CHL
Supervision Continuing Education (SCE)
SELF-STUDY PLANS

Supervisory Continuing Education (SCE) lessons provide members with ongoing education focusing on supervisory or management issues. These lessons are designed for CHL re-certification, but can be of value to any CRCST in a management or supervisory role.

You can use these lessons as an in-service with your staff, or visit www.iahcsmm.org for online grading at a nominal fee ($5 per single lesson plan, or bundled packages are available for quantities of 6 lessons for $25 (save $5) or 12 lessons for $50 (save $10) for greater savings).

Each lesson plan graded online with a passing score of 70% or higher is worth one point (contact hour). You can use these points toward either your re-certification of CRCST (12 points) or CHL (6 points), but you can not use them for both.

Mailed submissions to IAHCSMM will not be graded and will not be granted a point value (paper/pencil grading of the SCE Lesson Plans is not available through IAHCSMM or Purdue University; IAHCSMM accepts only online subscriptions of the SCE Lesson Plans).

Lesson Plan CHL 301
Training Basics for Central Service Managers: Part VII (Developing Training Lessons and Handbooks; Preparing Trainees)
[Reprinted from Communiqué: March/April 2007]

Figure 1 provides an overview of the process used to plan, deliver and evaluate training programs. In this article, you'll learn three more steps in the process: how to develop training lessons and handbooks and how to prepare trainees for their training experience.

Develop Training Lessons
A training lesson provides all information needed for a trainer to present a single session that is part of a broader training plan. In effect, it is a "turn key" module that tells the "why, what and how" of a specific training session:

• Why - the objective(s) of the training session
• What - the content of the training session
• How - the method(s) used to present the training

A training lesson may be used to teach new staff members how to perform a single task, such as how to operate a steam sterilizer, or it can be used to teach experienced staff new steps in a single task. Perhaps, for example, a sterilization processing step is being revised to reduce costs and/or to increase quality.

Figure 2 reviews steps that can be used to develop training lessons.

Let's assume a training lesson on handling customer complaints is being developed and follows the model shown in Figure 2.

• Step 1 – Develop lesson objective(s). A training objective is stated: "As a result of successfully completing this lesson, trainees will be able to effectively manage customer complaints using a six-step service recovery process."
• Step 2 – Determine topics that represent the required knowledge/ skills to attain the objective(s). The trainer determines that a video
  will provide most of the subject-matter necessary to attain the objective.
• Step 3 – Consider topic sequence. The trainer uses an organized topic sequence that begins with an introduction, continues with the video and then uses a PowerPoint presentation to review the video's specific learning points. There will also be trainee discussion, a role play exercise and a review and evaluation.
• Step 4 – Determine content for each topic. In this session, there is only one topic (managing complaints). A review of off-the-shelf training resources reinforces the decision that the video will be effective.
• Step 5 – Select training method(s) for each topic. A short (50 minute) lecture, video, PowerPoint overheads, trainee discussion, and a role-play exercise will be used.
• Step 6 – Consider time requirements for each topic. The trainer knows that 30 minutes will be needed for the introduction, role play, review, and evaluation. The video is eight minutes long. Five minutes is then allocated for video review and trainee discussion.
  The 43 minutes of formal contact time fit well into a planned 50 minute session.
• Step 7 – Identify (develop/purchase) required training resources. The video and several PowerPoint overheads will be required.
• Step 8 – Consider other training tactics. The trainer originally planned to facilitate the role play after the video; Instead, he/she will have trainee discussion before the exercise.
• Step 9 – Evaluate/revise the training lesson. This should be done before the session is first conducted. Experience with previous training sessions, including those in this specific topic, help to plan an effective presentation.
• Step 10 – Develop method to evaluate the success of the training session. The trainer will use a ten question true/false test.

Figure 2 also indicates the cyclical nature of training lesson development: The evaluation/revision (Step 9) can lead to changes in any or all of the earlier steps in training lesson development. As well, the after-lesson evaluation (Step 10) helps the trainer assess the extent to which the lesson objectives (Step 1) were attained.

Trainers can use a wide range of resources to help them develop training content:

• Manufacturers' operating manuals for equipment.
• Standard operating procedure manuals.
• Task breakdowns for positions.
• Applicable books and magazines including e-editions.
• Industry best practices.
• Training resources from IAHCSMM.
• Materials available from suppliers.
• Ideas from other healthcare facilities.
• Trainer notes taken from educational sessions has attended.
• The trainer's own experience.

The above list of resources is not comprehensive. It does, however, suggest the wide range of alternatives available to creative trainers with the responsibility to develop content for specific training lessons.

Develop a Training Handbook
The task of developing training programs requires time and much creativity. The development process is more cost-effective when training plans, lessons and applicable resource materials that are developed are used for more than one training experience.

A training handbook is a hardcopy or electronic manual (file) containing the training plan and associated training lessons for a complete training program. In other words, a wise trainer maintains this information in an organized fashion that allows, with revision as necessary, the easy replication of training. It benefits managers because the time and money spent to develop training tools need not be replicated. After materials are initially developed, time can be spent on delivering, rather than on planning and training. A training handbook also benefits the trainees since they will have access to quality training programs that have been carefully planned rather than just "thrown together."

If a handbook will be used to train a new person for all tasks in a position, components can include:

• An introduction.
• A current position description.
• A copy of the position's task list.
• Copies of all task breakdowns.
• Training lessons for each task breakdown including evaluation processes.
• Training lessons for generic subject- matter such as customer service and safety basics.

Prepare Trainees
The need to focus on the trainees themselves is an obvious step in planning for training, but it is often overlooked and/or done incorrectly. Providing training materials and activities will not necessarily yield more knowledgeable and skilled staff members. This goal can only be attained when the trainees want to learn.

The implementation of training programs becomes easier when trainees have provided input to their development. This can occur as staff members provide suggestions about process revisions, and as task lists and task breakdowns are developed.

Here are some additional ways to motivate trainees to fully benefit from the training:

• Tell trainees what to expect. The"who, what, when, and where" of training should be provided, specific questions should be addressed, and
  opportunities for group discussions about the training should be provided.
• Explain why the training is needed. Whenever possible, state this in terms of "what's in it for the trainees" rather than how it will benefit the facility.
• Provide time for the training. Training cannot be rushed, and it cannot be done during times of peak business volume or "whenever time is available. Dedicated time must be considered as schedules for trainers and trainees are developed.
• Address trainees' concerns. For example, staff members with language or reading problems and others wanting to know about the relationship, if any, between training and advancement opportunities have concerns be addressed before training begins.
• Emphasize the importance of training. This factor is easy to accomplish in a facility that supports training.
• Explain that training will be directly related to the trainee's work. Coupled with a discussion about how trainees will directly benefit from the training, this provides a powerful motivator for training acceptance.
• " Stress that the training will be enjoyable and worthwhile. This tactic should be easy to implement when the trainees have had positive experiences with the facility's past training efforts.
• Tell the trainees how they will be evaluated. New staff will be looking for assurance that their employment decisions were good ones. Experienced employees will know about the "track record" of their employer relative to the importance of training and the benefits derived from it.

In Conclusion
This article has presented basics helpful in developing training lessons, handbooks and in preparing trainees. The next step involves conduct of the training itself. Readers are referred to a recent article in Communiqué for details about individualized (on-job) training. This series will conclude with a final article on a most important topic: training evaluation.