Page 21 - American Nurse Today January 2008

Practice Matters —
Beyond customer service
Use these five message points to adapt the principles of customer service to patient care.
By Wendy Leebov, EdD
DO YOU AND YOUR TEAM squirm when you hear about the need for better customer service? I’m con- vinced that how we talk about serv- ice improvement fuels resistance. And this resistance has hampered ef- forts to create truly healing environ- ments for patients, families, and caregiver teams.
Why the resistance?
Many nurses don’t like to hear their patients called “customers.” Patients aren’t shopping. They are sick and vulnerable. And a nurse’s goal is to help them heal, not to make them happy customers.
Nurses also know that the maxim, “The customer is always right,” doesn’t apply to patients. In many situa- tions, catering to the patient’s and family’s preferences would be irresponsible. Nurses have specialized knowl- edge about which foods, activities, and therapies are best. A patient may want pizza the night before sur- gery, but he shouldn’t have it.
Many nurses see customer service strategies as su- perficial. They feel insulted by the idea that leaders
think they need to learn to care. Some nurses even call workshops on how to interact with patients “charm school.” After all, nurses are healthcare professionals who care deeply. They work with patients who are sick and dying. The thought of being taught to smile more touches a raw nerve.
Also, many nurses are offended by the focus on their behavior, instead of on the obstacles to patient care, such as a cumbersome discharge process or an inadequate delivery system that requires them to leave the unit—and their patients—to pick up supplies.
Changing customer service lingo, rationales,
and strategies
The focus on customer satisfaction over the last few years has addressed an important need by helping staff members realize that patients and families have choices among providers and that patient and family satisfac- tion and the resulting grapevine influence these choic- es. Also, the customer focus has helped staff members realize that patient satisfaction affects their organiza- tion’s future and their jobs.
Now, it’s time to move to the next level in our lan- guage, rationales, and strategies. To do so, I propose five message points that I’ve found reduce nurse resist- ance and foster inspired engagement. (See Changing the message.)
Changing the message
The left column shows five key phrases used to describe customer service goals. The right column shows proposed changes to the phrases that can help bolster nurses’ involvement.
Current message
Providing great customer service Caring for patients
Paying more attention
Making patients happy
Your leadership responsibility
New message
Providing care with compassion Making sure caring comes across Paying quality attention Reducing patient anxiety
Your personal calling
January 2008 American Nurse Today 21