Scripting Nurses?

tntrn, ASN, RN · Mar 8, 2007

I agree with all you have posted. My husband, when I tell about this kind of thing, asks, "Are you in Kindergarten?" because that's how they are treating you? And I guess some will stand for it, and I'm not going to. I'm not going to become or be forced to become a Stepford Nurse, and that is a perfect description. In fact, DH suggests we just carry a tape recorder with a message loop that plays the phrases over and over and over. We'll never have to say a thing!

A co-worker of mine, who is married to a teacher, heard a voice mail left by our manager regarding a needed TB test and the manager's tone was that of an adult speaking to, well, a kindergartener. The teacher husband commented that if his principal would speak to him in such a tone, he'd have to have a discussion. I agree. Don't treat me like a child.

Oh, and those buttons that say "ask me if I've washed my hands". How uttterly demeaning and insulting is that? I'm not wearing one, and if there's any stink about it I'll pin in inside my pocket.

Once again, I am so happy I'm nearing the end of my nursing career. It's not getting better, none of it.

Mermaid · Mar 8, 2007

I am an RN on a telemetry unit where the ratio is 7:1 at all times. We are technically the step down unit also. We get all of the d/c's down from CCU and ICU. Last week in our staff meeting, we were told there are key phrases that we are being required to say to our patients....much like scripting that sales and telemarketers use... Things like "I have the time for you" each time you are in the room with every patient. Does anyone else think this is a joke? I told my manager I refuse to be scripted...I don't have the time for this and I think I provide the best care I can for my patients. But most days each nurse has 3-4 discharges, and gets 3-4 patients back, either direct admit from the MD's office or from the ER. Anyone else having this problem?

I work on a busy Oncology unit where we are required to be chemo certified, check, hang, monitor and check blood returns hourly and depending on what chemo we do Q 15min vitals. we will take med surg patients on our floor if we do not have enough oncology patients to fill our census. I hang more units of blood and platlets each night then I care to count and we all know how time consuming each of those can be with all the vital checks and monitoring. We may have anywhere from 6 to 9 patients per RN any given night. We are not scripted (thank god) but I have found that I have my own script that helps me from running back and forth for unnecessary trips to the patients room. I always ask "Is there anything I can get for you before I leave?" and "If you need anything, please push your call light". I KNOW many of you are going to say that they will be on their call light all night for little things and some patients are going to be anyway but I have found that if I take the time to ask when I am in the room and take care of those things then and there that simply shows them that I am listening and care about their needs that they will be less likely to be demanding later. It does save me some steps in the long run with the added bonus of gaining the patients trust.

Roy Fokker, BSN, RN · Mar 8, 2007

IMHO?

Smells like the "Ask me if I washed my hands today" button....

cheers,

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Mar 8, 2007

Seems like the real problem is in management insisting that we say things that are morally wrong because they are simply untrue.

Maybe we should point them back to their own Code of Ethics?

ChaosRN777 · Mar 9, 2007

what this really all comes down to is, those who are directing the profession, i beleive, fall into one of several sub groups:

those who haven't done actual patient care since glass syringes

those who haven't done actual pt care since school

those who didn't like actual pt care and "got out"

those who shouldn't even be in medical care

those who have been "stuck with a bad experience"

or those who have done nothing but paper/policy work

and lastly those who prove the peter principal

i beleive that surveys are not effective in doing anything except IDing issues that should be dealt with "locally" rather than creating sweeping regulations, because one size does NOT fit all.

Scripting is just an example of that

CritterLover, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2007

i've been having some problems with my internet company, so i've been talkeing to them frequently. every time i call them, i get this scripted crap.

it is really very irritating.

not only that, it makes me wonder about what kind of idiots that hire, that they can't trust them to speak without scripts.

(well, not only that, but they can't fix my problem, either)

as the educated professional that we all are, i find it demeaning that management doesn't trust us enough to speak openly.

isn't that the image we all want to project???? that we are too stupid to be trusted to speak.......but here, let me start your iv, give you this (potentially deadly, if administered incorrectly) medication, and teach you how to take care of yourself. :uhoh21:

rnanm · Mar 9, 2007

Yes we have been bombarded with the "scripting and hourly rounds" I have time for you?? The 3 P's Potty, Position, Pain! God help me I can't practice this type of nursing and refuse to be a Scripted Nurse! :angryfire Patients are not idiots and can see the real truth anyway. What I need is more helping hands and less management interference with my nursing practice in the name of patient satisfaction!

I do hope they learn and soon, or there will be more than a nursing shortage in California.

brainynurse · Mar 9, 2007

Hello thanks for the post. We have recently undergone a complete management change at the highest level, President and CEO, of a huge organization.

Now, they want us to go in and tell the pt how many years of experience we have and any extra credentials we may have.

On a neruorscience unit with pt ratio 6:1, there is barely enough time to introduce yourself.

Meems · Mar 9, 2007

I think that there are environments that lend themselves to scripting, but in a clinical setting such as hospital, there shouldn't be stiffly scripted conversation, it doesn't build rapport with the patient esp. as all the other nursing staff will be asking the same things each shift. I felt the same way in nursing school when they taught us "parroting" the patient was a form of therapeutic communication(anyone remember that?) If I were sick, I would not want some person repeating what I just said with the words" i hear you telling me...":uhoh3: The QA people need to understand the type of care that was given and assess the patient's view on how well they feel they were cared for. Any nurse who has been @ it awhile will know how to make the patient feel important/ cared for without promising or wasting time they don't have.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2007

But it is all scripted no matter how you look at it. We either use the scripting provided by Admin and"Star Service Coordinator" Or we devise our scripts that work for us. And we all do it. Conciously or not. We all have our scripted responses that automatically just float out of us. Which is good they are all effectice, safe, and cheery. While we sit there and think what idiots those pts and their visitors really are.

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Mar 12, 2007

While we sit there and think what idiots those pts and their visitors really are.

Aw gee, Tom, you were doing so well till I got to that line.

Ophelia78 · Mar 12, 2007

Here's a novel idea- allow nurse staffing ratios that actually allow time for great patient care, instead of blowing snow at patients with scripted phrases that only give a semblence of the real thing.