Unlocking the Potential of AWHONN's Perinatal Orientation and Education Program (POEP)
Title: Unlocking the Potential of AWHONN's Perinatal Orientation and Education Program (POEP)
- Identify both congruent and divergent learning needs of perinatal nursing staff across the "novice to expert" continuum.
- Utilize perinatal nurse leaders effectively to maximize POEP potential in a variety of practice settings.
- Apply adult learning principles to select among various distinct strategies for implementing POEP educational modules.
This program demonstrates the application of adult learning principles and “novice to expert” concepts in developing a strategic plan for implementation of AWHONN’s Perinatal Orientation and Education Program (POEP). The POEP is a significant financial investment and is so robust and flexible that it can potentially overwhelm even seasoned educators and administrators. Because we found little guidance or direction, we wish to share our planned strategy as a model that other POEP users might adapt to their unique facilities.
Proposed change:
We propose to use the POEP as our primary staff development vehicle. Modules will supplement the current orientation program which is short on didactic content and highly dependent on clinical preceptors. These preceptors and other experienced staff will use POEP modules to update their knowledge base, earn contact hours, and enhance their expertise as preceptors and mentors. We propose meeting the varied needs of learners at different levels through the use of multiple educational modalities. We also anticipate development of a shared mental model as our cross-trained nurses are exposed to the same standardized, evidence-based content.
Implementation, outcomes and evaluation:
After receiving and reviewing the POEP, our leadership team spent months purposefully developing a multi-faceted implementation plan. We identified congruent and divergent learner needs, decided which groups should be prioritized for contact hours, and examined feasible, cost-effective teaching strategies preferred by adult learners.
Our plan includes formal module presentations by content experts, on-line learning, self-study packets and small study groups. Some POEP content will be assigned based on identified departmental learning needs, but most learners will exercise autonomy in choosing modules and learning modalities. POEP content will also be used by our shared governance council to guide policy development and educate staff about evidence-based practice changes.
There is already excitement on the part of the staff who appreciates the investment made in their ongoing professional development. We plan to share the results of our implementation strategy by reporting attendance at live and “virtual” sessions, number of contact hours earned, certifications achieved or maintained, and participant feedback and recommendations.
Implications for nursing practice:
Leadership sees the POEP as a “team training” modality. As we journey towards Magnet designation, we believe it will support nursing staff in implementing the standardized, evidence-based nursing care and will improve teamwork, communication, critical thinking and optimal patient outcomes.
Keywords:
Orientation, perinatal staff development, team training, shared mental model