Leadership & Communication Seminars

Building A Happy Team
Effective Education Using Non-Traditional Approaches
Eliminating Horizontal Violence Workshop
Leadership Retreat: Essential Skills for Healthcare Professionals
Nursing Leadership Skills for Improving Patient Safety
Strategic Planning: Incorporating Marketing and Customer Service Program Initiatives
 

Building A Happy Team

This session is designed for nurses who are responsible for hiring employees. This session will focus on how to select the right person for your facility, how to manage employees to maximize satisfaction, and how to develop well-functioning team. (back to top)
 

Effective Education Using Non-Traditional Approaches

A rapidly changing healthcare environment challenges the resources of the healthcare system. Maintenance of clinical competence among the graduate nursing staff and faculty is a crucial priority. The socio-economic and political factors that influence the ability to stay current include time and financial pressures, reduction in support for education, apathy, and fatigue. Additionally, nurse managers are often placed in a position of needing to provide education, but are not aware of education theory or design. The objective of the program is to help the learner identify creative methods of teaching how to stay current on the principles of patient safety. The presentation is applicable to nurse managers, educators, preceptors, faculty, and staff nurses.

The lower staffing ratios in many healthcare settings reduce the ability to gather staff into a room for a class. Creative ways to provide education must be used. Posters and newsletters can be effectively designed to present pertinent information in small easily referred to chunks. Design principles will be shared to help the participant most effectively use these media. Adult education principles include presenting information that is readily usable and engages the learner. Competency based orientation and precepting and mentoring create a supportive atmosphere. The individual who is comfortable in asking questions will be less hesitant to seek help with a patient’s condition begins to deteriorate. Failure to rescue situations are reduced.

Examples of educational methods that engage the learner include role plays, mock drills, critical thinking exercises, use of computerized education, luncheon education sessions with staff “champions”, last layer success stories where the “near misses” are thoroughly discussed and interventions identified and training of preceptors. Each of these methods of education is explored with specific guidance on implementing the strategies. One of the essential components of continuing education is the focus on how to handle the unexpected to save lives. Sharing information on how crises were handled helps others learn in a safe environment. Lessons learned are discussed with the nursing staff with specific instruction on how such a situation should be addressed. (back to top)
 

Eliminating Horizontal Violence Workshop

by Patricia Iyer and Susan Kaessinger

Horizontal violence is known as workplace violence or disrespectful behaviors nurses may portray towards colleagues, such as nonphysical hostility, criticism, aggression, and intergroup conflict. Being the recipient of abuse and intimidation from other healthcare workers higher in the chain of command can have a destructive impact on morale, turnover, and absenteeism. Approximately 60% of newly registered nurses leave their first position due to some form of horizontal violence.

The Joint Commission has defined communication problems as the number one cause of sentinel events. New leadership standards for 2009 emphasize the responsibility of the facility to identify a code of behavior. This 8 hour workshop offers nurses the opportunity to explore ways that they can improve communication with staff and the healthcare team. The role of the nurse as patient advocate and the importance of the chain of command are stressed. Participants will learn how to handle confrontations that have a direct impact on patient safety and employee morale. The program includes exercises useful for practicing assertiveness and confrontation skills, as well as techniques that can diffuse anger and help create a more cooperative and harmonious atmosphere. The goal of the program is to empower healthcare workers to create a working environment that maximizes patient safety and satisfaction and improves the morale of the healthcare team. This program is appropriate for all levels of nursing practice.

The information is presented by Pat Iyer, a nursing expert witness and legal nurse consultant and Susan Kaessinger, a teacher and actress experienced in improv theater. Pat and Susan both have many years of experience in their respective fields and have integrated their skills and knowledge to create this innovative program. (back to top)
 

Leadership Retreat: Essential Skills for Healthcare Professionals (8 Hours)

by Laurie Loughney

Laurie Loughney, with over 30 years of executive management experience and leadership training in the healthcare field, designed and presents this highly successful, extended seminar for healthcare professionals. Administrators, Team Leaders, RN Case Managers, Social Workers and other clinical partners seeking effective, cohesive team building in their organization will garner current perspectives on basic leadership and management skills, team strengthening and creative problem solving techniques. Learn strategies to handle the challenges that face health care professionals in long term care, assisted living, adult day services and other case management areas.

Of particular focus in this course is the role of the Social Worker and RN Case Manager as effective advocacy leaders in their community or healthcare facility, as these individuals have the unique ability to guide the policies and procedures by which the organization can achieve its social work goals and gain public support.

Nursing Leadership Skills for Improving Patient Safety

by Patricia Iyer

Improving patient safety involves identifying opportunities for improvement of the clinical setting. This program for nurse managers focuses on the most common causes of patient injury. The top sixteen high risk clinical issues are described, with proactive steps a nurse manager can take to reduce the likelihood of injury. This session will discuss methods of positively interacting with staff to obtain the best outcomes. (back to top)
 

Strategic Planning: Incorporating Marketing and Customer Service Program Initiatives

This dynamic seminar is geared for any person involved in consumer satisfaction and retention, and advances past basic marketing maneuvers. Learn winning marketing techniques that garner immediate results on a cost-effective budget. Delve into first impression scenarios and creating customer service programs. Be successful at achieving more with less – and get noticed in a crowded marketplace!