Patient Experience Training for Hospitals

Improving Patient Experience and HCAHPS Scores through Patient-Centered Training

This patient experience training helps hospitals improve both HCAHPS scores and overall patient satisfaction through practical, patient-centered training.

Designed for frontline staff and nursing professionals, the course supports hospital quality goals by strengthening patient communication and care interactions.

Using engaging, real-world video scenarios, the training shows how daily behaviors directly impact patient perceptions and responses on the HCAHPS survey. Strategies are grounded in peer-reviewed research and proven best practices.

Available on

Why It Works

Built for Nurses. Backed by Research.

Library of 40 Training Videos

3.5 CE hours for Nurses (ANCC accredited)

Real-world scenarios + proven tactics and best practices

Aligned with 2025 CMS HCAHPS updates

Developed by nursing educators and PX experts

Easy to launch: Structured or Flexible Deployment

What’s Inside the Patient Experience Training for HCAHPS Course?

Responsiveness

Prompt and appropriate responsiveness to the needs of patients isn’t just about improving patient satisfaction scores or increasing the bottom line; it is critical for providing quality care in a safe environment.

Tactics and Best Practices:

REGULAR ROUNDING
When implemented effectively, this basic concept can help reduce the number of patient calls, making more efficient use of staff time.

BEDSIDE SHIFT REPORTING
When implemented effectively, this basic concept can help reduce the number of patient calls, making more efficient use of staff time.

THE 5-FOOT RULE
Research has shown that when calls are answered in person, patient satisfaction is increased and patients and families perceive that problems are resolved.

NO PASS ZONES
When a patient presses their call button, they are typically not just seeking assistance from nursing, but from any staff member who is available to help. By implementing the no pass zone, patients will get the help they need when they need it.

Communication with Nurses

Research demonstrates that nursing communication is the measure that most directly correlates to a hospital’s overall rating. Consequently, a nurse’s ability to communicate well and connect with patients can help build relationships, prevent errors, and provide a higher level of care.

Tactics and Best Practices:

GENERAL TACTICS
These questions address listening and communication, and if it was provided with courtesy and respect. It sounds simple, but in order to achieve an “always culture”, where patients answer survey questions with “always”, it is necessary to actively practice the basics of patient communication for every patient, every time. While there are specific tactics that pertain to each of the questions on courtesy and respect, listening, and explaining; there are some general tactics with regards to communication that deserve attention.

COMMUNICATION BOARDS
The communication boards in patients’ rooms are an excellent strategy for increasing communication with patients. Not only should the boards be constantly updated with information, but timeliness and consistency should be a priority.

REGULAR ROUNDING
Regular rounding on patients is a tactic that can help with every metric of HCAHPS. Setting expectations and communicating effectively will help set patients’ expectations and give them a sense of being heard and well cared for.

BEDSIDE SHIFT REPORT
Bedside shift reporting is a conversation between the off-going nurse, the on-coming nurse, the patient, and their family. This is an ideal time to demonstrate courtesy and respect, listening, and clear communications.

COURTESY & RESPECT
Research shows that non-verbal communication and tone of voice communicate much more to patients than actual words. There are many tactics that can be used by staff to effectively demonstrate courtesy and respect when communicating with patients.  Implementing the right communication tactics can help improve patient care and patient satisfaction.

CLEAR EXPLANATIONS
One of the most impactful strategies to promote effective communication is clear explanations about a patient’s care. Explaining care is the process of communicating the “what” and “why” of any patient care situation. Utilizing the right messaging and  maintaining consistency throughout the patient’s experience is essential.

LISTENING
Listening is one of the most important aspects of nurse communication, and it can have a profound impact on patient satisfaction. By listening effectively, nurses can be attentive to the needs of the patient and coordinate their care accordingly. Engaging with patients and their families, listening to their concerns, and communicating clear care explanations are all essential steps to providing a more memorable patient care experience.

Restfulness

Rest is a critical part of healing, yet hospital environments can make it hard for patients to get the sleep they need. This module equips staff with strategies to reduce nighttime disruptions,  personalize sleep routines, and promote a calm, quiet environment. The goal is to help patients feel genuinely cared for, and to answer “always” when asked if they were able to get the rest they needed during their stay.

Tactics and Best Practices:

QUIET HOURS
Establishing designated Quiet Hours sets clear expectations for a restful environment. Staff reduce hallway noise, limit overhead paging, and dim lights—creating a predictable window where patients can expect uninterrupted rest.

NIGHTTIME INTERRUPTIONS
By bundling nighttime care tasks like medications, vital signs, and repositioning, staff reduce unnecessary wake-ups. This approach respects the patient’s need for sleep and improves their overall sense of care and comfort..

SLEEP CARE ROUTINES
Staff personalize rest routines by asking patients about their sleep preferences and documenting them on the communication board. This includes temperature, noise tolerance, bedtime rituals, or extra pillows—ensuring care is both clinically excellent and personally thoughtful.

Communication on Medications

One in five patients experience an adverse event after leaving the hospital, and 66% of these events are medication-related. Medication “non-adherence” is a major health issue in the United States, and research has shown that one of the leading contributors to poor drug adherence is ineffective communication.

Tactics and Best Practices:

REPETITION
The key to medication education is repetition. Most individuals need to hear the same information several times for good comprehension and recall. Therefore, it is important to not only educate patients and their families on what medications they are taking, but why they are taking them. For each medication, at every administration, there are four subjects that should be covered: the medication’s name, the dosage, the purpose of the medication, and the possible side effects.

CLEAR EXPLANATIONS
Explaining the medication’s name, the dosage, the purpose of the medication, and the possible side effects.

TEACH-BACK METHOD
Asking the patient to repeat, or teach back to you what you have just explained to them.

Discharge & Care Coordination

Failure to effectively communicate discharge instructions to patients can lead to hospital readmissions, missed appointments, unidentified side effects, overlooked symptoms and condition changes, and medication errors.

Tactics and Best Practices:

WRITTEN HEALTH INFORMATION
Patients receive information on everything from side effects, to medications, to procedures, to wound care; therefore, written backups are essential. These printed discharge materials are essential for patient education, and they should be referenced  on the day of discharge and throughout their stay. Using these documents will standardize patient education across the hospital and promote continuity of care.

PATIENT & FAMILY PREFERENCES
Patients and their families need to be actively involved in discharge planning. As caregivers discover their patients’ needs and preferences, they can be written down on  their communication board, and referenced throughout their stay. Sending patients and their families home with a plan that they helped design not only engages them in their own healthcare, it helps improve adherence to discharge instructions and leads to better health outcomes.

UNDERSTANDING RESPONSIBILITIES
Clear communication on a patient’s responsibilities when they return home is essential. In order to ensure patients understand their role in their own care, caregivers can employ the teach-back method—having patients repeat back their instructions and  education. This technique will demonstrate any gaps in the patient’s understanding and give them confidence in going home.

MEDICATIONS
Before patients return home, they must have a clear understanding of what medications they are taking and why they are taking them. This should be reinforced, not just at  discharge, but at every administration by telling the patient the name, dosage, purpose, and side effects for each medication.

PROCESS – 6 STEPS
Start with the end in mind, by keeping the idea of returning home a constant point of conversation. On the day of discharge, caregivers can use the discharge paperwork and follow the 6 points of education: reviewing the patient’s diagnosis, test results, treatments received, follow-up appointments, symptoms to watch for, and medications. These subjects should also be incorporated into discussions and education throughout their stay in order to keep the transition of care in the front of their minds.

Joint Accreditation Statement

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Amedco LLC and Always Culture. Amedco LLC is jointly accredited by the
Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing
Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. Amedco Joint Accreditation #4008163.

Professions in scope for this activity are listed below.

Nurses
Amedco LLC designates this activity for a maximum of 3.50 ANCC contact hours.

Hospitals Trust Always Culture to Improve Patient Experience

“We’ve seen steady increases in patient satisfaction—and even had one quarter where all of our inpatient units exceeded their goals.”

“Always Culture helped our staff connect daily patient interactions to what’s actually measured on the HCAHPS survey. The videos were well received and made our education more engaging and credible.”