Then Remember to Do These Things to Enhance Your Management of Risks
- Improve Agency-Wide Communication - Be sure your team knows what is being communicated in all directions.
- Increase Staff In-service Education - Staff quality is important for the supervisor and the supervised.
- Document Effectively - It is really true, if you didn't chart it, it will be hard to prove you did it.
- Be Sure You Have Adequately Known and Understood Policies and Procedures - Policies and procedures give you guidance. You must be cognizant of them. You should know them and follow them. It is a good idea to review them frequently.
- Be Open to Constructive and Positive Change - Change can be good. Demonstrate your team playing by supporting planned change.
- Improve Performance Evaluation - Don't be fair/average in your work. It will come back to haunt you.
- Set and Follow High Standards of Operation - Be a great role model. Walk your talk. Do what you promised at all times.
- Be Sure You Have A High Quality and Adequate Staff - Warm bodies don't cut it...so if you supervise hire the best. If you are the one hired - shine.
- Monitor Your Operations Constantly - Set goals at whatever levels you function. Know where you are trying to go so you won't end up someplace else.
- Encourage Peer Review - Challenge yourself and your peers to be the best everyday and every hour.
- Assure Adequate and Well Operating Equipment - It is too late to turn in a repair request when the equipment has caused an injury. Do all you can do to have effective and efficient equipment.
- Keep All Needed Supplies/Resources Available - You don't want a patient to be able to testify that you did not have or utilize items needed for his care.
- Remove Impaired, Careless Workers - Think about the people who provide care or supervise in your facility. Would you want them to provide care to your mother? If not speak up -- before someone gets hurt and you get sued.
- Encourage High Staff Morale - A team is only as good as its spirit. To avoid legal liabilities do your part to boost team spirit. Encourage together time. Fun time and good morale.
- Aid Staff in Staying Goal and Standards Focused - Where is your team headed? Are you safe from accusations of misconduct? Does everyone know your mission? Is the unit safe? Are good systems in place? If not, you could be headed for legal liability.
Review again these 15 items. How can they help you as a person, employe, supervisor or owner to improve your operation? Identify one challenge from each of these 15 strategies to improve the effectiveness of your team or organization. Write it down now while the thought is fresh in your plan of awareness. In other words do not put off your legal protections another day.
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Dr. Gloria Jo Floyd/NCEHS/23640 Scenic Loop Rd., Bldg. 2/San Antonio, TX 78255