What's Your Orientation Process Like Today? When It's Over, Do People Want To Stay Or Have They Already Left?
August 9, 2021
Redefining Your Onboarding Process To Make It Successful:
When considering turnover rates in your agency, do you look at onboarding as a potential cause? If agencies have someone stay 3 months to a year after completion of orientation, the onboarding process is often missed as a reason why employees leave. Your first step is to take a deep dive into the process of orientation and decide what potential errors are there. Consider these items and your grade card as to how you complete them:
- Do You Have A Process For All Positions In Place? Many agencies will answer yes, although the process is not well defined. Determine how each position in your agency is oriented and if the process is defined. If you have multiple branches, do outlying branches just have to "wing it" based upon number of staff and dedicated time they can place on the process?
- What Is The Average Length of Time Allotted For Orientation? Now, we realize there is no cookie cutter for length of time and that all employees learn at different rates, but this if often widely different throughout agencies. Let's consider nursing positions to emphasize this point. We have seen orientation last anywhere from a week to four months with nursing staff. First of all, throwing an employee into call and independence too soon is a disaster for your patients and the employees. Four months is also too long. These employees become very accustomed to light schedules and never being on call. Then, when you finally give them the workload of typical days, it becomes overwhelming and they quit.
- Is Someone Designated To Track Progression Of New Hires? Someone at your agency should be the gatekeeper here. Often times we have staff that are already behind or working overtime involved in orientation. We see new employees not being taught well in the process. You may have the most efficient employee in charge of orienting new employees. The problem is that you may have never provided guidance or an orientation process for the employees to work through with new staff. The best employees aren't always the best teachers. Make sure you have new hires matched with the right person for orientation. Another consideration here is how the employee is moving through orientation checklists. Sometimes, having someone tracking the progression closely means all items are addressed in a timely manner. We have seen employees on orientation for longer periods of time because a few items were not addressed methodically along the way. Whether this is HR, a department head, or a position designed to assist with the orientation process, someone needs to keep the process moving.
- How Are You Checking With The Employee? Employees need to be spoken to along the way to receive feedback as to how the process is moving. We need to know if employees do not feel competent with certain skills so we can focus on working through that with them. Does the employee feel like the staff is providing proper mentorship? Sometimes we miss the employee in the process here.
At Kenyon Homecare Consulting
, we focus on helping agencies meet goals of high quality, patient focused care. We can help look at your operational processes if you are having issues with turnover or your orientation process. Let us help you change your processes to make a meaningful difference for your employees and your bottom line! Call us today at 206-721-5091 or contact us online
to see how we can help.
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In the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare, the burden of care is increasingly shifting from clinical facilities to the home. As the population ages, the prevalence of chronic conditions—such as heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory disorders—has reached unprecedented levels. For home care agencies, the quality of service is no longer just about assistance with daily living; it is more and more defined by the clinical competencies and disease-specific knowledge of your field staff. Chronic disease education for home care staff is not a luxury, is a strategic necessity that directly impacts patient outcomes, caregiver confidence, and the business’s bottom line. 1. Enhancing Clinical Outcomes and Safety Home care staff are the "eyes and ears" of the healthcare system. When aides and clinicians are highly educated on chronic disease processes, they can identify subtle shifts in a patient's condition before they escalate into emergencies. · Early Intervention: An educated caregiver can recognize the early signs of fluid retention in a Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) patient or skin changes in a diabetic patient, allowing for proactive adjustments rather than reactive ER visits. · Medication Adherence: Understanding why a medication is prescribed for a specific chronic condition helps staff reinforce the importance of adherence to the patient, reducing the risk of complications. 2. Reducing Hospital Readmissions Hospital readmission rates are a primary metric for home health success. Chronic diseases are the leading cause of "revolving door" hospitalizations. By providing specialized education, agencies empower their staff to implement Evidence-Based Practices at the bedside. When staff can effectively manage symptoms and educate patients on self-care, the likelihood of a patient staying stable at home increases dramatically. This not only benefits the patient but also strengthens the agency’s reputation with referral sources like hospitals and physician groups. 3. Boosting Staff Confidence and Retention The home care industry faces significant challenges with staff turnover. Often, burnout is fueled by the stress of feeling unprepared for complex patient needs. Knowledge is Empowerment: When staff members receive robust training, they feel more confident in their roles. This professional growth fosters a sense of value and belonging within the organization, leading to higher job satisfaction and lower turnover rates. 4. Improving Documentation Accuracy In an era of increased regulatory scrutiny, clinical documentation must be precise. Education on chronic diseases ensures that staff members use the correct terminology and focus on the most relevant clinical indicators during their assessments. · OASIS Accuracy: For Medicare-certified agencies, a deep understanding of chronic conditions leads to more accurate OASIS scoring, which directly influences reimbursement and quality ratings. · Audit Readiness: Well-educated staff produce notes that clearly reflect the necessity of care, making the agency much more resilient during regulatory surveys or audits. 5. Bridging the Communication Gap Effective chronic disease management requires a multidisciplinary approach. A caregiver who understands the nuances of a disease can communicate more effectively with: · Physicians: Providing clear, clinical updates that help doctors make informed decisions. · Family Members: Offering clear explanations and peace of mind to stressed family caregivers. · The Internal Team: Ensuring a seamless transition of care and consistent messaging across all disciplines. Conclusion Investing in chronic disease education is an investment in the agency’s future. By elevating the knowledge of the frontline workforce, home care providers can transform from basic service agencies into high-value clinical partners. In the end, the goal is simple: providing the highest quality of life for patients in the comfort of their own homes, a goal that can only be met through a highly trained and knowledgeable staff. If you do not know where to get comprehensive education for Chronic diseases, contact Kenyon Homecare Consulting at gkenyon@kenyonhcc.com or call 206-721-5091. We are here to help
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