Attracting, training and keeping care at home aides is critical to any provider’s success.
“The care at home industry really needs to continue to think about how we bridge the gap between our workforce scarcity and staffing success,” said Christina Andrews, Senior Director of Professional Services at Axxess, during a conversation with Katie Fortenberry, RN, Senior Product Marketing Specialist at Axxess.
Andrews emphasized the importance of an effective orientation and onboarding program for branding an organization as an employer of choice.
“40% of Fortune 500 companies are using technology to train employees to stay competitive and to brand themselves as an employer of choice,” said Andrews. “Axxess’ Training and Certification+ offers a robust workforce solution that impacts frontline employees with an aide in service education.”
Andrews and Fortenberry discussed the need for organizations to brand themselves as employers of choice, the necessity of flexible scheduling to attract a diverse workforce and the vital role of upskilling aides for better patient care and outcomes.
Aide Training
Aide training is often brief and limited before staff are expected to jump into the workforce and work with patients.
“When it comes to providing training and professional development for aides in the care at home industry, it can sometimes be a daunting task looking at where to start and what to focus on,” said Fortenberry.
Fortenberry explained that having a program like Training and Certification+ available for aides is important for care at home organizations, regardless of size.
Aide Attraction
Flexibility and work-life balance are key factors that the current workforce is seeking, especially among young adults and college students.
“Reports are saying they [young adults and college students] are looking for jobs that don’t get in the way of life,” said Fortenberry.
Fortenberry explained that some college students need flexible schedules to meet their patient care hours requirements.
“The care at home industry offers flexibility in scheduling,” emphasized Fortenberry. “We just have to market to the right people on what we can offer.”
Aide Upskill and Retention
Organizations should consider how they can upskill aides and increase their knowledge, skills and confidence.
“In return, we’re going to get results that give us better patient care, better patient experiences and ultimately better patient outcomes,” explained Fortenberry.
Upskilling aides not only enhances the ability to provide better patient care, but also helps organizations meet regulatory requirements for certification renewal and ensure compliance.
“Certified aides need 12 hours yearly in order to renew,” said Fortenberry. “This really helps meet our regulatory components.”
“Aide training is going to be important for development, upskilling and making sure that we [organizations] get better patient outcomes,” expressed Fortenberry.
Training provides aides with the skills and knowledge they need to meet the challenges of their role and provide good and excellent care for patients.
Anyone can create an Axxess Training and Certification Program+ account, giving them access to all certifications, continuing education and training courses across service lines. Together we will elevate care at home.
