Ease the Way - Gebauer Patient Comfort Blog (31)

How Administrators Can Promote Better Hospital Culture

By: Bethany Nock | On: February 25, 2016

It may be a cliché, but your employees really are your most valuable assets. If you fail to create a strong work culture, you risk losing your best employees to your competitors. The entire hospital suffers when your top performers decide there are better places to work. Without the best and brightest, it’s difficult to create a positive culture that not only empowers and engages employees but also improves the patient experience.

Here are steps healthcare administrators can take to ensure a positive work atmosphere for employees.

3 Tips for Dealing with Changing Shift Cycles

By: Julianne Filion | On: February 23, 2016

For nurses with ever-changing schedules, adapting to changing shift cycles can present several unique challenges. Shift work isn’t always kind to your circadian rhythm—the body’s natural clock that keeps us awake during the day and slows us down at night.

Patient care is a 24-hour operation, so to take care of yourself and ensure patient safety and satisfaction, it’s necessary to make adjustments to your sleep schedule and daily routine. Especially for busy nurses who are always on their feet, self-care is crucial for job satisfaction and improving the patience experience.

To provide the best nursing care and remain focused and productive, here are three tips to stay healthy and well rested despite a shifting schedule:

6 Healthcare Questions All Patients Should Ask their Doctor

By: Bethany Nock | On: February 17, 2016

Complicated paperwork, lengthy waits and concerns about your condition can increase your stress level when you visit the doctor. By the time your physician asks if you have any questions, you may feel so overwhelmed that you forget to ask about important issues. Preparing a list of healthcare questions in advance, including those listed below, will help you make the most of your time with the doctor and increase satisfaction with your experience.

Should Your Hospital Hire a Certified Child Life Specialist?

By: Bethany Nock | On: February 11, 2016

Keeping your youngest patients happy can pose a significant challenge for you and your staff. No matter how welcoming your pediatrics unit may be, it’s just not home. Anxiety about medical procedures, coupled with the unfamiliar sights and sounds of a busy hospital, can lead to an unpleasant experience for some children. Nurses and other staff members can’t always spend as much time as they would like calming scared or anxious children, but certified child life specialists can fill the gap.

Although child life specialists have long been employed at children’s hospitals, administrators of other healthcare facilities are now realizing the value of hiring these specialists.

How Nurse Leaders Can Decrease Nursing Staff Turnover

By: Julianne Filion | On: February 9, 2016

Nurses play a critical role in caring for patients and improving outcomes, but also ensuring hospitals maintain higher HCAHPS scores. While some staff changes are expected, a high turnover rate can be disruptive to the team and affect patient care and satisfaction. As a nurse leader, it can be frustrating to train and manage a nurse only to have him or her become unengaged, or worse, leave the job. So what can you do to change the trend?

Nurse leaders can help reduce turnover. But, first, let’s look at what leads to turnover.