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Web site spotlight: Nursing department improves quality and patient satisfaction with culture change

Nurse Leader Weekly, December 7, 2009

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In 1998, The University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, KS, was faced with a patient satisfaction rate in the fifth percentile, turnover rates that were through the roof, and the reality of an organization that was losing market share.

As part of the organization's strategy to turn the hospital around, nursing set out to change the culture of the department. A renewed commitment to quality improvement, nursing excellence, and staff engagement—along with a six-part strategic plan—effected culture change that transformed the organization. Since 1998, the hospital has seen a 60% decrease in turnover, a 65% increase in inpatient admissions, and more than 200% increase in revenue.

"We were losing volume, but even now in this economy, we've still seen an 8% increase in inpatient visits this fiscal year over last fiscal year," says Tammy Peterman, executive vice president, chief operating officer, and chief nursing officer. "We believe that one of our critical success factors in staff engagement is this strategic plan. You can get where you are going without a plan, but you do not always get where you want to be. We put very specific action items, linked to the strategies, into the plan."

Editor’s note: To read the rest of this article, visit “Nursing department improves quality and patient satisfaction with culture change” found in the Reading Room at www.StrategiesForNurseManagers.com.

Do you need continuing education (CE) credits? Check out this month’s CE article  to learn about forming patient advisory boards or visit our archives and view a compilation of CE articles (marked with an asterisk).

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