THE current training of an initial batch of 25 patient care assistants (PCAs) at The Palms Geriatric Home on Brickdam is the first step towards the radical restructuring of that institution.
Newly appointed Administrator, Mr. Govind Singh said it follows the release of the 2008 Auditor General’s Report in which were a number of recommendations aimed improving conditions at the hospice.
Having taken over the management in January, he said the training will be done in three batches, at the end of which all 76 PCAs will be upgraded and presented with certificates.
Singh said, with a general staff complement of 130, including senior, middle management and junior employees, there is provision for them to be trained at all levels and he is optimistic that the steps being undertaken augur well for the efficient delivery of care to the residents, as well.
The in-house exercise is being conducted by facilitator/trainer, Matron Daphne Trapp, who previously lectured at Georgetown School of Nursing and she is being assisted by other senior nurses.
The stint, begun last week Monday and expected to last six weeks, is designed to be highly interactive and places great emphasis on information sharing as a two-way process, with feedback  from the participants and the programme evaluation, with a view to bettering the system along the way.
Areas of focus include organisational policy, nursing ethics, communication, first aid, emergency nursing, care for the individual and nutritional needs of patients.
The Palms falls under the purview of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and others under Singh are a medex, the matron, three nursing assistants, social workers and kitchen and more ancillary staff.
Singh said Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Ms. Priya Manickchand, is very passionate about the new arrangements and is supporting.
To date, physical improvements include the refurbishing on a building in the compound to accommodate a gymnasium, a library and a canteen.
Based on the findings of the Auditor General’s 2008 Value for Money and Audit Report, in the interest of the efficient running of the institution, several measures need to be put in place as a matter of urgency.
Apart from conducting a needs assessment to determine the areas of competency which need to be strengthened and the development of a strategic plan on training, other recommendations made in the compilation include about accountability, health and well-being, food and diet, facilities and the working environment.
Over the last fortnight, through a collaborative effort with the Guyana Prison Service (GPS), the Palms Administration gave the compound a general facelift.
Meanwhile, non-governmental organisations have volunteered to add to the enhancement of the environment and plans have also been made to promote more outdoor activities for the residents, such as visits to the Botanical Gardens, the Zoological Park, the National Stadium, apart from arranging domino competitions for the winners of the Mashramani Calypso and Steel Band Competitions to perform for them.