Should Nursing Schools Change What They Teach?

[BrokenRNheart]

Since nursing has changed so much over the years, does anyone think that nursing schools should add hospitality, customer service and how to micro manage to their education?

When we graduated as nurses, what we learned in school was typically not how you performed your job. Instead you need to learn how to cut corners but cover your a** and please both the hospital and the patients. There is so much conflict between what you know is right, what the hospital wants as an end result and how to keep the "customers" from causing you grief.

With all the theory that they teach which is useless in micro management, does anyone think that new nurses would be better prepared with some reality courses about the real nature of nursing. Yes, nursing skills are "this" but your actual job will look like "this."

I know if they offered classes on how to accomplish this difficult balance, I would be the first to sign up.

There are many lectures out there but all they do is teach you it exists. There are real lessons or examples. As a matter of fact, since the hospitals are the problem, maybe they should offer on-going classes to address it. Maybe more clear cut policies to address the imbalances so the nurses know they have something to follow instead of just hearing they didn't handle it right after trying so hard to do everything right.

Also a reality approach to all the interruptions and demands that are not priorities but interfere with important tasks. We know the hospital wants us to please everyone and get all of our work done and not work overtime. Maybe with all the specific policies they create, they can create specific policies that address your time management. Wouldn't it be great to say, between 8 and 9 the nurse can't be interrupted for bowel movements, walking patients to the bathroom etc because it is med time. Between 9:30 & 10 is charting time. I know....dream on.

[RenaissancemaN]

I'm in my 1st semester of the nursing program and loving it. There's so much i've learned so far. I work in a hospital as a nutritional aide and have befriended a lot of nurses. A great deal of my classmates also work in hospitals. So most of us have a good understanding of how it really is.

Our professors stress that nursing is a never ending learning experience. A nurse has to stay up to date with the latest research and clinical practices to improve quality of care.

Since Nursing is ever changing, the education must change. In my last class we discussed this. We were told that the NCLEX has been continuing to increase the number of questions based on Management and Leadership roles.

I'm not sure when you graduated, but I do feel its important for the nursing curriculums to adapt to the Nurse roles as they continue to change.

[jjjoy, LPN]

I hear ya, BrokenRNHeart! And, yes, I do think nursing education - as it is carried out in many schools - needs to change. I'm sure there are some great programs out there that really do a good job preparing nurses for the "real world", but that doesn't seem to be the norm, even from otherwise well-reputed educational institions.

If there weren't such a great need for nurses, then I'd say, fine, let students/newbies sink or swim in the real world and leave it up to them to learn the realities before taking on that first job. But since we do need so many nurses and are heavily encouraging career changers to switch to nursing (accelerated programs), and since there is such a low retention rate of new nurses, I think a better approach is to have an educational system that prepares student for the realities.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Since nursing has changed so much over the years, does anyone think that nursing schools should add hospitality, customer service and how to micro manage to their education?

I think the hospitality and customer service bullcrap should be eliminated from both the hospitals and the nursing programs. I surely know it would make my life at work a heck of a lot easier if I didn't have to deal with food complaints, pillow fluffing requests, and demands to use the courtesy phone.

Customer service belongs in the department store. Competent healthcare belongs in healthcare facilities IMO.

[MAISY, RN-ER, BSN, RN]

Interesting....customer service, hospitality and micro management.

What hospitals want is robonurse. It is not reality and it's dangerous. We should not allow it! No way, no how!

Everyone has customer service skills, they are called good manners. If not, they need to be developed.

What the general public needs are rules by the HOSPITAL on how to behave during their care and while on the premises.

Again, hospitality isn't too difficult...what's missing? The corrosponding behaviors of the general public. You are not a waitress or hostess. Your job is to safely care for the patient, and perform tasks in a timely manner. If you antibiotic is not hung on time, or a procedure not performed because you were providing that extra touch. When you get to court, I can guarentee the attorney will not point out how fluffy those pillows were or how great that ice water slaked that patient's thirst!

Micro management is only needed if you plan on becoming a PIA, nurse manager. Sterile procedures should remain that way, no short cuts. As for others, as long as they are safely performed and done correctly with the desired outcomes, short cuts MAY be okay. But STUDENTS SHOULD ALWAYS LEARN THE RIGHT WAY FIRST!

If you know why you are doing something, you will always do it safeguarding those special steps(if you are a good nurse).

If schools should teach anything, it should be assertiveness, first responder information, self-defense, and that nurses should do their jobs right, not criticize others, support their teammates, and continue their education.

JMHO

MAISY

[BrokenRNheart]

I think the hospitality and customer service bullcrap should be eliminated from both the hospitals and the nursing programs. I surely know it would make my life at work a heck of a lot easier if I didn't have to deal with food complaints, pillow fluffing requests, and demands to use the courtesy phone.

Customer service belongs in the department store. Competent healthcare belongs in healthcare facilities IMO.

:up:

[RenaissancemaN]

What hospitals want is robonurse. It is not reality and it's dangerous.

HAHA...Agreed :chuckle

[Riseupandnurse]

FYI: Some of the nursing schools are teaching customer service in leadership courses, and that it is nursing. I beg to differ. Customer service is whatever the customer wants, however they want it. Where does the nurse and nursing knowledge fit into that equation? Also, staffing does not allow for both nursing and customer service, quite often. I choose nursing. If the hospitals want fluff and chat so much, that is fine, let them hire a fluffy chatter and let the nurses nurse.

[towntalker]

the enemy is time

there is not enough time in nursing school to teach the hands on stuff everything else has to be grabbed on the go

there is not time in the hospital setting for a nurse to give one on one care to 7-9 patients

aditting does not take the time to orient family members about the amount of work that the nurses are required to do, families think that if you are not in their room you are goofing off somewhere, if you are charting they think you are just sitting on behind and not doing anything

[coolpeach]

I am just a pre nursing student waiting for my magic letter next month so I can start my clinicals in the fall. Why don't they have volunteers, candy stripers etc do the hospitality thing (water, reading material, pillow fluffing etc). I understand that this is not reality, but wouldn't it be nice. They could even put a new call button on the remote.

[BrokenRNheart]

FYI: Some of the nursing schools are teaching customer service in leadership courses, and that it is nursing. I beg to differ. Customer service is whatever the customer wants, however they want it. Where does the nurse and nursing knowledge fit into that equation? Also, staffing does not allow for both nursing and customer service, quite often. I choose nursing. If the hospitals want fluff and chat so much, that is fine, let them hire a fluffy chatter and let the nurses nurse.

:up:

I have said at my last 2 jobs that they need to hire a hostess to go around and do just that. See what they can do with customer service and hospitality so we can do nursing.

One place I worked at tried it. It was pretty neat. I don't think it lasted - too cheap - went back to nurses doing it all.

[BrokenRNheart]

"Why don't they have volunteers, candy stripers"

Not enough people that want to work for free - not enough to go around.

"families think that if you are not in their room you are goofing off somewhere, if you are charting they think you are just sitting on behind and not doing anything"

You think they would ever consider putting a sign in the room that tells them we are busy in some hospitable way? Ya, right, dream on....since they are now enforcing scripting to lie and tell them we have the time.

Unfortunately, the reality of this is kept quiet until a nurse makes an error. Then it is that nurses fault and will never be staffing or the fact that customer service and nursing don't go hand in hand. The only thing we need to be is professional and respectful. We shouldn't have to worry about treating them like they are at the day spa or in the Marriott