E:\Communication Consulting\Pp Com Consulting

Communication Communication ConsultingConsulting

Kalpana SatyalKalpana SatyalDr. Melinda VillagranDr. Melinda Villagran

George Mason UniversityGeorge Mason UniversitySummer 2010Summer 2010

BackgroundBackground

Healthcare industry is most susceptible to Healthcare industry is most susceptible to adverse events secondary to adverse events secondary to communication problemscommunication problemsHealthcare industry has the most Healthcare industry has the most challenging and complex network for challenging and complex network for human-human communicationhuman-human communicationThe complexity and susceptibility calls us The complexity and susceptibility calls us to investigate and assess a role with in a to investigate and assess a role with in a system.system.

Description of Org/UnitDescription of Org/Unit

Inova Health System is a healthcare organization Inova Health System is a healthcare organization composed of 5 hospitals, multiple nursing homes, urgent composed of 5 hospitals, multiple nursing homes, urgent care centers, home health services, in addition to many care centers, home health services, in addition to many outpatient areas. outpatient areas. Nationally recognized Inova Joint Replacement Center Nationally recognized Inova Joint Replacement Center (IJRC) at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital is the largest, (IJRC) at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital is the largest, single hospital-based program in the mid-Atlantic region. single hospital-based program in the mid-Atlantic region. There are multiple disciplines and roles that contribute to There are multiple disciplines and roles that contribute to IJRC’s success; however, in this project the focus will be IJRC’s success; however, in this project the focus will be the communication element relating to the leader of the communication element relating to the leader of nursing division, Patient Care Director (PCD), Julia nursing division, Patient Care Director (PCD), Julia Warner, RN, MSN, NE-BC. Warner, RN, MSN, NE-BC.

Data Collection for Needs Analysis: Data Collection for Needs Analysis: Interview with theInterview with the

Patient Care Director, Julia Warner, Patient Care Director, Julia Warner, RN, MSN, NE-BCRN, MSN, NE-BC

““The glue that holds The glue that holds the hospital the hospital

together is the front-together is the front-line manager. line manager.

However, these However, these managers are managers are

caught in crossfire, caught in crossfire, torn between torn between

multiple needs, multiple needs, patient, staff and the patient, staff and the

administration administration (Parsons, 2003).”(Parsons, 2003).”

Patient Care Director (PCD)Patient Care Director (PCD) Leader of Nursing staff on IJRCLeader of Nursing staff on IJRC Responsible to manage, coach, mentor, and Responsible to manage, coach, mentor, and conduct performance evaluations for 52 staff conduct performance evaluations for 52 staff members.members.Manage complaints/concerns from staff, leaders, Manage complaints/concerns from staff, leaders, patients, family members, other disciplines. patients, family members, other disciplines. Manage unit effectiveness to organizational Manage unit effectiveness to organizational goals, productivity, compliance with all goals, productivity, compliance with all regulations. regulations. Insure competence for all staff with skills, ethics Insure competence for all staff with skills, ethics and other required and needed materials, such and other required and needed materials, such as fire safety. as fire safety. Many more!!!Many more!!!

PCD role in communicationPCD role in communication

Recipient of information from multiple sources: Recipient of information from multiple sources: Senior leaders, Quality, Safety, Regulators, Senior leaders, Quality, Safety, Regulators, Leaders of other departments/disciplines. Leaders of other departments/disciplines. PCD’s role is to filter all of these information to PCD’s role is to filter all of these information to 52 staff members.52 staff members.The role includes disseminating and The role includes disseminating and communicating these information in a way that communicating these information in a way that staff can understand; and verify that they read it, staff can understand; and verify that they read it, so that important change can be applied in so that important change can be applied in practice for patient safety, improved practice for patient safety, improved effectiveness/productivity and compliance with effectiveness/productivity and compliance with regulationsregulations

““Leaders’ Leaders’ Communication role Communication role is to set the tone for is to set the tone for proactive, candid, proactive, candid,

open-open-communication that communication that is designed to foster is designed to foster trust, enhance role trust, enhance role

knowledge, improve knowledge, improve job satisfaction, job satisfaction,

heighten employees’ heighten employees’ commitment to the commitment to the company’s goals company’s goals

(Holtz, 2004).”(Holtz, 2004).”

PCD’s Communication ChallengesPCD’s Communication ChallengesThe information that she receives is from multiple sources, The information that she receives is from multiple sources, massive and in numerous formats. massive and in numerous formats. They are from different sources with varying priorities and They are from different sources with varying priorities and timelines.timelines.Many times, multiple priorities have same or very similar Many times, multiple priorities have same or very similar timelines, making it difficult to assist in implementation of timelines, making it difficult to assist in implementation of projects/intervention efficiently.projects/intervention efficiently.Staff work three days/week on 24 hour & 7 days a week Staff work three days/week on 24 hour & 7 days a week operation. operation. Staff have different level of education and experience, Staff have different level of education and experience, requiring presentation of information at different ways, not requiring presentation of information at different ways, not challenging for experts and difficult for novice for same challenging for experts and difficult for novice for same information. information. There is no guaranteed strategy to reach every one, with There is no guaranteed strategy to reach every one, with written information for reference and review. written information for reference and review.

PCD current strategiesPCD current strategies

Two monthly staff meetings (day/night shift)Two monthly staff meetings (day/night shift)Communication book: Minutes, Printed written information. Communication book: Minutes, Printed written information. Voice-Care: Telephone patient reporting system, allows Voice-Care: Telephone patient reporting system, allows PCD to record memos so that nurses have to listen before PCD to record memos so that nurses have to listen before listening to report- great tool for nurses, not useful for listening to report- great tool for nurses, not useful for technicians and secretaries. technicians and secretaries. Safety Huddles by PCD or management Safety Huddles by PCD or management coordinators/charge nurses to disseminate important coordinators/charge nurses to disseminate important information, insufficient time to communicate all information.information, insufficient time to communicate all information.PCD 1:1 with staff while rounding or as appropriate when PCD 1:1 with staff while rounding or as appropriate when relaying complements or share important information about relaying complements or share important information about practice/safety/compliance—Reaches more of practice/safety/compliance—Reaches more of individual/small group at a time. individual/small group at a time.

Collaborative ideas for Collaborative ideas for improvementimprovement

Use of Technology for communicationUse of Technology for communication Email for every one 24/7 access for communicationEmail for every one 24/7 access for communication Page on organization’s intranet: For information and Page on organization’s intranet: For information and

education, and references. education, and references. Shared drive to store important documents that can Shared drive to store important documents that can

be shared by any computer on the unit and by PCD.be shared by any computer on the unit and by PCD.

Blog resources: Blog resources: Links to effective communication articlesLinks to effective communication articles Management tip of the day, new tip displays Management tip of the day, new tip displays

frequentlyfrequently

Example of embedded resource:

http://www.arond-thomas.com/articles/HighImpactCommunication.pdf

An Example of Mgmt Tip (on the blog): changes regularly throughout the day:

“Don't DO Anything. Your job as a manager is to plan, organize, control and direct. Don't let yourself waste valuable time by falling back on what you did before you became a manager. We know you enjoy it and you are good at it. That's why you were promoted. Now you need to concentrate your efforts on

managing, not on 'doing'.”

Thank you!