The patient’s push for better policy management

A Patient’s Request

A patient is requesting that the nurse get a copy of a hospital policy. It doesn’t happen that often, but when it does, we all hear about it.

Which is not surprising. After all, we post signs that say “Be empowered in your healthcare”, “Speak UP”, “Tell us if we don’t wash our hands”; we use technology to scan medications at the bedside; medications are reconciled and the patient even gets a printed copy to take to their next provider; our TVs in the patient’s room contain libraries of information for education or discharge instruction and can be controlled by the patient and/or family.

At the Click of a Button

It’s no wonder that patients and families are – rightfully so – perceiving that we can give them many things at the click of a button.  Then the request comes for a policy document and we halt everything.

Why?

When this request is made, we often think the patient is unhappy about something and may be making a formal complaint.  Or maybe they are going to sue us.  Why else would they want a copy of a policy or procedure?

The Critical Difference

We don’t stress when we offer patients a copy of the Rights and Responsibilities or Notice of Privacy Practices.  That could be because we know the patients should be informed of the content in these documents and they have a right to have it.

So what is it about the patient asking for the policy on pain management that differs?

It may be that because this is such a rarely-made request, the nurse may not even know the standard protocol for providing it.  Most likely, the nurse will let the unit manager know of the request and find out if this is “allowed”.  The manager may call the policy people to have them find it and print it off, or they may call Risk Management, since they need a heads-up.

With the push for greater patient transparency well on its way, it’s worth the effort to establish a standard protocol in your hospital for disseminating policies to patients at their request.  Establish some ground rules and familiarize your front-line staff with them. When asked, does the caregiver have an obligation to ask questions like “May I ask why you would like it?” or “Do you feel your pain is not being managed?”?

Don’t Leave a Patient Request Unanswered

Maybe the request came from a family member, who could also be a healthcare worker or an attorney.

Does it really matter who made the request and why? Yes.

But does that affect the fact that the nurse needs to get it? Probably not. In which case, if the nurse or manager takes too long or avoids the request, the patient and or family could become displeased and a complaint could, indeed, ensue.

If the staff state that they cannot or do not know how to get it, that also may initiate the downward spiral to a low satisfaction score.  Sometimes the stalling or forgetting to get a document is even perceived by the patient as an act of hiding something, or acting guilty.

The worst-case scenario is that maybe the hospital doesn’t have a policy on pain management at all. The nurse may have no issues with getting the document but cannot find it. It could be buried in a book somewhere or outdated. No nurse wants to embarrass the hospital by giving a document that says it was due for review 2 years earlier.

The best way to handle the patient’s request is for staff to know about the process for these requests. Like any other patient-sensitive documentation, policies should be readily available at the click of a button for every occasion that they’re needed.

Best regards,

Nicola Heslip | Policy & Patient Safety Specialist | PolicyMedical™

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