Setting Clear Expectations for DSPs

One of the most critical skills any manager must have is the ability to clearly communicate expectations. Too often we give and receive vague directives to get things done, to make something happen, to support, to facilitate, to empower…the big idea is usually communicated well. What is often missing are the details of what is expected- the nuts and bolts of a project or major task.

Managers set staff up for failure when these communication mistakes are made:

  • ASKING vs. INSTRUCTING-Failing to recognize when instruction is required prior to the individual completing the task.
  • Asking in a vague manner.
  • Asking multiple people to complete the same task.
  • Failing to recognize that staff, especially DSPs may have conflicting priorities and deadlines.
  • Failing to offer thanks and positive feedback for a job well done.

As well, many times we give orders. Orders are generally very clear.  They are for those situations where a real safety threat is present, not for the day to day communications program managers are expected to provide.

Instructions provide a much clearer view of what you are expecting your staff to do.

Managers should aim to get the main idea across, with clear, distinct points, and provide a timeline.

Clear communication includes:

  • Telling people exactly what you want them to do- provide the main idea

Examples would be ensuring MARS are updated; planning for trips for the following weekend; meal planning; implementing new ISP goals

  • Spell out exact tasks to be performed, completed- provide the detail

Too often we assume our staff understand what we want. We assume they know to pay attention to all the same details we would give attention. We should always assume our staff are not on the same plane as we are. We should provide detailed list of what needs to happen- until we are sure the staff fully understands the task at hand.

  • Provide time frames- so people know WHEN you want things done

It sounds silly- when we ask for something to get done by the weekend. But trust me. Our staff might consider Sunday night the weekend. By providing time frames, with actual dates if needed and times of day, we leave little room for failure here.

  • Summarize information and repeat back-to be sure you’re both on same page

 

Example:

Instead of saying– “I’d like you to review the MARS for accuracy before putting them the book”, be more precise.

Say This: “Please review the MARS and compare them to med scripts and bottle directions. By Monday morning, I expect that all three will match up.”

You can add in check points to the set of expectations: “At our meeting on Friday May 1, I want you to have medication information accurately reflected in the MARS. I want you to tell me where we had mistakes and summarize last months errors.”

Let’s look at some different ways communication scenarios. 

While sipping your morning coffee Wednesday morning, you notice an article about a local flower show on the weekend.  Later that afternoon you tell Sallie the Lead staff to “Lets send our clients to this– Plan it and let the weekend folks know about it”.

It all sounds pretty black and white, right? How can someone mess this up? Sallie is a great staff, who can multi task many things. You have faith she can set this trip up. Sallie does what she thinks you want her to do.  She prints directions to the exhibit location and on Friday she gets the van gassed up, prepares lunches to bring a long, packs up meds and informs weekend staff. Everyone is excited.

Come Saturday, the staff and clients get to the exhibit hall only to find out they needed tickets. At the gate, staff ask about tickets- and are told they sold out two weeks prior.

What happened here?

How did Sallie mess this up?

Question should be: HOW DID I MESS THIS UP??

You did not provide clear communication that would have provided Sallie with your expectations.

When you ask Sallie later on, what she views as normal trip organizing tasks. She walks you thru the tasks she would complete. Sallie assumed that your mentioning and asking for this trip that it was open still and had tickets been needed- you would have mentioned that. You and Sallie were not on the same page for sure.

Some people would say this is a cop out and Sallie should have known better. But let’s face it-  clear communication would have prevented this. Better planning would have as well.

Clear communication entails telling someone exactly what you want them to do. Your idea of planning for a trip, and Sallie’s idea of planning for a trip, are two very different thought processes. You see certain steps and detail as being obvious; Sallie ( and most staff) would not necessarily think of the various details and actions needed to ensure a successful outing. Think of task analysis.

Managers should provide clear expectations and direction- and not leave much open to interpretation. Of course, once a staff has successfully completed planning tasks such as MARs Management or Trip Planning a few times, managers can delegate these tasks with confidence that things will get done right.

Managers can write tools and job aides for staff to use when working on just about any tasks. A Trip Planning Check List for instance, authored by you, would have made this process much more effective for everyone.

A good idea many experienced managers maintain a Program Operations Manual in which an entire section of job aids is kept.

Organizing Program Books

Program Management Book

This should be your Go-To Book! Get a large 3” binder and label it “Program Management Book”; divide into sections: Budget, Staffing, Supplies, Food/Meals, and Inspections/Maintenance, whatever else you want. Print out monthly budget reports, staff reports, meal count forms and whatever other agency budget related documents and file in your book. Make it point, and schedule time, to review your program’s monthly expenses at least once a month if not more often. Staying on tops of costs is the best way to avoid budget shortfalls. Keep grocery receipts in a top loading sheet protector. Keep a running list of all staff working in the programs, and have their phone numbers listed as well. Always have a list of guardian names and numbers.

Client Meeting Book

A larger binder with dividers for each client in your program. In each section, keep copies of relevant docs you might need to reference at meetings (Service Agreements, Protocols, MARS, etc.). Add in sheets of lined paper for note keeping. This book should be with you at all times so you have access to it for unplanned meetings that get scheduled on a moments’ notice.

Client Books

Residential programs must have client training binders. The purpose of these books is to give staff the info they need to work with their assigned clients. Client books should contain all pertinent information on the client:

  • Demographics- name, age (DOB), guardian info and contact
  • Diagnoses
  • Medications
  • History/Most Recent physical
  • Health care proxy/DNR if applicable
  • Copies of all programs, protocols and services staff are expected to deliver

Managers can set this system up in two ways:

  •        Have one big binder, with a section for EACH client. This method saves shelf space and manager      time with book management, however it might limit staff ability to review info on clients.
  • Individual binders for each client:

Set them all up the same! Makes audits easier. Assign staff to maintain books- to do monthly paperwork turnover and keep copies in the book.

At the end of each month, paperwork is removed from binders, reviewed, progress notes written, MARS and QA reports completed and the documents filed away by the 5th of the next month.

Purchase expandable files to hold previous month paperwork- one for each client. A 5” file will hold a years’ worth of documents. Purchase cardboard document/file boxes to store all the old paperwork- an average file box with hold 2-3 years’ worth of paperwork.

Color Coding Books

In many group homes I have managed, client books are COLOR CODED. Client A will have all blue books. Client B would have all Green Books. And so on. In many homes, each client has a MEDICAL INFO book, a CLIENT INFO book and a MAR. Color coding the books to a client helps staff find information quickly. Remember, we’re not managing books for ourselves. We are providing staff with tools to do their job effectively. We are not doing this to make our jobs easier. However, if we can combine both goals to a workable and efficient system, all the better for everyone!

NEVER KEEP MARS in Client Books. MARS SHOULD BE KEPT IN A SEPARATE BOOKS.