If there’s one thing Covid-19 has taught us is that no industry is safe from the virus and that the virus itself does not discriminate from whom it infects. Many industries have been forced to rethink their business models and also the ways that they manage their staff with some businesses allowing their staff to work from home for the foreseeable future.
Unfortunately, for frontline staff this is not an option and therefore they must continue their normal work despite the on-going risk of Covid-19. Frontline staff are the unsung heroes of this battle. They are the ones who are risking their lives in order to help fight this virus and save people who have contracted it. In order for them to carry out their jobs as effectively and safely as possible it’s important to have the correct systems in place in order to do so.
A Digital Solution
The situation of Covid-19 is changing rapidly which is having effects on the workplace. Nursing homes house our most vulnerable members of our society and it is imperative that we do all we can to protect them from COVID-19 as we’ve already seen how devastating the virus can be once it enters a nursing home environment.
There is already a shortage of nursing and healthcare staff which is why it is fundamental to manage what resources nursing homes have now as efficiently and safely as possible.
Keeping Staff in the Loop
Communication is vital in the busy nursing home environment. With the use of a digital shift management system administration staff can communicate effectively with staff informing them of new shifts that become available and updates to rosters. Broadcasting features can be implemented into a shift management system which can notify staff about updates in the nursing home. These updates could be about potential outbreaks of Covid-19 or new safety procedures that have been implemented. All of these features not only protect nursing home staff but also reduce the risk of Covid-19 spreading to other areas of a nursing home and infecting more residents or staff.
A digital shift management system can also be used to inform all members of staff of any updated procedures and practices that are being implemented into the nursing home setting so they know exactly what to expect when they arrive in for work.
Staff can receive these alerts straight to their smartphone and eliminate the need for long drawn out Whatsapp groups where information can often be buried and missed.
Speed is Key
Government guidelines and the WHO have recommended that any member of staff showing signs or symptoms of Covid-19 should not attend work and to self isolate until testing can be arranged. With these new guidelines in place it means that more staff will be forced to call in sick or be sent home at very short notice which can therefore leave gaps in the workforce.
With a digital shift management system implemented, administration teams and managers can quickly send out an alert to all potentially available employees asking if they would like to cover a absent staff member’s shift. This creates a much smoother and quicker solution to a problem which could take hours to solve. There’s no need to look through rosters and see who’s available and who’s not or spend hours on the phone trying to find a replacement. It also reduces the need for agency staff who are not always as experienced in that department setting and will cost a nursing home extra money too.
Track and Trace
Being able to track and trace Covid-19 is the first step to combating the virus and stopping it from spreading to other members of staff. A digital shift management system will allow administrators and management to flag what members have Covid-19 or have been in close contact with people who have it so they can effectively trace back all movement and notify anyone who could potentially have contracted it from another member of staff.
About CliniShift
CliniShift is an e-resourcing software suite providing an information, communication platform which enables healthcare managers to reach out to their own internal staff to ensure non-scheduled shifts are filled at short notice.
This enables hospitals and healthcare facilities to reduce the reliance on agency staff who often are not as experienced as internal staff and are also more expensive too. Clinishift solves for a constant struggle in a working environment where shift management can often be very time consuming and not carried out efficiently.
If you’re interested in how CliniShift can help your organisation thrive, then get in touch and book a demo.
