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By Kristin Baird
Empathy is an essential element in a good patient experience, yet many providers miss important cues. In the past few weeks, I have shadowed a number of hospitalists to help them improve their patient interactions. During hours of observation, one common theme emerged. They missed important cues from patients and family members where they could have expressed empathy. The good news is that when I pointed out the situation in our feedback sessions, every one of the doctors recognized the missed opportunity and were receptive to suggestions. How to Show Empathy In one situation a young woman was admitted the night before. She had cardiac symptoms. Her husband called 911. They were frightened by the ordeal. The physician did a great job explaining the physiology of what had transpired. He also clearly outlined the next steps in the treatment plan. What he missed was the cue that both the patient and the husband were really worried. He could have said to the patient and her husband, “That had to be really scary for you both.” That simple statement would have opened the door to the emotional impact of the medical situation. In several other situations, the patients offered cues that they had children or elderly parents at home. The doctors never asked about their home life or if they had the support they needed. It was evident that they were so focused on the physical and medical situation that they were missing out on the emotional aspect. I firmly believe that everyone can learn to pick up cues that will lead to more empathetic interactions. Shadow/coaching is a great way to help nurses and doctors improve communication and empathy. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success!
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By Kristin Baird
Employee engagement is at the core of any company’s performance. But in healthcare, where the patient experience drives loyalty, trust, and even reimbursement, engagement is paramount to success. A disengaged employee needs coaching right away. Spotting and addressing disengagement can make the difference between a team’s success and failure. My colleagues and I regularly coach healthcare managers on how to improve engagement. Providing the employee specific, concrete examples of problem behaviors. Short Conversations A few years ago I was coaching a department manager who had two very disengaged staff members. This particular manager wasn’t a good communicator, so we were working on improving his coaching conversations with his team members. He was to have a coaching conversation with one of his most disengaged team members, then call me to discuss how it went. He called on schedule and reported that the discussion went well. “It was short and sweet,” he said. “I just said, ‘Your attitude sucks. Fix it or you’re out.’” Well, he was right about one thing: it was short. What he described was an edict or threat, not the coaching discussion we assigned. In a coaching discussion with a disengaged individual, it is important to clearly state your concerns, but give specific examples of problem behaviors and how they affect others. I’m happy to say that this particular manager made great progress in his coaching conversations with staff over the next year. He learned that if wanted to see change, he needed to clearly state his expectations, identify unacceptable behaviors using specific examples, and explain consequences. Short and sweet isn’t necessarily the best approach. In contrast, specific, actionable steps get you further, faster. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Kristin Baird
My team and I have been on the road doing culture assessments for various health systems recently. We've found some common denominators among the organizations that struggle with engagement, patient satisfaction and financial performance.Among other things, these cultures don’t foster recognition and gratitude. Show Appreciation It saddens me when I see healthcare workers starving for even the smallest crumbs of appreciation. After all, they are the ones on the frontline creating the customer experience. When workers feel appreciated, they engage and deliver better patient experiences. Let them know how much you appreciate them – that you’re thankful to have them on your team. That they make you proud. In this time of thanksgiving, make your gratitude known. It will not only inspire your team members, it will help you appreciate all the good that is happening around you. Happy Thanksgiving! Looking for your Nurses Week healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Kristin Baird
Workplace betrayal can have profound effect on both individuals and the entire culture. But how you manage it is up to you. You can be a victim which will keep you in a vulnerable state, or you can look squarely at the betrayal as a learning opportunity and make a conscious effort to move on with your eyes wide open. For sanity’s sake, it’s important to recognize the betrayal and move forward. There are many forms of betrayal in the workplace including:
When I have been betrayed, I find that myself grieving the loss of a friendship, collegial relationship or the image I had of the other person. It’s natural to feel angry but being vindictive doesn’t help the situation. The other thing that can compound the sadness is telling the story over and over. Here are a few tips for moving beyond betrayal:
Work places are complex microcosms. Building a culture of trust means working through betrayals and learning from them. Looking for your Nurses Week healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Kristin Baird
I have the utmost respect for leaders who deal with toxic behavior head on. Many healthcare leaders still look past the gossips and groaners because they have good technical skills. Some leaders feel they have to tolerate the moaners and complainers because they need a person to fill a slot in the schedule. The problem is, there will be another slot next week and the week after. And what happens to the rest of the team while you keep filling shifts with toxic people? The culture erodes and so does your reputation. A few months ago, I was coaching a leader who was having difficulty taking the final step in terminating a toxic individual. Her biggest challenge was that “Toxic Tilly” was a technical wizard. Unfortunately, she demanded perfectionism in all things from her teammates. Nothing was ever good enough, and Tilly was always there to point that out to everyone. After giving Tilly both written and verbal warnings, “Carol” called me and said, “It’s decision-making day.” In her organization, that means it is the turning point of termination. She described the precipitating event (which was the final straw) in deciding to terminate. She had had enough. Carol managed the termination like a true professional. It is never easy having to terminate someone, but Carol managed with dignity and respect. Once the dust had settled, I asked Carol what she had learned from the experience. She answered the same way dozens of other leaders have in similar situations. She said, “My only regret is that I wish I had done it much sooner. I hadn’t realized the strain it was placing on me and the rest of the team.” Coaching is always the first step. But when you know that a toxic team member isn’t changing and is bringing others down, you must take action. You owe it to your high performers and the people you serve. Looking for your Nurses Week healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Kristin Baird
We hear so much about empathy as it relates to the patient experience. And for good reason. Empathy is what makes the science of medicine human. It’s the care in healthcare. But empathy is often lumped in with softness, which is sometimes viewed as weakness. I contend that it’s just the opposite. It takes courage to be empathetic. Here’s the thing about courage. Mark Twain said, “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear. Not the absence of fear.” This is an important distinction to make. It takes courage to demonstrate compassion and empathy for others. Having empathy requires a certain degree of vulnerability. This is where heart meets courage. It takes courage to allow yourself to step into the emotion – to feel and to empathize. Real success will never be free of fear, but learning to move past it. And I do believe you can learn this. A few years ago I was working with a physician who was a brilliant diagnostician. “Dr. Smith” could assess and diagnose conditions quickly and move on to the treatment plan almost before the patient was finished describing their symptoms. The problem was – his patients couldn’t stand him. His surveys were the lowest in the system which was embarrassing for both him and his partners. He wasn’t a heartless person, he was simply objective-driven. He believed people came to him with a physical problem and that his objective was to diagnose and treat. Period. When I first met with Dr. Smith, he expected me to approach his “case” the same way he approached his – diagnose and prescribe a plan as efficiently as possible. Instead I asked him to describe what he hoped patients would say about him and their time with him. Of course he focused on clinical outcomes. So I asked him to describe what he hoped the patients would feel about their encounters. It took some digging, but I found that he really did want them to feel that he cared. As we talked, he revealed that it was hard for him to let down his guard and to demonstrate compassion and empathy. During the conversation, I tried to point out that a chief complaint isn’t really about the physical symptom, but often about the impact that symptom has on a person’s life. To take a moment to recognize that makes a patient feel validated and understood. He admitted that getting into people’s feelings was scary for him. (He used other terms, but scary is my diagnosis.) I told him that it takes courage to demonstrate compassion and empathy for others. Having empathy requires a certain degree of vulnerability. This is where empathy meets courage. It takes courage to allow yourself to step into the emotion – to feel and to empathize. We practiced some empathy statements and some non-verbal behaviors as well. I jokingly said, “Take two minutes for empathy,” but the truth is, that is a great place to start. It takes practice and consciousness. And chances are, you won’t change behavior over night. The secret is to keep going back and trying it again and again. As author Mary Anne Radamacher said, “Courage doesn’t always Roar. Sometimes courage is that quiet voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow.” Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Kristin Baird
The lobby was breathtaking with a beautiful water feature and sculptures in bronze and blown glass. The registration staff was friendly and efficient in professional and tasteful uniforms. The entire building was as beautiful as any 5-star hotel. What stood out to me during one of my mother’s last hospital admissions wasn’t the striking environment or the professional appearance. It was the personalized and attentive care demonstrated through small acts of kindness. The real WOW happened when Nurse Shelly took mom’s hand and said she was delighted to be her nurse again. Similarly, it happened again when Amber, the tech remembered how much Mom loved coffee. Amber promised to bring her a cup the minute she returned from her procedure. And did! A New Focus on WOW As healthcare organizations embrace the patient experience on a deeper more strategic level, there is greater pressure to WOW the consumer with gorgeous architecture, room service and hotel-like amenities. Consequently, what was a WOW experience five years ago is commonplace as healthcare organizations share best practices. As a result, we must never lose sight of the fact that it is the small acts of kindness that stay with patients and families for a lifetime. It’s the little things that show you care and leave indelible memories. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Kristin Baird
In our coaching work, we often team up with managers who need support in becoming better leaders. They often have mastered managing, but need support learning how to lead. Managers vs. Leaders A very simplified version of the distinction is that leaders have followers and managers have people who work for them. I think that one other key distinction is that managers are task-oriented. Managers do things like: Set and manage the budget, schedule people and resources, and directs activity. Leaders on the other hand coach, inspire, challenge and create transformation. It’s not unusual to have to help managers to make the distinction between managing and leading. At the same time, it’s important that they recognize there is a need for both. The budget needs to get balanced, schedules must be created, and payroll documents submitted. The two don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Managing vs. Leading – Rounding One example of managing vs leading happens when managers thrust a tactic at subordinates without first engaging them. They see it as a task and present it as a task. Let’s take hourly rounding for example. I’ve seen managers announce that nurses will be required to do hourly rounding because it is now the hospital standard. Nurses are given rounding logs or software on ipads. and instructed how to check the boxes to document the task. Boxes are checked and the task is managed by both the nurses and managers. That is task management. A leader engages the team and discusses the “why” behind hourly rounding. She gets input on the tools and meaningful data collection. They discusses how rounding will benefit both the nurses and the patients and gives data to support the benefit claim. She spends time demonstrating meaningful rounding and offers shadow/coaching to support individual learning. They share outcomes and gives positive reinforcement while holding everyone accountable. She focuses on teamwork. And, while all that is happening, the nurses are engaged, the boxes are being checked and they are eager to see the impact of their efforts. A good leader creates owners. Are you managing or leading? Looking for your Nurses Week healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Kristin Baird
It’s nearly Nurse’s Week, and I am loving all the inspiring and heart-warming articles and ads giving recognition to this most trusted profession. It’s great that once a year we put nurses in the limelight and celebrate their many contributions. But what would it look like if we all made a conscious effort to honor, support and celebrate nurses on a consistent basis? 5 Ways to Commemorate Nurses Week 1. When you see something, say something! Just like the TSA, when you see a nurse doing something that shows great technical skill, empathy or compassion – speak up and tell her or him that you are impressed. 2. Say thank you in real time. Make your gratitude prompt, personal and plentiful. 3. Talk them up. Tell their bosses that you are impressed and grateful. Give names and specific examples of the greatness you witness. Put it in writing. A quick note is all it takes. 4. Implement real and effective No Pass Zones where everyone answers call lights. Don’t just say you’re doing it – Make it happen with clear expectations and accountability. Most nurses are running their tails off during every moment of a shift. This is one small way that the organization can put some intentional support behind the nurses. There is so much emphasis on HCAHPS scores and much of the burden falls on nursing. This is one way the organization can prove the common sentiment that, “We’re all in this together.” 5. Make certain that staffing practices ensure regular breaks and lunches. Breaks, are pushed down the list of priorities on busy days. No one wants work tired and hungry with a full bladder. What I’ve listed here are seemingly small actions but have lasting benefits. We all want to feel appreciated and although the parties and celebrations are fun, let’s be sure we’re working on cultural norms that foster a supportive environment every day of the year. Happy Nurse’s Week to all my fellow nurses. I’m proud to be one of you! Looking for your Nurses Week healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Kristin Baird
It’s no secret that an engaged workforce is necessary for a consistently positive patient experience. And nurses are pivotal in this equation. Nurses who develop resilience can prevent burnout. This allows them to engage with patients on a deeper level and thus, contribute to greater patient satisfaction. Resilience Resilience is defined as the ability to face adverse situations, remain focused, and continue to be optimistic for the future and is seen as a vital characteristic for today’s nurses. Lack of resilience places nurses are at risk for burnout, depression and job dissatisfaction. Leaders can help nurses to recognize the signs of burnout and support them in self-care. Formal education on the subject can be helpful, but even more useful is having one-on-one discussions with your nurses. Next time you make rounds on your nurses, instead of asking, “Do you have the tools you need to do your job?," ask them when the last time they had a break was. I’ve spent many shifts without food, water or bathroom breaks. I still see that among nurses on the inpatient units as well as outpatient areas. They’re putting patients first. Now it’s time for the leaders to address the nurses’ needs. You won’t know unless you ask. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! |
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