Ensuring staff are trained and competent to perform their duties is critical for safe patient care and regulatory compliance. You may have implemented comprehensive competencies for your staff, but are you sure they reflect the actual work being performed? Have procedures, equipment, processes, and risks changed since the last competency review that are not reflected in the current competency process? Our consultant teams have made multiple observations where the competencies completed by staff are not aligned with practice or fail to address critical safety issues. For example, we have noted that Radiology staff have not updated their competencies that align with the recently released AAMI TIR99 – Guidance on Ultrasound Probe Processing. More prevalent are organizations that purchase new equipment without updating their staff competencies for use and maintenance.
We recommend that organizations review their method of maintaining and updating competencies with changes in equipment, processes, and procedures. Do your competencies reflect the last date of review and update? How are changes in job duties and responsibilities addressed through competency updates if they are required for a staff member? Include your staff educators in conversations regarding changes and upgrades with equipment and procedures so they may recommend and support through competency updates.
Please contact us for questions or more information at 704-573-4535 or info@courtemanche-assocs.com.
Courtemanche & Associates specializes in Healthcare Accreditation and Regulatory Compliance Consulting Services. With over 30 years of being in business and 100+ years of healthcare experience amongst our consulting team, we are ready to assist with your accreditation and regulatory compliance needs.
