6 Policies and Policy Making - Management Skills for the New Health Care Supervisor

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts, definitions, and policy-making principles from Chapter 6 of Management Skills for the New Health Care Supervisor.

Policy

A guideline established for pursuing goals and shaping behavior that reflects the mission and values of an organization.

Procedure

A specific instruction that puts a policy into practice, along with rules and regulations.

Management by Crisis

An operational state caused by the absence of policies, leading to inconsistency as the same issues are handled differently over time.

Policy Documentation Risk Balance

The principle that while documenting policies carries legal risks, operating without an employee handbook or policy manual is more hazardous.

Self-Policing

The process by which employees regulate their own behavior by following established policy.

Time-Saving Benefit of Policies

The elimination of repetitive decision-making and standardization of responses when addressing recurring workplace issues.

Documented Controls

Written policies and protocols required by licensing and accrediting agencies to demonstrate compliance and oversight.

Effective Policy Criteria

The requirements that policies must be explicit, publicized as well as published, and enforced without favoritism.

Supervisory Policy Triggers

Workplace situations—such as a new service, frequent rule violations, productivity problems, frequent complaints, or repetitive questions—that signal a need for a new or modified departmental policy.

Policy Harmonization

The requirement that departmental policies must align and agree with those in place for the overall organization.

Candidate Selection Hazards

Risks faced by inexperienced interviewers due to policy gaps, including asking legally prohibited questions or lacking a legitimate basis for excluding candidates.

Orientation Hazards

Problems arising from faulty orientation or negligent guideline implementation, resulting in poor work performance and the overrating of poor performers at the end of probation.

Scheduling Hazards

Risks in supervisory management regarding potential discrimination when assigning work, vacation, overtime, or call-back schedules.

Safety and Health Policy Hazards

Organizational costs and career damage caused by failing to follow established safety policies, document incidents carefully, or handle injuries promptly.