![]() Those initiatives are often project-based, and they might focus on improving the length of stay or another particular goal. “It’s during those projects that I think senior care has done a better job at trying to gain an appreciation for the part that another department plays,” she says. She recommends that when department heads have come together and worked on an initiative, it’s resulted in better collaboration and even a shared language across staff. McNee has found that working together on initiatives can help to reduce the silo effect. Strategies for Combatting the Silo Effect The result can be complicated systems, and when staff are already stressed from the pandemic and being short-staffed, the silo effect only creates more work. Though those systems are implemented in hopes of improving elements like communication, working conditions, and workflow, staff then have to learn to use systems that operate separately. Myers explains that siloed systems create an extra burden on staff. “It’s the residents and their families who really lose out when we function as silos instead of the big-picture,” says McNee. McNee notes that breaking down silos opens up opportunities to improve care. Whether a facility’s staff and/or systems become siloed, problems can result. “Instead, senior care facilities are flooded with various siloed systems that don’t work together, require separate training, and only solve a portion of the problem.” “The silo effect occurs because senior care facilities are approached by companies that promise a quick fix to a specific problem, but often these systems fail to address or contribute to improving the overall operation of the facility,” says Myers. “I think our processes keep people focused on their function,” she says.ĭanielle Myers, general manager at Status Solutions, offers insight into how the silo effect can occur when it comes to the tools and systems senior care settings use. While nurses might meet briefly with other department heads, that exposure is limited. When senior care operations hire nurses, their orientation and mentor program is all departmental, says McNee. Nursing is its own discipline, so we come out with those blinders on,” she explains. We don’t get a lot of exposure from therapy or other disciplines. “As new nurses in school, the focus is so much on that nursing space that there isn’t a whole lot of focus on collaboration and care teams. She attributes the silo effect partially to the education that nurses receive. Bette McNee, RN, senior clinical risk management consultant at Graham Company, is also a former nurse and has seen the silo effect in action. The silo effect occurs in senior care settings almost by design. Why the Silo Effect Occurs in Senior Care The silo mentality can take effect rather easily in senior care settings, which means taking an active stance to prevent and fight it is even more important. ![]() It can erode performance and cause employees to feel like they’re operating only within their own teams, rather than together with staff from across the organization. The silo effect – the process by which businesses’ employees and even systems become separated and divided – makes this cohesive, unified approach a challenge. Senior care facilities need to be able to work cohesively to achieve common goals, but often, that is more difficult than it would appear. Danielle Myers, general manager, Status Solutions
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |