Connect Core Competencies and Tasks to Targeted Learning for Healthcare Staff

April 1, 2021
April 1, 2021

For any of this positive process of using education to enhance staff competency based on their needs, the mindset must be in place to support such an approach. A key element of performance-guided learning is for continuing education to have a strong grounding in an employee’s daily activities. An example would be taking a recognition/reward program and expanding that into learning and goal-setting opportunities. If an employee is knocking it out of the park with patient-centered care, he should be mentoring coworkers daily. Those needing improvement in that area can be served focused coursework to see that the area of concern is addressed through development. A bonus to that approach is that it is seen as assistive rather than punitive and so reinforces a sense with those employees that they are cared for rather than being in trouble for poor execution.

Personalized Training Plans Are More Meaningful

Now broaden that targeted, case-specific approach to other required training, even annual certifications. Frequent performance evaluations, or continuous/ongoing feedback such as nurse rounding, have become widely adopted because they provide a much more accurate snapshot of how an employee is performing in the moment rather than the dreaded annual review. Performance-guided learning takes employee education from a must-do workplace task and turns it into a more meaningful and personalized experience. By observing an employee’s actual performance, it’s possible to create an environment where continuing education isn’t just a catchphrase, but an actuality.

Make Education Feel Connected to the Work, Not Just a Pointless Required Task

“What performance-guided learning does is align competencies to career tracks, values, and goals,” explains Loughman. “It connects learning in the workplace to what the staff wants in terms of career achievement, and also moves the needle much quicker toward the results that providers want to achieve in the workplace.”

This blog post is an excerpt from the HealthStream article, Improve Outcomes Through Performance-Guided Learning. The article also includes:

  • Are Your Employee Training Programs Geared Toward Compliance or Toward Growth?
  • Data-Based Learning Improves Employee Retention and Boosts Performance
  • Creating a New Approach to Training with Performance Guided Learning

Read the full article.