Module 3: Staff Empowerment: Material Use Guide

Learning Objectives:

• Cite staff empowerment concepts.
• Discuss how staff empowerment contributes to a culture of resident safety, leading to improved outcomes and quality of life.
• Illustrate three ways to increase staff empowerment.
• Explain how to address and overcome challenges to staff empowerment.

Topic: Defining and Assessing Staff Empowerment
Method: Read aloud the definition of staff empowerment on slide 3. In small groups, ask the staff and residents and families to discuss their own definition of staff empowerment and how the definition on slide 3 applies. For senior leaders and administrators, ask the group to discuss how staff empowerment is currently being measured. Present slides 5–6 to provide examples of tools.
Materials: Slides 3–6
Audience: All staff, including administrators and front-line staff; residents and families

Topic: Benefits of Staff Empowerment
Method: Present slides 7-9 using the facilitator notes. Facilitate a discussion on any of the benefits of staff empowerment. Ask staff to identify other benefits of an empowered staff.
Materials: Slides 7-9
Audience: All staff, including administrators and front-line staff; residents and families

Topic: Characteristics of an Empowered Staff
Method: Present slides 14–25 using the facilitator notes. Ask the staff to spend 5 minutes writing down ways they feel empowered in their work in the facility. If presenting to a resident council or if residents and families are present in the meeting, ask them to list ways they perceive staff is empowered in the facility.
Materials: Slides 14–25, An Empowered Team, Teamwork and Support, Open Communication, Positive Reinforcement, Collaborative Trust and Confidence, A Just Culture videos
Audience: All staff, including administrators and front-line staff; residents and families

Topic: Building Staff Empowerment
Method: Present slides 14-25 using the facilitator notes and videos. After each video, ask the staff to reflect on how the situation presented in the video would have been handled in their own facility. Ask staff to share how the approach used in the video made them feel. Ask any residents or families present to share their feelings about the videos.
Materials: Slides 14-25, Enabling the Team video, Teamwork and Support video, Open Communication video, Positive Reinforcement video, Collaborative Trust and Confidence video, Just Culture and Open Communication video
Audience: All staff, including administrators and front-line staff; residents and families

Topic: Barriers to Staff Empowerment
Method: During a meeting, ask staff to reflect on what they think is a barrier to staff empowerment in their facility. Compare the answers to slide 26. Ask staff to brainstorm solutions to the identified barriers. Ask any residents or families present to share their perceptions of barriers.
Materials: Slide 26
Audience: All staff, including administrators and front-line staff; residents and families