Introduction
Learning conversation
Summary
Reflection and follow up
Abstract
This document outlines a face to face interview with the Team Manager; leader of the Patient Care whose designation allows her to hire a BSN prepared nurse in hospice specialty. The interview culminates in a request for mentorship as well as a reflection and follow up section.
Introduction
Besides she performs duties of a resource and mentor for staff as it relates to clinical issues, documentation, team problem solving and appropriate customer service behavior. Evaluating, staff and volunteer schedules, along with sequencing territory assignments is a mjor responsibility. This ensures that the workload is distributed equitably and all the staff members meet productivity expectations.
Credentials
Credentials needed to function in this position are two (2) years successful supervisory experience in the Vistas health care organization. Also, knowledge of the principles and practices of primary medical and nursing care, with a minimum working knowledge of oncologic
Learning conversation
- What is the mission/vision and goals of your organization?
Health care in America is costly. With managed care rationing the quality and quantity of care allocation per person sadly hospice care has been greatly compromised. End of life care is gradually becoming burdensome to families and there is a need for more nurses in this area. In some communities these services are absent. As such, the goal of this organization is to provide affordable quality hospice care for every person and family in the state community facing end of life challenges.
‘VITAS (pronounced VEE-tahss) Innovative Hospice Care provides end-of-life care for adult and pediatric patients with life-limiting illnesses. Essentially, the goal is to work with patients and families in providing comfort and preserve dignity in the face of terminal illness. VITAS is the nation’s leading hospice provider’ (Vitas, 2013).
Precisely, the mission statement reads,
‘VITAS Innovative Hospice Care recognizes the importance of a strong and innovative program. Volunteers are an integral part of the hospice program, allowing VITAS to continue personalizing, enhancing and expanding services offered to patients and families. By exemplifying the VITAS Values, volunteers serve as patient and family advocates and are pro-active in meeting the needs of patients and families. VITAS integrate volunteers into the hospice program by actively recruiting, training, supporting and creatively utilizing volunteers to meet patient and family needs. Volunteers and their contributions are respected and valued’ (Vitas, 2013). This distinctly embodies goals also.
- What expectations do you have for a BSN hospice trained nurse in terms of meeting the organization's mission?
We expect nurses with your expertise joining the organization to understand that Vistas has been placed in this community to fulfill an important need as it pertains to quality hospice care with the aim of providing the best possible end of life experience for its patients and their families
There is a challenge whereby large numbers of patients are diagnosed with conditions which may allow them to live for six months or less. Many of them have been out of nursing homes and with families or transferred to Assisted Living Facilities in communities. From research it was discovered that these patients did not have adequate insurance coverage and the Medicare does not finance long term care. Therefore, Vistas serves an important role in the health care community in filling the gap between what Medicaid/ insurance can offer and is accessible to patients in an end of life crisis. Importantly, the role of an advanced hospice nurse in this organization is significant in filling the gap between no and some hospice care
- What factors you believe that would promote success in your organization?
One of the quality measures we are presently embracing is implementing nursing staff mix where doctors and nurses overlap in presenting quality hospice care while we incorporate more staff into the system (Buchan & Dal Poz, 2002). For example, BSN hospice trained nurses are equipped with skills that can overlap hospice doctors in the industry. In blending/mixing these skills efficiency within the Vistas organization could be enhanced.
Another major aspect in successful organizational management is enhancing relationships between/ among patient/client and staff. Demonstrating empathy to staff in their struggle towards effective patient care delivery endeavor is an intelligent industrial relations strategy. Nurses realize the worth of their contributions and are motivated to even make a greater contribution to the organization. Similarly, patients/clients’ concerns are always paramount in the organization since they are the reason for it (Banfield & Kay, 2008).
d) What actions do you recommend that I take to establish myself in the profession at the BSN-hospice nurse level?
The place to start is by joining a professional organization. Some are, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association and National Association of Home Care and Hospice. Besides, try working for a health care institution that offers motivation for excellence. There must be always challenges to overcome and you become the catalysts for the solution. This helps you grow as a professional. Static organizations where everything is fine do not offer any scope for growth
e) How can I be mentored into becoming a successful member of your organization?
This is a sacred request. We do not have a mentoring program here, but this could be done through a volunteer placement for a day per week a few weeks whereby you observe and ask questions pertaining to your concerns.
- How long do you think it will take for me to smoothly transition into my new role as a BSN- level hospice nurse
Everything takes time, but it is your quick adaptation to the new role/position/responsibilities that matter. It all depends on you.
- What are some of the characteristics, which ought to be developed to facilitate this transition?
Importantly, love for people and commitment to excellence are vital in the character rebuilding process.
- How long it took you to transition from one phase to the next?
It was not very long. Definitely not years, but mentoring helped greatly. I was privileged to have experienced and caring mentors
- What advice could you give me regarding mentoring?
Do not be ashamed to ask questions and say, ‘I do not understand.’
- Why is mentoring so important during this transition process?
So often the class room relates theory, mentoring teaches application of skills in a real world setting.
Summary
Highlights of the interview pertained to speaking face to face with an experienced qualified Nursing Director in a Hospice Health Care industry (Vistas), who imparted information necessary for me making a smooth transition from mainly service delivery into a semi administrative role with a BSN certification. I learnt that mentoring would greatly assist me in applying theory learnt in classroom into the real world setting working alongside a caring experienced nurse. I must always remember to ask questions pertaining to my concerns and say, ‘I do not understand’ when I do not.
Reflection and follow up
This interview provided me with pertinent data that would allow me to function better in my capacity of a hospice BSN qualified nurse. The interaction forced me into recognizing how much more I need to know before rotating on clinical areas or communities trying to function as a BSN impressing nurses who have not achieved my status as yet. My interview with Mrs. M.V. helped me realize that my journey has now begun. She had been nursing for quite a few in her state community. Never has she claimed to know it all, but did still learning serving the underprivileged in her community. As such, it is my goal to begin mentoring in the next two weeks at her institution for 10 weeks volunteering one day a week for six hours per day. Meanwhile, I return to my hospice unit and apply what is learnt from classroom as well as mentoring to my clients/patients and clinical setting.
References
Banfield, P., & Kay, R. (2008). Introduction to Human Resource Management. Oxford
Buchan, J., & Dal Poz, M. (2002). Skill mix in the health care workforce: reviewing the
Evidence. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 80(7), 575 – 580
Vitas (2013). Vitas. Retrieved on September, 2013 from www. vitas.com
