Importance of Continuing Education in Healthcare
Notre Dame Health Care and the Legacy of Educating for Life.
Healthcare Professionals and Continuing Education.
When we think of our healthcare professionals, such as doctors and nurses, we expect that they have undergone rigorous training to qualify them in providing the best care possible for our patients, residents and loved ones. We would be correct. Not only do these professionals attend accredited programs to become credentialed in their fields they must also continue to educate themselves in best practices and new standards in order to maintain their licenses. Along with the above-mentioned professions, nursing home administrators; social workers; and physical, occupational and speech therapists must also comply with continuing education requirements.
Long Term Care Regulations and Education Requirements
As you may have noticed, Long Term Care is a heavily regulated industry and must follow mandates set down by many different, sometimes conflicting, agencies! Did you know that mandatory education was one of those regulations? While there are some topics that are specific to a certain department or division, many educational requirements are mandatory for all staff on an annual basis. These include Fire & Disaster Training; Residents’ Rights; Infection Control; Organizational Integrity; HIPAA; many OSHA safety and health trainings; and other mandates specific to the current health care environment. The past two years have included COVID-19 specific education as well as information on Personal Protective Equipment and the Notre Dame Health Care (NDHC) Respiratory Protection Program. That’s a lot to learn!!
Continuing education allows staff to provide better care to all patients as well as providing an opportunity for personal and professional growth. Employees can maintain special certifications such as ServSafe Food Safety Management for Chefs and Dietary Services employees, or Certified Dementia Practitioner credentials for those working on our Memory Care units. These demonstrate that someone has gone above and beyond the basics of training and has met a higher standard. With the rapid changes in healthcare due to COVID-19, several employees in each division on Campus have completed training to become Infection Control Preventionists. NDHC truly values the importance of education for all of its employees. In fact, the Educational Bridge Center even has a Workforce Development Manager and Career Coach on staff.
How are employees expected to complete all of this education and training?
While some trainings must be completed face-to-face, NDHC also has an Online Learning System called Relias in place. Relias offers more than 5,000 trainings already created to meet employees’ needs and can accommodate training created by NDHC staff specifically related to our organizational needs. Relias can be accessed on phones, tablets and computers and employees are paid for the time they spend completing their mandatory assignments. Some listed offerings will meet the continuing education requirements for a specific licensure while employees may also self-enroll in courses that interest them. Some of the most popular are Microsoft computer trainings in Word, Excel, and Powerpoint.
Notre Dame Educational Bridge Center
The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (SNDdeN) were instrumental in starting the Notre Dame Educational Bridge Center on Campus. Adult Basic Education classes such as HiSET/GED and English for the Workplace/ESL give employees and members of the larger community the opportunity to gain a high school diploma, prepare for college classes and improve fluency in English. Did you know that it takes an average of 7 years for someone to develop fluency in a foreign language? The Bridge Center also gives our SNDdeN residents the opportunity to continue their educational mission by tutoring our students. The confidence they build in those they serve is as valuable as the learning they share.
Learn more about the Notre Dame Educational Bridge Center.
Educating for life lasts as long as you do! Take a Night Life class, learn to cook or craft at the Senior Center, watch a webinar, or listen to a podcast. In Massachusetts, anyone over 60 can take classes at a state college, regional community college or the University of Massachusetts with no tuition cost.
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