Providing Education and Training on Topics and Skills Outside of Your Comfort Zone

[SilverBells, BSN]

As nurses, we are often asked to not only care for patients, but also provide education and training to both patients and other staff.  However, sometimes the education that is needed involves a topic or skill we aren’t the most familiar with, but still must be completed.  Lately, this has been occurring to me on a near daily basis.   I’m asked to provide training on a subject I’m really not familiar with and can think of others who would be better educators, but, for whatever reason, I’m chosen to do so.  What are tips and tricks to providing education on topics that aren’t your area of expertise?  

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

Mosby's clinical skills, Youtube, and good old Google. I'm always up front with people if it's something I'm not 100% comfortable with I'll preface my input with something like "I've done a lot of research but as far as hands on we might be doing some learning together". Preparing to teach something to someone else is a great way to get familiar with new skills and topics. Good luck. 

[Davey Do]

18 hours ago, SilverBells said:

  I’m asked to provide training on a subject I’m really not familiar with 

Specifics, SiverBells!

[Davey Do]

On 5/26/2021 at 7:06 PM, SilverBells said:

 I’m asked to provide training on a subject I’m really not familiar with  

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

On 5/26/2021 at 8:06 PM, SilverBells said:

I’m asked to provide training on a subject I’m really not familiar with

Are you being asked to provide or asked to arrange? There is a difference. As an educator for multiple different types of units, I am not the expert for all of them. However, I do know who my subject matter experts are and rely on them for those areas that are not my own strength. 

[NurseBlaq]

Every unit/facility has nurses who have a niche in different things. That's why I used to always make a mental note of people's strengths and weaknesses. If there's an educational need on certain things, go find the person who has a strength in that area and ask them to teach/in-service. No one knows it all, that's why it's a team.

[NightNerd, MSN, RN]

Are we talking more in a situation like precepting, or actually providing an in-service? If it's the former, I always try to teach my orientee *how* to find the answers they need, in addition to what the answers actually are. As far as something more formalized, I will absolutely do my own research prior to any teaching - but again, I will point whoever I'm teaching toward resources that will help when they're on the floor. As @JBMmom said, it's perfectly okay to acknowledge if you don't have a ton of experience with a certain skill or topic - we all have different backgrounds, interests, and skills, and there's pretty much always something new for nurses to learn.

[SmilingBluEyes]

I agree with the post that differentiated provision versus acquisition of training/education. Do you have an education department you can work with to help make this happen?

[Davey Do]

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

What are you being asked to train on that you don't know about?

[SilverBells, BSN]

12 hours ago, FolksBtrippin said:

What are you being asked to train on that you don't know about?

Various things. 

1. Broda chair training.  Sounds silly, but I really don't know what sort of training to provide, other than showing staff how to use the brakes and adjusting the head and feet portions? Maybe I'm overthinking this one, but except for showing staff how to use the various adjusters/brakes, I'm really not sure what all I should be teaching on this one

2. Wound vacs. Although I can generally figure out for myself, I don't have enough experience to provide good training for others. It doesn't help that all these patients seem to come in with different styles/brands. 

3. Ostomies. Again, I can usually figure out for myself but each patient seems to come in with different supplies, methods of changing, etc so it's hard to provide training on this one too.  Generalized training doesn't really seem to work since each patient seems to be different.  

4. Foley catheter changes. I've done a few myself, but don't consider them to be an area of expertise and don't consider myself to be the most qualified to train. 

It's mostly things like that.  Things I can do myself but don't necessarily feel qualified to teach others to do? 

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Reach out to product vendors, even for multiple brands — they can usually provide experts for inservices. You can coordinate and learn along with staff, rather than teach.