Editor’s Note: Training Options
Effective training is crucial for safety improvement, and there is a wide range of programs and approaches available for healthcare. I’ve had the opportunity recently to reflect on three in particular: train-the-trainer, TeamSTEPPS, and Virtual Experience Immersive Learning Simulation (VEILS®).
Last month, I moderated a webinar that featured discussion of problems with the train-the-trainer technique when used for technology training in the pharmacy. Experts from Baxa Corporation, ISMP and Training Advantages identified potential problems with train-the-trainer, reasons for those problems, and discussed what constitutes a successful training program.
Later in June, I attended a three-day trainer certification program in TeamSTEPPS led by Stephen Powell of Healthcare Team Training. Steve is a member of our Editorial Advisory Board and an internationally-known expert in TeamSTEPPS training. The TeamSTEPPS curriculum was developed by the Dept. of Defense, is available from AHRQ, and is a rich resource.
I’ve just become aware of a new training tool, Partnering to Heal: Teaming Up Again Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Service. Partnering to Heal is a Virtual Experience Immersive Learning Simulation, which features interactive video and supporting materials that promote engagement and behavior modification. The program is available for free online and is worth a look for training to prevent HAIs and for offering a new approach.