Healthcare Teamwork & Employability Skills

This assignment examines the crucial role of communication and teamwork within healthcare settings. It delves into the impact of these factors on patient safety and quality care, highlighting the essential employability skills required for effective collaboration among healthcare professionals. The analysis considers various perspectives, including the perspectives of patients, nurses, doctors, and support staff.

EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS
STUDENT NAME:
STUDENT ID:
PROFESSOR NAME:
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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Task 1:........................................................................................................................................4
LO1: Determining the role and performance.............................................................................4
1.1 Describing the development of personal performance objectives and responsibilities.......4
1.2 Evaluating personal effectiveness against the determined performance objectives............4
1.3 Preparing recommendations for improving a certain situation............................................5
1.4 Using motivational techniques for improving the performance quality in Care
Management Group....................................................................................................................6
Task 2:........................................................................................................................................6
LO2: Developing the interpersonal and transferrable skills......................................................6
2.1 Identifying a work based problem and developing the solutions accordingly.....................6
2.2 Communicating the problem and the solution in the workplace..........................................7
2.3 Describing appropriate time management strategies used in the organisation....................8
Task 3:........................................................................................................................................8
LO3: The underlying dynamics of working with other people..................................................8
3.1 Roles and responsibilities of the employees in working under a team................................8
3.2 Analysing the dynamics of the team at the work place........................................................9
3.3 Suggesting alternative ways for completing the task and meeting the goals.....................10
Task 4:......................................................................................................................................10
4.1 Evaluating an issue affecting the management and departmental head.............................10
4.2 Developing effective strategies to resolve the issue..........................................................11
4.3 The impacts of strategy implementation to resolve the issue............................................11
Conclusion................................................................................................................................12
Reference list............................................................................................................................13
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Introduction
Education and experience may appear as the prime eligibility criteria for the employees, but
without the skills of handling difficult situations and crisis, they will not be able to exhibit
their performance. Both the technical skills and soft skills are equally required to ensure the
sustainability of the performers. In the following discussion, the learner will be discussing
various situation-oriented employability skills required for managing the work process of
Care Management Group, UK. Established in the year 1996, the organisation has catered to
the people of UK encountering problems related to both physical and mental disabilities.
Operating 120 services all over England, the organisation is relentlessly providing support
and care for the people as well as their families. The learner has worked in the organisation as
a junior care assistant for six months and identified many areas where the employability skills
are required to resolve issues.
Figure 1: Logo of Care Management Group
(Source: Care Management Group, 2017)
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Task 1:
LO1: Determining the role and performance
1.1 Describing the development of personal performance objectives and
responsibilities
Each employee should develop certain potential while working as an employee that will be
reflected in his or her working skills. The employability skills are not only restricted within
the personal growth of the employees, but it also accelerates the growth and development of
the organisation they are working under (Williamson, 2014, p.13). The learner, working as
the junior care assistant in Care Management Group, has developed the performance
objectives based on the given responsibilities.
In the initial stage of the employment period, the learner had to play the role of a support
worker. According to Donik et al. (2015, p.288), the basic responsibilities of the carers
include personal care, preparation of the meal and transport the patients according to their
appointment. The learner’s other responsibilities include complying with the organisational
policies, procedures, relevant legislations. Moreover, the learner had the responsibility of
providing social support and assistance to the disabled people and made them feel
comfortable.
Based on these responsibilities, the learner has set some major performance objectives. The
objectives are to take active participation in the care delivery system, to make the patients
assured about their safety within the care premises, to take up added responsibility of
mentoring whether the delivery of care is fulfilling the requirement of the patients or not.
Moreover, the learner has a specific objective of understanding the administration related to
medication and emerging as a leader for the other staffs.
1.2 Evaluating personal effectiveness against the determined performance
objectives
The learner has made several personal efforts to meet the objectives effectively. According to
Diedrich and Styhre (2013, p.760), on-the-job training is the most pivotal aspect for an
employee to ensure the continuous personal growth and development. Considering this fact,
the learner has taken initiatives to take on-the-job training from the respective senior care
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assistant working in the Care Management Group. During the training session, the learner has
developed certain knowledge regarding the medication-oriented administration. Moreover, in
order to develop a strong communication skill for getting closer to the service users, the
learner has made personal efforts to learn regional languages of UK.
The development of the strong communication skill has also helped the learner to
communicate with the staffs and resolve their issues. As per Wilton (2011, p.88), if one
employee among a group can possess a strong communication skill and develop a
transformational leadership quality, that person gets the acceptability from the members to be
a leader of the team. Considering this fact, the learner gradually emerged as a leader of the
staffs. Moreover, the learner has also taken personal initiatives to supervise the patients in a
timely manner and checked whether they are getting the required medical attention or not.
1.3 Preparing recommendations for improving a certain situation
One of the major areas of employability skills for any professional is to acquire the eligibility
of handling different situations (Rosenberg et al. 2012, p.13). In order to handle certain crisis
arising within an organisation, the employees must have proper training and understanding of
certain situations. According to Arnold and Boggs (2015, p.37), the ability of a person to
resolve certain issues determine the respective professional’s ability and future scopes of
career growth. Working as a junior care assistant of the Care Management Group, the learner
has faced severe problems. Among the problems, miscommunication with the patients can be
considered as the most prominent one.
A situation where an aged patient has tried to communicate with the learner regarding a
dizziness he is encountering after consuming a certain medicine is a common problem the
learner has faced. This situation has emerged as critical as the patient was trying to
communicate in the Swedish language that the learner could not get. The most appropriate
recommendation to overcome the language barrier and strengthen the communication skill is
surely making the patient learn to communicate in the universally accepted sign language. It
is necessary for the learner to attain training for sign languages. Other than this, the learner
needs to undertake training to make the patients enable to write down their problems by
drawing pictures. This process will not only enable the patient to communicate with the
learner but also make him feel comfortable in explaining the problems more vividly. The
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recommended resolution may appear to be time taking, but this specific objective can be
achieved by keeping patience.
1.4 Using motivational techniques for improving the performance quality
in Care Management Group
The employees become motivated and tend to express proper job satisfaction when they
realise that their contribution and effort are making positive changes within the organisation.
According to Thompson (2011, p.34), the basic motivational factors that indulge an employee
in performing better include proper compensation, career development, positive working
environment and others. In the case of health care settings, the motivational objectives are
similar to that of any other professional sector. As per the view of Levinson et al. (2010,
p.1315), the health care organisations require strong health care frameworks that ensures
effective implementation of these motivational factors along with their degree.
Lack of training often appears as major criteria of dissatisfaction among the health workers.
Thus, providing proper training will help the health workers to put their best efforts and make
them confident about communicating with the patients with ease. The health care workers
often face discrimination regarding the promotions and rewards. In this context, giving them
proper recognition according to their efforts will surely motivate them to work more
effectively. In most of the cases, the carers do not have any personal life as they do not have
any specific working hours. If they find the management becoming compassionate and
helpful towards them, they will surely feel motivated and safe working in the organisation.
Including the deserving health care staffs in the decision-making procedure can also be
considered as an effective motivation technique. Bennett (2010, p.32) has pointed out that a
well-designed performance-based financing approach can help the health care organisations
to reinforce a pay parity within the organisation that will make the employees feel equally
important for their workplace.
Task 2:
LO2: Developing the interpersonal and transferrable skills
2.1 Identifying a work based problem and developing the solutions
accordingly
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As the production of advanced technologies in relation to health care industry is increasing
day by day, it has become mandatory for every health care organisation to incorporate with
those changes to establish themselves as the best health care service provider (Kurtz et al.
2016, p.78). Recently, the learner has encountered a problem related to the staffs’ adaptation
with the wearable tracking devices made available for the patients. As the wearable tracking
device provides the patients with proper idea regarding their physical competencies, it is
essential for the staffs to adapt with the proper technological skills.
Experts need to be hired to give proper technical training to the staffs with the purpose of
enabling them to handle technical instruments with care. Making them aware regarding the
utility of the tracking device along with the monitoring technique must be embedded in the
training designed for the staffs. The best solution for avoiding the occurrence of such
problems is initiating the certification course for technical skills. In order to secure the future
prospects regarding technical problem solving, it is essential for the human resource
department to hire staffs those possess minimum knowledge of handling the technical
instruments related to health care.
2.2 Communicating the problem and the solution in the workplace
In order to eliminate the problem of technical failure, it is essential to communicate the
problem at all the levels of the organisation. Care Management Group needs to follow the
development communication theory for reaching out to all the levels of the organisation
where the problem can be addressed effectively. According to Kilner and Sheppard (2010,
p.130), the core point of development communication theory suggests that development is
impossible without communication. In order to communicate the problem, the learner needs
to follow the two-way communication model. The two-way communication model suggests
the transmission of relevant information within two ends and is a form of interpersonal
communication (Salas and Frush, 2012, p.32).
As for the mode of communication, the learner will choose both written and verbal form to
communicate at different levels. While the management or hierarchy authority will be
informed through the written form, the staffs and other carers need to be informed verbally.
The trainer must also be communicated individually regarding the problems faced by each
staff that will help them to develop a more concrete solution implemented in all the levels.
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2.3 Describing appropriate time management strategies used in the
organisation
Proper time management approach needs to be introduced in carrying out the whole process
of communication to secure the optimum effectiveness of the strategy. As per Masters (2015,
p.11), time management strategies help the organisations to incorporate a disciplinary
environment within the work process. In the case of communicating regarding the technical
problem, the effective time management strategy should be using emails to send out the
message. On the other hand, for carrying out the training session regarding technological
instruments, it is essential to maintain the balance of work time and training period.
In order to find out adequate time for attending the training, the learner will divide the work
schedule and try to maintain it without a failure. As in healthcare, emergency and crisis are
very common; it is required for the learner to keep a fixed schedule for addressing those
situations. According to West and Lyubovnikova (2013, p.136), discipline is the core
principle of formulating effective time management strategies. Considering this fact, the
learner will concentrate on improving the performance so that the implementation of those
strategies can bring out effective results.
Task 3:
LO3: The underlying dynamics of working with other people
3.1 Roles and responsibilities of the employees in working under a team
The responsibility of a team is much stronger than the individual professional working in the
organisation. In the health care setting, team working is the most pivotal part of providing
better health care to the employees. As Thomas (2011, p.47) commented, teamwork has the
ability to gather all the skills and knowledge individuals possess along with generating
discipline in the framework to satisfy the clients with the necessary support.
Following the traditional approach, the role of the learner and the colleagues working under a
team can be divided in three categories that are action-based roles, people-based roles and
thought-based responsibilities. In order to perform the action-oriented role, the learner acts as
the leader of the team and motivates the staffs to implement the actions accordingly.
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However, monitoring the effectiveness of the performance is equally relevant in this context
to find out the probable mistakes within the implemented actions.
In the case of performing the people-based roles, the learner acts as the lead coordinator and
selects an investigator, making others the co-workers. Under the implementation of the
actions, the investigator becomes the most important team player as the role of the
investigator ensures proper communication with the service users and providers (Knowles et
al. 2011, p.318). In performing the people-based roles, every team member exercises equal
opportunity to make their efforts count. The learner, being the leader of the team has the
responsibility of sharing thoughts and ideas with team members so that the solutions can be
innovative as well as effective. However, the learner may also approach for collaborative
techniques that will enable the team member to infuse the action plan with more creative
ideas and solutions.
3.2 Analysing the dynamics of the team at the work place
In health care organisations, the growing demand of team-based operations has generated a
level of ambiguity within the system that continuously affects the team coordination (Robles,
2012, p.460). Considering this fact, Care Management Group has tried to set a proper team
dynamic that help in reversing the negative impacts of teamwork. According to Lambrou et
al. (2010, p.28), team dynamics is referred to the psychological forces that leave impact on
the behaviour and performance of the team. Team dynamics keep on changing with time
followed by the nature of the team and personalities of the teammates working under the
team.
As Care Management Group focuses on the implementation of shared goals, the organisation
has incorporated the theory of Tuckman. According to Lovaglio (2012, p.71), the theory of
Tuckman involves four stages that are necessary to design a proper team dynamics. In the
first stage, that is forming, the teammates increase the involvements with each other and try
to understand each other. This stage helps the teammates to get familiar with the system and
share the goals with proper understanding. As per Smith and Koppel (2014, p.120), the
storming stage enables the teammates to share their opinions and ideas regarding the
applicable methods to handle a certain situation considering a democratic environment.
Before the occurrence of the performing stage, it is highly essential to eliminate all the scope
of misunderstanding among the team members. The success of the final stage, where the
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delivery of care will be carried out, is determined by the effectiveness of the previous two
stages.
3.3 Suggesting alternative ways for completing the task and meeting the
goals
Apart from this standard process of meeting the objectives through teamwork, Care
Management Group has the options of several alternative ways to improve the performance.
Encouraging the team members to develop their personal skills is surely an effective
approach of strengthening a team from the core (Williamson, 2014, p.17). Along with
maintaining a strong relationship within the team, it is essential to understand the core spirit
of the other team working under similar environment. This process will encourage the
respective teams to engage in a healthy competition and achieve the goals more proficiently.
The learner needs to share the responsibilities of monitoring to the team members to enable
them to develop their competency level. The team members need to exhibit strong
communication skill so that the transparency in the decision-making remains intact. Not
every team member possesses the same level of skills. Considering this fact, the allocation of
responsibility should be proper according to the skills of the team members. Revising the
methods, including simple and achievable objectives, getting the required help are some of
the other alternative approaches that may accelerate the process of completing a task more
effectively.
Task 4:
4.1 Evaluating an issue affecting the management and departmental head
The authorised management along with the departmental head of Care Management Group is
currently dealing with a serious issue of employee retention that is causing a serious problem
within the organisation. As per Donik et al. (2015, p.296), most of the health workers suffer
miserable because of low payment scale along with the tremendous pressure of work.
Considering this context, the lack of motivation and reward can be considered as the root
cause of poor employee retention in Care Management Group. In order to combat this
situation, the management needs to arrange group discussions that will enable them to gain
knowledge of the core areas of employee dissatisfaction.
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The human resource management of Care Management Group has the biggest responsibility
of motivating the employees and felicitate them with proper recognition. Planning and
implementation of strategies can bring out the best possible outcomes in this situation. Apart
from the standard promotional modules, organisations need to introduce performance-based
incentives for the employees that will surely increase their retention (Diedrich and Styhre
(2013, p.785). However, before the strategy implementation, it is important for the
organisations to carry out both external and internal environmental analysis that will enable
them to gather knowledge regarding the operations of the health industry.
4.2 Developing effective strategies to resolve the issue
The most important strategy that can be applied for retaining the employees under these
circumstances is to communicate with them regarding their dissatisfaction. Be it a group
discussion or individual conversation, the management must understand the criteria of their
problems and try to outline the underlying uniformity of those problems. As per Wilton
(2011, p.99), empathising with the employees can turn out to be one of the most effective
strategies to know their root problems and diminish those accordingly.
Another effective strategy in this situation will be felicitating the employees with some
unique opportunities for their career development that the competitors are not doing
(Rosenberg et al. 2012, p.19). For instance, as there are a huge number of young nurses
working with this organisation, letting them pursue higher education will be a great option for
keeping them motivated for putting their best efforts. The management needs to make
training the utmost priority that must be undertaken by every care assistant involved with the
organisation. Lastly, performance incentives will also prove to be a great strategy to retain the
employees for a longer period.
4.3 The impacts of strategy implementation to resolve the issue
One of the prime reasons behind the poor employee retention is surely the lack of training
within the organisation. As per Arnold and Boggs (2015, p.55), when the employees do not
find adequate opportunities to perform their jobs accurately, they gradually lose interest in
their respective jobs and leave the facility promptly. The strategy of making a periodical
training for each level of employees will surely make the employees more competent and it
will be directly reflected in their performance.
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The effect of strengthening the communication among the management and staffs is an
equally relevant strategy, as it will help in identifying the underlying concerns of the issue
related to employee retention more effectively. Transparent communication leads the
employees to feel safe as well as confident to take up difficult challenges (Bennett, 2010,
p.73). Other than this, strong communication will foster teamwork within the employees and
make them feel encouraged to contribute their best efforts in achieving the organisational
objectives. Moreover, providing the employees with better scope for future development will
help the management to establish the fact that they care for their employees that finally
strengthen their loyalty to the organisation.
Conclusion
Based on the above analysis, it can be suggested that in order to cater to the flexibilities as
well as complexities of different working sectors, the future employees need to possess some
basic skills and knowledge that can be put to use for carrying out the job successfully. The
learner has suggested some key areas such as interpersonal communication, barriers to
strategy implementation along with the necessity of teamwork for health care organisations.
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