Welcome to Long-term Care

A Realistic Approach For Nursing

Bilquis Ali

• Publisher: Palmetto Publishing Group
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781641119580
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Nursing

THE PURPOSE OF THIS

Welcome to Long-term Care is a simple short guide that provides information to the nurse in long-term care. It is in laymen terms and is a realistic approach so anyone from a nursing assistant to nurse director can put it into practice. What I've found throughout my career, is the lack of mentorship that companies provide to staff to assist in both personal and professional growth and development. Mentorship is so needed in the healthcare profession. This is such a small portion of what our role consists of as well as the day to day operation. I absolutely love what I do. I now mentor nursing assistants, nursing students, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses as well as nurse managers and nurse directors. You will be amazed how much of an impact you can have on someone. If I had a mentor throughout my career, I may have not made as many mistakes that I have and may have been further in my career as well. Although without mistakes, there is no growth. This was definitely an enjoyable experience for me. I will continue to put out information that is merely from my own experiences. As a nurse director, you must understand that nothing changes overnight, and you cannot do this by yourself. It takes a team approach in order to become successful and have good outcomes for your facility. Remember there is light at the end of the tunnel. Stay focused, hungry and humble and you will get there. Whatever you do, just don't give up...

LEADERSHIP

Not everyone meets the criteria to be a leader. Most think that the leader is the one in the front, while in fact, most leaders are side by side (that is, effective leaders). I say this because they are side by side showing you what needs to be done. When your leader is in front of you, you are not able to see what is ahead of them. That person is blocking your view. That person just wants you to follow their path rather than giving you the tools to create your own path. That is a big difference. Good leaders like to grow their team. They want everyone to be successful and reach their highest potential. This is a key skill in being able to be successful in management in long-term care or any position. Ask yourself, “What kind of leader am I?” This is very important. It will assist you in identifying your strength and weakness and will also assist you in hiring the appropriate person for your team. You simply cannot and don’t want to be the smartest on the team. You want to be able to have differences of opinion, and you don’t want everyone to just agree with you because of your position. I think that is where a lot of issues arise. It also makes your team stronger, and your team will appreciate the fact that they have input in the decisions that need to be made. You need to be open minded and able to take criticism. You by no chance are going to please everyone, so don’t expect to. You need to be able to grow everyone on your team. Everyone needs to be held accountable in their role. Your assistant and managers need and must be able to function in your absence. They might not have the ability to handle every situation, but they most definitely need to know how to operate independently. This goes for your charge nurses and supervisors. Spread the wealth. Don’t take on everything by yourself, or you will be working harder than everyone on your team. It’s unfortunate that some who call themselves leaders have no desire to grow their team. They want to be the win-all, be-all and take all the credit. The reality is you won’t survive if you don’t give your staff the autonomy to do so.

So many are so afraid of losing a position to someone else under them that they hold on to vital information that inhibits the growth of others just to make them secure. I say, what a poor choice. As a leader, I have failed my team if my assistant can’t take over for me if I’m not around. Having your team being able to function in your absence as if you were present is priceless. That takes impeccable skill and confidence. And the skill doesn’t just happen overnight. As a leader, you need to be learning constantly. Challenge your staff to learn something new every day or weekly. Everyone needs to contribute to the team. It should be a very engaging environment. The phrase “knowledge is power” is so true. The more you are able to know, the better outcomes you can have with both residents and staff.

While many leaders go to their offices and check email or drink coffee, when I get to work, the first thing I do is check my staffing sheet. This sheet should be posted as soon as you enter the building. I ensure that it is completed and is accurate. From there, I check the schedule and make sure that it correlates with the staffing sheet that is posted. I then go back to my office, drop off my belongings, and hit the floor. Rounding is key for success, and we will talk about it more in depth later on. It is imperative for staff to see you on the floors—not to just check to see if staff is doing what they are supposed to do but rather to see if staff may need you for support. Your facility should be state ready at all times. The Department of Health should be able to walk in, and you will not be surprised or began to fumble over one another. Of course it takes a lot of work, but I would rather put in that work now than later trying to complete a plan of correction.

As a leader of the building, you want to make sure that your attitude presents as a leader. Your staff will follow your mood. You should only display the best attitude in your building. Greet all your employees; ensure that they have on their identification badges. Ensure that they have the supplies and tools to complete their tasks. Eyeball a few residents. How do they look? What does your dining room look like? These are all things that you can do as soon as you arrive, and it will benefit you tremendously. If your residents look good, smell good, have their hair combed and faces shaved, and are smiling, that is a good indication to the Department of Health that you take care of your residents. When your staff is happy and smiling and engaging with residents, it also shows that we provide a warm and welcoming environment. Don’t forget that you have two customers whom you want to take care of and are happy. They are your residents and your staff. Most often forget that their staff is the customer and don’t go the extra mile to keep them happy, which can lead to and increase the number of turnovers. You’ve heard the saying “happy life, happy wife,” well, think the same for your staff: happy staff, happy residents.

When you hold a position as the director of nursing, you are responsible for your facility 24-7. It is an overwhelming responsibility. It is the reason why we take things personally in this position. At the end of the day, it is the director of nursing’s license that is on the wall. Everything ultimately falls on your director of nursing. There are many late nights and early mornings. There are many (and I mean many) interrupted nights of sleep. I must say that whoever holds that position works extremely hard. It is the most underpaid, overworked, and unappreciated position ever. But what you are able to give to your residents and staff is so worth it. I absolutely love—and I mean love—what I d...