Lead Job Coaches: An Asset for New Misericordia Staff 
by Barb Quaintance
It’s not easy to start a new job. Even with good orientation and training, it’s very different once you are in the job. There’s a need to become competent in the necessary skills. There’s learning the culture of an organization. There’s understanding what to do when things don’t go according to plan. That’s where the Misericordia Lead Job Coaches (LJC) come in: they partner with new staff in their residential area to support them throughout their first year on the job.
Who are the Lead Job Coaches—and how do you become an LJC? A Direct Support Professional (DSP) who is recognized by their supervisor for their excellence and confidence in their job is referred to Human Resources. The DSP then applies when the LJC position is posted in their area. The area ultimately decides if they will be selected for their new role. When a DSP is chosen, they attend a two-day HR training session where they learn to use their leadership skills to support new hires. They also work with HR throughout the year to hone their skills. Typically, a new hire will shadow an LJC for two weeks, observing how they perform specific tasks and interact with residents. The LJC is available to the new staff for their entire first year at Misericordia.
Sandra Young, a LJC at McGowan, brings joy to McGowan every day. She loves being a Lead Job Coach. Sandra says that, as an LJC, she assists new staff members with skills such as transferring a resident, positioning them in a stander or bike, and feeding them. But perhaps even more importantly, Sandra helps them get to know each resident. She says, “Nothing is more important to me than my residents!” Most residents at McGowan are nonverbal, so Sandra shares her wisdom with new staff about how each resident communicates their needs, what their favorite and least favorite things are, and how to comfort them when they are upset. Sandra says there’s no one right way to do a particular task; her priority is for the new staff to feel confident they understand the residents' needs.
There are approximately twenty-five Lead Job Coaches at Misericordia, and new LJCs continue to be trained. Human Resources firmly believes that the LJCs are a huge help to new staff and contribute to increased staff retention. Saul Hernandez of Staff Development, who works on the Lead Job Coach program, benefited from a LJC himself. “I appreciated the support from my LJC when I started at the Village. I was glad they were supportive of my learning at my own pace. I know that is the reason I am still here five years later—with many years to come!” What a great testimonial for the Lead Job Coach program!
* Photo - New Lead Job Coaches at McGowan - Pictured left to right - Alama M and Sandra Y
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