Enhancing Patient Experience Through the Commit-to-Sit Initiative: A Quality Improvement Study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Patient Experience Research
• Nursing Practice Innovation

Background:

• The Commit-to-Sit initiative involves nurses sitting with patients during bedside shift report (BSR) to enhance patient engagement, communication, and satisfaction.
• A quality improvement study was conducted to assess the impact of this initiative on patient experience within a neurological unit.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Commit-to-Sit initiative in improving patient experience.
• To measure changes in patient experience using Press Ganey Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores.

Main Methods:

• The Commit-to-Sit initiative was implemented on a Neuroscience unit in May 2024.
• Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores were collected quarterly to track patient experience metrics.

Main Results:

• The Neuroscience unit saw a significant increase in the "Rate the Hospital 0-10" score, moving from the 9th to the 77th percentile rank.
• "Communication with Nursing" scores rose from the 58th to the 99th percentile rank.
• Patient-reported outcomes regarding nurses listening carefully and treating patients with courtesy and respect remained consistently high (above the 87th percentile).

Conclusions:

• Integrating Commit-to-Sit during bedside shift report (BSR), supported by huddles and leadership rounds, correlated with improved HCAHPS percentile rank scores.
• Patient feedback indicated increased feelings of engagement, being heard, and involvement in their care.
• The initiative demonstrates a successful strategy for enhancing the patient care experience in neurological units.