Creating a Masterpiece by Connecting with a Patient in Ninety Seconds

Session
Service Excellence

Authors
Vincent Pelote
Partner, DaVinci Consulting

Carol Zulauf
Associate Professor, Suffolk University

Lynne Route
Partner, daVinci Consulting

Description
In this highly interactive and innovative session, the presenters will showcase the work of the great portraitist, Yousuf Karsh, whose unique approach for building relationships are special lessons learned for all clinicians. The comparisons between an effective clinician and a great artist will become apparent during the session.

Abstract
Connecting with a Patient in Ninety Seconds describes a major nursing initiative at Brigham & Women's Hospital that supports the goal of becoming more patient centered. At its core, the initiative begins with the personal contact of a nurse saying "hello" and ends with a "goodbye" to the patient. This training session will describe in detail the design of the program, lessons learned, and the plan for spreading the initiative to all of the nurses at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Connecting with a Patient in Ninety Seconds utilizes several innovative concepts such as Appreciative Inquiry, Dialogue, and Organizational Learning. The common thread of the training is the comparison between the work of Yousuf Karsh and Nursing. Through 3 mini lectures and interactive exercises that replicate the actual six-hour training, the presenters will engage the audience so that they experience the actual workshop first hand. A special feature of the training is a short DVD presentation at the end of the work that features a collage of Karsh photographs set to music. Handouts for this session include an exercise workbook, a job aid for appreciating positives, and sample scripts for the patient greeting.