As someone who owns or manages a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE), making sure that your residents are safe and well cared for is of the utmost importance. Even though you may have comprehensive safety policies in place for your facility, they’ll only be effective in practice if your staff is properly trained on the rules and procedures. Those employees that receive sufficient safety training will have a clearer understanding of their particular role(s), and the various responsibilities that come with them. This in turn can help to reduce the likelihood of incidents while also bolstering overall job performance. Having worked with RCFEs for many years now, we’d like to share some guidance on how best to train your RCFE staff on safety policies.
Establish a Comprehensive Training Program
From the start, you’ll want to put together an all-inclusive training program that delves into all core aspects of the RCFE safety policies. Make sure that the training thoughtfully goes over every area of possible risk in the facility, and emphasize guidelines for emergency procedures, medication administration, fall prevention, and anything else relevant. As a means of helping your employees more fully “buy in” to the policies, speak with them about why each policy is critical, and what specifically is expected of them in all scenarios. Beyond going over policies that affect the facility on a universal level, it’s also advantageous to offer specific training for staff depending on their particular daily duties.
Make Staff Training Interactive and Engaging
A great way to help ensure that employees comprehend and retain the information presented to them is to employ diverse and interactive training methods. As people learn in different ways, you can incorporate visual diagrams, video presentations, and activities such as role playing, hands-on training, and moderated group discussions. Hands-on training is of particular interest here, as it enables staff to better understand why these policies are so vital, and how they come into play in real life situations. For example, you can run certain simulations or mock scenarios that will help staff better respond to actual situations if they end up happening. While it is certainly important to discuss the negative consequences of failing to adhere to safety policies, you’ll also want to approach things from a more positive point of view. You can do this by highlighting the many benefits of having a safe environment for staff and residents alike.
Reinforce Safety Training Over Time
It is important to keep in mind that RCFE safety training should not be conducted just once. Rather, you’ll want to have periodic training sessions and evaluation periods to help make sure that your staff maintains a clear understanding of protocols as time goes on. Ongoing staff training is also a good idea as safety policies may undergo important changes. For your facility to be successful, everyone needs to be on the same page and be equipped with the most up-to-date information available.
Welcome Questions and Feedback from Staff
We also highly recommend that you maintain an open line of communication with staff regarding any and all points of concern. Let your employees know that they are free to come to you and other management with questions on the safety policies. You’ll also benefit from encouraging staff to offer suggestions and feedback (critical or otherwise) based on their first-hand experiences. The more information you have available regarding how the policies are working, the better you’ll be in terms of making adjustments as required.
Providing your employees with excellent, consistent safety training is critical in protecting your business operations. At InsureMyRCFE, we help facilities across California protect their residents and staff with comprehensive RCFE insurance policies. If you’re in need of new insurance coverage, or are contemplating changing policies, our experienced brokers would welcome the opportunity to speak with you. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (805) 413-5668.
