The ‘why’ behind no pass zones
As part of the implementation of no pass zones, employees are trained to approach patients and visitors appropriately, remove any hazards or trash, use good hand hygiene and stop for call lights that have been turned on.
You’ve likely heard about no pass zones, a USA Health initiative that encourages all employees to respond to patients and visitors whenever they encounter a need.
But why do we have them?
It’s all about empowering employees to help. “Being ready to respond builds trust, shows that we value our patients’ and visitors’ time and helps to ensure their overall experience will meet or exceed their expectation,” said Cory Myers, administrative resident at USA Health.
As part of the implementation of no pass zones, employees are trained to approach patients and visitors appropriately, remove any hazards or trash, use good hand hygiene and stop for call lights that have been turned on. Non-clinical staff can help with a variety of small tasks, such as changing the TV channel, adjusting curtains or helping move personal items within reach. They also can pass along messages or clinical requests to the nursing staff.
Here’s the bigger picture: No pass zones are part of an effort to improve the overall patient experience, which is measured through a patient survey called the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. The national, standardized survey, used at hospitals across the nation, asks discharged patients 27 questions about their recent hospital stay.
Results from the random surveys are used to ultimately determine some funding for healthcare facilities.
A related effort is encouraging employees to communicate with IDEAL Care. IDEAL establishes a consistent communication framework to help build trust with patients, families and co-workers to ease anxieties.
IDEAL stands for:
I: Introduce yourself.
D: Discuss why you are there.
E: Explain what happens as you go.
A: Ask what else you can do.
L: Leave the customer/patient happy.
