As a nurse, your safety as well as the safety and welfare of patients, partially depend on you. That is why getting all the right skills is crucial. The right knowledge will help you to deal with common situations that arise in the workplace.
If you want to kick start your nursing career, there is one term that you need to be familiar with—mandatory training. What do you need to know about mandatory training for nurses?
Here are 5 things:
- What is Mandatory Training?
This is the kind of training without which you cannot work in an organization. Mandatory training ensures that you can safely and effectively perform your duties in an organization. It includes training for record-keeping, conflict handling, consent, incident reporting, hand hygiene, and more.
- Employer Obligations for Training
If you are employed, your employer can pay for your training which will count as a part of your work schedule. Whether or not your employer pays for your training will depend on the framework under which they are operating.
The NHS provides training to its employees to meet certain standards for better health, risk management, and quality care inspection.
Your employer may be obliged to provide training based on factors such as legal and country-specific obligations, the riskiness of the working environment, and the need for equality.
- Mandatory Training Updates
Mandatory training for nurses should be and is updated regularly. In most cases, these updates are annual.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) does not dictate how often training should take place. Nevertheless, it requires nurses to have the latest skills. Your employer is free to set training schedules under which you should comply.
- The Difference between Mandatory and Statutory Training
Statutory training is that which is required by law, where employers must provide training to meet the requirements of particular regulations.
For example, to meet the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act, employees need training in areas such as manual handling and fire safety awareness and updates; and basic risk assessment. Other areas of training under the Act include reporting injuries, diseases, and dangerous occurrences (RIDDOR) and the control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH).
At times, you will come across terms such as ‘essential’ and ‘compulsory’ training. Employers can use these terms to describe both mandatory and statutory training.
- The Importance of Mandatory Training
Apart from ensuring a safe working environment for yourself and effective care for patients, mandatory training also helps to:
- Create a work culture that encourages equality and better working relationships. Training also helps you feel more confident when you are performing your duties.
- Build professionalism, for example in training related to confidentiality.
Final Words
Whether you are joining the nursing profession or are already practising, mandatory training is crucial to effective performance at work. The training should be a continuous process, ensuring you keep up with the latest updates so that you can keep safe and perform your duties ethically and professionally at all times.
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