Ready, Set Go!

We spent some time getting to know Symbion Healthcare's Eva-Marie Alexander and Beverly Hutchinson and gathered their best practices for implementing RUSH e-learning programs. Eva-Marie and Beverly are managers who are committed to the success of their team. They set high standards for their employees and respect their feedback. It also helps that they have built trusting relationships with their staff by acting as coaches and cheerleaders supporting their success. It was truly a pleasure getting to know these women. Following are Eva-Marie and Beverly’s Top 10 RUSH Training Tips:

1. Have a plan – a failure to plan is a plan to fail
When we introduced RUSH e-learning, we didn’t realize that we needed a plan. We thought sharing the basic concept and then letting staff work through the module was the way to go. Staff feedback changed our minds. Once we thought about how we were going to address our staff’s fear of technology, of change and frankly, their fear of failure, a plan evolved, but it would have been nice to start with one.

2. Set the standard – tell them why it’s important
Let staff know that the training can help them to do their job even better and develop professionally. We also stressed that it would help them understand how what they do affects other people in other positions and vice versa. Understanding the big picture helped our staff become more conscientious. They have a new awareness of how their work impacts others. We include the training participation and success in the review process too.

3. Be specific – set clear expectations and timelines
Establish a timeline when you expect the first module to be completed. Typically, a week is a good amount of time to complete the first module. Make it clear that each person is responsible for completing the training on time. Our team generated a healthy sense of competition that inspired everyone to do well and complete the training on time.

4. Build the trust – let them know you want them to succeed
We made it clear that our goal was to make them look good. We listened to concerns that people expressed and took action (tip #5 is just one example). One of our techniques was to put ourselves in their shoes. We completed the module ourselves and realized why some people were resisting the program. The moment staff knew that we understood their challenges, the resistance melted away and we began to experience true progress.

5. Study groups - small investment, big reward
We established small study groups, 2-3 people and a manager. At most, we spent half a day together. The payoff was huge. Our entire staff passed the final assessment with flying colors and was eager to take the next module. Studying together inspired a sense of camaraderie and we also came up with new ways to get our work done – more efficiently!

6. Study guides - yes, old fashioned print materials can support e-learning
Technology can intimidate some people. We printed the course notes to use as a study guide. It definitely helped some staff become more comfortable with the material.

7. Pacing - slow down and read questions thoroughly
We discovered a key issue: due to our staff’s level of experience they thought they knew the answers to the questions. However, they didn’t take the time to read the questions thoroughly. Consequently they answered a lot of questions incorrectly the first time. Encourage your team to approach the training without assumptions.

8. Practice assessments – practice does make perfect
Typically if people score 75% or higher on a practice assessment, they are ready for the final assessment.

9. Final assessment – relax, it’s not brain surgery!
After studying together, reviewing the course notes and taking practice tests, our team was ready. Ensure there is a quite place without noise and interruption for staff to complete the final assessment.

10. Celebrate success – display the certificates
Find a way to honor the effort that each person has put forth.