MHA FPX 5042 Assessment 4 Team Development Analysis

Student Name

Capella University

MHA-FPX 5042 Team Development and Personal Leadership in Health Care Settings

Prof. Name:

Date

Team Development Analysis

Introduction

Teamwork is crucial for a successful organization, especially in health care. Teamwork means more efficient and productive workforces, utilizing everyone’s skills, ideas, and experiences to achieve the goal (Wooll, 2021). At my current employer, BPL Plasma, we collect source plasma for manufacturing life-saving therapeutic medications. Teamwork is essential for our line of work as it makes the process more efficient and boosts production. At the beginning of 2022, we converted to a brand new plasmapheresis machine. The Nexsys Persona PCS Plasmapheresis system is designed to improve productivity, quality, compliance, yield, and donor satisfaction (Haemonetics, n.d.). The biggest change involved training the donor floor staff on how to operate the new machine. There were minor changes in reception to capture the donor’s height during their health screening. During this conversion, I was responsible for facilitating all the hands-on training and ensuring the rollout day went smoothly.

Team Setting, Project, and Roles

There were significant changes that would affect all staff with the conversion of the new machines. The project was to train all staff functionally and have a successful rollout. The team setting was throughout the center. The Medical Reception Technicians and the Medical Supervisors were responsible for measuring all the donors’ heights. The reason for this change was due to the new collection volumes on the machines. Before the conversion, the old PCS2 machines had three preset volumes based on the donor’s weight. The new Nexsys Persona PCS machine customizes the collection volume based on hematocrit, weight, and height. Stadiometers were installed in all the medical offices and new donor intake booths to capture donors’ height in inches.

On the donor floor, I began their training by having them read and watch training videos before the rollout. We were sent one machine to practice on before our rollout, so I would bring in groups of three to demonstrate mock scenarios on the new machine. The donor floor staff had to relearn everything. All procedures and documentation had to be converted to the new machines. Five different roles were introduced to the donor floor: Donor Floor Technicians, Phlebotomists, Machine Repair Technician, Host, and Verifier. Donor Floor Technicians handled the setup of the equipment on the machines, donor disconnects, and all donation-related events documentation. Phlebotomists handled the venipunctures, hooked donors up to the machines, troubleshot flow errors, and collected blood samples.

MHA FPX 5042 Assessment 4 Team Development Analysis

The Machine Repair Technician handled the repair and maintenance of the new machines, helping validate and calibrate them for compliance. The Host collected the Barcode Label Sheet with the donor’s information and escorted them to an available bed. The Verifier checked all parameters on the machine to ensure they matched the Barcode Label Sheet, ensuring donor safety.

The team’s mission was to improve the donation process and increase the yield. The new machines were designed to streamline the collection process and speed up donor throughput times. However, there was some conflict with the new machines. All the new steps actually slowed down our process. With the addition of the two new roles and all the new checks and procedures, our employees were more occupied with tasks rather than tending to donors. It took some time to find the bottleneck, but it was determined that the flow would be better if someone from the management team took on the roles of Host and Verifier so that the donor floor staff could focus on their donors. Managers and center supervisors rotated, taking turns to host and verify.

Professionalism

Being professional can ensure a positive experience within your organization. It represents how you conduct yourself at work to represent yourself and your company positively. Professionalism is important as it can help you get the job you are interviewing for, helps you get recognized, and makes you approachable (Indeed, 2021).

Professionalism was crucial during the rollout of the new machines. We were transparent and communicated all the changes to our donors. During the first week of rollout, our staff members promptly communicated with donors so they could better understand the new system. For example, donors were confused about why they had to wait in line while there were empty beds. The Host greeted every donor that approached the donor floor area and explained the reason for the wait time. This helped minimize complaints due to waiting time. Another way professionalism came into play was with conflict resolution. There were still some kinks in the new screening process that caused our system to glitch. If donors didn’t have their height taken, their visit would be automatically canceled or sometimes they would go through the screening process and make it to the donor floor, but their donor identification was not verified. The management team always communicated to the donor what was going on and tried to resolve the issue as soon as possible. In cases that could not be resolved, the donor was given an inconvenience fee. We always put the donor’s needs first to keep them happy and returning.

Development of Professional Values

Developing professional growth shows your team you care about their progress and inspires loyalty. Leaders have strategies to develop professional values within their team. The most important strategy is to support and model professional behavior. The management team serves as role models to the employees in a workplace. It is important to model expected behaviors and show interest in employees’ progress. Taking initiative can also improve your professional life. Coaching sessions are another way to support development. Creating customized development plans with each employee can support their growth. At this time, you can identify their goals and create a plan of action for completion. Providing feedback and addressing learning opportunities in real time helps employees develop in their areas (Choi, 2021). Communication is another strategy to develop professional values. Being able to communicate with other employees and donors is key. It develops professional relationships and ensures the exchange of information. Our center manager, Dora, specifically addressed professional values. We believe in quality first, being people-focused, working with integrity, having tenacity, being transparent, and teamwork.

Team Alignment

BPL Plasma has been a leader in the plasma collection industry for more than 25 years. Their mission is to support the creation and manufacturing of lifesaving drug therapies. Their vision is to enhance the lives of patients every day and support healthcare professionals by providing high-quality plasma. They follow values that are integral to their operation: people-focused, integrity, success, teamwork, and dignity. BPL Plasma demonstrates a commitment to its donors and patients, striving for quality products and being innovative to meet the needs of patients. BPL Plasma always acts with integrity, doing the right thing for the organization, donors, and patients. Every day, we strive for success by empowering each other to achieve. We set goals and take action to meet those. At BPL Plasma, we believe we are stronger as a unit. We ensure everyone has the resources needed to contribute to our success. We embrace all differences, striving to have a welcoming environment by treating everyone with dignity and respect.

A key to ensuring team alignment with the mission, vision, and values is by creating an environment that shapes the culture consistently and is at the center of all interactions (Johnson & Beckler, 2021). The first step in establishing alignment of mission, vision, and values is to determine the “why.” Organizations often spend time explaining what they do and how they do it but not why they do it. Without understanding the “why,” it can be hard for employees to align with the company culture. Once the “why” is defined, it is crucial for the management team to set a foundation that enforces the company’s culture. The best way to communicate the mission, vision, and values is through center-wide communication. These will be posted in high-traffic areas as a daily reminder and in the weekly newsletter. Regular check-ins will ensure that the staff stays aligned.

MHA FPX 5042 Assessment 4 Team Development Analysis

During the rollout of the new machines, there was pushback from the staff. They were not seeing the benefits of re-learning everything and changing their processes. Our Center Manager, Dora, did an excellent job addressing the mission, vision, and values to connect them to our project goals. She reminded the staff of their “why.” She explained that these new machines would be safer for the donors since they tailor each plasma collection to the individual’s characteristics based on hematocrit, height, and weight. This results in a more personalized experience for the donors while increasing the yield up to 12%.

She also stressed the importance of collecting plasma. The donations we receive make it possible for many people to live their lives. She gave the example of an expectant mother being able to safely carry her child to term, a little boy diagnosed with hemophilia now having the chance to experience a healthy, happy childhood, and a wounded firefighter beginning their healing process. This added a personal touch and made their work meaningful. By addressing the staff on their “why,” Dora was able to motivate them to work together as a team and successfully convert to the Nexsys Persona PCS.

Coaching Strategies

When employees have strong leadership and teamwork, they are more successful in achieving team objectives. When a leader helps employees understand what is expected of them, the goals, and how they contribute to the team’s success, they are more likely to outperform the competition and boost production (Center for Management & Organization Effectiveness, n.d.).

Dora is a strong leader who listens, values, and motivates her staff. This increases employee productivity and creates a culture of high performance. She used strategies to coach the team throughout the conversion. The first one is to know your team on a deep level. She knows all individuals’ strengths and weaknesses, where they excel, and what challenges them. Dora is also a great communicator, encouraging transparency and ensuring everyone is on the same page. This helps build trust and form relationships. This was very effective during the team meeting when she explained the benefits of the new machine and how it would benefit our company and donors. She creates clear objectives and goals. During the first few days of the rollout, she was always in the area sharing constructive feedback. The most critical aspect of coaching is the feedback that employees receive, as it has the power to make or break success.

MHA FPX 5042 Assessment 4 Team Development Analysis

Dora was very successful in coaching her team. However, there are a few things I would have done differently. I would have liked to gather the team for a meeting about how we can improve together. I would also like to hold one-on-one sessions with each individual and ask for feedback. I want to know what they are feeling towards the new change, if there are any resources they think will improve their work, and if there is anything hindering their success. Another strategy I would have used is to celebrate success. Celebrating milestones is one of the best ways to keep your team on track, motivated, and inspired (Center for Management & Organization Effectiveness, n.d.). I would have acknowledged all their efforts and praised them for doing a good job with the new machines. This would boost employee morale and productivity.

Conclusion

BPL Plasma underwent many changes during the conversion to the new Nexsys Persona PCS machines. The biggest challenge was training the Donor Floor staff on the new operations. New roles were introduced, and all procedures were modified. The management team used strategies to promote the development of professional values within the team. Dora, the center manager, ensured team alignment with BPL’s mission, vision, and values. She effectively coached them throughout the entire project successfully.

References

Center for Management & Organization Effectiveness. (n.d.). 10 effective coaching strategies to drive team success. https://cmoe.com/blog/10-effective-coaching-strategies-help-driveteam-success/

Choi, C. S. (2021, June 1). 7 ways to support employee growth and development. Glassdoor. https://www.glassdoor.com/employers/blog/support-professional-development/

Haemonetics. (n.d.). Plasma Collection. https://nexsyspcs.haemonetics.com/en

Indeed. (2021, February 22). Why professionalism is important in every aspect of work. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/why-is-professionalismimportant