Contrary to popular belief, caregiver training is not one size fits all. Each patient has unique needs, and caregivers require different types of training based on their caseload. Additionally, caregivers learn at different paces. For some, material can be easily picked up and memorized in as little as an hour; for others, it could take more time.

When it comes to training, a homecare agency’s main objective is to ensure that all aides retain the knowledge needed to complete their daily tasks and care for their patients. The challenge presents when training managers or supervisors must provide personalized training to many newly hired aides at one time.

It is no secret that effective training is the backbone of any high-performing organization; therefore, it’s important to know what makes a training course successful. If you’d like to elevate your agency’s training efforts, follow these four simple steps.

Tip #1 – Make a Plan

Create an agenda that outlines all of the goals and objectives that each specific caregiver should meet by the end of the training session. Make a list of performance indicators that will measure the level of knowledge retention for each aide and the overall success of the training program. The plan should focus on each individual aide and their responsibilities, because each aide may have different day-to-day tasks depending on the patient. Once the plan is solidified, it will be easier to create a timeline that isn’t rushed and is customized for each caregiver. All effective training courses require time, repetition, and results. 

Tip #2 – Evaluate Different Learning Styles

In general, there are three different learning styles: 

  • Visual
  • Auditory
  • Kinesthetic

Knowing and understanding the nuances between each style can help create a successful training session. Visual learners are better at retaining information by seeing the material and actually visualizing the concepts. Training that is catered to visual learners should have a lot of graphic and textual elements. Auditory learners learn by hearing the information explained to them. Having discussions out loud about patient needs and requirements, for example, is a good way for auditory learners to hear the information and retain it. Lastly, kinesthetic learners learn best by having on-the-job training, quizzes, or activities. Having simulations of patient interactions could be beneficial to kinesthetic workers as well. Overall, training is most successful when the approach is tailored to the individual’s learning style.

Tip #3 – Consider the Investment

Giving your employees proper training before they start their job is one of the best ways to ensure that tasks are not only done correctly but also efficiently. It is important to see your training efforts not as an expense, but as a valuable investment in your agency. Professional training creates skilled caregivers and successful outcomes for patients. Effective training efforts also help to reduce turnover rates and improve performance among caregivers. It is a long-term investment in the growth and development of your home care agency. 

Tip #4 – Utilize Digital Tools

Traditional in-person training methods aren’t as effective in the modern workplace, because more and more employees are working remotely. Employees need to be able to complete their training on-demand from any device. Partnering with an online training provider allows caregivers to complete their training quickly, and they can see their results immediately to know what to improve on. Online training platforms, like showd.me, enable your caregivers to get up to speed quickly so they can start seeing patients right away. By providing online training, your agency will see an improvement in patient care as well as in caregiver engagement and retention.

It’s true that a caregiver is only as good as the training that they have received. Ineffective training can damage an agency’s bottom line and create a culture of unhappiness amongst both patients and caregivers. By taking the steps detailed above, you will be on your way to creating a successful training experience for your aides.

showd.me is the premier partner for healthcare organizations, providing simple and effective solutions for hiring, developing, and retaining employees while staying fully compliant. showd.me makes it easy to complete onboarding, orientation and training remotely and on-demand, and provides ongoing white glove multilingual support to ensure maximum success.