verbal 'scripts'

[NCRN]

Our CEO has announced that staff will greet patients and visitors with scripts based on those used at Florida Baptist Hospital. The outcome is aimed at increasing patient satisfaction.

Goes like this: Knock on door, enter room, smile, "Hello Mr._, I am __RN, I will be your caregiver until _pm. I want to make sure your care is very good. If at any time we are not meeting your expectations, please call___." " I have time, is there anything I can do for you?"

These are to be recited exactly, we were not given input or a choice. I always want to add "would you like fries with that order"

Have any of you had experience with similar scripts in your hospital? Is patient satisfation improved? How was the reaction by nursing staff?

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

I BELIEVE this "jewel" of a hospital is Baptist Hospital in Greensboro (please correct me if I am wrong). I personally cannot stand all of this regimentation and dehumanization of what should be and is a caring PROFESSION. My patients are simply that--PATIENTS--people who are sick and in need of compassionate, professional care and expertise--they will NEVER be customers!!!!:):):) (....I don't care how many silly seminars they MAKE us attend!!!...) Mr or Ms Suit with a business degree, PLEASE STOP TELLING ME HOW TO DO MY JOB!!!!

[jstinerich]

What happened to the admin rule that all nurses are not to break-never tell the patients that you are short staffed. After all most hospital admin want you to be sued not the facility.

[jstinerich]

What happened to the admin rule that all nurses are not to break-never tell the patients that you are short staffed. After all most hospital admin want you to be sued not the facility.

[carehope]

I worked for the Mercy systems in cincinnati and they tryed this same crap. We stood together and refused to be a part of their advertising ploy. Thanks to the majority standing their ground we don't do scripts! They even went as far as trying to make us go to classed for customer service.It was this big million dollar thing.You would never believe how far they went with this and the horrible amount of money that they wasted.Money that could have gotten our patients more nurses. The system now is in terrible finacal troble. Imagine that:) ! I just don't understand what is going on with nurses any more.Why have we allowed our field to come to this?

[labornurse]

My hospital has not only had one "class" on "customer service" (was manditory and the guy that presented it did nothing but rattle on about insane, time consuming, meaningless things we should be doing for "our customers" that were geared toward

Walmart employees) he was asked to come back and present a second mandatory class that many will be forced to attend on thier day off. Promises to be full of the same garbage.

[RN6699]

This is utterly ridiculous!! I have always had a good rapport with my patients and their families. I know how to treat people with respect and dignity and I do not need a "script" to get my point across to the patient that I truly care about them as an individual. Foolishness!!

[Agnus]

This is scary to me. I work in a tiny hospital that is part of a Huge nation wide for profit corp. Every once in a while corporate desides weird stuff like this. Example the patient's nurse should meet every visitor as they get off the elevator and immediately give them a report on the patient and answer all questions and escort them to the patient's room. Yea, right.

If I wanted to have a non thinking job where I read script then I'd be a telemarketer. I'm a professional for G.. sake I thought at least part of what you paid me for was my ability to think independently, and make educated nursing decisions. Sheese!

[CEN35]

no way!

i would stick to what i always did. what could they do? fire you for not reciting that script?

suppose they fire an excellent nurse, for not reciting that script. if i am the nurse getting the axe, it is not someplace i would want to be employed by then.

me :)

[biscuit_007]

Recently at my FORMER job the administration implemented "scripts". It went over like a lead balloon. As employees were leaving the inservise you could clearly hear the comments and grumblings among people. Our place even went one step furthur and decided if a visiter ever asked for directions we were to drop what we were doing and not only give them directions but escort them to their destination. Well needless to say i have never heard of one single nurse ever leaving their floor to escort so poor lost soul to x ray or lab. The ironic thing is at this same inservice we were told that due to the nursing shortage that we were to expect to take a larger patient load on a daily basis.

[Brownms46]

:roll :roll :roll sorry guys...but I can't help myself here. Stepford nurses...waiting for chip to be inserted...LORD!

Believe me these scripts aren't new...just recycled! Back in the olden days....I think it was 81'...a hospital in San Antonio decided to have everyone to wear a button. This button said that if the pt. didn't like any of the services they received, they didn't have to pay for it! LOL...I'm sure you can all imagine what happened with this wonderful idea...heehee. I won't even go into all the goodies that came about because of this dumb idea.

Yes I have been in hospitals where the staff was required to take people to their destinations, and turn them over to the person in that area who could help them. I myself have been on the end of this when trying to find my way in a new hospital. I also have preformed this service for others. No I didn't leave my floor to do this, but if I were on break or coming on or off work, I would escort someone to where they wanted to go. Not because I was required to, but because I knew the feeling of being lost in a large facility.

But being told I must recite exact scripts is something I draw the line at. I love the post about the script getting soil! :roll

[kemper1974]

Our CEO has announced that staff will greet patients and visitors with scripts based on those used at Florida Baptist Hospital. The outcome is aimed at increasing patient satisfaction.

Goes like this: Knock on door, enter room, smile, "Hello Mr._, I am __RN, I will be your caregiver until _pm. I want to make sure your care is very good. If at any time we are not meeting your expectations, please call___." " I have time, is there anything I can do for you?"

These are to be recited exactly, we were not given input or a choice. I always want to add "would you like fries with that order"

Have any of you had experience with similar scripts in your hospital? Is patient satisfation improved? How was the reaction by nursing staff?

OMG, it's 2009 and they are coming out with the scripts again where I work. Of course all our nurses love this Stepford nurse scripting, and along with the newly instituted hourly rounds the patients should be really happy. After all, "I have the time"

[1TachyRN, RN]

Sweet merciful crap...

I can't imagine having to work at a place that required me to use a script when I interact with patients.

I think it's an insult to them and me both.