Ideas that Work: First Impression

Patients often sit nervously in the reception area as they wait to hear their name loudly called when it's time to get prepped for surgery. To take some of the stress out of the nerve-racking time, we mapped and labeled each chair in our facility's atrium. When patients check in, the front desk worker notes in their file where they're sitting. That way, when it's time to bring patients back for surgery, nurses can go right up to them, quietly introduce themselves and walk them back to the pre-op area. The personal greetings set the tone for a positive and caring experience with us.

Bill Willis, RN
Vance Thompson Vision
Sioux Falls, S.D.
[email protected]