Selecting , Developing, and Evaluating Staff

Question 1

Nurses Role

Answer 1

• Clearly understand expectations of their performance,
  including the ramifications of not meeting those
  expectations.
  Achieved when members have clearly defined
  roles and objectives.
  Ongoing development, mentoring, and coaching
  of staff is vital for a healthy and engaging work
  environment.

Question 2

Nurse Leader Role

Answer 2

• Directly influence quality, safety, service, and
  satisfaction for patients and frontline nurses.
  Chief retention officers of a patient care area.
  Help shape the environment and learning milieu
  for new employees.

Question 3

Importance of Clear Role Expectation:

Answer 3

• Every role played by individuals within an organization requires them to assume the personal
  and formal expectations of a specified position.
• Position descriptions- provide written guidelines detailing the roles and responsibilities of a specific position within the organization.
• Employees must have clear role expectations and
  perceive that their contributions are valued. Leaders,
  managers, and followers who understand their roles:
  Are empowered to succeed
  Are likely to be committed to the organization
  Demonstrate increased personal health, job
  satisfaction, and individual performance
  Provide higher level of patient care

Question 4

managers Role:

Answer 4

• Determine if individual is qualified and fits
  the desired culture of unit
• Determine inclusion of frontline team members
• Prepare for interview
• Implement Behavioral Interviewing
• Conduct Interview

Question 5

behavioral interviewing

Answer 5

• Best practice for interviews
• Requires critical thinking via questions
• Situations and experiences of applicant are
  discussed
• Example: Give me an example of a time you had
  a conflict with a team member. How did you
  handle it?

Question 6

applicants role

Answer 6

• Prepare for interview
• Arrive on time and alone
• Dress appropriately
• Answer questions honestly and thoughtfully

Question 7

Strategies to help individuals acclimate to role:

Answer 7

• Varied approaches
• Role of Preceptor
• Professional Development
• Provide Empowerment to Staff
• Prevent Turnover

Question 8

Approaches for Developing a New Staff Member
* Orientation

Answer 8

This consists of a structured program that includes
the mission, vision, values, benefits, safety
programs, and other specific topics for the day-to-
day operation of the organization.
Orientation period must be used efficiently to
benefit the employee and the organization
Helps new employees to learn the work
environment and the staff.

Question 9

Approaches for Developing a New Staff Member
* Residency Programs

Answer 9

For New Graduates
Provides ongoing support and education up to a
year.

Question 10

Role of the Preceptor

Answer 10

• Many institutions use preceptors who are frontline
  nurses because of their strength as role models,
  to help orient new staff. The preceptor:
  Is an important integrating force that impacts
  the organization’s retention rate (Bodine
  2020)
  Works with orientees to direct and guide the
  new employees in the clinical setting

Question 11

Preceptor Preparation

Answer 11

• Is an important component of successful onboarding of new
  nurses.
  During times of high turnover and hiring in a work unit,
  nurses who have not been formally trained as a
  preceptor may need to step into the role.
• Best practices include determining how new employees like
  to learn first.
  Various learning style assessment tools are available to
  use.
  They help in better implementation of orientation goals.

Question 12

Professional Development

Answer 12

• Continued development of the staff is a distinct role for the nurse leader. They get to know their employees and their interests and career goals.
  Formal meetings and everyday interactions help them learn what is important to employees.
  Specific individual development plans can be determined for employees.

Question 13

Professional Development
The ongoing competency and staff development is critical for
the professional development of the staff

Answer 13

• Some competencies are required for critical components of
  the frontline staff nurse position (BLS, ACLS, ECG
  interpretation, etc.)
• Education related to life safety (active shooter drills, fire,
  tornado, and mass casualty events) are required on a
  yearly basis.
• Specialty areas have expectations for maintaining
  competencies contributing to safe, quality patient care.

Question 14

Provide Empowerment to Staff

Answer 14

Empowerment is a process that acknowledges the values and judgment of individuals and
trusts that their decisions will be the correct ones.

Question 15

empowerment strategies

Answer 15

• Useful for individual professional development and overall development of staff
• Acknowledge the values and judgment of individuals and trust their decisions

Question 16

Organizational Responsibility to Empowerment

Answer 16

The environment must be open, and people must feel safe to explore and develop their
potential.
* The organizational environment must encourage individuals to use the freedom of making decisions while retaining its accountability for the consequences.

Question 17

Enhancing Performance through Empowerment

Answer 17

• Employees’ feelings of empowerment and their ability to perform effectively is enhanced by:
  Positive feedback
  Achievement recognition
  Support for new ideas
• Nurse managers can create a climate in which others feel safe to speak up. Sometimes nurses may feel anxious about being vulnerable

Question 18

prevent turnover

Answer 18

• Retention begins on the day of hire, as costs for
  replacement and turnover can be substantial.
• Costs vary based on specialty training required (e.g.,
  critical care, ED, L&D) as well as the availability of nurses.
• Cost can range from $40,038 to $51,700 per year for a
  bedside RN.
• A watchful eye and recognition of talents by nurses
  throughout their onboarding and ongoing employment
  helps in retention.

Question 19

Performance Appraisals

Answer 19

• Provide feedback to employee on performance
• Individual evaluation of work performance conducted on a regular/ongoing basis.
• Formal or informal
• Opportunity for the individual to integrate comprehensive feedback to improve performance
• Should not be the first time for concern to be identified
  Ongoing feedback is essential between the nurse
  manager and employees.
• It is best given as soon as a positive or negative
  occurrence happens.
• Example: A frontline nurse demonstrating
  inappropriate behavior at a patient care area staff meeting.
  Performance of the employee is reviewed during a performance appraisal.
• The employee is given feedback related to not meeting, meeting, or exceeding expectations.
• All expectations must be met at a satisfactory or
  better level.

Question 20

A performance improvement plan is understood and
articulated by both the manager and the employee for
an employee not meeting the performance expectations

Answer 20

• Includes specific, measurable, and achievable goals
• Allows the individual to understand role expectations
  and the ramifications when not meeting performance goals

Question 21

Informal Performance Appraisal

Answer 21

• Immediate praise for the recognized performance
• Specific feedback is more influential in reinforcing
  specific performances

Question 22

examples of informal performance appraisal

Answer 22

A compliment from family member or patient.
A bulletin board for thank-you notes from patients
and their families in the work area.
A simple “Thank you for all your hard work today!”
extended from the nurse manager to the staff.

Question 23

Formal Performance Appraisal

Answer 23

• Written documentation according to specific
  organizational guidelines
• Measures employee performance by using a standard
  method

Question 24

Performance appraisals may include self and peer
evaluations as well as managerial components.

Answer 24

• Peers, subordinates, and unit nurse leaders provide input
  so that a nurse has a full performance perspective.
• The advantage for:
  An individual: Seeing where relationships need
  to be strengthened
  A manager: Being able to speak about performance
  from a broad perspective

Question 25

Goals and career development for the upcoming year should be discussed in the appraisal.

Answer 25

The employee should be prepared to discuss goals to be accomplished over the next year.

Question 26

key behaviors for performance appraisals

Answer 26

• Provide a quiet, controlled environment, without interruptions.
• Maintain a relaxed but professional atmosphere.
• Put the employee at ease; the overall objective is for the best job to be done.
• Review specific examples for both positive and negative behavior.
• Allow the employee to express opinions, orally and in writing.
• Provide written future plans for learning needs and goals.
• Set follow-up dates as necessary to monitor improvements, if cited.
• Show the employee confidence in the employee’s performance.
• Be sincere and constructive in both praise and criticism.

Question 27

coaching

Answer 27

the process that involves the
development of individuals within an organization. The manager and the employee interact on a regular basis with the ultimate outcome that the employee performs at an
optimal level.

Question 28

coaching effects on team building

Answer 28

• Enhances the overall evaluative process
• Involves a team approach or can be by an individual
• Promotes team building and optimal performance of employees and
  involves:
  Asking questions
  Supporting forward movement
  General guidance
• Takes time and effort to be developed and has significant rewards for both
  the employee and the nurse leader
• Provides the employee with:
  Ideas
  Support
  Inspiration

Question 29

Tips for Selecting, Developing, and Evaluating Staff

Answer 29

• Value the role of the nurse leader in recruitment and
  retention of frontline nurses.
• Articulate the importance of the preceptor in influencing
  new orientees in their intention to stay at an organization.
• Identify how the new frontline nurse joining an organization
  can set goals for professional development in the first year.
• Expect that nurse leader ongoing feedback and coaching
  contributes to the success of an individual nurse and the
  organization.