Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 19 · column 2 of 3 · from the scan, no model involved
Barbara Eggborn, RN, Director of Nursing Education at CMH, leads the “I Understand " program.
Nurses brush up on guest relations
Courses improve care
“Just seeing the ‘I understand’ button makes you feel better when a situation is too difficult to say anything,” said a family member of a recent patient in the Intensive/Coronary Care Unit of Culpeper Memorial Hospital.
She was referring to buttons worn by staff members after completion of the Guest Relations course at Culpeper Memorial Hospital. "I understand” expresses our acceptance and compassion for guests in our hospital.
Caring and warmth have been major strengths of Culpeper Memorial since the beginning of the hospital. Since then, CMH has grown physically and technologically — recent additions are the CT scanner, nuclear medicine, and ambulatory surgery. The hospital has also dealt with the challenges of reimbursement by DRGs.
Concern for the individual is still paramount at Culpeper Memorial even with these developments which are part of the national trend toward more business-like hospitals.
Guest Relations is more than the silent button, however. Under the direction of Sue Vaught, Director of Employee Relations, the program was established to enhance the tender, loving care that staff and volunteers extend to those in our hospital. The two-hour course was designed to increase awareness of the importance of effective communications with patients, families, and co-workers.
Throughout the summer, Barbara Eggborn, RN, Director of Nursing Education, taught methods of active listening to help staff interact more effectively at work. When staff members understand patients’ physical and emotional needs and give considerate responses to these needs, patients and families are more comfortable and confident.in the hospital setting. Reducing patients’ stress contributes to healing and recuperation.
To continue to emphasize awareness of guest relations, a committee of staff members from several hospital departments is working to improve hospitality and to enhance the spirit of understanding throughout CMH.
The Guest Relations concept is appropriate for all service industries which are oriented to the consumer. For information on the program at Culpeper Memorial and how it may apply to your organization, please call Barbara Eggborn, 825-2811.
97.4%