In clinicals the other day, I came across a Customer Satisfaction sheet that reflected how happy the patients (oops, sorry, customers) were with the hospital's services provided. The Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy were given 100%. Nursing was given 75%. My thoughts turned to the hospital's advertising of pampering and the nursing stereotype of handmaiden. I also thought of the good ratio of PTs and PT techs (sometime 3 staff to one patient) vs the 1 RN, 1 LPN, and 1 tech per unit. Hmmm everyone knows that PTs are meant to put you back into shape, not cater to every whim.
My conclusion: We live in a country full of spoiled brats raised on the anecdote, "The customer is always right," and lack the sense to see the important stuff. It's only a matter of time before we start giving chocolate to diabetic patients lest they complain that we're not giving adequate customer service.