[Q.]

We will be using a Learning Management System in the very near future (Pathlore) that also does all this for us, as well as allows staff to register for classes, generates email notices, and track attendance. We've already purchased the product and now we are in the process of implementation.

Here's a site with more information:
http://www.osc.edu/education/webed/T...ve/2002_01.htm

[Topcat13]

There are several computer based programs available for education tracking. My vision of a one stop education electronic resource management system was realized through the IS department at the hospital I worked at. If you have a savvy IS group, then they could write code around an Access database that allows electronic registration, record keeping and reports. The IS team I worked with created a badge scan integration so that classroom activity attendance could be entered into the electronic database by simply swiping your badge into a card reader and downloading that information into the system by pressing a button...and presto, all attendance was recorded on their individual transcripts. I was able to run department reports and course reports.

I am now with a hospital system that has a learning management system (LMS) that is a dream for providing on-line education and record keeping...it requires commitment and money to launch it, it requires leadership and dedicated resources to support it, and requires a culture that embraces an electronic environment. Our journey and success is a book worth writing.

If money, commitment, etc. are unavailable for a LMS, then if you are comfortable using Microsoft Excel I suggest it as an alternative to the manual methods that most of us grew up with and still use. Moving things to electronic formats always takes time to set it up. But once you have your templates developed then you'll save loads of time and be more effective and efficient when data was needed or requested. Plus, you'll be able to get rid of some file cabinets in your office.

One word to the wise...from experience...if you use computers to maintain data, be sure to save your data frequently to an external source (external hard drive, network server, CDs) rather than just to your computer hard drive.

[purplemania]

I use MS Outlook to track due dates. A grid in Excel works too.We have software to track in-services.

[gebe51]

Originally Posted by InService

Jackie, thanks so much for your answer. However, I found an in-service software tracking system that also tracks license certification. It's a really great product. It does just about EVERYTHING. It has saved me soooooooooo much time. It's a really great product. It's called eStaffTrak. I highly recommend it.

HI I read your message and the eStaffTrak sounds great. Can you tell me where you found it? I would love to have it. I work in LTC and have quite a few employees to track and I really could use some help. Thank you gebe51

[deannastaffdevelopme]

Originally Posted by InService

I'm just curious? How do you track your in-services? Can you give me some ideas on how you track them efficiently? And also, how to you keep track of credentializing--you know, when a nurses license needs to be renewed? Any help would be highly appreciated.

Hi dear, we utilize NetLearning...it is the best!

[imenid37]

Here's what our hospital uses. http://www.healthstream.com

[purplemania]

We use a software known as ABRA - I DO NOT recommend it as it has too many built in redundancies and is not at all user friendly.

I made up my own grid with MSExcel. It requires looking at the grid once a month, but only for a few minutes.

[psykrn]

If you have limited budget...like everyone else - Excel and Access is designed for database collection that could be sorted for dates, expiration, licensure and whateverlse you want to track. You can easily place a formula and auto calculate license expiration dates. Time to learn folks!

[InService]

The product we use called eStaffTrak is now only $750. I just learned this from another facility that has it. They did some sort of market research and realized that the price was too high and now they have even included more features. I called them when I found out about the price reduction and they gave me all the upgrades for free. I told them I would tell everyone about it. You can send an email to find out more at info@pinnacle.us.com.