AIDET, No Point Policy, and the 10-5 Rule

AIDET: The Five Fundamentals of Patient Communication

• Acknowledge: Smile, greet & be positive.

• Introduce: Tell others who you are &what your role is.

• Duration: Communicate the length of wait or walk times.

• Explanation: Help others understand what you’re doing & why.

• Thank you: Be sincere, be kind, and show appreciation.

Example: “Good morning, Ms. Smith. My name is Jim, I’m a volunteer and am happy to walk you to your appointment. The Radiology department is a three minute walk…[after walk] it was nice to talk with you, Ms. Smith. You are in great hands with our Radiology team. Is there anything else I can do for you today?...Thank you and have a nice day!

No Point Policy

At UnityPoint Health – Des Moines, we escort all patients and visitors to their desired destination if at all possible. We do not point and verbally provide directions unless this is the only option. It is okay to hand off the patient or visitor to another volunteer or staff member to ensure they get to their desired destination.

10-5 Rule

When you encounter anyone that is 10 feet from you, please smile. When you encounter anyone 5 feet from you, please verbally engage with them by saying, “Good Morning!” or “Hello” or something appropriate for the moment.

Emergency Response Procedures

H.E.A.T. Model for Service Recovery

H: Hear their story – listen attentively without interrupting

E: Empathize – Put yourself in their shoes, how would you feel?

A: Apologize –“I’m so sorry you had this experience.”

T: Take Action/Thank – Tell the person what your next steps will be, what you will do to help. Elevate this to a manager.

P.A.S.S. Model for Fire Extinguisher Use

P: Pull the pin

A: Aim at the base of the fire

S: Squeeze the handle

S: Sweep across the fire from side to side

R.A.C.E. Model for Fire Procedures

R: Rescue – Remove anyone in danger, move patients behind fire doors, closing off door to impacted area.

A: Alarm – Activate the nearest fire alarm and from a hospital phone, dial 777 or 241-777 from a cell phone.

C: Contain – Confine the fire by closing nearby doors and windows.

E: Extinguish or Evacuate – Use a fire extinguisher if the fire is small, evacuate if you cannot safely extinguish the fire.

Hostile Threat or Active Shooter

A: Accept that the situation is real

A: Assess what is happening

A: Act (avoid area, barricade, fight as last resort)

A: Alert (notify Public Safety at 777 or panic button)