Mistakes in client care cost your agency in many ways; money, reputation, referrals, time — the list goes on. But the research has been clear for decades; employee training reduces mistakes and leads to overall employee performance improvement.
So, how do you turn a mistake into an opportunity for improvement?
Caregiver Training Advisor, Victoria Brown has the answer!
Victoria says . . .
You do it with individualized employee training.
Far too many training managers see their role simply as a means to address federal or state requirements. Owners and administrators often implement training programs to check the boxes and satisfy surveyors.
Caregivers are commonly given a one-hour assignment each month in general concepts such as confidentiality, infection control, and safety. While these training sessions are vital, both to meet standards and maintain appropriate procedures, they are limited in addressing individual staff needs.
It’s time to get specific !
With 150+ e-learning courses available to intheknow subscribers, now you can use specific training courses for employee correction. Here’s how:
- The first step is to impart an appropriate mindset to your staff. It is imperative that you frame the concept of training in a positive light. They should not think of individualized assignments as punishment but rather an opportunity for improvement.
- Make an official announcement that the first step taken when a mistake is made will be an in-service assignment. Emphasize your understanding of the inevitability of mistakes. Your caregivers are human and absolute perfection cannot be expected. Communicate with your caregivers your understanding of complex situations. While they may have played a part in the occurrence of a mistake, they will likely not be solely to blame. That shouldn’t change your approach to assigning corrective training courses.
- Implement this procedure generously. If you save corrective assignments for scarce situations, you’re more likely to make staff members feel singled out or ridiculed.
When should you use this approach?
- You might assign Understanding Fall Risk Factors to any caregiver after a client falls on their watch.
- Even after a minor misunderstanding, you could assign Dealing with Family Members to help ease tensions between a caregiver and family member.
- ITK’s course on Preventing Pressure Ulcers should be assigned if a caregiver’s client is at high risk for developing a pressure ulcer.
- Helping Prevent Client Elopement should be assigned when a caregiver’s client elopes or is caught in an attempt.
- The course on Urinary Tract Infections is a good example of an assignment that may not be directly caused by the caregiver but lends the opportunity for additional training when a UTI is diagnosed.
- Hopefully, no one on your team needs a refresher on Managing Anger in the Workplace, but
any outburst of anger should be addressed with this assignment. - In the event of any official complaint, assigning the topic, Handling Complaints should be a part of any corrective measure.
- Download our e-learning catalog for a full list of topics available to organizations that subscribe to In the Know.
Ready to learn more?
Reach out to Victoria today to find out how intheknow empowers training managers by giving caregivers the knowledge they need to learn from their mistakes positively and productively.
