The All in One Training Mandatory Day: Pros, Cons, and Making it More Effective

Many healthcare organisations deliver mandatory training through full-day programs covering multiple topics back-to-back.

While potentially efficient, concerns exist over cramming excessive content into short periods.

This article will explore the reasoning for all in one mandatory training, weigh the advantages and disadvantages of lengthy training days, and provide recommendations to enhance comprehension and retention when this format is used out of necessity.

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The Purpose and Goals of All-in-One Training Days

First, let’s examine why organisations utilise these ‘condensed training’ marathons:

• Efficiency – Multiple requirements are fulfilled in one fell swoop rather than requiring staff to be pulled from work repeatedly.
• Lower costs – Bringing in fewer external trainers reduced expenses, and less need to provide shift coverage while staff attend separate modules.
• Compliance – Leadership can ensure everyone receives essential education within a short window for 100% updated training completion.
• Focus – Participants can immerse themselves in learning for a full day without work interruptions.
• Camaraderie – Co-workers from different units get to know each other through shared experience.
• Event feel – Special food, branded T–shirts and prizes provide a sense of occasion around required learning.

So, in essence, all-in-one day modules aim for cost and practicality benefits while still meeting mandates.

But potential pitfalls necessitate intentional design.

Behind the Scenes: Why Organisations Adopt All-in-One Mandatory Training

While participants may feel these lengthy days appear suddenly as a matter of policy, certain scenarios commonly trigger adoption:

• New leadership wants rapid organisation-wide training changes and consistency.
• Mergers result in varied cultures and capabilities needing uniformity and consistency between the different cultures and capabilities of the merging companies.
• Regulators mandate large training updates after safety events elsewhere.
• Major new systems like electronic health records require comprehensive user education.
• Policies are updated extensively necessitating broad reinforcement in a short window.
• Annual training compliance levels have been low and require improvement.
• Insufficient resources and staffing exist to space training out over the year.

Recognising why condensed training gets mandated can guide solutions.

Collaborate cross-departmentally to enhance formats where possible given circumstances.

Potential Advantages of Consolidated Training Days

While not ideal for in-depth learning, well-coordinated all-in-one sessions can offer benefits:

• Exposure to multiple topics raises overall hazard awareness and readiness.
• Completing requirements in one day prevents needing to leave units short-staffed repeatedly.
• Cohorts who train together often bond, enhancing culture and coordination back on the job.
• Full-day events feel special and break up routine workdays.
• Efficiency benefits like shared trainers and minimal shift coverage needed.
• Leadership gains confidence that essential messaging reached staff uniformly.

The key is to make sure trainees stay interested while also remembering what they learn, even when there are limits.

Key Risks and Pitfalls of All-in-one day mandatory Training

Despite advantages of all in one day training in some areas, organisations need to mitigate risks like:

• Cognitive overload leading to poor recall of later topics as mental fatigue sets in.
• Inability to absorb beyond basic familiarity without sufficient explanation or practice time. Nuances are lost.
• Passive learning rather than deep understanding if sessions remain primarily lecture based.
• Message dilution when dozens of policies and protocols covered without adequate reinforcement.
• Misalignment with adult learning needs and limited interaction due to lecture format required to cram excessive content.
• Lack of time between modules to mentally solidify concepts before moving to the next topic.
• Insufficient opportunities to clarify uncertainty on previous topics once sessions conclude.

Without thoughtful design, cramming modules can check boxes but fail to change practice.

Is All-in-One Training Inherently Problematic? Balancing Acts.

Rather than universally condemn or praise consolidated sessions, context matters.

The following factors help determine if single-day mandatory training may suffice or require restructuring:

Considerations Favoring Consolidated Training Days

• Refresher topics where learners simply need updated statistics or light reinforcement rather than initial deep dives.
• Tight training deadlines where temporary cramming is needed while more robust redesign occurs in future.
• Budgetary constraints limiting training infrastructure and options.
• Small organisations with few staff requiring coverage to attend separate modules.
• Learning cohorts with shared adequate baseline understanding of covered topics.
• Capable instructional designers who excel at tightly packaged content.

Considerations Favoring Expanded Training Delivery

• Audience inexperience with topics requiring extensive teaching rather than review.
• Hands-on skills training necessitating individual practice time with instructor feedback.
• Legal or regulatory requirements mandating specific durations unlikely achievable in condensed formats.
• Complex interrelated topics requiring mental focus without distraction from other concepts.
• Organisational cultures historically resistant to mandated learning.
• Insufficient presenter skills to maintain energy and engagement across long days.

As always in learning, one size does not fit all situations or needs. But recognising limitations enables selective improvements.

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Ways to Improve All-in-One Training When Mandated

If condensed training is unavoidable, maximise success through smart instructional design choices:

1. Carefully assess background knowledge on each topic to tailor depth required. Build on existing strengths.
2. Where possible, create shortened “essentials” versions of each module focused only on key policies, critical skills demonstrations, and safety fundamentals. Avoid content overload.
3. Use microlearning formats creatively for part of training like infographics, videos, and job aids to reinforce concepts. Break up straight lecture monotony.
4. Provide pre-reading materials for foundational review ahead of sessions to build baseline understanding. A “flipped classroom” approach.
5. Include brief knowledge checks through quick polls and quizzes to momentarily re-engage mental focus.
6. Schedule essential skills practice like respiratory mask fit testing after classroom days to avoid cognitive saturation.
7. Display reminder reinforcement materials like posters and tip sheets prominently post-training.
8. Have managers review key messages in team meetings shortly after sessions end to solidify concepts and expectations while fresh.
9. Resurvey and assess retention across samples months later as a quality check, retraining knowledge gaps.

Although sometimes needed, condensed training should get better each time, moving to more thorough formats when there are more resources.

But many techniques exist to maximise compressed delivery should it be required.

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Training Topic Deep Dives: Key All-in-one Mandatory Trainings

Let’s explore essential content areas to cover within typical mandated modules, whether condensed or expanded:

Infection Control Training Essentials

• Types of precautions: contact, droplet, airborne.
• Donning and doffing PPE sequences.
• Decontaminating equipment properly after patient contact.
• Multi-step hand washing and sanitizing technique.
• Bloodborne pathogens risks and post-exposure protocols.
• Transporting contaminated materials and lab samples.

Safeguarding Training Must-Knows

• Types of abuse – physical, emotional, sexual, neglect, financial.
• Major risk factors making patients vulnerable.
• Recognising suspicious behaviors and injury patterns.
• Reporting procedures for suspected abuse incidents.
• Preserving chain of custody for evidence if police investigation.
• Providing trauma-informed care and practical welfare support.
• Continued vigilance in daily interactions and documentation.

Fire Safety Core Competencies

• RACE procedure – Rescue anyone at immediate risk, Activate alarm, Confine fire by closing doors, Evacuate or Extinguish using proper technique.
• LOCATE procedure – Look for hazards, Open doors to check room occupancy, Clear anyone from immediate vicinity, Attempt rescue if needed, Close doors to isolate, Timely evacuation.
• Operation of fire extinguisher using PASS technique – Pull pin, Aim at base of fire, Squeeze handles, Sweep spray side to side.

While the degree of detail will vary between briefings versus initial training, each topic has central elements learners should know to apply concepts appropriately.

Instructional Design Elements for Engaging Mandatory Training

Ensuring learning sticks, whether consolidated or expanded, requires thoughtful instructional techniques:

• Beginning each module with a powerful story or real-world example highlighting why the issue matters. Appeal to emotions for better contextualisation and recall.
• Using media like brief impactful videos to reinforce concepts visually. Consider filming within your own health setting.
• Inviting local patients to share experiences that modules aim to prevent through better practices. This makes learning more meaningful.
• Roleplaying common scenarios relevant to roles like refractory patient interactions to practice techniques.
• Communicating skills practice and simulations to solidify learning and transfer to reality.
• Summarising mandatory reporting procedures if unsure using simple “when in doubt” mantras. Removes hesitation to speak up.
• Explaining how concepts specifically apply to different departments to enhance relevance across learners.
• Reinforcing training by sending emails with key takeaways helps participants retain information.

Thoughtfully selected teaching methods transforming passive content transmission into active learning outlast typical training decays.

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Addressing Participant Resistance Head On

Even with well-thought-out plans, some objections will likely arise due to concerns about time pressures.

Reduce pushback by:

• Communicating schedule needs and expectations well in advance for planning. Avoid last-minute surprises.
• Explaining session purpose and how they directly benefit patients and staff to find meaning.
• Asking for input pre-training on what engages learners rather than assuming you know their preferences.
• Encouraging submission of program feedback and suggestions anonymously.
• Gamifying elements like quiz competitions pitting units against each other to make participation fun. Offer rewards.
• Celebrating training completion with catered meals, parties, or simple verbal recognition.
• Developing reasonable training accommodation options for special circumstances without compromising core learning.

Giving participants voice tempers reactivity. Bring them into the experience as collaborators.

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The Hidden Curriculum: Values Conveyed Through Training Requirements

Beyond stated learning objectives, mandatory training sends messages about organisational values:

• Requiring time to refresh safe practices conveys that leadership equally values staff safety alongside patient protections. You matter.
• Committing resources for teaching across roles says all team members deserve skills for excellence and advancement. You have potential.
• Standardizing polices organisation-wide communicates that care quality and patient rights transcend department siloes. You are part of something larger.
• Investing in human development demonstrates a holistic commitment to human potential, not just narrow productivity aims. You have room to grow.
• Universal participation models from executives on down reflect shared responsibility for care standards and norms. You lead by example.

Cultures that honor learning and potential breed individual and collective flourishing. Training done right nurtures growth at every level.

The Takeaway: Training Can Unite Rather Than Divide

In closing, know that your dedication and patience with required learning makes care safer and readiness stronger for all whom you serve.

While condensed training has a place, we must continually improve to move organisations from checking boxes to changing practice.

With creativity, empathy and commitment to understanding, we can collaborate to make training days feel less like chores, and more like our shared calling to limitless possibility.

Our work lies in transforming mandated modules into experiences that unite, inspire, and unlock potentials still waiting to be discovered within ourselves and each other.

How We Help

At Caring for Care, we get how important it is for healthcare professionals to keep learning so they can provide the best possible patient care. Our training aims to properly prepare healthcare teams to deliver fantastic care.

Our self-paced online learning lets each person tailor their development in a way that works for them. Whether you’re totally new to healthcare or a seasoned pro looking to stay current, there’s something for you.

Additionally, our eLearning Mandatory courses are CPD accredited, so you’re able to gain professional qualifications too. Also, we do top-notch face-to-face training for businesses and offer practical solutions that meet organisation needs.

We offer a range of e-learning courses available in up to 100 languages, covering everything from healthcare fundamentals to specialised clinical skills training. So, regardless of your role’s requirements, we’ve got you covered, enabling your team to feel genuinely qualified in their duties.

Here at Caring for Care, we believe if healthcare employers invest properly in their people, it directly benefits the quality of care offered to service users and patients.

We’re committed to collaborating with health and social care providers to promote a culture focused on continuous improvement at both individual and organisational levels. When staff feel empowered by opportunity, patients ultimately feel the difference through compassion and capabilities.

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