Unit Patient Satisfaction Scores

[Luvelyone]

Am I the only person who works for an institution where your annual review and raise are 90% based on performance and patient satisfaction score of your unit as a whole and only 10% on YOUR actual work performance, attendance etc? How common is this? This is for regular staff nurses, not the nurse manger. How can I be responsible for the performance of ALL of my coworkers? I can't work 24 hours a day and police the work ethics of others.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I guess they are hoping that peer pressure makes a difference. I think this is faulty reasoning at best. It may interfere with team performance & employee satisfaction. Also, the number of people who respond should be considered. Not all patients respond. And some people respond negatively after getting a bill. You have no control over your co-workers, the type of questions asked, the number of responses or implementing any changes. I think you are all being treated unfairly.

[SHURN]

that makes absolutely no sense IMO

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

A good way to not have to give out raises.

[General E. Speaking, RN, RN]

Everyone in our hospital got a "1" out of 5 for individual annual preformance reviews on controlling pain because the entire hospital failed to meet its goals. I make it a priority to make sure my patient's pain is controlled. I call the docs and intervene when necessary, etc...

Imagine how the secretaries and techs feel.

[Zookeeper3]

Everyone here will think I'm clear off my rocker... but here goes

-it's not about the patient scores, it's all about the family and the patient. Management has tied my hands, want's these numbers? I know how to play the numbers game.

-want to bring your 2 year old to crawl on the floor on my ICU where we have germs with no cure? Yep, I'll say that to you and you want to bring them in anyway... bring 'em on.

-want your family to bring you KFC with your fresh MI? It's all about your happiness, please bring some for the staff, you won't comply when home anyway, why fight it here with a warm bucket in hand.

-want 87 gazillion visitors so you don't get rest and then go sleep deprived and exhausted? I'm not allowed to tick off your family and tell them to leave so you can rest.

-Don't complain when you can't have that diet coke, I"ve given out 12 to the family next door that demand refreshments... a diet sierra mist for you, we don't restock until the day shift.

-Don't like that blood pressure cuff squeezing your arm that you keep taking off, well... yep, I'll wake you each hour to put it back on to check your vs while you are on a nitro drip.

-oh, you're family thinks this is the hilton and they can take the pillows and blankets from our stock with out asking. Sorry to wake you at two am with a pillow shortage and need the recliner back... we've got a sick one, with family that needs their sleep to be fresh to pull the plug the next day.

my favorite.. you just puked in your non-compliant DKA state and you want food ? sure have it, puke again, I'll happily empty the bucket, easy for me. EAT UP.

I say bring it all on... I don't argue with these fools... I give them exactly what they want after suggesting an alternative... and simply chart it.

They dooooo have a right to be stupid, I say give them what they want. They'll do it tomorrow when you discharge them anyway, why fight it, it's a loosing battle. But I lecture all the way and teach while I do it.

You Can't fix stupid or noncompliance... they'll do as they do... let them have the butter and salt, not worth it.

Crazy thoughts I know... the noobs will be all over this post...

Management does not care about OUTCOMES anymore... no OUTCOMES anymore... it doesn't matter to them if you make a difference... they just want

THE SATISFACTION NUMBERS!!!!!!!!

New nurses and of course all you students out there, bring it on.... an interesting debate to be had.

[dthfytr, ADN, LPN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-I]

It seems that if 90% of your pay raise is out of your control, it removes most of the incentive for a given individual to excel. You may walk on water but a few twerps can ruin any chance of a pay raise. On the surface it sounds like someone's idea of how to increase cooperation among the staff to a common cause. It depends on the theory that all are highly motivated and loyal employees who don't ever have other concerns in their lives. All I can make of it is that it's good way to avoid giving raises, or an idiotic attempt to raise satisfaction scores.

[JacknSweetpea]

I'm inclined to think it's about not giving raises. The suits do not care about the patients or any of the staff caring for these patients.....they only care when it cuts into their bonuses. And the suits could justify not giving raises by using those patient satisfaction scores without taking into consideration that there are a lot of patients that will not tolerate anything less than a red carpet rolled out for them!!

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

Do you know what the criteria for supervisory positions are?

It makes no sense to make the front-liners be responsible for others' work because they have no control. However, it is common in other industries to evaluate managers on departmental goals that they are responsible for.

Someone upstream mentioned front-line nurses being docked for the HOSPITAL's scores. Wow. Not only is a floor nurse responsible for her co-workers, but also in the work of other nurses she/he never even sees? Just wow.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

Crazy thoughts I know... the noobs will be all over this post...

.....

New nurses and of course all you students out there, bring it on.... an interesting debate to be had.

This is off-topic, and my post will probably be deleted, but please get over your experienced self.

Anyone with half a brain (noob or student) can see what you're getting at. The hospital is practically forcing you to do the exact opposite of what nursing is all about due to the focus on satisfaction scores.

Love,

The student with more than half a brain