Many employees view going to an inservice as a dull part of their jobs. The Inservice Coordinator needs to use a lot of different resources to provide an enjoyable learning experience.

The room should be pleasant and spacious with adequate temperature and lighting. Employees who have been on their feet all day will be grateful for comfortable chairs. There should always be enough chairs for everyone. It’s best to arrange seating so everyone can hear and see, and if there is going to be discussion, so they can all hear and see one another.

Turning the PA system off in the room will avoid noisy interruptions.

Provide an adequate amount of notepaper and pens if they will be needed.

 The instructor’s demeanor, attitude, and approach will very much determine how employees perceive and participate in the activity.

Giving an upbeat or snappy title to the inservice will set the mood from the beginning.

If the instructor appears to be enjoying what she’s doing, participants are more likely to feel the same. Key words for the instructor’s attitude are: Cheerfulness, Humor, Enthusiasm, Respect, Creativity.

Inservices are often scheduled between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. This is after lunch, so staff may be sleepy once they sit down. Look for cues from the staff such as grimacing, squirming, looking bored, or yawning. Modulate your voice and movements to increase stimulation when needed.

Alternate lecturing with other activities, and stop frequently for questions. Be alert to staff looking confused.

If the inservice is long, giving a break is a good idea. For a very long inservice provide beverages and/or snacks.

Because the participants are adults and have professional licenses or certifications, respect for their previous knowledge is essential. Share examples and case studies, and make sure the information is pertinent to the setting.

Give positive reinforcement and incentives verbally or in the form of rewards such as candy. To support retention use memory aids, and summarize at regular intervals to restate the main points and theme.

Sharing of the group’s experience, knowledge, and opinions will enhance the learning experience for everyone involved.

Some methods of increasing participation are:

• Asking open-ended questions
• Discussion
• Role-Playing
• Debate
• Games

Keep the participants focused and from going off on tangents by leading them firmly but gently back to the matter at hand. If one participant is having unusual difficulty understanding, let her know you will talk with her after the inservice to answer her questions or assist her.

The goal is to have as many employees participate as possible, but not to allow any one person to take over and dominate. Make sure there is no interrupting, that only one person talks at a time, and intervene when needed to avoid heated debate.

 Effective aids to learning use several senses and different types of learning media.

Depending on just one form of instruction is monotonous. A stimulating learning experience will not be just lecture or video. Alternate forms of media and activities during the inservice. Use several learning aids such as:

Handouts

Overheads

Videos

Pictures

Diagrams

Chalk board

Find more information about Inservices in the book

D.O.N.'s Handbook for Long Term Care