Organizational Development

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Permalink Reply by Duncan Hitchcock on December 28, 2008 at 10:13am

Does your organization afford you with the potential to have new hires not assigned to the field for a dedicated orientation process? Or are new hires immediately put in the field and oriented while on shift and working?

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Permalink Reply by Allen D. Slotterback on December 28, 2008 at 10:39am

I think this is a great topic, and I'm interested in seeing the responses. Too many times I see new hires being thrown right into the field, and then being chastized for making decision making errors. It's hard to recruit and retain employees when we don't give them a realistic idea of what is expected of them. In my opinion it's not possible to learn all things required by developing only one of the items listed above. I like the idea of pocket guides for common occurences, and power point presentations for items or procedures that may be unique to your service. I don't think any combination of written guides though can replace a dedicated orintation process where the new employee operates as a third person. Having an experienced FTO there to show how the company expects things to be done and answer questions as they arise is invaluable. Again, great discussion!

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Permalink Reply by Tracey Baker on December 28, 2008 at 10:51am

Please contact me on my personal email: tb9778@yahoo.com; I have a lot of information, however, it is too vast to place here! I have assisted a good friend who is a QA manager to implement several things in their orientation process..Much at the HUMAN ELEMENT. With that being said, the rest is easy if it is developed around and about Standard of protocols, Administrative Rules and Regulations, Primary Service Area, and the like. When I say easy; it does not mean, NOT TIME CONSUMING to develop, obviously! Please email me..............I would love to help you out!...

ALSO---Please Listen to Duncan as his Department is ever developing and expanding! He would have excellent insight and application of ideas and any pertinent issues....

If I was lucky, PASCO would hire me, as a Medic ONLY for QA review/assist....What a great idea Duncan?? I was a volley- briefly- at Hale Rd...that should account for something?LOL..................Tracey

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Permalink Reply by B Meckley on December 28, 2008 at 12:15pm

The organization does allow a period to dedicate another person to them to get them going in the right direction. However, we are trying to create a formal induction, define expectations & roles, organizational history & where we are going with vision, code of conduct, benefits, and other informational items. Also, assigning a mentor to explain how to carry do operational system information. This would be things like radio procedure, how to log in the computer system, where to find needed documents such as a schedule or reporting equiptment failure. There are some ways to simplify an overwhelming orientation and thats what my goal of this is.

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Permalink Reply by Duncan Hitchcock on December 28, 2008 at 1:26pm

There are many ways to approach this issue. Much will depend on upper management's "buy in" to the need of a structured orientation process, the resources at your disposal and the immediacy of your need for bodies in the field.

As our agency grew so did the realization that we could no longer hire a person, throw them into the abyss and expect them to function positively. From a management, personnel and patient care perspective it becomes a matter of return on investiment (ROI). Investing in a formalized orientation improves return in understanding and compliant employees, less errors based on lack of knowledge (what we forgot to teach them) and more consistancy in the quality of patient care.

Not knowing the particulars of you agency places me ill-equipted to offer suggesstions specific to your needs. I can share with you what we do as a countywide fire rescue agency in hopes that you can glean some positive ideas that could be adapted.

Fill free to contact me through my department e-mail. chitchcock@pascocountyfl.net

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Permalink Reply by B Meckley on December 28, 2008 at 2:50pm

Thanks Allen !!! You see why I have posted the discussion. Your statements are exactly why, its not because of bad people, its bad systems that we are using that they dont know or never been taught. Not any one persons fault. Its just being able to prevent us from misguiding our next generation of providers.

"T" What you have in your post is really what I am trying to find. Along with that, we need to develop some mentors to do a great job so new personnel understand those expectation.

I am in full agreeance with Duncans ROI. You get what you pay for. Invest now to train those new folks to ruduce thier frustration. Do they know what is honestly expected of them? If so, when were they taught? Please dont say "in class"...... We have many providers who have gone through the class with no clear picture about what EMS really is all about. We also have providers who are not familiar with what is "right" when it come to patent care because when the lecture on "Medical Ethical and Legal Issues" is presented in an EMT-B class for 20-30 minutes. Doesnt explain a whole lot other than definitions. Challenge them to think a little bit. Have some discussion on some case studies that could be debated.

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