It’s CNA Week and that’s a great time to think about how you can help your nursing assistants continue to learn on the job. Here at In the Know, we’re all about lifelong learning. And we know that the best learning experiences are often a bit “outside the box”. So, here are some tips that might spur both critical thinking and learning among your direct care staff:
- Institute a “Learning Award” and present it to the nursing assistant who completes the most hours of continuing education in a specific time period (calendar quarter or year) or on a specific subject pertinent to your workplace (patient rights or workplace safety).
- Encourage and support skills that go beyond client care, such as money management, parenting, career planning, resume writing, etc.
- Have a different nursing assistant lead each inservice meeting with you.
- Consider developing a tuition reimbursement plan and/or a college scholarship program for the nursing assistants at your workplace.
- Ask a CNA or two to join you when a medical equipment representative comes in to demonstrate or promote a new product. The CNAs may know best if the equipment in question will work at your facility.
- Encourage your nursing assistants to volunteer for committees at work–ethics, quality improvement, safety, etc. Then, give them the time and support to attend the meetings.
- At home health or hospice client care meetings, ask your aides to present each of their clients. Don’t let them sit there quietly when they probably have such valuable input to share.
- On your CNAs’ yearly performance evaluations, make sure that at least one of their goals has to do with learning.
- Build a library of books at your workplace on a variety of subjects: health care, motivation, parenting, physical fitness, healthy eating, etc. Allow your CNAs to “check out” the books.
- Encourage your CNAs to become computer literate (if they aren’t already).\
- Start each inservice or staff meeting by asking your CNAs to share one thing they have learned since the last meeting.
- Assess the learning needs of your nursing assistants quarterly…or at least annually.
- Teach your CNAs to speak up if they are assigned to a client with an unfamiliar diagnosis.
- Have your nursing assistants lead a book club for the residents in your facility or teach the residents one of their favorite hobbies.
Whew…as you can see, the possibilities are endless! But the bottom line remains the same: give your nursing assistants the opportunity to learn and grow and they will be happier, more productive employees. And, you’ll have a team of top-notch CNAs!
