Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

¶ … Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) standards impact how you develop job descriptions. Provide specific examples to support your response.

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has an influence on the development of job descriptions. Customers increasingly look to JCAHO for information regarding accredited health care facilities. Therefore, compliance with JCAHO guidelines is important in accreditation. The guide lines ensure the establishment of competency in all areas of offered services. Creating a competency-Based Job Description is a prerequisite in competency validation. It is important to adapt a competency-Based Job Description since it sets the foundation and is the starting point in the validation process. Validation ensures each worker possesses the skills listed or shown in the job description and satisfactorily performs the essential duties. Unlike the traditional job description, competency-based description, involves a well researched and a properly written description that lays the foundation for control in the hiring and performance evaluation process as well as a guide to the orientation process. According to the JCAHO requirements, health care facilities must adapt a process that ensures that one's qualifications are consistent with their responsibility (Joint Commission Resources, 2011).

Developing of this description include primary responsibility of the position, qualifications, and basic source verification. In addition, the populations of patients that are the target of service delivery need to be well defined as well as the related work environment, physical demands and assigned duties. Competency is the proven ability to do basic job responsibilities (Joint Commission Resources, 2011). This need to be clearly shown in the essential duties and responsibility section of the description.

The description has nine sections. The first section contains job title, department, the health facility, the title that the position reports to, the approving authority and date of approval. In the second section, outlines the health facility's mission statement. The third contains a brief summary of the overall job responsibilities in fifty words or less. The fourth section identifies the population and ages served. It gives an opportunity to the new employees to examine their skills and desire to work with the age and population defined. The fifth is a list of duties and responsibilities. The sixth is a list of other assigned duties, the seventh outlines compliance with the American Disability Act, the seventh highlights corporate compliance responsibilities. The eighth section indicates the Minimum Requirements to Perform the Essential Duties of the Position and the ninth section includes the employee acknowledgement.

2. Create a selection process for your specific health care organization that adheres to all legal requirements.

Initial Screening Interview

This activity is necessary when several qualified candidates have been shortlisted. It involves a brief inter-view done by the human resources department and offers a quick examination of the suitability of the applicant for the specified position. This interview can be done by telephone, especially if the applicant resides far away.

The Interview Process

This process intends to matches the best available applicant with the specific position.

1. Participants review pre-interview submitted by the applicant

2. Development of carefully planned, open-ended questions advisable by law

3. A tour of the health facility

4. During the interview, the questions focus on the past performance with the aim of matching the best applicant with the position. The questions also investigate if the applicant's attitudes and behaviors will be suitable for the job

5. During the interview, the applicant is given a realistic view of the position

6. The interview will present opportunity for professional growth as well as performance standards used in evaluation.

7. Description of employee benefits is also provided at the point of interview

8. The initial salary and salary range for the position is discussed with the applicant as well as a review of the employee work schedule

9. After the interview, a follow-up letter is sent to the applicant as an expression of gratitude for interest in the position and advice on the next steps.

Background Verification

The human resource department verifies the accuracy of information issued by the applicant.

This includes information from;

Background check

Academic records

Reference letters

Past employment records

Job Offer

The job offer is made as soon as the interview process is finished. The offer is made to qualified applicant who show enthusiasm and include a deadline for response. The applicant's information is confidentially kept until they accept the offer (Nimmo, 1991).

3. Outline a plan to maximize employee retention specific to your organization.

Training

The organization devotes enough time and attention to training. The human resource department organizes training schedule and provides important materials in advance to new employees.

New employees are introduced to key people on the first day and during the orientation time; everyone in the department introduces themselves. During this time up to three months, regular communication is maintained with new employees (Branham, 2001.). New employees are paired with senior employees within the training period as part of the mentoring program.

Promotion opportunities

The organization provides opportunities for formal promotions and career advancement. It also avails in-job training programs and committee appointments. In addition, the organization provides the employees with opportunity for personal investments through expanded responsibilities.

Job design

There is autonomy incorporated in the job design as well support to ease the complexities of tasks by providing necessary tools (Cavanagh, 1990). This is aimed at increasing employee satisfaction.

Kinship responsibilities

The organization makes provisions for family considerations, such as childcare, spouse-employment relocations and care for elderly parents. The organization is aware of the importance of child and elder care for working parents