Nurses' perceptions of the utility of patient scripting with regards to patient satisfaction

Abstract

This research study was intended to determine the perceptions of nurses' regarding the utility of patient scripting with regards to patient satisfaction. Patient scripting refers to a script used by nurses while speaking to patients and/or their families to convey a consistent message from all nurses and employees. Hard copy surveys were delivered into the work mailboxes of 95 part-time and full-time nurses on the maternal child department of a local community hospital. It was found that nurses find patient scripting important to patient satisfaction, easy to use, and easy to incorporate. However, some nurses felt that it was awkward and not words they would generally use in conversations with patients or families. The nurses did not feel it increased their job satisfaction or hospital revenue. It appears that if the nurses were to develop a script that was easier to use or made up of words they would use more easily, they would utilize patient scripting more frequently.