Careerforce eChat - October 2009

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Training model improves efficiency, retention and quality of care

Independent research commissioned by Careerforce has found that  embedded workplace based training benefits workplaces, employees and service users. 

“The research shows that the workplaces that have embedded workplace based training in the health and disability sector have reported reduced employee turnover, improved retention and have been able to attract higher quality applicants,” says Careerforce EO George Nimmo.

“Not only is the embedded model allowing more trainees to achieve national qualifications, but the research shows that trainees are benefiting from increased confidence and job satisfaction. For many trainees it is their first qualification and their first step on a career pathway in the health and disability sector.”

“Perhaps most significantly of all, the research finds that the end service user is benefiting from a more professional, more efficient and better informed workforce. As a result they are receiving higher quality care and support,” says Nimmo.

The research, conducted by Dr Rose Ryan of Heathrose Research Ltd, concluded that the embedded workplace based training model leads to personal and organisational development.

Careerforce would like to thank the five health and disability workplaces that took part in the research:

• Braemore Lodge (Rotorua)   
• Disabilities Resource Centre Trust (Whakatane)      
• Laura Fergusson Trust (Wellington)  
• Lavender Blue Nursing and Home Care Agency (Palmerston North)
• Lifewise Homecare Services (Auckland)

The embedded workplace based training model assists workplaces to develop a culture of learning by making learning and assessment part of everyday work practice. Under the model, Careerforce guides workplaces to align their infrastructure, policies and procedures with the learning requirements of national qualifications, and supports the development of in-house training and assessment plans.

Click here to read the research report

Left: Qualified Braemore Lodge support worker Genna McIntyre (left) and Managing Director Donna Mitchell (right) with resident Kat Purnell

Right: Lavender Blue trainees Monika Nowakowsky (left) and Deeta Nathan (right) go through the infection control workbook with trainer Marcia Curtis (centre) as part of their induction

Quotes from the Research

“I’ve become very passionate about training… because I can see that when staff are well trained and well supported the package of care will work better… If the training isn’t there it all breaks down – it doesn’t work for the client, but it isn’t a good thing for the worker either. Training is the key to the success of the care.” Manager

“It’s very different from sitting in a classroom. And by the end of that training they are so knowledgeable about how we do things here... so we can say to them “okay, show me where our health and safety policy is and what it says” and it makes them think about it's your organisation, your policy – and suddenly they all know the things they need.” Manager

“I’m just heaps more confident. Knowing that you actually know what you are doing, and that they (employers and clients) have the confidence in you as well... how it was before was that we didn’t know if there was a better way to do something.” Trainee

What they said about training at the interview definitely made me want the job more. Because it sounded really good, it sounded really professional.”Trainee

Click here to read the research report

The Secret to Presbyterian Support Otago's Training Success

Presbyterian Support Otago (PSO) place great value on ongoing education for its care and support workforce.

All care and support workers have the opportunity to undertake Careerforce’s Foundation Skills (Level 2) and Core Competencies (Level 3) national qualifications. The portability and transferability of these qualifications is ideal for PSO as their workforce is spread over aged care residential and home based services.

Training Coordinator Mary Phillips believes the training is enhancing the quality of service PSO is able to deliver to clients.

The training is helping care and support workers understand their role, what it involves, and their boundaries. Not only is it teaching staff our policies and procedures, but it is also helping them understand why the policies and procedures exist,” says Mary Phillips.

Care and support staff working in residential aged care are able to continue their career pathway by undertaking the Residential Strand qualification (Level 3). This is a new national qualification, with the first enrollment occurring in February this year. Six trainees nationwide have so far completed the qualification and of these, five are employed at PSOs Ranui Home in Alexandra.

Registered Nurse Sue Webb, the trainer and onsite assessor at Ranui, believes the secret to Ranui’s success has been holding regular, fortnightly group learning sessions.

Sue works with the trainees in her capacity as an RN, so much of the assessment occurs as trainees go about their everyday work. Sue also has structured one-on-one assessments with trainees every fortnight. Sue’s familiarity with the requirements of the qualifications allows her to assess components found across more than one unit standard at a time.

“The training is offsite, informal and a lot of fun,” says Sue. “The girls love working together and are really enthusiastic about the training”.

“The enthusiasm of the first group undertaking the qualifications has definitely rubbed off on the rest of the team. I am currently supporting 4 more trainees complete Core Competencies and the Residential Stand, and will take another group of trainees through in the New Year”.

“I really enjoy the teaching side of it and am always learning things too. Often carers don’t realise how much they already know, and the great thing about the training is it helps tease this out. It works because it reinforces what people already know and uses this as a base for new learning,” says Sue.

PSO Ranui Residential Strand graduates (from left to right): Kathleen Johnsen, Deidre Musson, Lois Hall, Jennifer Handford, Deborah McStay with Assessor Sue Webb

For more on PSOs approach to workforce development, click here

Aged Residential Care Sector Panel Meets

A sector panel investigating the competency needs for senior care workers in the aged-care sector met for the first time in October.

The proposed qualification originally had the working title of ‘team leader – aged care’ however during the meeting it was found that the role is more accurately described as ‘senior care worker’.

The sector panel discussed the leadership and management components of the senior care worker role, and agreed that those in the role were people with extensive experience, who had some responsibility for shifts, and directly consulted with clinical staff.

Draft assessments and unit standards are currently being written and these will be discussed at the next meeting.

Back row left to right: Mary Phillips (PSO), Sheena Farquhar (Wesleyhaven), Eileen Stevens (Ultimate Care), Terry Moore (PSC)
Front row: Shirley Hendry (PSO), Dee Ferris (HET), Megan Sendall (MidCentral DHB), Dot Eilken (Bupa)

For more information, contact Tim Slow

Disability and Home and Community Support Services Sector Panel

Separate sector panels have now met to commence the development of ‘advanced support’ level national qualifications for the disability sector and the home and community support services sector.

The development of these qualifications is progressing well, with a combined meeting scheduled for November 23rd. At this meeting, the two sector panels will review qualification content, draft assessments and unit standards, and discuss possible delivery options.
For more information, contact Ruth Kibble

Mental Health and Addiction Update

In the last 3 months the mental health and addiction project team has been working on developing competencies that are core to all of the mental health and addiction support workforce. The competencies are being developed by a panel of sector experts from DHB and NGO services. These include representatives from adult mental health, child and youth, addiction, Kaupapa Māori, Pacific, consumer and peer support, forensic, residential service providers and the Ministry of Health.

Information on the composition of the new mental health and addiction pathway will be available in early 2010. An internet consultation will then be held to seek feedback on the pathway. For more information, and to register for regular updates on the development of the mental health and addiction career pathway, contact Margaret Vick

Disability Support, Assessment, Planning and Coordination 

People wishing to enroll in the first cohort of the new National Certificate in Disability Support, Assessment, Planning, and Coordination (level 5) have until 20 November to do so. Enrolments for the second cohort will open in May 2010.

The qualification is being delivered in a staged manner due to the need to identify suitable mentors and assessors.

More information can be found here

Vision and Hearing Screening Qual to launch in November 

The National Certificate in Community Support Services (Vision and Hearing Screening) Level 3 is being officially launched in November. 

The qualification is designed for staff who conduct vision and hearing screening tests with children through the Ministry of Health’s `National Vision Hearing Screening programme` and `Well Child/Tamariki Ora National schedule`.

Phase 2 of Literacy and Learning Project

A big thanks to the workplaces that have registered their interest in getting involved in phase 2 of Careerforce’s Integrated Workplace Learning Project.

The second phase will investigate how the literacy, language, numeracy and learning capability of health and disability workplaces can be developed and enhanced so that employee learning is better supported and ultimately more successful. The phase will focus on the Foundation Skills, Core Competencies and Residential Strand national qualifications, and the Residential (dementia) Limited Credit Programme.
    
Careerforce has extended this project to enable more workplaces to get involved. For more information, and to register your workplace’s interest, click here

Gracelands Staff Graduation

Thirty-three support workers from Gracelands Group of Services received their Level 3 Core Competencies national certificates in October, in a ceremony attended by a large group of family, friends, co-workers and invited guests.

Robyn Klos, Gracelands CEO, in opening the graduation spoke of her goal of having a "well trained, professional workforce....who see a career ahead of them that adds value to their lives and the people that they support". She commented that the purchase of Insight Learning Academy in 2006, now called Gracelands Insight Learning, has enabled the organisation "to provide staff with tutorial support from our own accredited training provider". This tutorial support has been extended into Gracelands external vocational services delivering workgroup facilitation, verification and assessment for industry qualifications to disability and aged care providers in their own workplace.

Mrs Klos also recognised the successful partnership between Careerforce and Gracelands Insight Learning as a big factor in the achievements being recognised.

Guest Speaker, Merran Davis, Dean of WINTEC, spoke of learning as a life long journey, and the need to complete qualifications to ensure success in one’s chosen career. She also said that the disability sector offered a wide range of career opportunities, and the completion of the Level 3 certificate was the doorway to achieving further qualifications that could lead to a range of employment options.

Margaret Mohi, a graduate who spoke on behalf of the students, talked about her personal journey being made more challenging by her dyslexia. Margaret focused on the task at hand and said “the hardest units to complete were the ones that contained new and challenging information, however, these were the most rewarding as I learned so much from them”.

Gracelands continues to promote professional development and is enrolling several staff in the Disability Support, Assessment, Planning and Coordination Level 5 Certificate with Careerforce.

Family Carer Benefits from Learning Pathway

Julia Smith’s desire to be a better caregiver for her son motivated her to enrol in, and successfully complete, Careerforce’s Foundation Skills and Core Competencies Qualifications. Julia’s 21 year old son David has muscular dystrophy.

After having a caregiver who ‘just didn’t work out’, David asked Julia to become his caregiver. Julia agreed and with the support of Pacific Island Homecare Services Trust, commenced upon her learning pathway.

"At 56 I didn’t really want to start studying but I wanted to be a better carer for my son so I got involved. I got stuck into it and was disappointed when the courses ended!” says Julia.

“I’d been caring for David for nearly 21 years but wanted to do a better job. Learning things as part of the training allowed me to get better at what I do.”

"I always thought that no one else could look after David as well as me but there were things that came up that were really interesting. Things like advocacy and his rights and a whole lot more"

“It made me think twice about things like dignity and his privacy. It’s easy after raising him and living together for so long to forget about how important these things are. Little things like shutting the door so he can have some privacy as he’s a young man now.”

Julia would strongly recommend Foundation Skills and Core Competencies to other at home carers.

"I’d recommend it as it makes you more confident and competent. It makes you feel better as you’re able to do a better job,” says Julia.