Archive for the ‘Lifelong Learning’ Category
CNAs & Nurses: Be Lifelong Learners!
For those of us in the field of nursing, having an active, open mind and a true desire to learn are important attributes. Because things change rapidly in health care, nurses and CNAs can’t “rest on their laurels” and claim that they know all they need to know to do their jobs.
And that’s a good thing! Studies have shown that an hour of increased brain activity can make a person smarter, more energetic, creative and open to new ways of thinking. Of course, completing inservices or reading medical information online are two ways to increase your brain activity.
However, there are countless ways to exercise your mind that have nothing to do with medicine-but will still help keep your mind stimulated and ready for “on the job” learning. Here are just a few:
- Listen to a radio station that you normally don’t enjoy. Try to find something interesting about the music you hear.
- Throughout your day, if you find yourself waiting (in line at the grocery store, waiting for an elevator or at a red light), use that time to stretch your mind. For example, run through the multiplication tables in your head; try to remember all your teachers’ names, starting with kindergarten; recite the alphabet backwards; or name all 50 states in alphabetical order.
- Learn how to write backwards. Or try writing upside down. You can also challenge your brain by reading backward or upside down!
- Shower with your eyes closed. This forces your brain to rely on other senses besides sight to get the job done.
- Take a different route to work. Following an unfamiliar route integrates new sights, smells and sounds into your memory.
- If possible, change something about your daily work routine. Complete tasks in reverse order or take your break at a different time of day. Go ahead…mix it up a little!
- If your workplace has an elevator or an ATM, you’ll probably find instructions in Braille for visually impaired people. Close your eyes and practice “reading” the words or numbers with your fingers.
- Try eating one meal a day with your non-dominant hand. So, if you are right-handed, hold your fork and pick up your glass with your left hand. (You might also try brushing your teeth or drying your hair with your non-dominant hand.)
- At the grocery store, change the way you travel through the aisles. And, pick up a fruit or vegetable that you’ve never tried before. New tastes exercise the brain, too!
- Close your eyes while you eat, identifying each food by its taste, smell, temperature and texture.
- If you and your family always sit in the same chairs for meals or TV watching, change things up! Have everyone take a different seat to force the brain to see things from a different viewpoint.
- Master a new gadget, learn a new program on your computer or figure out all the “bells and whistles” on your cell phone!
- Walk backwards (carefully!) through your whole house.
Remember, unchanging day-to-day routines can deaden the brain. Daily tasks become almost subconscious and are completed using a minimum of brain energy. This may be efficient, but rigid routines provide no exercise for the brain. So, perk up your day-and keep your brain active-by incorporating a few of the above tips into your life. In the long run, it will keep you young and make you better at your job!
CNA Inservices: 5 More Great Ideas
If you are looking for more ideas to spice up your 2010 inservice schedule, consider presenting the following topics:
1. Review the Normal Aging Process
During their short initial training time, nursing assistants learn a few basics about the human body. However, in order to enhance their observational skills, it’s good to provide more details about how humans age. Try presenting the information by body system. Talk about the lifestyle choices that slow aging and those that speed it up—and remind your CNAs how they can help their elderly clients enjoy a good quality of life.
2. Discuss End of Life Care
To be outstanding, CNAs should be able to handle the full spectrum of life, including the dying process. Give your aides information on the end of life, such as how to recognize symptoms that signal death is near, how to provide comfort for dying clients and their families and how to care for the body once death has occurred. Consider including information on death and cultural diversity and the stages of grief.
3. Brush Up on Mouth Care
Top-notch CNAs understand the importance and benefits of good oral hygiene and how it can affect not just the quality of their clients’ lives, but also their overall health. How about presenting an inservice that goes beyond the mouth care protocol for your workplace? Give plenty of tips for performing oral hygiene, dealing with dentures, and observing for oral and dental problems.
4. Delve into Basic Human Needs
To enhance your nursing assistants’ sense of empathy, give them an overview of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. During the inservice, review the five levels of basic human needs, how the levels relate to each other and how illness affects a person’s place in the Hierarchy. With a greater understanding of what makes people “tick”, your aides will excel at providing holistic, client-centered care.
5. Talk about Cost-Efficient Care
While cost-efficiency is always important in health care, it’s especially vital in today’s economy. Plan an inservice that provides practical tips for how nursing assistants can save money throughout their daily client care. Be sure to cover how to minimize waste and how time management, healthcare associated infections and medical errors affect the bottom line. Top-notch CNAs know that saving money today means better working conditions tomorrow!
These are just a few ideas for rounding out your inservice offerings. At the same time, you’ll keep your nursing assistants interested and be on your way to developing a team of top-notch CNAs!
Happy Teaching,
Linda
Linda Leekley BS, RN
Are You a Role Model for Your CNAs?
At In the Know, we believe that lifelong learning is the key to both professional and personal success. But, this isn’t just a meaningless mission statement stuck in a frame and hung on the wall. Instead, it’s a way of life at our company. As the founder of In the Know, I created an atmosphere that encourages learning for each employee.
For example: we have an In the Know library, filled with books relating to a variety of subjects—especially (but not limited to) health care. Every employee has two hours of “library time” each week. While they are encouraged to select reading material from the company library, they are free to read whatever they like. The only “rule” is: If you come across a great idea or are inspired by something you read, please share it with your coworkers.
What’s the result? My employees and I are always reading, reviewing and researching…on a constant quest to continue learning. Every day around our offices, you are likely to see a couple of excited employees huddled over a headline or hear someone say, “Wow…listen to what I just found out!” New ideas are valued and it makes for motivated employees who enjoy coming to work.
How are things at your workplace? Do you think your CNAs are inspired by you to add to their knowledge base and/or expand their skills? At inservice time, do they sense your excitement about the topic at hand? Do your nursing assistants know they can come to you for more information about a specific client care issue?
If you would like to promote lifelong learning among your aides, try sharing a few of these tips:
Instead of a “to do” list, keep a “to learn” list. Encourage your CNAs to jot down any learning needs they have. For example, do they want to know more about diabetes, pressure sores or time management? Put them on the list. Would they like to learn more about quality improvement, patient rights or ethical issues? They get added to the list, too.
Keep your eyes open! Suggest that your CNAs observe a coworker whom they admire. A lot can be learned by watching, especially when you observe people who are really good at what they do. Some of their habits may rub off!
Practice what you learn. Knowledge by itself is great…but it takes on real value when it is applied. Share with your CNAs how you put new knowledge to work for you on the job and suggest they try the same thing.
Show others how it’s done. A great way to learn is by teaching others! Ask your aides to help train new employees. Or, each time you hold an inservice meeting, ask a different CNA to help lead the meeting.
Learn in groups. If your nursing assistants complete their inservices as self-study modules, suggest that they work together in groups of two or three. They can bounce ideas off each other and, as a result, learn more than they would “going solo.”
Think outside the box. If your CNAs stick to the exact same routine every day, they may go on “autopilot” and stop learning. Encourage them to switch things up a bit—as long as it doesn’t interfere with a client’s needs or rights.
Make learning a priority. The motivation to keep on learning has to come from within. Show your CNAs that lifelong learning is a daily habit for you and they may decide to make it a priority in their lives, too.
Do you have tips that have helped you create an environment of learning? Please share them with us…we’re always open to learning new things!
Take care,
Linda
Linda Leekley BS, RN
President, In the Know
Back to School with CNA Education
Back to "School" for CNAs
Summer is almost over and thousands of children and adults are headed back to the classroom for another year. As for many teachers and professors, providing informative and interesting educational materials can be a challenge for nurse supervisors. Researching topics, creating inservices and handouts…how do nurse supervisors keep learning interesting? Below is a list of ten of our favorite tips that we believe can enhance your CNA education program:
- Do use the information from your CNA evaluations to determine what topics to cover.
- Do plan ahead! Map out your inservice topics for the year in advance.
- Do find a local health care professional who would be willing to present on a topic they know.
- Do solicit a different nursing assistant to help teach each inservice.
- Do choose a theme for each inservice, and have goodies that you can give away.
- Don’t choose topics that are not relevant to your nurse aides and their clients.
- Don’t forget your CNAs who do “self study.” Make sure you follow up with them in person to discuss the inservice.
- Don’t just lecture or read from the inservice material: imagine if you were in the audience!
- Don’t forget those CNAs who can’t make it to the inservice. Make sure you review the material with them verbally.
- Don’t talk down to your staff. They are professionals just like you. Many of them have decades of health care experience.
We hope the above tips add a zing to your CNA continuing education program so your nursing assistants can start this fall on the right foot…and with renewed energy!
How do you keep your nurse aides engaged in their continuing education? What teaching tips do you have to share? We would love to hear from you!
Initiatives to Reduce CNA Turnover
Did you hear about the study released by the UNC Institute on Aging? It identified three programs being introduced to nursing homes in North Carolina in hopes of improving client care and reducing the number of sub-standard fines and sanctions placed against the state’s nursing homes.
The study was led by Thomas R. Konrad, PhD, a research professor of health policy and management at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, and a senior scientist at the Institute on Aging. Here’s what he had to say: “The study shows North Carolina’s unique partnerships between the state, the university and nursing homes are effectively leveraging federal funds to improve the lives of those who live in, as well as those who work in, nursing homes,”
Konrad’s study was conducted in North Carolina nursing homes between 2004 and 2007. What’s interesting is that it was funded by civil monetary penalties – funds collected from nursing homes for deficiencies in care. The goal was to improve client care by redistributing the penalty funds back into the same nursing homes in the form of three initiatives:
- The Win a Step Up program focused on the nursing assistants by upgrading their knowledge and skills, increasing their job commitment and providing rewards and recognition for a job well done.
- Quality Improvement Collaboratives, in which groups of nursing homes worked together with the statewide Quality Improvement Organization to improve specific quality care measures, such as reducing pressure sores, reducing resident falls or limiting the use of restraints.
- Culture Change Initiatives was designed to assist nursing homes with changing their structures or routines to make their environments more “homelike.” This initiative fell in line with goals that all nursing homes have recently made a priority.
The study found that the participating nursing saw a number of improvements, including:
- Facilities using the Win a Step Up saw a decrease in pressure sores among their residents, and experienced a drop in employee turnover when compared to the previous year. As you know, having continuity with your staff will go a long way in making sure your facility runs at its full potential.
- Nursing homes participating in the Quality Improvement Collaboratives saw a significant reduction in incontinence and a decrease in the use of restraints. Most significantly, resident falls were almost cut in half after the study.
- Facilities using the Culture Change Initiatives also saw a reduction in the use of restraints, as safer and more comfortable alternatives were taught and implemented. In addition, resident satisfaction increased dramatically, especially relating to resident independence and quality of life.
At In the Know, we applaud the idea of putting penalty funds back into nursing homes-especially when the focus is to increase the knowledge base of nursing assistants. As we always say, when people learn more, they achieve more!
Till next time,
Evan
Are Your CNAs Retaining What They Learn?
We all know that ongoing education leads to reduced turnover and greater job satisfaction. Not to mention that
Do your CNAs retain knowledge from inservices?
continuing education is a yearly requirement for nurse aides! But, how do you know the information you provide to your nurse aides “sticks?” Here are some staggering statistics regarding adult learning retention. Over a period of three days:
- Adults retain 10% of information that is read
- Adults retain 30% of information that is seen
- Adults retain 50% of information that is seen and heard
- Adults retain 90% of information that is said and done (applying learning to real life situations)
Many factors affect adult learning retention including age, level of prior education and motivation. In some of our previous posts, we have given you ideas on how to motivate your nurse aides by keeping education fresh and interesting. Below are some additional strategies your organization can take with continuing education to ensure that your nurse aides actually retain the information you are giving them.
- Touch upon a medley of learning styles – As you know, our inservices may be used in a group setting or as self-study modules. If you choose self-study, perhaps get the group in a few times a year to interact in team activities.
- Encourage nurse aide participation – If using the self-study option, set aside time to address any questions your nursing assistants may have regarding the inservice material. If using group participation, use real-life situations, etc. to stimulate discussion.
- Use variety – Adding visual aides to reading material, such as PowerPoints, greatly enhances learning retention.
- Use active learning – Group discussions and activities, problem solving activities that involve critical thinking skills, games, etc. all lead to greater learning retention.
- Review job performance – Check for retention by making sure your caregivers are applying what they have learned to their responsibilities. Give continuous feedback and address any issues as they arise.
What do you do to make sure your nurse aides retain the information you share with them? Please share any tips and suggestions with us. We would love to hear from you!
Low Pressure Learning for Your CNAs
As you are well aware, a nurse aide’s job can be quite stressful. Being on the frontlines of client care is tough! Most nursing assistants are not fully prepared for the challenges that lie ahead on a daily basis. As a result, job burnout and quick turnaround of CNAs are very real problems being faced by many administrators.
One way to help reduce the stress felt by your nurse aides is to implement a relaxed (but professional) continuing education program. Here are some ideas for doing just that:
Home Study…Having the flexibility to study the material from the comfort of home is a great option. With In the Know inservices, you have the freedom to make as many copies as you need (within your single facility) of the inservice topic. You can send the learning materials home with your aides. (If you have email addresses for your CNAs, you can also simply email the “learner’s section” of the inservice to each of them.) All you’ll have to do is grade and file their quizzes! This method allows your CNAs to complete their necessary continuing education at their own pace.
Grab a Partner…Allow your aides to partner up (or assign them a study partner). Most of the time, having to work with someone else creates a higher sense of accountability. Working as partners also fosters teamwork, promotes problem-solving skills and gets your CNAs talking amongst themselves about the learning materials. They can think out loud, share ideas and learn from one another.
Take It As It Comes…Another idea is to create a library of inservices that is accessible to your CNAs during their work hours. Develop a “sign up sheet” (or use the one provided by In the Know). Then, allow your nurse aides to complete the inservices at work “on the clock” as time allows. Not only will you have more time for other aspects of your job, but your aides will feel like they are in control of their own learning.
With a flexible inservice plan, you’ll head off burnout and CNA turnover at your workplace. For more information, give us a call at 877-809-5515.
Do you have any different methods for inservicing your CNAs that you’d like to share? We would love to hear them!
Learning Opportunities for Your CNAs
The internet offers some terrific options for nursing paraprofessionals who are looking to learn new things. However, it’s easy to get “lost” in cyberspace when searching for relevant information. Here are just a few sites that we feel have a lot to offer CNAs—and anyone who works in health care. You may want to pass them on to your nursing assistants and/or home health aides.
Nursing Assistant Resources on the Web
For ten years, three nursing assistants named Patti, Kim and Heather have worked diligently to create a central location for CNAs to access information on the web. They believe that “the more informed CNAs are, the better quality work they will produce.”
On this site, you’ll find a blog filled with important information for CNAs and anyone who is part of the healthcare system. I regularly read their blog postings! The blog is interactive which means readers can post their comments (the same as here on the In the Know blog).
Nursing Assistant On-line Video Lessons
Your CNAs are bound to find the Nursing Assistant On-line Video Lessons interesting. This site was created by Fox Valley Technical College and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College as a resource for nursing assistant students.
While the videos are copyrighted, you are welcome to watch them online for free. There are 80 different videos to help CNA students reinforce their classroom learning and to give working CNAs a refresher on a variety of topics. The videos alone cannot count as inservices, but they still provide a great learning experience.
Nursing Assistant Central
This is another great site that has great information for both students and working CNAs. This website offers information about becoming a CNA and tips for succeeding as a CNA.
There is also a very active message board which provides an excellent place to ask questions, learn and socialize with others in the field. All are welcome to participate, whether you’re a past, present or prospective CNA.
We recommend taking a long look around Nursing Assistant Central. You’re bound to learn a thing or two. We did!
National Network of Career Nursing Assistants
Have your heard of the National Network of Career Nursing Assistants? It is a non-profit educational organization that promotes recognition, education, research, advocacy and peer support development for nursing assistants in nursing homes and other long term care settings. Genevieve Gipson NA RN MEd RNC is the director. She advocates tirelessly for direct-care workers across the United States.
One of our favorite spots on this site is a page of Frequently Asked Questions. These questions (and answers) relate to transferring CNA certification from one state to another, finding a local CNA training program, and much much more!
Last but not least, you may want your nurse aides to check out our Just for CNAs blog. On it, we strive to provide them with information that will help them in both their careers and their personal lives.
Till next time,
Linda
Linda Leekley BS, RN
More Measurable Outcomes from CNA Inservices!
It’s great to know that our inservices are helping health care organizations achieve measurable outcomes. Many customers tell us that it’s a “trickle down” effect; they save time and money with our inservices; the nurse aides add to their knowledge and skill set; and the clients benefit from being cared for by well-prepared staff.
Here are some more ways that In the Know customers have benefited from using our inservices:
“When I ordered ‘Understanding Depression’ from In the Know, I was really thinking of my employees. Gas prices were very high and it didn’t look like we would be having a increase in Medicaid reimbursement. However, since presenting the inservice, I have noticed in our aides weekly notes that they are more aware of their clients’ moods.”
Norma B.
American Healthcare Services
Mount Airy, North Carolina
“We love the ‘Importance of Activity for the Elderly’ inservice from In the Know.. We really believe that keeping our residents active, alert and stimulated mentally as well as physically provides a better quality of life. New staff members have a hard time recognizing the importance of this. However, once we have them do this inservice we notice a huge change in their attitude and we see them get more involved with the activities. Some employees even come to us with new activity ideas that they would like to try. This inservice has really made a difference!”
Teri S.
Latter Days Assisted Living
Santaquin, Utah
“To assist our CNAs in stepping up, we cultivated a group of nursing assistant preceptors. We utilized a number of In the Know inservices as their course content. This helped the preceptors become the ‘go to’ people for the other CNAs. The preceptors provide information and are seen as an ‘on unit’ resource. They also take responsibility for insuring that all the nursing assistants also complete the In the Know modules.”
Stephanie W.
Deborah Heart & Lung Center
Browns Mill, New Jersey
Are your CNA inservices helping you overcome challenges with your nursing assistants and/or client care? If not, they should be! Give us a call today at 877-809-5515 and tell us about a current problem you’d like to solve. We’ll help you find the best solution…guaranteed!
Take care,
Linda
Linda Leekley BS, RN
CEO, In the Know, Inc.
Empowering Your Nursing Assistants
It’s common for nursing assistants to feel like they are powerless in the workplace. They may think of themselves as the least important employees—unable to make a difference no matter what they do. It’s important to remind your employees that they do have power…and to help them recognize it.
Their personal power comes from their communication skills and their desire for personal achievement.
Their relationship power comes from their ability to work well with others.
Their knowledge power comes from their experiences on the job and from their continuing education efforts. (Remind your employees that knowledge is power and that the more they know about their work, the more valuable they’ll be to your organization–and to their clients.)
Their task power comes from their daily work. Their close contact with clients gives them a unique ability to make suggestions for improving client care. Because nursing assistants perform up to 80% of the client care for your organization, they have the power to make or break the reputation of your company.
The Bottom Line: Encourage your nurse aides to make every decision on the job as if they owned the company! And be sure to acknowledge when you see them demonstrate their importance to your health care team.
Happy Teaching!
Linda
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