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On the job training at Roseland Care

Background


Care of the elderly is one of the biggest growth areas in employment. It is a challenging activity which may not seem immediately attractive to a job seeker. It is not highly paid; the work can be physically demanding, and the tasks that are undertaken may appear mundane. However, the job can be immensely satisfying with appreciative clients who value the contribution that effective care makes to the quality and dignity of their lives.

Roseland Care Ltd and Residential Home, which is located in Cornwall, offers accommodation and support for 31 residents, all of whom are over the age of 65. Round the clock (7 x 24) cover is provided by staff who are managed and led by Mrs Joy Floyd-Norris, a qualified nurse who is Roseland Care's matron. Some 45 staff are employed at the home, involved in care work (by far the biggest category), maintenance of the property, the preparation and serving of meals, cleaning and laundry. Many of these staff work only part-time; some only evenings or nights.

Given the difficulties in recruiting, and the imperative of retaining staff, Roseland Care places great emphasis in creating opportunities for development, particularly for those involved in the delivery of care.

Developing the care staff: induction


Residential care is highly regulated. All homes must be visited at least twice a year (one announced, one unannounced) by the Commissioners of the Social Care Inspectorate. There is therefore a compliance aspect to much of the training. One Inspectorate requirement is that effective induction arrangements for new joiners are in place.

However, Joy Floyd-Norris is keen to emphasise that what's at issue are standards of service rather than compliance. In her view the defining characteristic of good residential care is the ability to deliver to clients whatever they may require at the time to live a 'happy and contented daily life'. This may involve dressing, feeding, transporting or assistance with personal hygiene. However, all these tasks need to be undertaken by the carers in a way that maintains the dignity of the resident, whatever their physical needs. In Joy Floyd-Norris' view these skills and attitudes can only be learned effectively on the job. Induction training at Roseland therefore proceeds as follows. All new joiners working on caring duties are given an induction pack which lists some 30 items or activities that they must be capable of undertaking. The list, which was prepared by Joy Floyd Norris and her deputy, involves some 'technical' items (using a hoist to lift a patient for example) and well as the softer skills of personal care (procedures for washing a patient, for example).

On joining, the new member of staff is assigned another experienced carer who will act as mentor throughout this induction period and will demonstrate and give guidance and feedback on these identified tasks.

Joy Floyd Norris argues that this is effective because: 'High standards must be installed at the very beginning and embedded throughout. How to behave to a resident is something that can only be acquired if you see it being done in practice.'

Given this stress on standards, Roseland Care is confident that the mentors identified are capable of fulfilling their role as on-the-job trainers.

Developing the caring staff: beyond induction


Induction takes some three or four months, and caring staff are encouraged to progress and acquire recognised care qualifications. Of the 30 staff involved in care, six are qualified nurses but the remainder will have few if any qualifications before joining Roseland Care. A typical joiner will be a woman who has some care experience within the family, but could be wary of examinations.

As Joy Floyd Norris puts it: 'If you haven't completed qualifications recently it can be frightening to re-start. Committing yourself to paper to demonstrate knowledge can be particularly daunting.'

Roseland Care can claim a record of success. About 60 per cent of caring staff, discounting the qualified nurses, will go on to secure a NVQ qualification in care at levels 2 or 3. After induction the next stage is to proceed through a foundation course. A local college provides this, but they deliver all the training support at the residential home itself. Topics will include etiquette, checking against and detecting abuse, diversity issues - all of these topics are supported by workbooks. After success in a multiple choice examination a certificate is awarded.

The next stage is to proceed to study the competency-based and assessed NVQ at a local college, generally St. Austell. For staff under the age of 25, this will form part of a Modern Apprenticeship.

Motivation to learn


Although Roseland Care has been successful in encouraging care staff to proceed through this development path, ultimately it must depend on learner motivation. There can be no compulsion.

Joy Floyd-Norris emphasises the importance of adjusting the approach to make it easy for those who are tentative. The emphasis on on-the-job training and the delivery of the foundation course in the home rather than at College are two examples. She does however recognise that people with low levels of literacy may need extra support - the ability to complete a chart, for example, is part of the job. Arrangements were made for one carer to receive special support in written work during her time off, and the person concerned progressed to level 2 NVQ over time. It is important that people are allowed to proceed at their own pace and it is made clear that however long staff have been employed at the home it is never too late to begin. There is always support for them to acquire relevant qualifications.

 
 
 
 
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