[ceecel.dee]

Has anyone had experience with consultants in regard to "improving the coordination of care" being hired by the board to improve performance and patient satisfaction?
They are here to enhance communication between the clinic (yes, just one) and the hospital, improve morale of hospital nurses, and improve morale and behavior of physicians, as well as the effect that these issues have on the public's view of us as a whole.

Really, our ISSUES have been neglected for so long that we are actually excited about the consultants! I tell everyone I see, to really think about the issues they feel most strongly about (and write a few notes down along with specific examples if they can), so that they are ready to respond specifically and articulately, if and when the consultant interviews them.

Any other suggestions?

[gwenith]

Mob them. Let them know your concerns - do not think that "someone else" will tell it for you and get THAT message through to your co-workers otherwise it might all fall back on you. "Oh We thought you might say something." Nurses are notoriously reticent about brining concerns forward.

Get your co-workers to think about thier own time wasters. A classic example was a "day surgery unit" complaining of being very short staffed but it only had 2 sphigmomanometers for 24 beds!!!

Look at inappropriate distances - could you do with more linen skips? How much of your day is spent answering the telephone and what are the enquiries about? Are there any "old-fashioned" practices that could be revised i.e. removing the "covers" from the beds in the evenings or taking the flowers out of the room.

The consultants should, if they are any good, make up a list like this.

i.e.
- Equipment improvement
- reduction of nurse movement/rationalisation of planning
- external factors i.e. number of vistors asking directions
- internal factors i.e. are the ward nurses having to physically retieve equipment/results from other departments
- internal communication factors - do you have to "chase" results?

Hope this helps

[ceecel.dee]

Gwenith, thanks so much! I will pass along your suggestions and thought stimulators!

Anyone else?

[betts]

* adeguacy of training,inservices
* methods for managing workloads and schedules
* opportunities for career advancement
* respect from administrators
* organizational recognition
* workloads and staffing levels
* clarity of roles
* participation in decision making
* payscale commensurate w/knowledge and abilities
* break-time
* continuity

[colleen10]

Unfortunately I have only ever experienced these "consultants" while working in the IT Industry and all it ever really meant was that they would be laying a lot of people off. See the movie "Office Space".

If you have their ear I say bend it! Like you said be prepared by jotting everything down in advance and speak articulately.

Good Luck, I hope they are able to make some real changes.

Col

[ceecel.dee]

I can think of a couple that should be layed off!

We employ an underabundance of people as it is, so big layoffs are really probably out of the question due to our location and the lack of specialized workforce available in the community.

I hope not anyway! I actually hadn't really thought of it from that angle...am considering it as being all good. Pollyanna?

[P_RN]

The only consultants I had experience with were paid for by the employer, and after they left a lot were downsized and I was out of a position. I'd been there 10 years and had to BID on a job just to stay. They walked around with stopwatches and timed us as we did everything from giving meds to going to the rest room.
Be very careful in how you phrase your "concerns."