Many of today's healthcare providers were small children when the U.S. government first dipped their toe into the healthcare patient satisfaction survey. In 2002 and 2003, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) worked collaboratively to create the first HCAHPS survey for inpatients.  This was followed by the approval of the 27-question survey by the National Quality Forum (NQF) in 2005 and implementation by CMS in 2006. The first data submissions were in 20081.  Additional programs evolved for use in other care settings.  

My early nursing career offered me a variety of care areas and work settings. Shortly after graduating with my BSN, I began my nursing career in Labor & Delivery at a hospital in downtown Omaha. While not as notorious as some other inner-city facilities in the country, it was a reality check and an often-stressful setting for a ‘farm-girl’ from rural Nebraska. My eyes were quickly opened by the cases that we saw in this trauma center caring for a diverse population.

Bedside shift report is an evidence-based practice designed to enhance communication with patients by including them in the handoff process from one care provider to another. Failures of communication during these transitions may result in patient harm, negative patient experiences and loss of trust in providers and/or the facility.