KU nurses give top notch care

Nurses at the University of Kansas Hospital are among the nation’s best in patient care, according to U.S. News and World Report.

The magazine published information from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Care Providers and Systems, which ranks patient satisfaction at hospitals throughout the country. U.S. News and World Report compared the patient satisfaction surveys of the 154 hospitals that made its “America’s Best Hospitals” list.

KU Hospital ranked third among the nation’s best hospitals in nursing care, tying with Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. First in nursing care went to Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix, and New England Baptist Hospital in Boston placed second.

“It’s a reflection of the organization and what the organization values,” said Tammy Peterman, RN, MS, KU Hospital’s executive vice president, chief operating officer and chief nursing officer.

KU Hospital also tied for seventh place among hospitals for pain management and tied for 13th place for overall patient satisfaction.

Nurses throughout the hospital celebrate this accomplishment.

“There’s always that immense sense of pride,” said Gerre Fiore, unit coordinator. “To be recognized nationally is like, ‘wow.’”

Peterman said the hospital constantly monitors patient satisfaction.

“We monitor patient satisfaction on a weekly basis,” she said.

According to the Hospital Consumer Assessment, 80 percent of patients surveyed said their nurses were “always” polite and communicative. That compared to the 74 percent average for hospitals surveyed.

Peterman said she and her staff knew they had high patient satisfaction but they did not know how well they ranked among other hospitals until U.S. News and World Report published its rankings.

Peterman said she takes pride in the hospital’s superior nursing care.

“If people are happy with nursing they are happy with their stay,” Peterman said. “Really nursing is the discipline that’s at the bedside 24/7.”

Peterman attributes the hospital’s highly ranked nursing care to the facility’s culture and collaboration.

“Our culture is very much about partnership and the health care team,” Peterman said. “I never want to underestimate the physician’s value to the patient….It takes that partnership of the entire health care team.”

Pain Management Team Coordinator Melanie Simpson, Ph.D., RN-BC, OCN, CHPN, agrees.

“It’s all about working together,” Simpson said.

Nurse educator Callie Ballenger, RN, MSN, said nurses at KU are trained to focus on patients’ needs.

“Patients are No. 1 to us,” Ballenger said. “As a nurse, if your patients are happy you are going to have a better day.”

Nurses at KU are told about this patient-centered culture during orientation.

“It’s an expectation,” Peterman said. “We’re pretty consistent.”

While Peterman and her staff continue to celebrate these rankings, she said the real satisfaction comes through interaction with patients.

“If the recognition comes, that’s great, but it’s the patients that come first,” Peterman said.

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