part of our patients and families. Now they walk in the doors and say they are hungry, "Can I have a box lunch!"

You hit the nail on the head! Every time we respond to the demands we create a bigger problem. We are encouraging bad behavior on the part of our patients and families. Now they walk in the doors and say they are hungry, "Can I have a box lunch!"

That is so true. Caving into the demands only gives the "attitude of selfishness and entitlement" positive reinforcement. That's the last thing that needs to happen, people thinking they can throw a fit like a spoiled toddler and get their way.

Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

Okay,

The final straw.

My patient got absolutely upset and overwrought over there not being any cup holders in the bathroom.

All shift, I heard about "What kind of place doesn't have a place to your cup at the sink".

We will get marked down for no cup holders.

For Pity's sake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(please G-d give me strength to survive)

Okay,

The final straw.

My patient got absolutely upset and overwrought over there not being any cup holders in the bathroom.

All shift, I heard about "What kind of place doesn't have a place to your cup at the sink".

We will get marked down for no cup holders.

For Pity's sake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(please G-d give me strength to survive)

:rolleyes: starting sarcasm:

Low let me explain why this is the fault of nursing staff: If you were a GOOD nurse, you'd have used your communication and service recovery skills to offer to stand there in the bathroom holding the cup for them.:jester:

Ending sarcasm:rolleyes:

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