New Staff Orientation: Welcome to Misericordia 
by Barb Quaintance
Misericordia needs many new staff to not only fill vacancies, but to staff the new residences at Rosemary Park. Human Resources is hard at work recruiting staff and training them on their job responsibilities and the culture of Misericordia.
When DSPs and Qs are hired, they are hired for a specific residential area. Then, all direct care staff—DSPs, Qs, DT Instructors—go through a four-week new staff orientation, conducted by Misericordia’s Staff Development team. The most recent classes had 55 participants. Here’s what’s covered in the orientation:
- Week One: The first week is in-classroom sessions with subject-matter experts, teaching mandated topics such as abuse/neglect, sexual harassment, HIPAA, driver safety, behavior support, sign language and communication, dental services, diversity and inclusion, Code of Conduct, emergency procedures, and grief and loss. Also included are conversations about the mission and values of Misericordia, plus a panel of residents and staff and parent testimonials.
- Week Two: After the first week on campus, staff work on the e-learning platform to complete state-approved DSP modules. Usually, this is done in their homes. This includes videos and quizzes that must be completed and passed to move forward with training.
- Weeks Three & Four: The class returns to campus for the rest of their training. They cover topics such as lifting/positioning/transfer/mechanical lifts and electronic health records, as well as dignity of risk. This is a term used in caregiving that means respecting a person’s right to make their own choices and take risks, even if those choices may lead to potential negative outcomes. It’s about valuing individual autonomy and self-determination. Class members then spend much of the last two weeks with their OJT trainer to complete a packet of area-specific trainings.
Surveys of the new staff indicate that some of their favorite parts of the orientation are practicing dental hygiene with the Dental Clinic hygienist, learning what a "day in the life" is like for staff and residents, and hearing from parents about the impact staff make in the residents’ lives. Perhaps the highlight of the training—not surprisingly—are the residents. Usually, two residents share their stories and answer questions about what life is like at Misericordia, and what they need and want from staff. They are often very touching and insightful conversations.
After training, the new staff go to their ‘home base’ and begin their Misericordia careers.
Thanks to Staff Development for bringing so many talented, willing-to-learn staff to Misericordia and training them so well to take care of our loved ones.
(Photo is the Staff Development Team)
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