Michelin

Shortly after the gap analysis visit to my unit was over, I met several of my nurses in the ward.

“So, how’s everything getting on?” I asked.

“Fine. Of course we were very excited and anxious to begin with. But, as it turns out, we have very little to play in this drama,” one of them said.

“Is it the case?” I was surprised, “I think the accreditation group is supposed to come around and ask everyone of us all sorts of questions.”

“No, nothing like this – at least not this time. They only talked to senior people and administrative staff. You know, the most junior person whom they asked some question was JF.” (JF is the newly promoted nursing specialist of my unit.)

“Alas, in that case how could those extraterrestrials know what’s going on here and determine whether the hospital could be accreditated?” I pursed my lips, “The more meaningful way to assess the quality is, I suppose, to follow the method of the Michelin guide and send anonymous inspectors to try the service themselves!"