Recruit, Train, and Retain in NW Michigan

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Recruit, Train, and Retain in NW Michigan

• Healthcare
• Regional
• Skills
• Alliance
• of
• Northwest
• Michigan
• Spring 2006

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Purpose of the RSA

• Develop and implement sustainable solutions for
  the employer and meet the needs of the healthcare
  industry workforce.

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Objectives

• Build upon existing partnerships for a more
  comprehensive, sustainable system, so that we
  may...
• Increase the pool of qualified, entry level
  workers.
• Increase the number of students entering
  healthcare programs.
• Expand training professional development
  opportunities for those in the field.
• Fill gaps in the training network.

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Partners-over 100!

• Extended care facilities
• Home health agencies
• Educational institutions
• Community Services Network
• Hospitals
• Health Hospital Assoc.
• Area Agency on Aging
• Mi. Rehab. Services
• Michigan WORKS!
• NW Mi. Council of Governments

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RSA Activities First Year

• 1. Survey of healthcare employers
• 2. Summer camps for youth
• 3. Basic Healthcare Training
• 4. Certified Nurse Aide Training
• 5. Staff Development Training
• 6. Health Professional Recovery Program
• 7. Web site www.nwm.org/rsa

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Purpose of Survey

• Response to the States Voices from the Front
  which gleaned data from DCW.
• Our RSA took that data and queried employers of
  DCW to understand their needs and perspectives on
  workforce issues- achieving buy-in.
• Method of introduction, disseminated information
  and marketed the new RSA.
• Provided a mechanism to compare/contrast
  Statewide concerns to rural northern Michigan.
• Increased/ Expanded Partnerships.

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Survey Impact

• 11 Counties 10,000 Square Miles
• 297 Organizations (from 2-3,000 employees)
• 28 response rate
• Increased partnerships to over 100 in
  healthcare-related field
• Gave the RSA membership a shared idea of what
  others were facing acted as a launching site
  for working together

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Information Implemented

• Specific information from the survey, other
  research and input from the partners was used
  for
• Curriculum design
• Program development
• Recruitment strategy
• Resource allocation

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Recruiting Potential Workforce

• Recruitment of entry-level workers was not
  indicated as a huge barrier by employers.
• It was strongly perceived that pre-employment
  training would increase retention (except in AFC
  homes).
• Retention was seen primarily as luck or as a
  result of good wages, and/or good treatment.

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Mi Works! Career Counselors

• A key to recruiting and retaining an entry-level
  HHA or a C.N.A. starts with educating business
  liaisons and career counselors about the skills
  needed and training available.
• At first, some career counselors cautious about
  referring customers to Basic Healthcare Classes
  instead of directly to costly C.N.A. classes.
• It was the employers who attested that BHC
  graduates were better prepared and desirable.

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Recruiting

• All employers stated that they recruited through
  newspaper ads and word of mouth some had
  walk-ins.
• MiWorks! staff create flyers, posts, and
  newspaper ads for specific training sessions.
• Employers, business liaisons, career counselors
  and training coordinators work together with the
  program developer to implement training
  opportunities that will directly impact worker
  shortage and employer need in northwest Michigan

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Screening Process

• MiWorks career counselors in northwest Michigan
  keep a list of customers who have indicated a
  desire work in healthcare
• There are several assessment profiles, such as
  Work Keys, a healthcare career profile, criminal
  background check, aptitude test, etc.

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Basic Healthcare Training

• 121participants in 4 locations (sub-regional)
• 60 hours of training over 2 week period
• NWMCOG contracted with 2 training partners

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Basic Healthcare Trainingprovided

• Groundwork for success on the job
• Teamwork, work habits, attitudes, time
  management, courtesy, appearance, communication,
  etc.
• Ethics, confidentiality, diversity, patient
  rights, elder abuse, infection control, record
  keeping, etc.
• Specifics for success on the job
• CPR, vital signs, nutrition, body mechanics,
  aging/dementia, body systems, medical
  terminology, technology used, death dying, job
  shadowing

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BHC

• Provides a venue for trainers, career counselors,
  employers and students to meet.
• Gives students hands-on knowledge of the skills
  and aptitude needed for direct care.
• Offers a view of the career ladder available in
  the healthcare industry, which provides
  alternatives and motivation.
• The course work prepares this person for work as
  a home health companion or aide.

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Certified Nurse Aide Training

• BHC students wanted to continue
• Extended care facilities expressed need
• Discovered lack of training opportunities for
  adults in the Grand Traverse area lack of
  available certified trainers
• TBAISD Career Tech Center came forward after 3
  p.m. on weekends
• 12 students participated in Sept. 05,
• 12 more begin April 17, 06 recruiting
  concentrated on Benzie county-highest need.

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Staff Development Training

• All survey respondents stated a need for training
  for incumbent workers some provided orientation
  training, some on-going, and others had none.
• It was agreed that training was a key element for
  retaining employees.
• It was also agreed that most budgets could not
  meet training needs, and often in home health
  organizations there was no room to free staff
  for training.

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Training Needs Solutions

• Employers identified training topics in order of
  importance.
• The RSA responded with WIA dollars to offer
  customized training for these organizations in
  their own community to reduce time away from work
  and travel costs.
• The RSA also offered area hospitals small grants
  to allow them to supplement costs of specialized
  training their staff needed.

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Staff Development Topics

• Dementia Intensive
• Body Mechanics
• Stress and Time Management
• Elder Abuse
• Professional Ethics
• Activities of Daily Living
• Family Dynamics/Death and Dying

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Impact(First Year of RSA only)

• 54 new entrants into the healthcare field
• 112 young students introduced directly to
  healthcare occupations
• 241 current healthcare staff receiving skills
  upgrading Training gaps filled
• New partnerships formed previous partnerships
  enhanced
• State funds were leveraged effectively

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Follow-up

• After one year of recruitment and training
  activities our RSA decided to take it on the
  road
• The 11 county area was divided into 5 sub-regions
  and all partners were invited to attend a
  luncheon for them in their community.

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Community Luncheons

• We gained feedback on our activities and most
  importantly the different organizations talked
  between themselves for the first time and began
  to create their own solutions.
• Interesting feedback between education
  institutions and provider organizations.

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In Conclusion

• It takes collaboration on many different levels
  to successfully recruit and train workers in
  order to enter and stay in the healthcare
  industry.
• Once the DCW is placed, it is the work
  environment that retains that worker.
• We know that workers need mentoring, team
  building skills, transportation, support,
  acknowledgement and fair wages.
• We train workers in person-centered care by using
  adult learning theory, and we support culture
  change in care settings.

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Continuing Work

• Northwest Mi. Works has 90 people on a C.N.A.
  waiting list.
• We are working to develop a permanent
  community-based Rover program for the Greater
  Grand Traverse Area.
• We are contracting with Community Services
  Network to provide staff development training and
  to implement new topics.
• We participate in the C.N.A. curriculum update
  and development committees.

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Thank You!

• Thank you for listening to how our Healthcare
  Regional Skills Alliance of Northwest Michigan
  includes both employer partners and consumers in
  our continuing effort to...
• develop sustainable solutions
• to employer and workforce needs
• in the healthcare industry.