Free BCEN Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Practice Question

Implementing a comprehensive staff training program on patient-centered communication is the most effective strategy for long-term improvement in patient satisfaction scores. While all options can contribute to patient satisfaction, addressing the fundamental interaction between staff and patients through communication training has the most profound and lasting impact.

Effective communication is at the core of patient satisfaction. It influences patients' perceptions of care quality, wait times, and overall experience. A well-designed training program equips staff with skills to explain procedures, manage expectations, show empathy, and handle difficult situations. These skills are applicable across various scenarios and patient populations, making the impact of this strategy more consistent and far-reaching.

In contrast, the other options, while potentially beneficial, have limitations:

1. Redesigning the waiting area may improve comfort but doesn't address the quality of care or staff-patient interactions.
2. Hiring additional staff might reduce wait times but doesn't necessarily improve the quality of patient interactions or overall experience.
3. Implementing a patient feedback system is valuable for identifying issues, but without proper training on how to act on this feedback, it may not lead to significant improvements.

By focusing on communication skills, the emergency department can create a culture of patient-centeredness that permeates all aspects of care, leading to more consistent and sustainable improvements in patient satisfaction.