Keeping employees appropriately trained and their skills up-to-date is a constant challenge for most hospitals and health care providers. The cost of developing appropriate curriculum and teaching staff, in addition to the difficulty of scheduling staff for classes, has many hospitals looking for alternate solutions to traditional hospital-based education.

Computer technology has paved the way for the development of careLearning.com, an Internet based education and learning administration system developed by more than 40 state hospital associations and the American Hospital Association. The purpose of careLearning.com is to develop and deliver a range of Web-based interactive educational programming for health care providers and their employees. careLearning.com not only provides advantages for health care providers, it provides advantages for their employees as well.

careLearning now has over 200 courses available, including several CEU courses for nursing. The Safety and Compliance Courses will soon be available in Spanish and now include an option for "Closed Captioning." This subscription of 13 courses features core mandatories such as Fire Safety, Disaster Preparation, Standard Precautions, Restraints & Seclusions, Electrical Safety, and Hazardous Substances. For more information on the Safety and Compliance Courses click here.

Features of careLearning.com

For Hospitals and Health Systems

• Cost effective method of managing training for large numbers of staff
• Comprehensive, easy to use learner tracking and management system
• Quality programming on a wide array of topics developed by trusted sources (state hospital associations)
• Reduced hospital costs for developing and presenting programs
• Virtually eliminates scheduling conflicts associated with conducting organization-wide training activities

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

• Convenient method of providing mandatory training with a wide variety of course options
• Leverages the educational and training resources of hospitals and associations throughout the country reduces the burden of live, real time instruction to reach all employees for learners
• Access to programs on demand anytime
• Access to programs from any personal computer that has
• Internet capability
• Self-paced learning
• Immediate return to place-marked point in courses if progress is interrupted
• Cost effective access to continuing education units
• Ability to meet or improve competencies conveniently
• Opportunity to participate in professional development activities conveniently and cost-effectively

Types of Learning

• The Basics - Access to a set of 12 of the most common required classes that all employees must complete
• Competency Centers - A set of activities including assessment and training around either core or position-specific competencies
• Continuing Education - Educational activities for groups where credit is mandatory for licensure or required for various types of certification
• Policy/Regulatory/Leadership Issues - Educational offerings on regulatory and legal changes, health policy, etc.
• Academic Courses - Classes and degree completion programs directed to health care managers and professionals
• Learning Communities - Groups of participants with a common interest who primarily learn from each other

careLearning.com courses are delivered in multiple methods including:

• Self directed programs with a catalog of courses and modules that learners can access anytime/anywhere and learn at their own pace
• Instructor-led courses that are structured more like college courses, offered over a specified time frame and that include interaction with the instructor and/or other learners
• Live events that are presented via the Internet as they are happening. These usually include an opportunity for live interaction

Advantages of careLearning.com

• Exclusivity - Learning activities developed exclusively for health care practitioners or hospitals by organizations that understand their needs with a long history of service to hospitals and health care practitioners
• Stability - Because hospital associations have a long tenure serving hospitals, careLearning.com will be a stable education provider
• Flexibility - System allows any organization or trainer opportunities to develop and present activities on careLearning.com
• Customizable - Capabilities allow for specific tailoring of curriculum and course content

Course Catalog and Demo Courses - go to www.carelearning.com

For more information contact Diane Bennett, Director of Membership & Education Services, FHA Regional Office - Orlando.