D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 2 5
Y
ou never know where you'll learn lessons about caring for
patients, so I'm always on the lookout for excellence in serv-
ice that I can translate to patient care. On a recent flight, I
encountered an exceptional flight attendant who was so good at tak-
ing care of those in her care on the flight that it was easy to make the
connection between how we can better care for our patients by treat-
ing them like passengers.
We all have ideas about the role of flight attendants. Some view
them as waitresses in the sky who serve us sodas and snacks from the
beverage cart. They are there to provide for our comfort and enforce
the rules. Those public perceptions of flight attendants are similar to
those of nursing. Can you help me to the bathroom? Would you get
Treat Your Patients Like First-class Passengers
5 simple tips from a flight attendant's crash course on patient care.
Business Advisor
Kathy Williams Beydler, RN, MBA, CNOR, CASC
• SMILING EYES Instruct
your staff to look patients in
the eye with a genuine
smile that shows they care.