title: ICU for the '90s: the "intensive customer unit".
abstract: Health care in the '90s is more complex and costly than ever before, and the healthcare consumer is knowledgeable and discriminating. Critical care nurses, who have always been responsive to technological change, must now be more responsive to consumer needs. This requires a change in mindset and a commitment to satisfying the "healthcare consumer". This article identifies nursing's customers, defines customer service and details a five-step plan for building an intensive customer unit. A successful customer service program in the intensive care unit leads to economic stability for both unit and institution, to humanistic integrity and to professional advancement for nurses.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Brickhill
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration*