Certainly we all "change" in some way when the surveyors come.
I think that the attitude of the survey team, like our own, comes from a response to others. In my experience, some facility staff become adversarial themselves the minute the survey team walks through the door. Others become meek and submissive. Still others feel the need to "befriend" the surveyors. I see highly educated, mega year experienced, ultra confident professionals lose that confidence at the sight of the survey team.
I also think that these changes in staff are colored by how they perceive the administrative staff receives the survey team as well as how they know, from past experience, how the administration will react to whatever the survey team may "find" that needs fixing. Or, in the case of new administration, *not* knowing how administration will react. Apprehension that you or your department may get a tag has got to be projected to other staff members and color their attitude and behavior. Apprehension that *if* you or your department *does* get a tag will bring down the hammers of hell from administration only makes it worse.
I think a lot of times the survey team is looked at as "the enemy" and they pick up on that and it colors the survey teams attitude. Whether this happens to facility staff or the survey team consciously or unconsciously, who knows? But, that it happens, sets the tone.
I've seen the same thing happen when a facility gets a new Administrator, DON, ADON, MDS coordinator or other administrative staff. Staff somehow gets the notion that the new person is going to come in, criticize everything they've been doing and change their world *before* the new person has ever opened their mouth. Fear ofthe unknown?
We could probably have an endless discussion on the psych of facility staff and survey team members, and why it actually happens. Sometimes I think it's our inborn response to "authority" and a belief that "authority" wants us to be in trouble so they can exercise their "authority".
How difficult it must be for surveyors to walk into each facility and meet with a gamut of personalities, more than likely all of whom are not the personalities they would be if they were not "under the gun" of the survey team.
But, I don't really believe the survey team wants any facility to be in "in trouble" For the most part, I believe the survey team, just like staff, really want only what's best for the people residing within the facility. Staff has a job to do to see that this happens and so does the survey team.
We're all human, with different personalities and different response mechanisms to different situations. We all, staff and surveyors, have different levels of experience, education and expertise. None of us, staff and surveyors, know everything about everything.
I try to look at each survey as a learning experience. I try to look at the survey team as a fresh set of eyes that may not only see what we've missed because we're too on top of it every day to notice, but also see the all the things we do on a daily basis to go the extra mile to provide the best for our residents.
If I run into a surveyor, or anyone for that matter, with what I perceive as an attitude, I don't take ownership of their attitude and try really hard not to let it affect mine.
And that is my 6AM un coherent ramble for the day.
YMMV,
Dorothy
Dorothy Wolfe, RN, BS MDS Coordinator The Virginia Home 1101 Hampton St. Richmond, VA 23220 Phone: 804-359-4093 X227 Fax: 804-358-4075 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
The sender of this electronic message intends that this e-mail be used exclusively by the individual or entity to which it is intended to be addressed. This message may contain information that is privileged and confidential and thereby exempt and protected from unauthorized disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication, or the use of its contents, is not authorized and is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error and are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and permanently delete the original message from your e-mail system.
Animal testing is a terrible idea. They get all nervous and give the wrong answers.
-- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 7.0.230 / Virus Database: 262.9.7 - Release Date: 4/26/2004
/---------------------------------------------------------- The Case Mix Discussion Group is a free service of the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators "Committed to the Assessment Professional" Be sure to visit the AANAC website. Accurate answers to your questions posted to NAC News and FAQs. For more info visit us at http://www.aanac.org -----------------------------------------------------------/
