Staff Development: Definition and Purposes

Definition of Staff Development

• Refers to policies, practices, and procedures to develop staff knowledge, skills, and competencies to improve individual and institutional effectiveness and efficiency.

Purposes of Staff Development

• Recognize the need for staff development due to rapid change
• Familiarize employees with changes in methods and techniques
• Support worker well-being
• Improve or attain complex clinical skills and quality practice
• Motivate effective performance
• Increase job satisfaction and self-confidence
• Improve worker retention

Forms of Staff Development

• Centralized: Agency staff development team responsible for developing all hospital personnel through a nursing development program
• Decentralized: Staff development program provided at the unit level, e.g., head nurse responsible for new nurse orientation and providing new knowledge and skills to nursing staff
• Centralized-Decentralized: Combined approach with central planning and policy making, and decentralized clinical learning situations

Principles of Staff Development

Timing

• Keep training sessions short and to the point to avoid overwhelming staff
• Provide immediate skill updates that can be applied directly

Subject

• Trainer must have a deep understanding of the trainees
• Trainer must have mastery of the subject being taught

Objective

• Define institution goals and develop training techniques to achieve them
• Focus on customer satisfaction when devising training and staff development techniques

Motivation

• Both the trainer and trainee must be motivated for the training process to be successful
• Support staff who desire self-improvement and listen to their training needs
• Ensure training improves employee performance

Individualism

• Training should meet the needs and situations of individual staff members

Realism

• Make the learning process as realistic as possible
• Teach staff on the job using equipment, tools, or machinery that must be mastered

Response

• Regularly check on trainees' response and retention

Consistency

• Maintain a consistent schedule of training as part of institution culture
• Ensure staff development is an ongoing, integral part of the business
• Keep up with industry trends and changes through regular training and development

This quiz covers the definition and purposes of staff development in universities, including its importance in adapting to change and improving individual and institutional effectiveness.