Staff Reading SOPs

[RR1]

Does anyone have a foolproof way to get their staff to read all relevant SOPs and policies?

Thanks!

[Bill]

In the US we have yearly competancy assessment process. As part of that process I give quizzes about P&P's--virtually forces them to look up (ie read) the Policy / Procedure to find the info.

[RR1]

Thanks Bill, we have started to set questions against the SOP's , the difficulty is trying to get them back in a timely way. My last set of questions was to address one of our MHRA non-conformances in that not all staff working on shift were familiar with the QMS documents. I managed to keep this to approx 20 questions set against 8 sops and policies, it was a bit easy, but at least they had to go through the docs and also sign to say they read them.

[bmarotto]

I do the same thing. Annual competency quizzes are open book. I try to target new or renectly modified SOP's as well as things that are not high volume.

[bmarotto]

lol....it has been a busy day! sorry for the typo of "recently".

[AndyMiller]

I'd agree with the other posters RR1

Don't publish theesults but do publish the average result - then you can ask the poor performers why their results are so much lower than the others. Ask them how long they'll nedd to rectify thir scores or what can be done to assist them and then retest them. That way they've set their own terms (to some extent - don't accept ludicrous terms).

Just don't make your quiz too detailed as nobody likes to feel tricked - a quick whizz through your SOPs selecting a question from each - should take half an hour to rough the quiz out. You could then do more detailed quiz later on (once people know you're serious about this sort of thing) in the future.

Cheers

Andy

[adiescast]

One other thing I have seen done is to include in the quiz a blank where they have to put the procedure number for the procedure that they found the answer in. That way you have a double check that they did not just give you the answer out of their head. Many techs know the answers to questions related directly to their work without looking at the procedures...they really have to so they can operate with any kind of efficiency. They can't always tell you which procedure it came from without looking at the procedure, which might just induce them to actually read some of it!

[L106]

I do annual competency testing similar to Bill, bmarotto, and adiecast. (Written quiz that concentrates on new procedures, recently changed procedures, less-frequently-used topics, blanks where they have to fill in the Procedure Manual Volume and Page # of the answer, etc.)

Also, at the beginning of every calendar year I put a sheet in the front of each Procedure Manual that states they have read and understand the entire manual (and they have to sign and date it.) I don't really like this tactic, but it definitely fulfills the requirement of our accrediting agencies. And, I am amazed that occassionally a tech will bring bring a spelling, grammer, or poorly-worded sentence to my attention for correction (meaning that they actually DO read it!!)

Edited December 7, 2009 by L106

[KKidd]

I try to make sure that my annual competency includes problems that may have popped up over the previous year. I have a file called TEMP. Among other things, I start working on next year's quiz when I encounter important issues. In January I will edit the quiz before giving it to my techs. They do have a deadline for returning the completed competency. For those who are AABB accredited, I include the Quality Plan in a way that the techs have to review it for the answers. They want to answer some questions with "I would ask my supervisor(me)". However, I told them they have every resource but me to complete it!

:floating:

Edited December 7, 2009 by KKidd

[Malcolm Needs ☆]

And, I am amazed that occassionally a tech will bring bring a spelling, grammer, or poorly-worded sentence to my attention for correction (meaning that they actually DO read it!!)

Please believe me when I say I do know what you mean, and think it's a great thing, BUT, with my record on the spelling front, if I see one of my staff reading an SOP I've written, and they DON'T point out a spelling error, I take it as a moment of triumph!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:D:D:D

[dherbert]

We also have question sheets for those procedures that require assessment but a handy tool that I used for tracking whether staff have read updates to documents was to send them via email and use the voting buttons to track them - we also used this for staff meeting minutes.

You attach a button for "read" and then use the emails tracking system. Of course this means you have to have all staff on email - but it does work well. And you get a nice printed sheet from the email to attach to your records for the auditors.

I got sick of sending around hard copies and then trying to hunt them down for weeks as they circumnavigated the lab (or more likely had sunk to the bottom of someone's desk).

[bmsjbatt]

We also have question sheets for those procedures that require assessment but a handy tool that I used for tracking whether staff have read updates to documents was to send them via email and use the voting buttons to track them - we also used this for staff meeting minutes.

You attach a button for "read" and then use the emails tracking system. Of course this means you have to have all staff on email - but it does work well. And you get a nice printed sheet from the email to attach to your records for the auditors.

I got sick of sending around hard copies and then trying to hunt them down for weeks as they circumnavigated the lab (or more likely had sunk to the bottom of someone's desk).

What e-mail system do you use and how do you add the voting buttons?? I am Very interested in trying this it sounds fab!!

[RR1]

What e-mail system do you use and how do you add the voting buttons?? I am Very interested in trying this it sounds fab!!

I just tried this the other day- using Outlook (work email), I think voting options are in the 'tools'. Used this for a change control request....and the staff actually noticed this button!!

So thanks dherbert for the info!

[GWBush]

The only way we get staff to read policies is to discipline themif they are not signed off. Our staff gets 2 weeks to read and sign off on procedures, if not they are disciplined. We obviously take vacations into account but are pretty stringent that they sign off ASAP.

[Malcolm Needs ☆]

The only way we get staff to read policies is to discipline themif they are not signed off. Our staff gets 2 weeks to read and sign off on procedures, if not they are disciplined. We obviously take vacations into account but are pretty stringent that they sign off ASAP.

When I first read this post, I must admit that I thought it was a bit harsh, but on reflection I think you are quite right. It is, after all, the duty of all employees to keep up to date with new documentation that is relevant to them, and if they don't, they are putting patients at risk. As a colleague of mine would say (and often does about my managerial prowess), "Harsh, but fair"!

Mind you, even he (and Human Resources) bulked a bit when I suggested that the Laboratory should get an Iron Maiden. They all suggested that I perform the Change Control and the validation!!!!

:eek:

[RR1]

Disciplining staff for not reading SOPs does seem to be the way things are heading. It will only really need to be done once and everyone else will start taking their responsibilities seriously. We haven't had to do this yet (not because they are signing these......but rather that i'm trying to get my head around this unpleasant aspect).

We are all very busy anyway, and staff say they are not given any time to read these documents at work. I personally feel we can each make 15mins a day (at work even!) to just grab an sop and read it. how do others feel about this?

It's very possible that folk are just not good at time management and we all need to learn to improve this.

Edited December 17, 2009 by RR1

[Catherine Almond]

Hi Rashmi

We also perform witness audits on staff which are judged against the SOP so it's obvious if they haven't read it because they won't know exactly what to do!

Catherine;)

[L106]

We are all very busy anyway, and staff say they are not given any time to read these documents at work. I personally feel we can each make 15mins a day (at work even!) to just grab an sop and read it. how do others feel about this?

It's very possible that folk are just not good at time management and we all need to learn to improve this.

Oh, I don't think most folks have a problem with time management......I think most folks have some available time at some point of the day. (Look at us who are reading and responding to Blood Bank Talk, which is not a job requirement!) It how they choose to spend that time.

Don't you notice that some people always seem to find the time to sneak in extra chores and duties here and there, and another group of people seem to make the routine work "expand" to fill the available time? (Unless they want to leave early on Friday afternoon, that is.)

[Malcolm Needs ☆]

Don't you notice that some people always seem to find the time to sneak in extra chores and duties here and there, and another group of people seem to make the routine work "expand" to fill the available time?

I have the same problem with my salary.

My outgoings always seem to expand sufficiently to make my income seem insufficient!

I have a feeling that this is a universal problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:D:D

[L106]

I once had a very wise Pathologist boss who used to say "It's not how much money you make, it's what you do with the money that you do make!"

He had many other wise sayings, such as "think carefully about which battles you pick." He truly was a "mentor" type of boss to all his staff. (Maybe in addition to our "Just for Laughs" string, we should also have a "Wise Sayings" string!)

[Malcolm Needs ☆]

i once had a very wise pathologist boss who used to say "it's not how much money you make, it's what you do with the money that you do make!"

he had many other wise sayings, such as "think carefully about which battles you pick." he truly was a "mentor" type of boss to all his staff. (maybe in addition to our "just for laughs" string, we should also have a "wise sayings" string!)

well???????????

[maxon]

We put a list with everyone's name in the very front of each manual. Techs date as they read the manual. Any manual not dated is brought up at review time, and the tech written up if not completed.

[Malcolm Needs ☆]

We put a list with everyone's name in the very front of each manual. Techs date as they read the manual. Any manual not dated is brought up at review time, and the tech written up if not completed.

We have something similar in the NHSBT in the UK. It is called Task Based Training. Here, the trainee signs to say that they have read the document, have understood it and are confident in carrying out the task, whereas the trainer signs it to say that the trainee is competent in the task.

That having been said, the onus is still on the trainee to make the effort to read and understand the document, and if no such effort is made, we have the option of disciplinary action.

It is one thing to make the effort, and yet still not understand it, or not be confident to perform the task; it is quite another not to make the effort in the first place.

:(

[adiescast]

Which is where the Iron Maiden comes in...

[Malcolm Needs ☆]

Which is where the Iron Maiden comes in...

ABSOLUTELY (but try telling that to Human Resources)!

:eek: