Advice for Healthcare Leaders Who Want to Promote Lifelong Learning

April 1, 2021
April 1, 2021

This blog post is the last in our series about Lifelong Learning featuring HealthStream’s partner, EBSCO Health.

Everyone in healthcare likes to talk about Lifelong Learning and its importance. What is it, and how does it apply to our industry? Diane Hanson, the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at our partner EBSCO Health, was recently interviewed about lifelong learning and its role in keeping healthcare professionals current in their fields. HealthStream asked Diane to elaborate on the connection between lifelong learning and healthcare staff engagement, as well as the role of leadership in promoting Lifelong Learning. Below is an excerpt from the article written from her responses:

Diane has advice, including best practices, for healthcare leaders who want to promote Lifelong Learning in their organization.

Healthcare leaders are in the best position to promote lifelong learning in their organization. If they personally value lifelong learning principles, have experienced the positive results and outcomes of supporting lifelong learning activities, and are in a position of influence, healthcare leaders can become a champion for change in their organizations. Some recommended best practices include:

  • Start locally. Create and support a lifelong learning plan for your team with specific learning objectives and associated initiatives.
  • Create awareness globally. Utilize internal communication channels to share success stories with other organizational leaders.
  • Build a case for change. Use results data highlighting your team’s accomplishments and value to the organization. Build a compelling case for an organizational-wide lifelong learning approach.
  • Advocate. Take on the cause and become an active supporter of lifelong learning initiatives in your organization. Evaluate your current state of effectiveness and network with other healthcare professionals nationally to expand awareness of best practices. Start a committee and partner with other healthcare leaders and professional development colleagues in your organization. Act collectively.

Lastly, Diane was asked how a tool such as HealthStream’s CE Center can help support Lifelong Learning.

HealthStream’s CE Center provides an interactive tool, easily deployed within an organization to support the lifelong learning goals of employees. Easy access creates a 24/7 learning field. The evidence-based content within the HealthStream CE modules support lifelong learning through on-going education requirements to maintain and improve competency. The tool also provides education credits toward license renewal, allowing clinicians to track and monitor progress with lifelong learning goals.

About Diane Hanson RN, BSN, MM; Chief Nursing Officer, EBSCO Health, and Editor in Chief, Dynamic Health

Diane Hanson is the Editor in Chief of Dynamic Health at EBSCO Health. In this role she provides leadership direction for nursing and allied health reference and clinical decision support strategies for the organization. After spending several years working in a hospital organization in various clinical and leadership positions, Diane has been focused on improving quality and evidence-based practice at the point of care through clinical decision support, health informatics and analytics. Diane brings over 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry, most recently as Vice President of Product Strategy & Management at Vizient Inc. Previously she served at Elsevier as General Manager within their CDS division and with Eclipsys (Allscripts) in an EVP leadership role. Diane is a published author and speaker on evidence-based practice and clinical decision support. She holds a degree in nursing from Grand Valley State University and a Masters in Management degree from Aquinas College.

Download the full article here.