The Importance Of A Mock Survey

The primary goals of the mock survey are to raise the awareness of nurse managers, educate staff, reduce anxiety, display support and provide for gathering any identified needs. A self-evaluation tool that could prove helpful in decreasing apprehension is called the mock survey which simulates the site visit process and provides standards review similar to the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) parameters. The evaluation for accreditation by JCAHO can induce considerable concern for chief nursing executives and staff. This method of self-evaluation was implemented at the Department of Nursing of Genesee Hospital in Rochester, New York. All interview tools used in the survey were developed using information

Assure that all staffs are involved, including non-clinical and clinical employees. A mock survey, whether performed by internal teams or external experts, can be extraordinarily beneficial to the organization. These mock surveys should be viewed not just as a “survey preparation” activity, but as the opportunity to validate and celebrate sustained compliance and to identify opportunities for improvement, work-around and other challenges. While some might view mock surveys as being as stressful as the real survey or too time consuming, such activities provide excellent opportunities for improvement and are worth the investment. Surveys today are about all aspects of the organization so everyone must understand their role in providing care and protecting patient safety. Also, include the Medical Staff in these mock events. Ask them questions about patient care, patient safety concerns and routine safety, such as Code Red, Emergency Management response, RACE and PASS! When the mock survey ends, get feedback from all levels of staff. Most importantly, prioritize the items that were not in compliance and begin their action plans. Think of mock survey activity as a “drill” to assure that the care and services we provide every day are meeting regulatory and accreditation requirements as well as our expectations. A mock survey is an investment in the facilities ongoing readiness. The knowledge they gain from the process and the changes make, not only bring them closer to survey success, but help achieve the ultimate patient safety goals. To reduce doubt and confusion, the educational packet for each clinician included a direction sheet outlining the purpose, the unit assignments, the time frame, the steps to follow in the process, contact persons for questions and a list of attachments for references. (Seigel, H.; Bileschi, C.,