There are so many challenges I have to make sure that staffs have direct support and resources to promote safe practice and good quality care. As a unit manager I have to know my staff capabilities and able to establish whether they are good at their job. I have to ensure they have regular appraisal and supervision from which I need to set a plan of action in place and I also have to deal with any staff, residents and family issues. As a unit manager I have to be extremely supportive to staff so as to develop team relationship to maintain good quality care. Within St Mary’s, good team work is where all team members understand, believe in and work towards the shared purpose of caring for resident.
As a unit manager I ensure all team members are working towards it in their day-to-day work. All teams move through different stages of development, but are at their most of assistance where there is honesty and trust, with members working to their own strengths. For me to know my team and earn their respect I have to develop a good working relationship with them. I have to be a good role model and be able to present an image and objectives for the team. When I started as a unit manager, I was the youngest team leader.
I have several seniors and older member of the team. Occasionally I find them very dominant to me because of their experience and the longer time they been working in the nursing home. But regardless, it is about understanding and showing respect to all members of the team whoever they are.Some other challenges that can be experienced by both developing and established teams are communication, conflict, inattention to results, and lack of commitment. Challenges are any issues raised by staff concerns about residents from a family member with external health professionals.
e.g if it was reported to me by a family about a staff did something which was not professional in front of a family member. E.g. one staff had reported to me about two other staff members who had used the drag lift on a resident or spoken to a resident in a very rude manner and also shouted at the resident when ask for the toilet you have to deal with it. You have to start by asking staff to write statements then I speak to them individual record all of it.
