Walden University
College of Health Sciences
This is to certify that the doctoral study by
Patricia McAfee
has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects,
and that any and all revisions required by
the review committee have been made.
Review Committee
Dr. Sue Bell, Committee Chairperson, Health Services Faculty
Dr. Karen Robson, Committee Member, Health Services Faculty
Dr. Barbara Niedz, University Reviewer, Health Services Faculty
Chief Academic Officer
Eric Riedel, Ph.D.
Walden University
2016
, Abstract
Analysis of How Newly-Hired Nurses are Educated to Provide Customer Service
by
Patricia McAfee
MSN, Walden University, 2011
BSN, Clayton State University, 1996
Project Submitted in Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Walden University
March 2016
, Abstract
As part of healthcare reform through the Affordable Care Act of 2010, hospitals across the
United States are being held accountable for providing a positive patient experience and will lose
up to 2% of their reimbursement by 2017 if they fail to reach targeted scores. The purpose of
this quality improvement project was to review the process used by a Georgia hospital to educate
newly-hired nurses about customer service expectations and to provide recommendations for
process improvement. Theoretical foundations supporting customer service included the caring
philosophy of Mayeroff; the caring theories of Watson, Leininger, Boykin, and Nyberg; and
Roy’s adaptation theory. Using the plan-do-study-act model, the project began with a literature
review to discover evidence-based customer service strategies. A qualitative evaluation was then
conducted of the organizational documents (job description, annual review form, orientation
checklists, clinical orientation record, the Standards of Behavior Form) and the educational slide
presentations to determine how customer service was presented to new employees. The
customer service strategies introduced during orientation and reinforced by the organization in
employee evaluations were compared with evidence-based strategies. Improvement
recommendations were developed and presented to the 13 nursing leaders of the organization.
Materials developed to improve customer service included a poster for display, a tool for
examining customer service strategies in hourly rounding, and a performance competency tool to
assess nurses’ customer service delivery. The project promotes social change by enhancing
nurse-patient interactions, improving patients’ perceptions of care, and increasing trust between
the patients and the healthcare team to improve patient outcomes.
, Analysis of How Newly-Hired Nurses are Educated to Provide Customer Service
by
Patricia McAfee
MSN, Walden University, 2011
BSN, Clayton State University, 1996
Project Submitted in Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Walden University
March 2016
College of Health Sciences
This is to certify that the doctoral study by
Patricia McAfee
has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects,
and that any and all revisions required by
the review committee have been made.
Review Committee
Dr. Sue Bell, Committee Chairperson, Health Services Faculty
Dr. Karen Robson, Committee Member, Health Services Faculty
Dr. Barbara Niedz, University Reviewer, Health Services Faculty
Chief Academic Officer
Eric Riedel, Ph.D.
Walden University
2016
, Abstract
Analysis of How Newly-Hired Nurses are Educated to Provide Customer Service
by
Patricia McAfee
MSN, Walden University, 2011
BSN, Clayton State University, 1996
Project Submitted in Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Walden University
March 2016
, Abstract
As part of healthcare reform through the Affordable Care Act of 2010, hospitals across the
United States are being held accountable for providing a positive patient experience and will lose
up to 2% of their reimbursement by 2017 if they fail to reach targeted scores. The purpose of
this quality improvement project was to review the process used by a Georgia hospital to educate
newly-hired nurses about customer service expectations and to provide recommendations for
process improvement. Theoretical foundations supporting customer service included the caring
philosophy of Mayeroff; the caring theories of Watson, Leininger, Boykin, and Nyberg; and
Roy’s adaptation theory. Using the plan-do-study-act model, the project began with a literature
review to discover evidence-based customer service strategies. A qualitative evaluation was then
conducted of the organizational documents (job description, annual review form, orientation
checklists, clinical orientation record, the Standards of Behavior Form) and the educational slide
presentations to determine how customer service was presented to new employees. The
customer service strategies introduced during orientation and reinforced by the organization in
employee evaluations were compared with evidence-based strategies. Improvement
recommendations were developed and presented to the 13 nursing leaders of the organization.
Materials developed to improve customer service included a poster for display, a tool for
examining customer service strategies in hourly rounding, and a performance competency tool to
assess nurses’ customer service delivery. The project promotes social change by enhancing
nurse-patient interactions, improving patients’ perceptions of care, and increasing trust between
the patients and the healthcare team to improve patient outcomes.
, Analysis of How Newly-Hired Nurses are Educated to Provide Customer Service
by
Patricia McAfee
MSN, Walden University, 2011
BSN, Clayton State University, 1996
Project Submitted in Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Walden University
March 2016
