THE administration of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) sees the delivery of efficient and effective customer care by nurses and doctors at the institution as being key to improving and sustaining the image of the organis (CEO)+ation.
Towards this end, the hospital’s Nursing Services, with the full support of the Chief

Executive Officer, Brigadier George Lewis, has already embarked on investing in training of an initial batch of 18 nursing professionals in Customer Care, and is putting systems in place to train a second batch.

The participants, drawn from diverse departments within the institution, were on Thursday presented with certificates at a ceremony held in the GPH’s Multipurpose Room, after successfully completing the training.
The training was facilitated by Pastor Audrey Hinds whose brainchild the initiative was. Hinds presented the Director (Ag), Nursing Services, Ms. Celeste Gordon with a copy of the course outline and a menu of measures to be implemented at the institution in order to realize improved customer care.

As part of the training, the nurses were taken on tours around the hospital, where they made observations and put up and recommendations for improvement in three key departments within the GPH, namely – the Accident and Emergency Department’s Triage Unit; the Accident and Emergency Open and the Medical Outpatients
Department.

Hinds said she proposed the training for the nurses, since too often, persons have been critical of their performance claiming they need to be trained to deal with patients and the public, but without pointing out culpable ones. This faulty generalisation, is unfair to the hard working and dedicated nurses, hence the training. The Report put up by Facilitator Hinds, assessed critically the Triage Unit of the A&E Unit and made recommendations for improvements.

Improving the image
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer congratulated the initiative, saying he considered the training to be very important and much needed for improving the image of the Georgetown Public Hospital. He recalled having discussions with persons and got the sense that the wider society feels that the GPH does not provide quality health care for persons.
However, since assuming offices at the GPH, he said he has found that there are lots of capable and dedicated professionals within the system, who were performing their duties to the best of their ability.

He admonished the participants to ensure they provide quality service and perform their duties professionally, ensuring that their demeanour, turn- out, bearing, speech and appearance make a positive impact on those seeking service.
Avoid altercations
The CEO warned against getting into verbal altercations, let alone physical ones, with any patient. “So even if their attitude towards you is bad or wrong, you are supposed to be able to lift your selves above that level and handle that situation in a professional manner. If you can’t handle it, then seek the support of your supervisor. But you are NOT supposed to, under any circumstances, get involved in any type of altercation.

Investment in the future
The CEO said that exposing the nurses to the training is an investment in their future. “We are doing it because we are working towards the goal of improving the image of the Georgetown Public Hospital,” he declared.
He said they, in turn would be expected to: (1) Share what they learnt with their peers back in their respective departments; (2) ensure that they utilise the knowledge acquired on the training, in such a way that they would cause improvement in the image of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Meanwhile, Asst. Director (Ag) of Nursing Services, Ms. Celeste Gordon who delivered the Charge to the participants, admonished them that customer Care must meet the needs and desires of those seeking it, for it to be effective.
She urged them to embrace the ABC of Customer Care which speaks to Attitude, Behaviour and Communication.
Others supporting the initiative were: Chairperson, Mr. Owen John, Nursing Education Coordinator; and Asst. Director (Ag) Nursing Services, Mr. Keith Alonza.