Sourcing for medical agency services
Caroline Mboijana, Managing Director, The Leadership Team (U).
What you need to know:
- An equally important part is that you have the right person who is technically competent and has the right behaviours. In this regard, the nurse “has to fit “ within your home environment and culture.
My parent is old and ailing. As a family, we have agreed to source for home care support (medical). This market has grown in Uganda and is now a norm as parents live longer and there is a changing availability of helpers. It’s certainly not what it used to be when I was growing up. However, how do I select the best, and, more importantly, how do I know I have chosen the right one? I know this is an odd question, but in my mind, it sounds like a recruitment. Is my thinking correct? Sharon
Hello Sharon, last week we discussed how to source a nursing agency to support your ailing mother. This week, let’s examine how you may choose the proper nurse for your mother.
Recall that we have already defined what type of agency we have looked for, and I suspect that within that definition is the type of person you want to work with. At this point, in HR, we are looking at job and personal specifications. The job specifications are likely to be informed by the physician, and with their help, we have shared these with the agency.
An equally important part is that you have the right person who is technically competent and has the right behaviours. In this regard, the nurse “has to fit “ within your home environment and culture. I am unsure if this is done, but you may want to ask the agency to give you a list of names that suit and match what you are looking for. You will probably need to discuss this with your family and, once again, your mother's physician.
Their input from a technical perspective is critical, and given the sensitive nature of the question, you may want to meet the nurse and ask them some questions. This engagement allows for questioning technical competence, which is not your area of expertise. The other part is to ensure that your family also meets the nurses to get a feel for the nurse. The discussion will likely be around their family, their experience, whether they have worked with a family with a patient like your mother, where they are from, whether they have a family, etc.
Engagement is also crucial because it allows them to understand who they are. In some cases, they may be from a different religion. If so, what changes must be made to respect their beliefs and practices? Like in all recruitments, you should do a reference check and ensure you have a good person. Once they start, make sure they are “onboarded”.
Please discuss with the other helpers in the home to make sure everyone knows who does work, stress the need for team and support, make sure the nurse is in a safe environment from abuse, bullying or harassment, and ensure s/he has a bed to sleep in so they rest and discuss the issue of leave to go home etc. As you start, it's also crucial to set the guidelines for what is acceptable and what isn’t; if things are not going well, address them immediately but fairly.
