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STAFFING
day's activities and goals for the next day and upcoming weeks. Keep the information that's provided to any new hire current and useful.
Ease new hires into the orientation process so they receive only the information that's needed during each phase of training. After the first 6 weeks of training, however, it's time to move beyond the basics.
Designing a staged orientation process means new hires don't have to learn everything at once. It lets team members work together to welcome new hires and build a unit where the hierarchy among staff is not opposed to questioning individual practices. "This is the way we do it, because we have always done it that way" is not an accepted rationale for decision making processes.
Finally, keep in mind that the orientation process is just that: a process. Review the program as often as you do your policies and procedures to ensure it remains up to date and effective.
3. Make first impressions count
New hires will carry initial work experiences throughout their perioperative careers, so use the orientation period to welcome them to the team by designing all activities from their perspective.
A systematic orientation program provides the information necessary to make new employees feel comfortable with your organization. The educators, preceptors and leaders in your facility must understand that providing new hires with thorough and informative orientation is key to positive patient outcomes. Developing a quality orientation program is both time-consuming and demanding, but once implemented, your entire organization will benefit from its success. OSM
Mr. Mollohan (josephmollohan7@gmail.com) is interim director of perioperative services and Ms. Morales (maria_morales@smhwecare.com) is a PACU nurse at MedStar St. Mary's Hospital in Leonardtown, Md.
