Posted: Jan 12, 2009 11:08 AM
Culture Change Now
Action Pact Newsletter
November, 2008
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CNAs Provide Essential Leadership
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The development of informal leaders in the organization is essential for culture change to be effective. As members of the organization's Steering Team, CNAs at The Glen Retirement System in Shreveport, LA have taken on an active role in guiding their peers through the changes in the organization.
CNA Dorothy London was getting several questions from her peers about the culture change process, what the Steering Team is doing and what it all means. She had her daughter search the Internet for culture change, printed out several things and is now handing them out when she gets questions. "This is leadership at its purest - taking initiative, finding resources and providing them," said Action Pact consultant Megan Hannan who is working with The Glen. "This information she is giving will have a strong impact on others because it is coming from one of their peers."
Michelle Greer, RN DON at the Glen said there have been "just pages" of questions from folks including: How will the Alzheimer's unit work and what will be the criteria for living there? Will people of the same abilities be in the same households? What will the staffing ratios be? Where will staff with specific jobs like restorative CNAs, office workers and bath aides fit into the households? Who is going to clean the dishwashers? How can we do activities for men? How different will the physical environment look? Will positions be eliminated as the changes come about?
The Glen's Steering Team realizes the importance of high involvement in answering these questions and creating an environment where people are encouraged to continue to ask questions. "We have assigned CNAS on a volunteer basis beginning with the Steering Team and then Action Teams," Michelle said. "We are progressively incorporating the use of learning circles and the team leadership model into daily facility life and decision-making in the current neighborhoods. We are early in the training process, so training is a big part of what we are doing at this point."
High involvement focuses on not only getting everyone involved, but how they are involved. Megan can see how folks at The Glen are taking that to heart. "Action teams are conducting surveys on their area of work not by handing out paper, but by interviewing each staff person. "Talking directly with someone is so much different than asking them to fill out a paper - this really becomes high involvement. It takes more time and therefore demonstrates that everyone's opinion is important. When asked survey questions, in addition to their answers, people are saying that they feel their opinions matter and that they are really being listened to. The Assistant Director of Nurses reflected that she believes six months ago, they wouldn't have gotten that kind of feedback. In fact, it would have been the opposite feeling - that people weren't being heard. That really points to how the process of involving people is working!"