The World Health Organisation recognises that 1 in every 10 patients experience harm in healthcare settings due to unsafe care. Yet, they also reported that 80% of these cases are easily preventable by understanding proper protocol when it comes to providing safe and adequate care to patients. While patient safety is a top priority in healthcare, staff must consider their own safety in the workplace as well.
Allied health professionals and individuals working in the care setting typically undergo training before they start their work. Continuous learning is the key to keeping the workplace safe for both patients and coworkers. Here are 10 of our best healthcare courses you can take to improve your skills at work and maintain patient safety:
1. Risk Assessment (Care Setting) Course
There are multiple risk factors in healthcare settings as you deal with bodily fluids, bacteria, pathogens and other potential hazards on a daily basis. There are also risks to patient safety, such as slippery floors, faulty equipment and similar factors. Conducting a proper risk assessment will improve patient safety and maintain a safe working environment for everyone.
Our free risk management course focuses on the common hazards in aged care settings. In this course, you’ll learn to identify potential hazards and be aware of the risks that these can bring to your patients. Find out how to conduct a risk assessment in your workplace and maintain a healthy working facility.
Scope:
- Introduction to Risk Assessment in Aged Care
- Common Risks in Aged Care Settings
- Conducting a Risk Assessment
Best for: Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Care Coordinators, Nurse Managers, Healthcare Administrators, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Geriatric Care Managers, Home Health Aides
Cost: Free
2. Hazard Reporting (Care Setting) Course
Conducting a risk assessment is the prerequisite to reporting these hazards to the proper departments handling them. Hazard reporting ensures that these risks are on record, which helps management and facilities maintenance personnel find and rectify these issues.
Our hazard reporting course will teach you the proper methods and channels to submit your risk assessment reports. You’ll learn the common hazards and patient safety incidents in aged care settings such as slips and falls. Reporting these potential problems can help prevent issues later on, leading to a more productive and safer working environment for everyone.
Scope:
- Importance of Hazard Reporting
- Common Hazards in Aged Care Settings
- Reporting Procedures
Best for: Caregivers, Medical Assistants, Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), Orderlies, Ward Clerks, Patient Transporters, Dietary Aides, Housekeeping Staff, Maintenance Technicians, Health Unit Coordinators
Cost: Free
3. Washing Hands Course
Adequate hand washing is the first safety measure you can do to keep your workplace sanitary. Our hands touch numerous surfaces each day. In the health care setting, your hands may come in contact with hazardous substances or pathogens that you can pass on to yourself or others.
All roles, from senior leaders to entry-level staff, must abide by proper hand washing techniques in the health care setting as mandated by industry standards. Learn the basics of proper hand hygiene in our free distance learning course on hand washing.
Scope:
- What is Hand Hygiene
- What Happens When You Don’t Wash Your Hands
Best for: Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), Medical Assistants, Surgical Assistants, Infection Control Specialists, Patient Care Workers, Health Aides, Surgical Technologists, Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)
Cost: Free
4. Comply With Supervisory Requirements Course
The healthcare industry comes with a number of standards and regulations that all employees must follow. Senior leadership teams are often responsible for instilling these standards in their trainees. Learning to comply with supervisory requirements ensures that you’re giving the right care and treatment to your patients.
Learn to comply with supervisory requirements in a dietician’s clinic through our free online course. You’ll improve patient safety, provide better care and ensure compliance with industry standards.
Scope:
- Provide Assistance as Delegated by Dietitian
- Provide Feedback to the Dietitian
- Seek Assistance for Situations that are Out of Scope
- Report the Client’s Difficulties and Concerns to the Dietitian
- Implement Variations to the Program
Best for: Clinical Dietitians, Registered Dietitians, Dietetic Supervisors, Food Service Managers, Nutrition Coordinators, Public Health Dietitians, Community Nutritionists, Dietetic Consultants, Long-Term Care Dietitians, Pediatric Dietitians
Cost: Free
5. Monitor Response to Interventions Course
Human factors can be a cause for treatment outcomes that differ from your expectations. It is important to manage and resolve these issues while continuing to advocate for the patient’s health and best interests. Whether you’re a dietician or work in a similar clinic, it is important to understand how to monitor the human factors that affect the outcome of the treatment.
Monitoring the response to interventions can be a sensitive issue for dieticians. As professionals, they have to approach this issue delicately. Our free online course will help you understand the proper way of monitoring your patients through distance learning modules on identifying client deviations and seeking client feedback on treatments.
Scope:
- Monitor the Client
- Identify Client’s Deviations
- Report Indicators Requiring Intervention
- Seek Client’s Feedback on Satisfaction
Best for: Clinical Dietitians, Food Service Managers, Dietetic Consultants, Registered Dietitians, Community Nutritionists, Nutrition Coordinators, Dietetic Supervisors, Pediatric Dietitians, Public Health Dietitians, Long-Term Care Dietitians
Cost: Free
6. Store and Handle Food Safely Course
Working in the food and beverage department of a healthcare facility is different from working in a restaurant or cafe. In the care setting, you are responsible for the sanitation and safety of the food you serve to patients, particularly those that have allergies or dietary restrictions.
In this course, you’ll learn to safely handle and transport food to prevent spoilage and cross-contamination. Learn to dispose of leftover food items properly and how to store food according to their correct storage requirements.
Scope:
- Introduction to Safe Food Handling and Storage
- Food Transport and Storage
- Food Handling and Display
- Safe Food Disposal
Best for: Registered Nurses, Nursing Assistants, Food Handlers, Dieticians, Medical Assistants, Medical Practitioners, Patient Care Technicians, Home Health Aides, Surgical Technologists, Medical Kitchen Staff
Cost: Free
7. Respond To The Patient’s Needs And Reactions Course
Because healthcare is a sensitive issue, you may experience difficulties managing the reactions and responses of patients. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges believes in establishing safer systems that advocate for patient safety, so continuing education on the proper response and bedside manner to patients’ needs and reactions will help ease the work while increasing the trust patients have in your facility.
Our online course focuses on a just culture approach when it comes to responding to patient needs. Learn to provide support to patients with anxiety, provide treatment to patients despite challenging behaviours and report on any areas of concern or further details about your patient that may affect their health or the success of the treatment.
Scope:
- Provide Support to Anxious Patient
- Report Challenging Behaviour of Patient
- Report Observations of Concern
Best for: Registered Nurses, Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), Medical Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Patient Care Technicians, Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech-Language Pathologists, Clinical Psychologists
Cost: Free
8. Clean and Store Materials and Equipment Course
A clean facility is a healthy facility and because healthcare spaces cater to different people day-to-day, it is important to keep materials and equipment clean. Equipment used in healthcare facilities are often complex systems that have specific cleaning requirements, so it is best to know how to properly sanitise these tools before using them on the next patient.
Our free course on cleaning and storing materials and equipment focuses on materials used in physical therapy. Because these sessions often involve physical contact between patients and equipment used in therapy, it is a priority for therapists to ensure their tools are completely sanitised between sessions to prevent the spread of pathogens.
Scope:
- Clean Equipment
- Store Educational Materials and Equipment
- Report Equipment Faults
- Report Shortages of Material
Best for: Laboratory Technicians, Respiratory Therapists, Cardiac Catheterization Lab Technicians, Physical Therapists, Physical Therapy Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants, Rehabilitation Aides, Chiropractors, Medical Equipment Technicians
Cost: Free
9. Maintain Record Management Systems Course
Maintaining proper records will ensure that patients’ diagnoses and information are completely correct. Organising data will prevent mix-ups with patients, which also prevents mix-ups with attending physicians and treatments. Workers who handle medical records have to be attentive, organised and knowledgeable about the medical terminology commonly used in their facilities.
Our free course on record maintenance in the care setting will present organisation techniques you can use to keep your data accurately recorded. You’ll learn to maintain patient data, ensure confidentiality and record documents safely for easy retrieval when you need it later on.
Scope:
- File the Patient’s Information
- Organise Imaging Data for Clinical Meetings
- Maintain Patient Data and Ensure Confidentiality
- Maintenance of Documents
Best for: Health Information Managers, Medical Records Technicians, Medical Coders, Health Information Clerks, Medical Office Administrators, Compliance Officers, Clinical Data Analysts, Release of Information Specialists, Hospital Administrators, Health Information Directors
Cost: Free
10. Maintain Personal Hygiene Standards Course
Last but not least, you need to maintain your personal hygiene. Whether you work in the food department of the care facility or directly with patients, you need to consider your own health and hygiene. This will prevent you from spreading germs, viruses and other pathogens to others, and will keep your work sanitised as well.
Our free course on personal hygiene focuses on food handling but can be used to train for personal hygiene maintenance in a general setting as well. Learn to wear appropriate clothing and footwear, manage your hygiene when ill or wounded, maintain food safety and report any health issues to your workplace to prevent spreading diseases.
Scope:
- Hand Hygiene
- Wearing Appropriate Clothing and Footwear
- Hair and Wound Management for Food Safety
- Reporting Health Issues and Illnesses
Best for: Registered Nurses, Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), Medical Assistants, Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Physicians, Surgeons, Dentists, Dental Hygienists, Surgical Technologists, Laboratory Technicians
Cost: Free
Other Healthcare Related Courses
If you’re looking for more courses related to Healthcare, check out more of our curated lists:
You can also browse our complete Course Library to find many more free training and assessment opportunities.
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