One of the biggest challenges long-term care facilities face today is inspiring caregivers to complete their training.
It is no wonder that it is becoming a major problem when caregiver turnover rates are climbing every year. In 2021, for example, that number was an astounding 65.2%, according to a Home Care Benchmarking Study.
In light of that statistic, it has become more important than ever to closely consider whether you made the right call when choosing your caregiver training program.
Sure, every long-term care facility wants to offer a training program that is ideally suited to the specific needs and career goals of every single caregiver. However, that is not always practical or even possible.
That is they are increasingly simplifying their caregiver training programs and tailoring them to their compliance needs.
In this article, we are going to take a look at the critical compliance needs and how to make them your priority when choosing your caregiver training program.
Ensure Your Caregiver Training Program Meets Compliance Standards
First, take some time to assess your home care agency’s orientation and annual ongoing compliance caregiver training programs to ensure that they meet all of the federal, state, and local requirements.
You can find more information about specific Washington State requirements and recommendations on the website of the Washington State Department of Health.
If you find that your compliance training program does not meet all the requirements, update your courses in ways that support compliance standards, particularly in terms of risk management, safety, as well as individual rights.
Evaluate the Effectiveness of Your Caregiver Training Program
Once you have ensured that your caregiver training programs meet all federal, state, and local requirements, evaluate how effectively they prepare your caregivers for future success in their work.
It is critical to ensure that your employees can make the most of your caregiver training programs.
To track the effectiveness of your caregiver training programs, you can use the following key indicators to measure caregiver performance:
Your caregiver training programs have a high completion rate.
Your caregiver training programs have both basic and continuing education training options.
Your caregiver training programs offer virtual and in-person skills labs to cater to all students regardless of availability.
Your caregiver training programs offer flexibility so the trainees can complete them at their own pace and convenience.
Your caregiver training programs offer different levels of learning programs dependent on your caregivers’ specific needs and career goals.
Your caregiver training programs also have specialty training options for specific health care topics.
Your caregiver training programs provide an option for training in caregivers’ native language.
This is where Cornerstone’s caregiver training stands out from the competition. Our training is 100% online, making it easier and less intimidating for every caregiver to complete it at their own pace and convenience, whether they have experience in healthcare or caregiving or are brand new to the field.
Cornerstone offers a 75-hour online caregiver training that is approved by the Washington Department of Social and Health Services, with no fewer than six different learning plans for caregivers with different levels of previous training and experience.
There are also numerous further training options available:
Specialty training for specific healthcare topics such as mental health, dementia (taught in English and Spanish), diabetes, and traumatic brain injury
Nurse delegation and nurse delegation with a special focus on diabetes
Additional courses such as orientation and safety, as well as HIV/AIDS training
Continuing education for a variety of topics, including falls and fall prevention, medication assistance, basics of nutrition, substance abuse and addiction, and many more
Training and skill labs fully conducted in both English and Spanish, with an amazing team of native Spanish speakers available for support
With a wide range of training program options that are fully compliant with all the federal and Washington State requirements available for every caregiver, Cornerstone is your one-stop shop toward reaching all your caregiving needs and career goals.
Motivate Your Caregivers to Complete Their Training
Like we mentioned in the beginning, it can be particularly challenging to get caregivers to complete their training before turning over. At the same time, a 100% training completion rate is a key indicator of the effectiveness of your caregiver training programs.
This is why it is necessary to take extra steps to ensure your caregivers’ success in their training, such as:
Offer flexible, fully online training that fits the lifestyle needs and circumstances of every caregiver
Appeal to different learning styles that will make every trainee feel comfortable and supported during their training
Provide a variety of training options that will fit the specific needs of every trainee, as well as their previous levels of training and/or experience
Create a positive and nurturing environment, where every caregiver will feel like questions and discussions are encouraged
Assist caregivers in improving their soft skills such as teamwork, conflict resolution, communication and interpersonal (people) skills, problem-solving, etc.
Offer incentives such as perks, benefits, or rewards for completing training courses
Communicate with your caregivers and give them an opportunity to ask you questions, express their concerns or criticisms
Following these recommendations will ensure that your caregiver training programs are both tailored to their compliance needs, but also to the specific needs of every caregiver, as much as that can be practically possible. With high-quality training that meets both state regulations and caregivers’ specific individual needs, it will lead to caregivers feeling empowered and capable, which will help reduce turnover and improve the quality of care for clients
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