Unit Manager

Function

Nursing

Facility

Winelands

Position

Unit Manager

Introduction

A vacancy exists for a Unit Manager for Life Renal Dialysis Winelands reporting to Renal Regional Manager. The successful candidate will be responsible for establishing and maintaining an effective dialysis unit, focusing on clinical excellence, financial sustainability, staff development, and resource optimisation. This role ensures alignment with the organisation's overall objectives and reports directly to the Renal Regional Manager.

Critical Outputs

Financial and Clinical Sustainability

• Ensure the unit's financial and clinical sustainability by managing income statements and utilising a balanced scorecard for key performance tracking. Work closely with staff to align financial and clinical goals with patient care priorities.

Stock Control

• Oversee the complete stock control cycle, including ordering, usage control, conducting monthly stock takes, and managing delivery and receipt processes. Ensure stock levels are adequate to avoid delays in patient care. Implement a tracking system to monitor the expiration dates of medical supplies and reduce wastage.

Facility, Equipment, and Property Maintenance

• Ensure all facility, equipment, and property maintenance protocols are followed, with timely attention to repairs and upkeep that align with health and safety standards. Regular inspections and documented maintenance must be conducted to ensure compliance. Ensure RO is validated at all times.

Staff Management and Development

• Manage unit staff effectively through structured hiring, training, development, and career pathing programs, fostering a high-performance team culture. Provide ongoing coaching, performance management, and feedback to support staff professional growth. Identify high-potential staff for advanced training and leadership opportunities to ensure succession planning—document monthly unit meetings.

Staffing Levels Management

• Ensure a full staff complement according to the blueprint to ensure uninterrupted patient care and adherence to safety protocols. Work with the HR team to address staffing shortages and plan recruitment as needed. Develop a contingency staffing plan to address unexpected absences or increased patient volume.

Staff Scheduling

• Create and manage the monthly duty roster, ensuring appropriate staffing levels with scheduled overtime where necessary to meet patient needs. Communicate schedule changes clearly and in advance to minimise disruptions. Ensure cross-training among staff members to provide coverage during absences and ensure continuity of care.

Quality Assurance

• Ensure compliance with clinical and quality standards to achieve the best patient outcomes. Conduct basic risk assessments and comply with audits of unit compliance, patient outcomes, and safety measures. Follow up on corrective actions to ensure continuous improvement. Collaborate with the Head of Quality to ensure alignment with the overall quality strategy

Regulatory and Occupational Health and Safety Compliance

• Ensure the unit complies with monthly health and safety policies and checklists, including fire drills, infection control. Ensure the clinic is always DOH and DOL inspection-ready and compliant with environmental regulations and waste management. Review compliance data regularly and address any gaps promptly. Conduct periodic safety drills and training sessions to maintain a high level of readiness.

Patient Records Management

• Ensure all patient records are accurate, complete, and up to date in physical and electronic systems like Euclid and Tmon. Review records regularly for accuracy and train staff on proper documentation practices. Implement regular audits of patient records to ensure compliance with regulatory standards. Archive records according to policy.

Billing and Patient Authorization Management

• Ensure daily submission of billing information documentation for all patients, maintaining accuracy and compliance with financial protocols. Conduct spot checks to verify the accuracy of billing records and address discrepancies. Work with the billing team to streamline billing processes, reduce errors, and ensure all patient authorisations are obtained and maintained annually.

Unit Round and Monitoring Management

• Conduct regular unit rounds to monitor the team's performance and patient care and address any immediate issues. During rounds, engage with staff to understand their challenges and offer support. Document observations during rounds and follow up on any identified problems to ensure resolution.

Patient Outcomes Management

• Focus on delivering agreed-upon patient care outcomes by overseeing the entire clinical care process and ensuring alignment with patient care plans. Collaborate with the multidisciplinary team, including nursing staff, to review patient outcome data and implement improvements. Ensure care plans are updated and adjusted based on patient feedback and clinical data.

Patient and Family Education Oversight

• Plan and oversee patient and caregiver education. Ensure that educational materials are up-to-date and culturally appropriate. Ensure emotional support to patients and families is provided.

Incident Reporting

• Ensure all patient incidents are reported promptly, investigated, and resolved per LRC's policies and procedures. Participate in root cause analysis and corrective action planning for recurring incidents. Communicate lessons learned from incidents to all staff to prevent recurrence. Escalate unresolved issues to the Renal Regional Manager

Patience Experience management

• Responsible for patient experience and retention by reviewing and actioning all patient compliments and complaints and implementing action plans to close the gaps. Work closely with the Renal Regional Manager to identify systemic issues affecting patient satisfaction.

Daily Delegation Management

• Create a daily delegation list outlining specific roles and responsibilities for all staff members, ensuring clarity and accountability. Provide feedback on delegation challenges and successes to improve future planning. Ensure delegated tasks are matched to staff competencies to optimise efficiency and care quality.

Named Nurse Responsibilities

• Ensure that all 'Named Nurse' responsibilities are clearly defined, regularly reviewed, and executed effectively for patients. Hold regular check-ins with Named Nurses to review patient progress and address any challenges.

Quality Management and KPI Management

• Implement and uphold high standards of quality management projects within the clinic. Ensure compliance with clinical and quality standards to achieve the best patient outcomes. Conduct regular audits of unit compliance, patient outcomes, and safety measures, and follow up on corrective actions to ensure continuous improvement and the achievement of KPIs.

Next-Day Planning Management

• Oversee the planning for the next day, ensuring that patient care schedules, staff duties, and necessary resources are prepared in advance. Communicate any anticipated resource challenges to regional management to ensure timely resolution. Ensure all staff know the next day’s priorities and responsibilities.

Data-Driven Decision Making

• Utilise performance and patient data to inform decision-making processes. Collaborate with staff to improve based on data insights and ensure alignment with unit goals.

Risk Identification and Mitigation

• Identify potential operational risks and develop plans to mitigate them. Ensure all unit activities are conducted to minimise clinical, financial, and operational risks. Conduct regular risk assessments to identify areas for improvement proactively. Collaborate with the Renal Regional Manager to ensure a coordinated approach to risk mitigation.

Requirements

• Degree or Diploma in nursing or Degree in Clinical Technology (Renal)
• Current registration with SANC or HPCSA
• Relevant experience in renal nursing and practice to meet the critical outputs
• Proven leadership and people management skill would be an advantage
• Basic understanding of labour legislation, financial and chain management principles
• Understanding of the private healthcare industry, its challenges and role players would be an advantage
• Computer proficiency
• Driver’s license and ability to travel

Competencies

• Problem-solving, analysis and judgement
• Resilience
• Engaging diversity
• Verbal & written communication and presentation
• Influencing
• Action orientation
• Building relationships
• Customer responsiveness
• Organisational awareness
• Leading by example
• Motivating and developing people
• Excellence orientation
• Ethical behaviour

Email

renalcareers@lifehealthcare.co.za

Closing date

Tuesday, November 26, 2024