Aim

This module provides information and practical strategies for the supervisors of staff who provide direct care and assistance to people with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). It is primarily designed to assist managers of government, non-government, for-profit and not-for-profit community agencies.

Rationale

There are unique challenges for direct care workers who work with people with a TBI. Staff work more effectively if they understand brain injury issues and the need for a client focus. To retain and bring out the best in their staff, managers need to have sound management, recruitment and supervision practices, and provide adequate training and support for staff. A helpful strategy is to focus on the client’s needs/goals to develop care plans that can be used to monitor service provision and respond to change.

This module focuses on what is unique about supervision and management of staff working with people with traumatic brain injury (TBI). It is not a generic management module.

Outcomes

At the end of this module, you should be able to understand:

Section 1: How to get the right person for the job

• value of the recruitment process
• important criteria for selecting staff to work with people with a TBI

Section 2: Retaining and developing staff

• key strategies to retain and develop staff working with people with TBI:
  – orientation
  – ongoing training and education
  – performance management and supervision

Section 3: Good management practices

• issues for working with clients with TBI
• key strategies and good practices for effective supervision and support of staff working with people with TBI
• good management practices
• basic concepts in providing client services
• value of policies and procedures
• stressors that often exist due to the nature of brain injury
• management strategies in response to staff stress

Section 4: The role of the manager

• management framework
• essential skills & responsibilities for managers
  

Module 8 compiled by:

Barbara Strettles, Residential Service Manager,
Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit
Liverpool Hospital, Sydney
Kerry Stafford, Executive Director,
Wareemba Community Living Inc.
Auburn, Sydney
Fiona Tilley, Executive Director,
Headway – ADP Inc
Bankstown, Sydney