Should I take a Staff Dev. Coordinator position in LTC??

llg, PhD, RN · Jan 8, 2011

Do you have any knowledge of and/or experience with the functions you would be responsible for?

If you do, then it's just a matter of whether or not you like that kind of work and the quality of the work environment.

If you don't have experience in these things, then taking a job where you would be the one responsible for overseeing these things (and be expected to know what you are doing) might be setting yourself up for failure and frustration.

Assuming that your experience/knowledge of this area is limited ... what type of orientatin would YOU get to your new responsibilities? What types of support would be available for you as you learn your new job? For example, you would probably be responsible for seeing that all employees are in compliance with several different sets of standard and regulations: Do you know what those standards and regulations are? Would you have someone in your work environment who could help you learn those things? (e.g. a parent organization that would provide you with the tools you would need, etc.) Would you have a mentor who could help you learn how to deal with the more difficult/troublesome aspects of the job? etc.

indynurse '87 · Jan 8, 2011

I held that type of position for 5 years and LOVED it!!!

You will be responsible scheduling, conducting and tracking all educational and mandatory facility and state required inservices for all staff.

Also, you will be resposible for monitoring, admin. and recording new hire and annual PPD's.

As far as the infection control, my biggest hurdle in that was having the floor nurses remember to fill out the initial log sheet when a resident was placed on an antibiotic, sometimes one would slip thru the cracks, so I contacted the Pharmacy we used and asked them to send me a list the first Monday of each month of all the residents that were placed on an antibiotic the month previous. That way I could be sure my reports were accurate.

Good luck !

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Jan 8, 2011

I loved being a Staff Development Coordinator. It's one position you can make your own...you can have boring inservices that meet the regulations or you can be as creative as you want to teach the information. You should know the long term regulations to be able to teach and enforce them, but if you are smart and know where to look for what you need to know, you might find your niche.

mentalhealthRN · Jan 9, 2011

Had that exact job and HATED it....but a lot depends on the facility and on the staff you have. I had a lot of staff that just refused to do any of the ed stuff I would put out. The place was constantly in trouble with the state so in that position I was the one doing all the education that they would mention in the plan of correction for the state. That was yucky. I did orientations too. The NYS required stuff. -- The job was pretty bad but when a new DON came in on her broom......lol......I gave my notice on her first day she was so aweful. I will never go back to any LTC job after that. Sorry to rain on your parade......if you have a good staff, good DON and a facility that doesn't have the state in there every other day.......that job could be good. Good luck to you.