Professional Development Training

Home Care Providers and other Home Care Workers should use Professional Development Training (PDT) as a part of their professional development plan. PDT training is essential for ensuring that your employer and the home care agency you work with understand the importance of your contributions to the company and the agency.

PDTs are designed to cover all aspects of training for the provider, such as academic background, skills, licensing, healthcare practices, and education and practice. They can be customized to fit a specific service or to cover any part of the agency's practice. PDTs should be used on a continual basis to stay current with knowledge about licensing, laws, HIPAA, and how to offer high quality services.

PDTs do not include professional ethics training, although they can provide advice and clarification about proper standards of ethical practice. PDTs are also provided to employees and even to employers of home care agencies. Many Home Care Providers chooses to use PDTs to ensure that they know how to manage conflicts of interest between the provider and the agency, as well as how to work with state regulators to get reimbursed for services rendered.

After you receive PDT training, you should keep a daily journal to document the results. You can use a journal to document any challenges you encounter during training and get feedback on your accomplishments and skills.

PDTs can also be used to address ongoing issues within the agency. If there is a complaint process that your agency is using, for example, you can add it to your journal. By documenting the progress of a complaints process, you can provide a reference point for others who may need guidance in making a complaint.

PDTs are also designed to provide a "case history" that helps the provider and the agency become better educated on the care needs of a specific patient. A case history can show the Agency or Provider how to handle all types of patients, from the first patient to the last. The history also shows what steps you take to ensure a safe and healthy environment and how you work with staff to ensure that their treatment decisions are being done in their best interests.

Professional Development Training (PDT) is usually focused on the business of the agency. You may wish to focus your PDT on developing new business or on ensuring that existing clients are satisfied with the services you provide. You may choose to focus your PDT on educating clients about their rights when in need of assistance and the law governing your agency.

The first step in preparing a PDT is planning and organizing the content for the document. Review your agency's requirements for the PDT and identify any that may be out of date. Conduct an on-line survey to determine what types of resources are available, such as articles, books, videotapes, websites, and more.

The PDT should include the information required by your agency. A portion of the PDT should cover the agency's obligations to its clients and the community, including the responsibilities of your agency to its patients and the community.

The PDT should include information on privacy and confidentiality, including both personal and business matters. The PDT should provide guidelines on information the agency provides to families and individuals, as well as specific services you provide and the responsibilities of staff. It should explain the purpose of the PDT and whether the information contained in the PDT will fall under any laws that govern the agency or the profession as a whole.

The PDT should also contain information on practices and policies of the agency. These practices should be described in detail, including the definition of special needs patients, the definition of abuse, and the methods of receiving services to patients with special needs.

By documenting all successes and challenges, the PDT gives an agency and its staff valuable information about its services and people. While PDTs are not as lengthy as a report to a department, they will be useful to your employer and the community. Your employer and the rest of the home care industry will be interested in what you learn about yourself, your career, and your interactions with clients.