Brandon Jones on how to use dashboards without losing the human story

“Data drives no one,” Brandon Jones says early in our conversation. “Data should be the reflection behind the work that we’re doing, not the driving force.” 

If that turns your usual dashboard talk on its head, good. 

In this episode of NRC Health’s podcast, host Ryan Donohue sits down with Brandon Jones, MSN, RN, CPXP, CEN, NEA-BC, Patient Experience Director at Carilion Clinic, adjunct nursing faculty member, and co-host of Real Nurses, Real Talk, to rethink how we use data, how we talk about “healthcare heroes,” and how compassion shows up in every interaction.

Jones isn’t anti-metrics. He’s far from it. He’s pro-human. 

“How about we be data-guided,” he asks, “so ultimately, we’re driven by our mission, vision, values, and what’s in the patient’s best interests?”

The conversation moves beyond metrics to mindset. 

When organizations say “patients first,” he suggests language that works in the real world: keep patients at the center, and resource the people who care for them. 

“To truly put patients first, care teams must put themselves first. Leaders must put care teams first.”

If you’re looking for encouragement, a better way to use dashboards, and leader takeaways you can put to work today, start here.

Key takeaways

• Be data-guided, purpose-driven. Dashboards should mirror the work, not drive it. Lead with mission, values, and the patient’s best interests; let HCAHPS/NPS reflect progress rather than set the agenda.
• Frame and position data with stories first. Read and share comments before scores. Act on specific patient feedback now (even a single comment), then use broader data to confirm. Dashboards validate great work; they don’t define it.
• Compassion is at the core of our work, and it’s operational. Keep patients at the center by resourcing care teams: provide protected breaks, foster psychological safety, and remove barriers. Standardize small compassion behaviors each shift, and use “walkaways” (self-care plans, visible “why” cards, loop-closing at the bedside) to make it stick.

Listen now: Hear Brandon Jones and Ryan Donohue on NRC Health’s podcast and learn how to make care more data-guided, story-led, and compassion-forward.

When goals shift to “be in the 90th percentile,” teams begin running after numbers instead of pursuing purpose. 

His alternative is usable and straightforward: be data-guided so mission, vision, values, and what’s in the patient’s best interests lead the way.

What that looks like in practice

• Name the purpose first. Reduce suffering. Ensure safe, high-quality care. Strengthen communication at the bedside.
• Choose the mirror, not the motor. Let HCAHPS, NPS, and safety measures reflect progress, rather than dictating tactics.
• Speak the shift out loud. Replace “we must hit 90th” with “we’re here to reduce avoidable suffering; the 90th percentile reflects that.”

Leadership approaches to try this month

• Start each huddle with a one-sentence purpose (“today we…”) before any metrics.
• Reword one dashboard slide to state the aim first, then the indicator.
• In 1:1s, ask, “What human outcome are we trying to change?” before reviewing scores.

Leaders, he says, have two jobs with data: “You’ve got to frame it correctly, and you’ve got to position it correctly.” 

Framing matters because top-box scores rarely tell the whole story. Many “non–top-box” responses are still positive, often just one step down. 

Positioning matters because dashboards should validate great work, not define it. 

When a month’s score declines, he reminds teams that “every single one of those data points is a human being our team has served,” which is why he nudges leaders to read and share comments first. 

“If you only have time to look at one data point, look at the qualitative data. The team will be motivated in a way you’ve never seen.” 

Stories change behavior faster than charts. Brandon’s advice: read, round, and share patient comments regularly. When teams reconnect with the people behind the numbers, the numbers tend to follow.

He also pushes back on waiting for large sample sizes. Many hospitals wait for a “minimum N” before trusting a score.

A single comment can justify a low-risk tweak today. 

One comment about confusing signage can trigger a quick wayfinding fix. One note about discharge instructions can prompt a new teach-back step. One story about noise at night can lead to a renewed reminder about quiet hours. One complaint about “no updates” can be addressed by adding a standard wait-time check-in. 

Act on the specific, patient signal now, and then let broader data confirm whether the change should be extended.

A quiet thread runs through the episode: compassion and quality are not opposites. 

Brandon puts it plainly: “It is not an or. It’s an and. We can provide safe, high-quality care and be compassionate.” 

He calls compassion “measurably powerful and immeasurably powerful,” noting that it improves outcomes for patients and restores the clinicians who offer it. 

The takeaway is operational: build compassion into the way work is done, how we introduce ourselves, how we close loops, how we explain the plan, so it’s not left to chance or overtime.

Language shapes culture, so Brandon separates slogans from systems. 

“They are not interchangeable at all,” he says of “patients first” and “patient-centered.” 

His real-world approach: keep patients at the center, and resource the people who care for them. 

“To truly put patients first, care teams must put themselves first. Leaders must put care teams first.” That means protected breaks, psychological safety, and removing barriers that keep teams from doing the right thing the first time.

Brandon loves what he calls “walkaways.” These are actions leaders can use today. As Brandon describes it, he wants people to leave with steps they can take on day one. Here are three you can pilot with your team this week.

1. Protect well-being on purpose

Help every team member create a self-care plan before the week ends, including breaks, hydration, and a buddy check-in. 

As Brandon says, “don’t let the sun set without an actionable plan for taking care of yourself.” Treat rest, nutrition, and boundaries like clinical equipment are required to practice safely.

2. Surface the “why”

Ask everyone (including leaders) to write their ‘why’ on a card, explaining why they do this work beyond a paycheck, and keep it visible at their workstation. Start one huddle this week by inviting two people to read theirs aloud. Revisit when the shift gets noisy.

3. Make compassion a routine 

Pick one small behavior to standardize on every shift with introductions, a brief plan explanation, and a loop-closing check before leaving the room. Track it on the huddle board. Compassion heals patients and refuels caregivers. Integrate compassion into the workflow so it becomes a consistent practice.

This conversation is about putting people back at the center and letting data do its proper job: reflect the work. 

Brandon says it best: “Every single one of those data points is a human being our team has served.” 

When leaders frame and position data in this way and build compassion into their daily practice, the culture shifts from focusing on percentiles to changing lives. 

Start with one story, one clearer plan at the bedside, one protected break. Let the numbers follow.

Listen now: Hear the full conversation with Brandon Jones on NRC Health’s podcast and put these ideas to work with your team today.