As a ward manager in a healthcare setting, you will be involved in the recruitment, monitoring and supporting of a range of staff.

Assessment Brief and Submission Guidance

The evidence for this unit will be submitted in a report format with examples provided in an appendix. The report should be submitted as a word-processed document following accepted report format, including the use of headings, images, charts and diagrams (all fully referenced) where appropriate. This allows you to demonstrate an understanding of the process of recruiting, supporting and monitoring staff. It will also provide you with an opportunity to use your knowledge to produce an individual reflective Continuing Professional Development plan which identifies the training you require towards effectively leading and managing staff in a healthcare setting.

The recommended word length is 4000 to 5000 words, though, word count will not influence the grading decision e.g. exceeding the recommended word count limit will not be penalised.

Unit Learning Outcomes

LO1 Discuss the processes involved in the recruitment of staff relevant to own setting

LO2 Review how staff are monitored and supported on a regular basis

LO3 Recognise the legal and ethical responsibilities of human resource management

LO4 Plan for own learning requirements relevant to managing staff

Assignment Brief and Guidance

Case Scenario:

As a ward manager in a healthcare setting, you will be involved in the recruitment, monitoring and supporting of a range of staff. Whilst you may have a separate human resources department, it will be essential that you understand the processes and practices of employing, managing and training staff. You have been asked by your senior manager to produce a report which will be shared with other staff in training sessions.

Activity:

In the first section of your report you must discuss the proceses involved in the recruitment of staff relevant to own setting (healthcare setting as described in the case scenario above). You will need to discuss the factors to be considered when planning and undertaking the recruitment of staff in own healthcare setting. Once you have recruited staff, analyse how HR management teams could ensure staff are retained in own healthcare setting. You may also wish to evaluate the impact on healthcare settings of poor management of recruitment processes and critically reflect on the recruitment and staff retention processes in own setting and identify potential improvements.

In the second section you need to review how staff are monitored and supported on a regular basis. You are required to analyse the performance monitoring systems available to management and discuss how the HR department supports staff through complex or difficult processes. You may also wish to critically assess the challenges faced in implementing systems of support and monitoring of staff in addition to evaluating the potential impact on a healthcare setting of a lack of HR monitoring and support.

The third section of your report asks you to recognise the legal and ethical responsibilities of human resource management. Therefore, you are required to compare different legal responsibilities of the HR department when recruiting or retaining staff. Also, discuss ethical resposnibilities that HR departments have with regard to their staff. To enhance the quality of analysis in this section, you may critically analyse the relationship between legal and ethical responsibilities of human resources departments and the impact on staff being managed. You may also wish to justify the need for healthcare organisations to comply with current HR guidance and legislation using current examples of breaches in employment law.

In the final section of your report you will plan for own learning requirements relevant to managing staff. To attain this learning you will illustrate in detail the current mandatory training requirements of own setting for workers in different roles. Moreover, discuss the benefits of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) planning to individuals, teams and settings. In order to expand your analysis, you may choose to evaluate own role in the training of staff in own setting. To enhance the quality of analysis in this section, you may complete a critically reflective CPD plan to improve own and staff training and development.