In the latest issue of "National Nurses United (NNOC)" magazine there are two excellent articles about a very serious subject that we as nurses are going to have to deal with in the very near future ie..  Scripting and Rounding. The articles state that since patient satisfaction scores are now directly linked to Medicare/Medicade reimbursement that the best way to increse those scores, according to some, is to provide hourly rounding on your patients and "canned" or pre- written script cards that sound something  like a waiter/waitress taking your order in a restaurant. This garbage is being touted by a company called: "the Suter Group" that puts on training classes for nurses so that we can become lemmings and just regurgitate the hospital line and PROVIDE THE APPEARANCE OF ULTIMATE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. I cannot not, nor will I ever read from a prepared script to my patient, it's insulting to the patient and demeaning to me and I dont think that the general public is ready to turn the medical profession over to the hospitality industry just yet. You owe it to yourselves to read these articles. This is going to be a huge issue for nurses, because, as with everyting else the onus of responsiblity once AGAIN lies with us. Time to get organized with a union people. Thats the only way we are ever going to put a stop to this kind of crap.........

If I am forced into a "scripted" universe then every answer I need for the day better be on the script because that's how I will personally combat this type of thing. If it's not on my cue card then.... I don't know. Period , end of story. You think patient satisfaction is bad now I will toss everything into someone elses lap that I can. See  how that works for ya............

I am 57 years old so I have seen quite a  bit in my lifetime. We are now seriously looking at Unionization to combat crap like this. The floor nurse is responsible for EVERYTHING but when a program like this comes along they just ram it down our throat with NO input from the actual nurses on the floor. Its going to stop and when we get the union in things will change for us. We will not be like the Lemmings that they want us to be anymore. Use OUR input  esp. since WE are the ones stuck initiating the program/policy. The hospital will send us into the arms of the union and they wont even realize its happening until we vote yes. Then we will see what happens. I urge everyone to join your union because YOU deserve better wages and benefits and input into the programs/policies that affect you everyday.  UNION NOW!  OH and Kelly J I plan on tossing the whole program because I already have my own personal program that works very well for me.