Relationships: Interactions Lead to Better Outcomes

Health care is provided through relationships—one on one interactions between the caregiver and the patient. Our nursing colleagues are focusing on evidence based practices that are known to improve the patient experience—Leader Rounding with Patients & Families, Comfort Rounds, Handover of Care using White Boards, and Quiet at Night.

An optimal patient experience can lead to better clinical outcomes.  Here are some tips from our Bush Bell and our Patient Experience team on things we can all do to improve patient experience in the inpatient setting.

1. When speaking with patients, sit down, make eye contact, and lean in, even if only for 1 minute.  Use the folding chair found in every inpatient room.
2. Use compassionate touch to connect. Shake hands, touch their shoulder or hand when interacting with patients and their family members.
3. Introduce yourself every day, explain your role and how you fit in to the team.
4. Explain their care plan using non-medical and non-jargon language.
5. Put your name and what will happen today on the whiteboard in your patient’s room.
6. Ask open ended questions vs. Yes/No questions.
7. Ensure your patient has an adequate pain management plan and make timely adjustments based on feedback.
8. Give patients more control by offering choices no matter how simple or small (eg. Does patient want door open or closed when you leave room?)
9. Share the plan of care with nurses and other members of the care team.
10. During unit quiet period 2200-0500 daily, check with patient’s RN to cluster care to allow for our patients to sleep and rest.

-cg

Filed Under: Continuum of Care