Jennifer McNulty and Shaun Hall take a stern pose to display equipment used for staff to practice abdominal thrusts. “We need to know that staff can save an individual who is choking.”
As long as BCArc’s residential programs are running, the hiring and training process must continue. With 800 employees, there are always open positions, with new staff coming on board. Furthermore, current staff need to keep their training current.
Before the virus, orientation would involve around 20 people, now only six at a time attend, and much of it is done online. For example, First Aid and CPR training now occurs mostly online, but also requires the person to demonstrate skills live.
“For the live portion, we train three people at a time,” says Shaun Hall, Director of Staff Development and Training. “For example, choking is a concern with our individuals, so staff need to demonstrate their abilities at compression, abdominal thrusts, and back blows. We need to know that they can save an individual who is choking. This means in-person testing.”
Administering Medicine
“If you work in a home, you must be able to administer medicine,” says Hall. “We used to test 10 at a time. Now we test one at a time, and a nurse from the state observes through a computer camera. The state used to come in person.” Other trainings that have moved online without a hitch include oxygen therapy, and working with epipens.
“There are benefits to online training,” Hall says. “Travel time and cost is decreased, it’s more efficient for everyone.” The good news, says Hall: “The results show that people are learning and passing at positive rates. I would say the new system is working for our staff.”
