Addressing Issues

Professional Training: Preparing Professionals for Systems Change

Meeting the Needs of Adult Learners

Adult learners tend to have a very different learning style than “typical students” for whom most course work is directed. Adults tend to have shorter attention spans than children, and as a result, laptops, day planners and personal digital assistants can act as diversions during lectures or seminars. Preoccupation with the myriad other responsibilities that today’s time-deprived professionals face, from car pool duty to volunteer obligations, often cause the adult student to find it difficult to concentrate and absorb new data. Additionally, many adults are simply “out of practice” when it comes to studying and learning new skills.

When developing a training program to teach staff members about revamped expectations concerning patient-centered care, cultural acceptance, and models for chronic health care, it is important to remember these challenges and adapt content and teaching accordingly. For example, having several shorter training sessions, rather than one long one, may be a more effective way to teach new concepts. Varying presentation styles from auditory to tactile and participatory tools is another accepted tactic for teaching adult learners. In other words, break it up. Mix it up. Use a combination of lectures, writing, reading, and role-playing. Allowing the adult learner to proceed at his or her own pace is also a good idea when feasible.

"Just-in-time learning" is a training technique that is frequently used for broad-based or technical subject matter. This technique is based on the principle of providing just enough information to do the job at hand. Adult learners, especially professionals, insist that training sessions should have immediate, practical application for them to find merit in the learning opportunity and, therefore, apply effort. For example,  diabetes educators who work with a Hispanic/Latino population may not be enthusiastic about learning conversational Spanish, but might be quite interested in learning key nutrition, diabetes, and food phrases in Spanish.

The use of "resource ware" is another training trend that is gaining popularity. This refers to using the Internet and computer software to present the subject matter. For professionals, the flexibility of resource ware makes this training style very convenient and, therefore, preferred over lectures or seminars. Exclusively using resource ware, though, does not allow for interaction among staff members or significant feedback from peers, students, or instructors. Resource ware is usually supplemented with another training style that allows for one-on-one or group interaction.

Group settings are important for developing a team attitude and providing opportunities for motivating and praising the learner. Like all students, adult learners need praise and encouragement for tackling new subject matter and taking risks. Health care professionals may be highly educated and highly esteemed in their current positions, but they are still human and require reassurance and support during the challenging stages of making a systems change.

The following checklist provides a brief description of the tactics training professionals use when introducing a systems change to established employees. For more assistance in this area, refer to the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) website for guidelines and insights on accepted best practice models for adult learning and worksite training methods. This website can also direct you to ASTD community chapters where you can find professionals to help you develop a strategy for enacting systems change with your staff.

Guidelines for Introducing a Systems Change to your Staff

1. Pre-test employees’ skill level and understanding of subject matter, and perceptions concerning the topic’s significance.
2. Develop a method for measuring and quantifying employees' performance in the field or subject matter.
3. Analyze how the changes to the system will translate into employee job descriptions and standard operational procedures.
4. Define the new skills that will be needed once the system change is in place.
5. Establish a forum for involving employees in a fact-finding and needs assessment to determine realistic goals for the system change.
6. Change job descriptions. Put in writing the specific duties and expectations of employees within the framework of the new system.
7. Define expectations and how performance change will be measured, when it will be measured, and by whom.
8. Include suggestions from employees and accept feedback.
9. Provide adequate training and work tools necessary to perform the revised job.
10. Change compensation structure as warranted by changes in responsibility.
11. Build into the plan a method to collect and measure results, including feedback from employees concerning their opinions on the success or failure of the changes to their jobs.
12. Based on feedback and evaluation, refine job expectations and goals as needed.

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