LEADER PROGRAM 

 

Presented by: Sam Perlin,

Long Term Care Advocate Consultant

4545 Cook Rd. #303
Houston, TX 77072       
Phone: 281-933-4533       
Email Preferred:   sperlin@aol.com

 

A Leader is a facilitator--to make easier; help bring about

C.N.A. Leader Job Description:

 

1. To know the responsibilities of the CNAs.
   
   
2. To help them accomplish their duties.
   1. Safe lifting of residents and safety for CNAs against injury.
   2. To make sure the tools they need are easily accessible to them.
      Gloves, diapers, linen, supplies in night tables, cleaning hair brushes, shower room conditions and supplies.

 

3. To record problems they see for referral to management.
   1. Staffing concerns with examples
   2. Food, activities.

 

4.      To act as advocates for the residents.
 
A daily report sheet should be submitted to a designated person.  It should detail problems encountered, suggestions.  It should not deal in personalities, not be a spy for management.  It should deal only with care, positive or negative.
 
A meeting with management and a person from the family council at a designated time for discussions to go forward. 
 
If this project is to succeed it MUST NOT be adversarial as to make the CNAs feel threatened.  They must feel safe and be an important part of the effort.

DETAILS
A pad with 1 copy to handout, the other copy will stay in pad as evidence of being written. The handout copy will go to staff person working with the project.

Immediate conversations: Suppose gloves are needed.  Leader can say to housekeeping: There are no gloves to which the reply could be: so go get them.  Maybe better to say: I am running low on gloves or need gloves.  Reply might be nicer.  If there are no gloves it is not the Leader's problem to get them.  Housekeeper can take it up with whomever.  A report of the request should be in the daily report. 
 
If immediate resident care is needed the Leader can say to the charge nurse:  I think resident so and so needs your attention because.......  If not immediate a written copy from the pad can be given to staff person with the project.

We are dealing with personalities so it is important to recognize the dignity of those we work with.  In our meetings we can discuss the best way to get results or what action is recommended to the staff person with the project.  The Leader does not threaten or argue.  The Leader works with the CNAs, staff, in a neutral reporting role.  It is a fine line so we have to talk about each situation.