Implementing an LMS in an organization is a difficult task per se. Implementing an LMS, though, in an organization with tens of different position titles, various training needs, and 24/7 shift patterns is a great challenge that needs to be addressed thoroughly. And that’s exactly the case when we’re talking about training in healthcare organizations.
In this post we will look at 5 tips that every Learning & Development team should take into consideration prior to introducing an LMS.
Cultivate the culture of eLearning
An essential component in any learning theory is preconception and receptiveness. To learn, you need to be positive about learning.
The most common mistake in healthcare is that employees at all levels consider learning as something imposed on them due to the mandatory training they have to undertake yearly. As a result, they show some reluctance to go the extra mile and explore the benefits an LMS has to offer to them.
Employees should be encouraged to feel that eLearning is something they do to develop themselves, not to tick some boxes.
Make it easy to use
Healthcare staff are good with people and they have excellent crisis skills, but they are not necessarily as technologically literate as, let’s say, banking employees may be.
LMSs are becoming all the more user-friendly and flexible, but healthcare organizations are in constant need of savings, hence the most deciding factor for them is usually the cost. This can easily lead to a misjudgment and to a less cost-effective option.
Although it is widely accepted that ROI is difficult to measure when it comes to LMSs, the user friendliness can be a good indicator of how cost-effective and viable an LMS can be.
Offer engaging and fancy content
Healthcare staff are not like corporate staff. They are constantly up and about, under mental and emotional pressure, attending to patients’ needs 24/7 while going through checklists to make sure they are not missing something important.
Requesting from them to spend an hour on an eLearning course whose content is nothing but tedious can be quite provocative.
The only antidote to tiredness is relaxation and fun, hence eLearning should be offered to them as an opportunity for a pleasant break, where the brain is able to absorb information without using up its remaining mental resources. A mobile app could also help to that goal. This way, healthcare employees won’t have to get access to an office and computer to complete their training.
Create an eLearning community
The way we have always learned new things has been through social interaction. Babies who mimic their parents, teenagers who act as their peers, employees who shadow their senior colleagues – these are all examples of social learning.
People operate better in a community setting and eLearning has a lot to benefit from it. Along with an LMS, it is very important to also introduce discussions, where employees can express themselves and share ideas and questions.
In a healthcare organization one may find many laggards, employees unwilling to take up change, either due to a busy schedule or due to some discomfort with technology. Interaction with eLearning aficionados is what will ultimately persuade even the most resistant ones to give a second chance to eLearning.
Act on feedback
We live in a digital world where everything is reviewed and scored. When one spends a few minutes of their valuable time to evaluate eLearning content, they do it for a reason. They expect their Learning & Development team to act on it and either improve the course or replace it with a better one.
Act on feedback to show to your employees that you have implemented an LMS for a reason, to become a learning organization which is resilient and aims high through constant development.
Conclusion
Most of the tips above apply to any type of organization, but when it comes to healthcare it is always important to remember two things: the hectic 24/7 shifts and that not everyone will be passionate about new technologies.
Try not to force an LMS on busy professionals. They will simply dislike it from day one. Choose one with a modern and user friendly interface, like TalentLMS, and have faith in it. Allow your staff some time to explore it at their own pace. Sit back and wait. And the most important: listen to what they have to say about it.
