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45
The Private Practice
Spring 2013
employee understands why each
part is important.
2. Role play with the employee. Always
give the employee an opportunity to
practice with you first. Don't force
your staff to experiment a new skill
on a patient.
3. Give the employee feedback on
what was done correctly. Too often
managers only correct mistakes.
Positive feedback is much more
important in training new skills.
Once you have explained what was
done appropriately, give feedback
on what needs to be improved.
4. Supervise the skill in a real-life
setting. This last step gives the
employee an opportunity to ask
questions if necessary. After you
watch the skill, give feedback.
Be sure to point out the strengths
before you point out areas that
need improvement.
SETTING STANDARDS
A procedure manual is a useful tool for
training. It simply sets the standards
the entire clinic lives by in writing. Since
procedures are formalised, they guide
the performance of everyone in the
clinic and help to keep things uniform
and consistent. Every clinic should have
a procedure manual, but sitting down
to write the manual can be dull, dry
work, so ask your staff to pitch in. Each
staff member can write down how they
perform their own duties, and you can
then correct this.
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