New assessment system took a year to develop
Program based on JCAHO standards
Rehabilitation staff at Daniel Freeman Hos pitals Inc. in Inglewood, CA, worked for about a year to develop its new competency assessment system, which takes effect during the hiring process. To begin the development process, a team of discipline coordinators in the rehabilitation department, led by Shaun Brayton-Gerratt, MA/CCC, director of acute services and special diagnostic services, met and brainstormed.
Looking to JCAHO
The discipline coordinators based the competency assessment system on standards from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health care Organizations (JCAHO, which is based in Oakbrook Terrace, IL). They developed an orientation checklist of all items that must be covered in an employee's orientation. Those orientation items range from the hospital's mission and philosophy statements to using the paging system and conducting an assessment.
The discipline coordinators also created an educational record that logs inservices, off-site classes, projects completed, committee service, and man da tory inservices in areas such as fire, safety, and infection control.
Describe what you do . . .
The team's biggest assignment was to develop a detailed job description for every position, says Ellie LeVine, PT, discipline coordinator for physical therapy. Then the discipline coordinators wrote job descriptions and outlined basic core skills for all employment levels, such as PT 1, PT 2, and PT 3. They also developed a job description and competency checklist for aides.
Job descriptions are detailed and include the duties required, core skills needed, and expectations for each position, as well as how those things can be accomplished.
"It is important to have a good job description that details the purpose, essential duties, responsibilities, and minimal qualifications," LeVine says.
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