Benchmark Professional Development Programs in Hospital Settings Assignment
Hospital administrators frequently look for comprehensive guides and examples to design effective professional development programs that enhance staff skills and promote retention in healthcare facilities.
Based on the Hospital Application assignment, you have determined that a new professional development program needs to be created for existing employees. Taking time to review previous evaluations can highlight key areas where staff might benefit most from targeted training.
The purpose of this assignment is to develop an expanded outline or blueprint for a new professional training and skill development program for existing employees and to explain how the program can be used to motivate and retain quality employees. Consider how the organization leverages workforce diversity to encourage employees to collaborate and apply their unique talents. Integrating diverse perspectives in training sessions often leads to more innovative problem-solving and improved patient satisfaction based on recent healthcare trends.
Continuing in the role of the hospital administrator from the Hospital Care Application assignment, you are required to create a blueprint or an expanded outline of the professional development program for the director of human resources (your supervisor). As a portion of this assignment, create an agenda for training that clearly states the topic being covered, the presenter, the location, and the time block in the overall agenda: a training schedule that includes the necessary preparation needed to provide the training (who, what, when, where, why, and how), as well as a description of the practice training activities and any media or handouts you will provide. Collaborating with department heads during preparation ensures the content remains relevant to daily operations.
Additionally, using what you have learned from the assigned readings and your own research, expand the information presented in the training agenda with paragraphs that describe the following elements:
- The focus of the program, which could include a combination of the following: learning new skills, additional certifications, licensure, and cross-training for other areas not usually assigned (as an introduction before the agenda).
- Description of written materials, such as handouts, to be provided during the training (after the agenda). Modern handouts increasingly incorporate QR codes linking to additional online resources for ongoing learning.
- A description of at least one computer-, Web-, or DVD-based training element that will be used in the program, including consideration of the idea that staff may have varying levels of technology readiness (after the agenda).
- Explanation of how organizations leverage workforce diversity (team members with different skill sets or credentials) and describe the benefits of diverse knowledge, skills, and expertise among team members (as a conclusion). Such approaches not only foster inclusivity but also contribute to higher team performance metrics in clinical environments.
Benchmark – Professional Development Programs in Hospital Settings – Rubric
Total 80 points
Criterion
| 1. Unsatisfactory | 2. Less Than Satisfactory | 3. Satisfactory | 4. Good | 5. Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agenda for Training | ||||
| 0 points An agenda for training, including the topic being covered, the presenter, the location, and the time block, is not present. | 6.24 points An agenda for training, including the topic being covered, the presenter, the location, and the time block, is present but lacks details or incomplete. | 7.2 points An agenda for training, including the topic being covered, the presenter, the location, and the time block, is present. | 8.16 points An agenda for training, including the topic being covered, the presenter, the location, and the time block, is detailed. | 9.6 points An agenda for training, including the topic being covered, the presenter, the location, and the time block, is thorough. |
| Training Schedule | ||||
| 0 points A training schedule that includes the necessary preparation of who, what, when, where, why, and how is not present. | 6.24 points A training schedule that includes the necessary preparation of who, what, when, where, why, and how is present, but lacks details or incomplete. | 7.2 points A training schedule that includes the necessary preparation of who, what, when, where, why, and how is present. | 8.16 points A training schedule that includes the necessary preparation of who, what, when, where, why, and how is detailed. | 9.6 points A training schedule that includes the necessary preparation of who, what, when, where, why, and how is thorough. |
| Practice Training Activities and Media or Handouts | ||||
| 0 points A description of practice training activities and any media or handouts to be provided is not present. | 6.24 points A description of practice training activities and any media or handouts to be provided is present but lacks details or incomplete. | 7.2 points A description of practice training activities and any media or handouts to be provided is present. | 8.16 points A description of practice training activities and any media or handouts to be provided is detailed. | 9.6 points A description of practice training activities and any media or handouts to be provided is thorough. |
| Focus of the Program | ||||
| 0 points The focus of the program is not present. | 6.24 points The focus of the program is present but lacks details or incomplete. | 7.2 points The focus of the program is present. | 8.16 points The focus of the program is detailed. | 9.6 points The focus of the program is thorough. |
| Written Materials | ||||
| 0 points A description of written materials to be provided during the training is not present. | 6.24 points A description of written materials to be provided during the training is present but lacks details or incomplete. | 7.2 points A description of written materials to be provided during the training is present. | 8.16 points A description of written materials to be provided during the training is detailed. | 9.6 points A description of written materials to be provided during the training is thorough. |
| Training Element | ||||
| 0 points A description of at least one computer-, Web-, or DVDbased training element that will be used in the program, including consideration of the idea that staff may have varying levels of technology readiness, is not present. | 6.24 points A description of at least one computer-, Web-, or DVDbased training element that will be used in the program, including consideration of the idea that staff may have varying levels of technology readiness, is present but lacks details or incomplete. | 7.2 points A description of at least one computer-, Web-, or DVDbased training element that will be used in the program, including consideration of the idea that staff may have varying levels of technology readiness, is present. | 8.16 points A description of at least one computer-, Web-, or DVDbased training element that will be used in the program, including consideration of the idea that staff may have varying levels of technology readiness, is detailed. | 9.6 points A description of at least one computer-, Web-, or DVDbased training element that will be used in the program, including consideration of the idea that staff may have varying levels of technology readiness, is thorough. |
| Leveraging Workforce Diversity (B) Leveraging Workforce Diversity (C3.2) | ||||
| 0 points An explanation of how organizations can leverage workforce diversity and a description of the benefits of diverse knowledge, skills, and expertise among team members are not present. | 6.76 points An explanation of how organizations can leverage workforce diversity and a description of the benefits of diverse knowledge, skills, and expertise among team members are present but lack details or are incomplete. | 7.8 points An explanation of how organizations can leverage workforce diversity and a description of the benefits of diverse knowledge, skills, and expertise among team members are present. | 8.84 points An explanation of how organizations can leverage workforce diversity and a description of the benefits of diverse knowledge, skills, and expertise among team members are detailed. | 10.4 points An explanation of how organizations can leverage workforce diversity and a description of the benefits of diverse knowledge, skills, and expertise among team members are thorough. |
| Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use) | ||||
| 0 points Surface errors are pervasive enough that they impede communication of meaning. Inappropriate word choice or sentence construction is used. | 4.16 points Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. Inconsistencies in language choice (register) or word choice are present. Sentence structure is correct but not varied. | 4.8 points Some mechanical errors or typos are present, but they are not overly distracting to the reader. Correct and varied sentence structure and audience-appropriate language are employed. | 5.44 points Prose is largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may be present. The writer uses a variety of effective sentence structures and figures of speech. | 6.4 points Writer is clearly in command of standard, written, academic English. |
| Documentation of Sources (citations, footnotes, references, bibliography, etc., as appropriate to assignment and style) | ||||
| 0 points Sources are not documented. | 3.64 points Documentation of sources is inconsistent or incorrect, as appropriate to assignment and style, with numerous formatting errors. | 4.2 points Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, although some formatting errors may be present. | 4.76 points Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is mostly correct. | 5.6 points Sources are completely and correctly documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is free of error. |
Sample Answer Writing Guide
Administrators outline programs emphasizing new certifications and cross-training to motivate hospital staff and improve retention rates. They design agendas with sessions on skill-building led by experienced presenters in onsite locations during designated times. Schedules detail preparations involving key stakeholders and rationales focused on enhancing care delivery. Activities feature hands-on simulations and provide media like video clips alongside informative handouts. Training includes web-based modules adjusted for different tech comfort levels among participants. Studies indicate that effective professional development significantly boosts employee engagement in healthcare (Shiri et al., 2023, https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11212900). Explanations highlight diversity benefits such as enriched team expertise leading to innovative patient solutions.
How can hospital administrators craft professional development blueprints to foster staff motivation and diversity? Crafting these blueprints involves integrating evidence-based strategies that address skill gaps, as demonstrated in case studies from leading hospitals where such programs reduced turnover by up to 20 percent according to AHRQ data. Industry analyses from the Joint Commission reveal that diversity-focused training enhances collaborative care, with examples from multicultural teams showing improved outcomes in patient safety metrics. Reports from HIMSS underscore the value of tech-inclusive elements in development initiatives for adapting to evolving healthcare demands.
- Develop a 1000-1500 word blueprint for a professional development program, including training agendas and diversity explanations to motivate hospital employees.
- Create a 4-6 page expanded outline detailing training schedules, activities, and benefits of workforce diversity for retaining quality staff in hospitals.
References
- Aleo, G., Princi, E., Lazzarino, A. I., Heydari, A., Bressan, F. and Bagnasco, A. (2024) ‘The effectiveness of continuing professional development for the residential long-term care workforce: A systematic review’, Nurse Education Today, p. 106151. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2024.106151.
- Ali, S., Shakir, S., Usman, M., Khalid, M. U. and Saleem, M. A. (2025) ‘Impact of continuing professional development (CPD) on patient outcomes: a systematic scoping review’, BMC Medical Education, 25(1), p. 1284. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-07883-4.
- Chaker, R. (2024) ‘The Effects of Online Continuing Education for Healthcare Professionals: A Systematic Scoping Review’, Open Education Studies, 6(1). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1515/edu-2022-0226.
- Magwenya, R. H. (2023) ‘Continuing professional development in the last decade – A scoping review’, Journal of Adult & Continuing Education, 29(1), pp. 408-437. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/14779714221147297.
- Shiri, R., Turunen, J., Kauppi, K., Keevil, B., Lallukka, T., Liira, J. and Viikari-Juntura, E. (2023) ‘The Role of Continuing Professional Training or Development in Maintaining Current Employment: A Systematic Review’, Healthcare, 11(21), p. 2900. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11212900.
