career development and staff focus

CHAPTERCHAPTER

Management of EMS

Career Development

and Staff Focus

12

Bruce E. Evans • Jeff T. Dyar — Management of EMS Copyright © 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Learning Objectives

12.1 Create a map of a career plan and personal growth path to an EMS leadership position.

12.2 Understand how to develop and participate in a mentoring program.

12.3 Identify activities that enhance professional development.


Learning Objectives (Cont.)

12.4 Recognize, select, and participate in staff development opportunities.

12.5 Identify education pathways for career and staff development.

12.6 Identify common experiences needed to be an effective EMS manager or leader.


Learning Objectives (Cont.)

12.7 List possible outside activities that enhance professional growth within the organization.


The Need for Professional Development

• Many people debate the concept of “professional” development

• An EMS manager must understand what it is that makes a profession

• A profession means the group has an identified body of knowledge and its training is universally recognized


The Need for Professional Development (Cont.)

• Fire and emergency medical services are facing a significant loss of leadership and experience in the next decade as aging baby boomers retire

• Professional development is a necessity when you consider the skills difference between a field paramedic or clinician and a manager



• As an EMS manager or leader, you will need to focus not only on developing yourself but also on developing your staff– Studies often show that managers who do

not train others to fill their positions are less likely to be promoted



• Professional development can be divided into four basic categories:– Technical skills gained from training and

certification related to a trade or profession– Managerial skills that include analysis,

planning, problem solving, and communications



– Ongoing individual-level self-development in the areas of ethics, vision, and leadership

– A manager must have experience with different roles, cultures, individuals, and groups


Professional Development

• The International City/County Management Association (ICMA)– Preparing the Next Generation Initiative

Inspire young and midcareer professionals and help the senior public manager prepare, develop, and motivate the next generation


Professional Development (Cont.)

• The program goals are:– Supporting the professional and personal

development of new and aspiring managers;

– Encouraging an ethos of mentoring and coaching at all levels in the local government management profession

– Providing opportunities for successful local-government managers to share their expertise in ways that are effective, efficient, and personally rewarding



• The International Association of Fire Chiefs Officer Development Handbook defines professional development as the planned, progressive life-long process of education, training, self-development, and experience



• The International Association of Fire Chiefs (ICHIEFS) has a standing committee and ongoing activities focused around five core activities: mapping, measuring, mentoring, motivating, and multiplying



• Chief fire officer designation (CFOD)– A designation for officers at the

administrative level or higher – Evaluates the entire professional

development of an individual



• American Ambulance Association (AAA)– Certified ambulance manager

An internal management-training program through the AAA has an ongoing offering for ambulance industry managers to develop management and leadership skills



• United States Fire Administration and the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer– Executive fire officer program

This four-year program consisting of four core courses, each two weeks long, also requires applied research projects for each year

EFO has become a standard in the industry, and it is a common requirement for promotional opportunities or hiring of chief officers



• National Fire Academy– Chief medical officer designation

Designed to apply career-development activities and education similar to the EFO to EMS providers who may or may not be affiliated with fire-based EMS organizations



• The Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE)– Developed a standardized format for

evaluating credentials for EMS chiefs– Professional development contains four

elements: Education, training, experience, and self-

development



• The Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE)– The elements that enable someone to do a

job are knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs)

– There are quantifiable measures recognized in the form of certifications, academic degrees, diplomas, licenses, certificates, transcripts, and continuing- educations credits (CEUs)


FIGURE 12.3Professional Development Model for EMS Leadership.


The National Highway Safety and Traffic Administration and the

Baldridge Criteria

• A Leadership Guide to Quality Improvement for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems– An NHTSA publication that provides a

useful guide for EMS leaders to use to improve quality within their organizations



Baldridge Criteria (Cont.)– The manual provides a guide for integrating

continuous quality-improvement (QI) practices into EMS operations to the extent that those practices become an essential and seamless part of normal EMS routines

– These developmental stages start with building potential for success by developing an awareness and appreciation that QI is a worthwhile endeavor



Baldridge Criteria (Cont.)– The second stage requires expanding the

workforce’s knowledge of and capability in QI practices and techniques by providing results and feedback

– Finally EMS leadership will need to fully integrate the strategic quality planning process and related quality-improvement actions into the daily EMS operation


Malcolm Baldrige and Professional Development

• The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award– Given by the president of the United States

to businesses—manufacturing and service, small and large—and to education and health-care organizations that apply and are judged to be outstanding in seven areas: leadership; strategic planning; customer and

market focus; measurement, analysis, and knowledge management; human-resource focus; process management; and results


Malcolm Baldrige and Professional Development (Cont.)

• The Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence– Provides a systems perspective for

understanding performance management– Reflects validated, leading-edge

management practices against which an organization can measure itself


Malcolm Baldrige and Professional Development (Cont.)

• The Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence– With their acceptance nationally and

internationally as the model for performance excellence, the criteria represent a common language for communication among organizations for sharing best practices

– The criteria are also the basis for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award process


Collegiate Education

• In the future, to receive paramedic certification you will have had to attend an accredited program

• Most accredited programs require the resources of a college or university and result in two-year degree programs


Collegiate Education (Cont.)

• Core courses have been established for a model EMS management degree similar to those offered by the National Fire Academy, which has established a model core curriculum and degree structure for associate’s and bachelor’s degrees



• A state college or university offers bachelor’s degrees; as early as possible, it is important identify potential bachelor’s-degree and advanced-degree programs that may be required for promotion to a managerial or leadership position



• Choose an institution and a program that will accept all the credits you have earned toward your achieve an associate’s degree

• Some colleges and universities do not transfer all the courses



• When one degree transfers in its entirety to another college or university as part of a higher degree, it is called academic articulation

• The Degrees at a Distance Program (DDP) is a sponsored by the National Fire Academy that and includes a significant Web-based and online program for emergency service personnel that awards a bachelor’s degree


EMS Model Curriculum

• A national EMS-management curriculum committee was formed as part of the National Fire Academy’s Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education conference

• Four levels were established:– EMS supervisor: A crew chief or leader of a

single unit or crew– EMS Manager: Manages more than one

crew or supervisor


EMS Model Curriculum (Cont.)

– EMS chief officer: Oversees more than one manager, is responsible for a major component of an EMS organization, middle manager

– EMS executive: Head of the organization or senior staff

• To help develop these four levels, a series of core courses were identified

• Similarly to many other technical professions, a core group of courses is usually required


University Programs

• Universities, some state and private colleges offer advanced degrees such as master’s or doctoral degrees

• EMS leaders and managers need to study the same degree material that a city or country manager studies


University Programs (Cont.)

• Upper-level managers need to understand budget, advance quality improvement, political economies, and be able to write and speak well in public


FIGURE 12.6Sample EMS Management Degree Sheet.

(Reprinted with permission of The George Washington University Medical Center.)


Skills Acquisition

• A skill– The ability to do something in an effective

manner– Focus on the skills related to technology

and to the EMS practices that affect your current position Conceptual skills are those that require general

analytical ability, logical thinking, and conceptualization of complex and ambiguous relationships


Skills Acquisition (Cont.)

• A skill Interpersonal skills are those skills necessary to

make greater contributions to the organization by interpersonal processes and the ability to understand feelings, attitudes, and motives of other from what they say and do

• An EMS manager or leader needs to serve as an instructor of some aspect of EMS for career development



• EMS leaders or managers will have to speak in a public forum– There is no better preparation for public

speaking than working at it as a teacher– The more programs an EMS manager is

credentialed to teach, the greater the opportunity to refine presentation skills and build credibility



• Management perspectives require looking at the bottom line of the processes in the organization– Management skills require opportunities to

direct, monitor, and control systems, processes, and outcomes



• Leadership requires looking at the orientation of people– Leadership skills require experience in

inspiring, influencing, guiding, and motivating people



• Interpersonal skills require effective communication, both written and verbal

• Managers and leaders must have effective listening skills, good writing skills, and good presentation skills

• Problem-solving/decision-making skills are important to any managerial or leadership position


FIGURE 12.7List of Skills Needed for EMS Management Positions.


Competencies

• Acquisition of skills should transition into mastery of those skills, also known as competencies

• Competencies are important because agencies write job descriptions and promotional tests to match competencies

• Each position requires a different set or level of competencies


Entering a New Position

• Changing a career position often brings a new set of people to manager, interact with, and follow

• It is important to meet with everyone within the first week and tell people your priorities and how best to communicate with you– It is important on these first visits not to

tackle problems but instead to put out a personal vision and then listen


Entering a New Position (Cont.)

• Do an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the position, the organization’s use of this position, and your skills for the position

• Rearrange or change the furniture, if possible


Entering a New Position (Cont.)

• Personalize the space by adding something that shows who you are and your credentials

• A conversation piece is often a nice way to make people feel comfortable when business may be unpleasant


The Personal Career Path Plan

• Five steps for career planning:– Pre-employment preparation

Prepare for a position by identifying the type of work; the setting; the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to qualify for the position

– Competing for and capturing a position Find a place and a position to apply for and

complete the written, physical, and/or problem-solving portions of the entrance test; complete the interview portion of the hiring process and accept an offer of employment


The Personal Career Path Plan (Cont.)

– Establishing a personal career ladder Identify the areas of expertise and the positions

that result in promotion and opportunity

– Defining a personal career path Career positions Education and training Life and career experience

– Succession planning Prepare to exit the position, and ensure that a

pool of trained people are available to fill your position


Mentoring

• The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a mentor as a trusted counselor or guide

• A mentor is also an individual, usually older and always more experienced, who helps and guides the development of another individual who is called a protégée


Mentoring (Cont.)

• This guidance is not done for personal gain

• A successful mentor assists someone through personal and profession growth and development by coaching and guiding

• Mentors provide coaching, goal setting, counseling, career mapping, tutoring, and general advice


Professionalism

• A professional is assessing your skills and areas for improvement

• The use of a 360-degree evaluations can assist the EMS manager or leader with that assessment– A 360-degree evaluation assesses your

effectiveness or perceived effectiveness by your peers, supervisors, and subordinates


Professionalism (Cont.)

• Professionalism involves investigating the current writings in the field– This involves reading all the books that are

involved with promotions or that are required reading for the people you manager

– EMS personnel should consider contributing to trade magazines, professional organizations, and EMS-related research


Succession Planning

• Succession planning ensures that there are highly qualified people in all positions, not just today, but tomorrow, next year, and five years from now

• A good strategic plan looks at building human resources at least three deep in a position


Succession Planning (Cont.)

• Some managers see a threat in preparing people to fill your positions, but failing to plan for succession often limits upward opportunities as well as’ opportunities to improve

• Succession planning establishes a process that recruits employees, develops their skills and abilities, and prepares them for advancement, all while retaining them to ensure a return on the organization's training investment


Succession Planning (Cont.)

• Succession planning involves:– Understanding the organization's long-term

goals and objectives – Identifying the workforce's developmental

needs– Determining workforce trends and

predictions


FIGURE 12.9Steps to Conduct Succession Plans.


Summary

• Only 3% of individuals in an organization produce a professional development plan

• Those who don’t will be subject to the will of their organizations, personal circumstance, and blind luck to determine the outcome of their careers


Summary (Cont.)

• By developing a plan, following the plan and asking a mentor to assist you, it is possible to attain 97% more success than the person you work next to on a daily basis


Summary (Cont.)

• Traditionally, emergency service organizations have not had the tools or leadership to pursue or embrace professional development; this is an area of much needed attention in modern emergency service organizations, with a very large positive payback when professional development is a priority

career development and staff focus

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