Plan out your staff ongoing training!
Now that you've had over a month to settle into 2023, there are some Colorado agency requirements that may come to mind for your agency. Last month we talked about completing your annual agency evaluation. If that's not been completed yet, check out the easy-to-use program.
One requirement for home care agencies in Colorado that requires a bit of planning are the ongoing training requirements. Direct care staff need to be trained on certain topics during the year in order to stay up to date. Staying on top of this can certainly be a full-time job.
First, let's take a look at what is required for Class A & B agencies for ongoing training. Then, let's talk about a couple tips to plan this out for 2023.
Class B Direct Care Staff
Homemaker
Each Homemaker needs training in at least four (4) training topics every twelve (12) months, prorated for staff during the first year of employment. Topics need to be from this list:
- Behavior management techniques and the promotion of consumer dignity, independence, self-determination, privacy, choice, and rights, including abuse and neglect prevention and reporting requirements.
- Disaster and emergency procedures.
- Infection control using universal precautions.
- Basic first aid and home safety.
Personal Care
Each Personal Care Worker needs training in at least six (6) training topics every twelve (12) months, prorated for staff during the first year of employment. Topics need to be from this list:
- Behavior management techniques and the promotion of consumer dignity, independence, self-determination, privacy, choice, and rights, including abuse and neglect prevention and reporting requirements.
- Disaster and emergency procedures.
- Infection control using universal precautions.
- Basic first aid and home safety.
Class A Direct Care Staff
Each direct care personnel needs training in at least twelve (12) topics every twelve (12) months, prorated for staff during the first year of employment. Training shall include, but not limited to:
- Promoting consumer dignity, independence, self-determination, privacy, choice, and rights; including abuse and neglect prevention and reporting requirements;
- Behavior management techniques;
- Disaster and emergency procedures; and
- Infection prevention and control
Tips to plan Ongoing Training
Trying to plan our 4, 6 or 12 hours of training for EVERY staff member can seem overwhelming. However, if you take an hour or so and plan out how you're going to get everyone training this year, it can be much more manageable.
Agencies typically have a few different ways to doing:
- Online Training Courses (i.e. Care Academy, Relias, Home Care Pulse, etc.)
- HCA's hosting in-person training at the office by staff
- Emailing/Mailing out training materials for staff to review
- Hosting specialized trainers to train staff (i.e. Representative from the Alzheimer's Association)
Think about which of these platforms can work for your agency. It can also by a hybrid of a few different options in order to capture all staff members. Maybe some staff only do day shifts and can't ever make it to the office. Or maybe a staff member is not tech savvy and not able to access online training. Having a couple options to complete these trainings will help increase the completion rate.
Next, after you have decided on your learning platforms, it can be helpful to plan out the trainings for the whole year. Let's say you have 6 training topics to train all staff members. You could offer 2 training topics each month, in different learning formats, and then rotate the topics each month.
Or you could offer the same 2 topics for a whole quarter, encouraging staff to attend. Then rotate to another 2 topics the next quarter.
Compliance Planning Calendar
I always recommend planning out the whole year of training one time at the beginning of the year. That way you can work on the actual trainings, as well as ensure you offer all the needed trainings.
Below is an image of a sample compliance calendar. This actually includes planning for all compliance items for a HCA in a year (i.e. Quality Management Meetings, Administrator training, Emergency Preparedness, etc.)
Use a tool like this to plan out your training:
Get you very own copy of the Compliance Calendar Program
2023 HCA Compliance Calendar Program
IT'S FREE!!
What's included:
- Step-by-Step Checklist of Agency Requirements for 2023 (including ongoing training)
- Sample completed 2023 Compliance Calendar to show how you can plan out a successful year!
- Compliance Tool to write our your 2023 compliance plan!
Download all the 2023 COMPLIANCE CALENDAR TOOLS and you'll have a plan in place in no time!
