Another slant on "student customers"
Another way to look at our "student customers" is to see them as "colleagues in training". This is a concept that was taught to me by a mentor of mine several years ago.
The guiding principle here is to treat your students like future peers, showing them respect, providing excellent training in clinical skills and modeling professionalism in all things.
It is a daily recognition that the next generation of health care professionals will literally be a mirror image of our own skills and values.
A mindset like this makes us as instructors take ownership of the teaching and training we deliver and feel a deep responsibility to deliver the very best possible educational product we can.
David,
Good post. We know the customer is not always correct, but they always deserve to be treated well, even when we are correcting a behavior or providing less than good news.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Students are customers. They are paying for their education and should be treated with respect and appreciation. When I seek healthcare, I am a customer and want to be treated as such. In education and healthcare, the customer cannot always have exactly what they want but the customer should always be shown courtesy and appreciation.
Kathy,
Referring to students as "colleagues in training" is very clever. Thanks for sharing.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Looking at our students as "Colleagues in Training" who will represent our school/business in the industry in the future and who work for businesses who may offer internships and/or jobs to future graduates helps instructors and administrators to develop and maintain the Model/Mentor/Monitor model of teaching and administration. By using this model, we will ensure that our school/business is nurturing and graduating students with the skills and knowledge to produce quality work. These successful graduates will be more likely to provide opportunites to our customer base.
Hiram,
There are some educators who feel calling our students "customers" lowers their status. How would you respond to this position?
Jeffrey Schillinger
I agree!!! Students are our customers and should be treated accordingly. Without Students/Customers we wouldn't be employed.
students should be treated as customers deserving of the service they are paying for.
Lora,
There is a school of thought that believes we should treat students like what they will be abnd they will get there quicker. "Colleagues in training" is a great way to describe our students.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I like that! "colleagues in training". And in fact many of our graduates have come back to work at the school. I think that speaks volumes!
This is an excellent attitude. You just quoted my thoughts. I have been doing this for a few years and I have comments back from my students that they have a higher confendance within the clinical setting. They don't think like an uneasy student but rather a peer. with ownership of their skills and ability.
Laurel,
"Colleagues in training" is a great way to positively describe students. I plan to use this next week. Thanks!
Jeffrey Schillinger
