A worldwide health disaster, the COVID-19 pandemic, can potentially influence how healthcare providers deliver their services to patients. In this severe disruptive local healthcare system, the frontline healthcare providers such as paramedics, nurses, and first aiders serve many patients seeking care beyond the available capacity. Refresher courses or training is the best way for the already trained and licensed healthcare experts to hone their skills and ensure their knowledge is updated.
A refresher training course applies to almost every certification or diploma program or, but in healthcare settings, it is required more frequently- ideally, annual or periodic retraining of the healthcare professionals is necessary.
If you are seeking to refresh your skills as a healthcare worker, keep on reading this article. Here are different refresher courses and why you might need them during this pandemic.
Refresher Courses for Healthcare Workers:
- Paramedic Refresher Course
If you are a practicing paramedic and need recertification in the state you work, this course is for you. The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technician has given specific guidelines and conditions for a paramedic refresher course. It is a 48-hours course, with various subjects divided into two sections.
The first 24-hours of the course is for covering sections of medical emergencies, obstetrics, pediatrics, trauma, airway, breathing, and cardiology. However, you can distribute the last 24-hours between operational tasks, airway, breathing, trauma, cardiology, and medical emergencies.
Nationally Registered Paramedics (NRP) must refresh their certificates after every two years. They may also recertify by taking a cognitive test or completing continuing training.
- Nurse Refresher Course
The nurse refresher course updates and improves the nursing expertise and clinical skills of licensed nurses ready to start practicing again. A six-month plan consists of a 15-week virtual didactic coursework and an 80-hour on-site clinical experience for nurses. Nurses who have not been practicing for more than two years must complete a Nurse Refresher Course.
- Refresher First Aid Course
First aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) course offers the understanding to execute Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. If you want to revalidate your first aid certificate or have already had training in the past and intend to renew your skill and experience, a refresher first aid course is best for you. You must book a refresher course after every year for your own personal and professional good. It could assist you in protecting life.
Six reasons Why Healthcare Workers Need Refresher Course during Pandemic
- Improve Performance
Refresher courses in the medical settings often help distinguish both the workers’ solid opinions and fields of growth, enabling the healthcare industry to evaluate the abilities and experiences of healthcare workers. Refresher courses ensure consistently better-quality healthcare services.
With perfectly organized and managed refresher courses, paramedics, nurses, and medical assistants will get better training to carry out tasks efficiently in their field of healthcare.
- Filling Gaps in Knowledge
Healthcare is a crucial part of life, especially for patients. Any gaps, shortcomings, or weaknesses of healthcare workers can be a massive disaster for patients. The possible reasons for these gaps and lack of knowledge can be inadequate and improper training. With refresher courses, healthcare workers can address their weaknesses accordingly through training.
- Consistent Quality of Work
Healthcare workers hail from diverse training backgrounds. Sometimes, this can be challenging for healthcare organizations.
The performance can vary from one healthcare worker to another. With these refresher courses, better training, and constant supervision, healthcare workers can adjust to their roles better and deliver high-quality work constantly.
- Regaining Confidence
Healthcare workers who have been out of the healthcare industry may find it difficult to fine-tune to a new task, affecting their confidence and the entire team.
Refresher courses will keep the healthcare workers up to date on the modern trends in patient care, making them confident, familiar, and well-equipped with every task they perform.
- Better Teamwork
Refresher courses are also necessary for healthcare teams to work well together as a team. When paramedics have the same and equal knowledge, skills, and capabilities, it will be simpler to reallocate and shift paramedics according to operating requirements, creating an environment of homogeneity among the transferred paramedics and the healthcare team before they begin working together. We have seen the reallocation of resources extensively during the 2020 pandemic. With better teamwork, the healthcare team would welcome new participants heartily and help them adjust. New participants will mingle into the squad quickly and work efficiently.
- Returning To Active Status
A nurse whose certificate is inactive and requires a refresher course to begin again in the medical industry needs to follow Nurse Practice Act. This act states the conditions and refresher courses for an inactive nurse to return to active status.
The Nurse Practice Act differs from state to state, and inactive nurses need to communicate with the Board of Nursing where they want to work. The board will inform all the specific requirements to regain their active status in that particular state.
Conclusion
The frontline healthcare workers serve as clinical and care leaders for their communities. Training, refresher courses, and better practices will undoubtedly lead to positive systems development globally. They present significant expertise in clinical practice adjustments, public health response, and any emergency. They must stay abreast with modern science, clinical technologies, latest healthcare skills, and knowledge to work efficiently. Refresher courses or training is the best way to renew their expertise, perform better, and adapt to changing communities.
