STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING The health care facility administrator plays a vital role in assuring that adequate

training is available for employees and that such programs are implemented and adequately assessed. To properly implement this mandate of training, the administrator should designate a training director who will be responsible for the orientation and training of employees. One of the training director's first tasks is to conduct organizational, task and personnel analysis. The organizational analysis reviews the goals and policies of the facility; the task analysis examines each job performed; and the personnel analysis assesses employee skills. Such analysis will help identify and define employee weaknesses. Study of accident and incident repons, deficiencies identified by state and federal inspections, and operational problems encountered by department heads may assist in painting out areas where training is needed. Good communication among the training director, department heads and administrator is very important in determining these training needs. Orientation Programs The purpose of an orientation program is to enable new employees to carry out their work properly and provide information and guided adjustment to the facility and work environment. Initial orientation should include:
1. A copy of the facility's mission statement, poli cies and practices.

teaching knowledge and skills that follow a routine and can be learned in a relatively short lime when only one or very few employees need such (raining. Supervisors teach acceptable employee conduct to non-professionals regarding facility policy, procedures and rules in such areas as resident dignity and rights, confidentiality and proper response to resident actions. In-service training is usually group education carried out in a seminar type of setting within the facility. In-service training required in those facilities participating in Medicare includes the areas of infection control, confidentiality and fire safety. Such (raining is used to (each concepts, attitudes, theories, problems and depth of knowledge relating to various jobs. Relevant materials are available from educational catalogs for long-term care facilities. Liberal use is made of films, video cassettes and programmed instruction. Such teaching techniques include; 1. 2. formal organized talk by an instructor to a group of students. Conference*Small group meetings Ihm une conducted according lo on organized plan in which the instructor, as leader, seeks to develop knowl edge and understanding by oral participation of the attendees. Case Study -The presentation of actual case problems in which attitudes may be analyzed and their solutions discussed. Role PlayingUsed in conjunction with lecture or conferences. After being presented wilh written or oral instruction as to the situaiion. two or more trainees are assigned the roles to be played before the class. The problems and possible solutions arc discussed. Programmed InstructionUsed to teach factual information, such as mathematics, foreign language and job routines. The material is broken down into small units where ihe student gains immediate knowledge of each answer result. The instructor docs not have a key role, and each student will leam at his or her own pace. Computer-Assisted Instruction -Used to provide drill and practice to help the student leam material that is well structured (such as grammar, mathematics or reading). This is similar to programmed instruction. Simulation and Games- Use of equipment and techniques that duplicate the actual conditions encountered on the job.

LectureA

3.

4.

2. 3.

4.

5. 6. 7.

An explanation of the organizational structure. A copy of the personal policies and explanation of the responsibilities of the employee to the facility and the facility to the employee and the rules of conduct. A tour of the facility with introductions, to key deportment heads and an explanation of the departments' relations to each other. Review of fire and disaster procedures. Review of confidentiality of information. Information on the enforcement of residents' rights.

5.

6.

Job orientation is most effectively accomplished with the new employee's supervisor. This would include a detailed explanation of the job duties, the location of work materials and the importance of proper resident care and treatment. In-service and

7.

On-the-Job

Training

On-the-job training is the most commonly used training technique and consists of assigning an employee lo a staff member who assists him or her in learning the basic elements to adequat c job performance. This method is- appropriate for

The effectiveness of training programs can be evaluated in several areas by several methods. A questionnaire passed out to trainees at the end of the program will indicate their opinion as lo its worth. The knowledge or skill of each employee can be measured before and after Ihe training. Indexes of work performance before and after such training

will measure the program's effectiveness One nf the best melhndc is lo measure performance before and after training for both a central group and an experimental group.