2010 NAO ConferenceSustainability by Expanding Continuing Education Opportunities

Pam Bartley, RN, BS, CEN, CCRN Education Coordinator, Mid-Carolina AHEC

andBennie M. Pettit, MSEducation Consultant, Upstate AHEC

Objectives

• Describe the critical elements in building and sustaining a consortium for Continuing Education.

• List the key points in grant generation for Continuing Education.

• Discuss the steps in conference planning as a fee-for-service activity.

• Recognize community and company benefits of serving as an American Heart Association Training Center

SOUTH CAROLINA REGIONAL COVERAGE

What is a Continuing Education Consortium?

con·sor·ti·um   • A cooperative arrangement among groups

or institutions.

Membership in the AHEC CE Consortium allows all employees of the agency to attend Continuing Education programs free of charge.

NOTE: Meals, roster fees and books, if required for a specific program are not included in consortium membership.

What is a CE Consortium?

• Agencies pay a yearly fee to become members of the CE AHEC Consortium.

• Fee is based on total FTE count of institution.

• Price per FTE goes down as FTE count goes up

• Sign a Contractual Agreement• Between institution and AHEC Center• Defines duties/responsibilities of

each organization• Defines benefits to each organization

Consortium Building

Three of the four South Carolina AHEC Centers have consortium members:

• Lowcountry AHEC

• Mid-Carolina AHEC

• Upstate AHEC

Consortium Benefits

• How does it benefit AHEC?-Allows CE income projection for FY Budget-Increases participation in CE programs

*less cancellation of programs

• How does it benefit Consortium members?-Can budget for CE via their annual budget-Participation in CE Advisory Group

*Needs Assessment-Decreases their CE Cost

Building and Sustaining a Consortium for Continuing Education

• How to Build A Consortium?• Market the concept

– Meet one on one with CEOs and Educators– Printed material, e-mail blast– Website

• Do good work – word of mouth• How to Sustain a Consortium?• Provide quality programs that increase

competency• Keep customers happy• Be innovative (alternative delivery)

Key Points in Grant Generation for Continuing Education

What types of grants are available to AHECs?

• Federal• State• Local• Corporate• Foundation• Private

How Does One Learn About Grants?• Federal Register• Internet• Grants Newsletters• Grants Publication• Conferences• Agency Newsletters and Notices• Catalogue of Federal Domestic

Assistance• Others

How Do I Learn To Write a Grant?

•Books•Articles•Workshops•Colleague or Mentor• Just do it

What Do the Best Grant Ideas Look Like?

• Fits your Center’s mission • Consistent with your strategic plan• Solves a problem - you can

document the need• Gets you and your key staff excited• Targets a specific, definable group• Involves the community-

Collaboration is the key• Innovative• Sustainable

What is an RFP? Request for Proposal includes:

• Abstract• Needs Assessment• Methodology• Work Plan• Evaluation• Organization Specific Information• Budget• Appendices• Letters of Support or Commitment

All Parts of the Proposal are NOT Equal• Need: the extent to which the proposal describes

the problem (20 points)• Response: degree to which the proposed project

responds to the need identified (25 points)• Impact: the extent and effectiveness plans for

disseminating the project results or degree to which the project is replicable (20 points)

• Resource/Capabilities: the extent to which the project personnel are qualified by training and/or expertise to implement the project (15 points)

• Evaluation: effectiveness of the method proposed to monitor the project results (10 points)

• Budget: the reasonableness of the proposed budget (10 points)

Grant Resources

• www.grants.gov• www.grantwritersonline.co

m • www.foundationcenter.org• www.TGCI.com• www.gsa.gov/cfda

Conference Planning

• Discuss steps in conference planning as a fee-for-service activity

Why AHEC as Conference Planners?• Familiar with the CE needs &

audiences in our areas• Knowledgeable about meeting

spaces in our areas• Approved provider of CE• AHEC Coordinators

– Organized– Eye for detail– Accustomed to planning a year in

advance– Administrative support

Steps in Conference Planning• Conference budget• Select appropriate target

audience based on topic• Select dates that do not conflict

with other conferences• Select appropriate venue based on

budget & space, site visit• Negotiating venue contract based

on hotel rooms reserved, meeting space, & catering

Steps in Conference Planning• Recommend speakers, call for

abstracts, assist with bio data & objective forms

• Recommend sponsors/exhibitors, develop sponsor forms

• Develop registration and evaluation forms

• Set agenda to maximize hours of credit

• Prepare session descriptions based on objectives

Steps in Conference Planning

• Apply for credits, placing correct credit statements on printed materials

• Market conference through mailing lists, etc

• Process registrations!• Prepare conference syllabus• Prepare name badges, attach ribbons,

designate vegetarian• AV equipment• Compute evaluation summary post

event

AHA Training Center • Recognize community and

company benefits of serving as an American Heart Association Training Center

• A Training Center is an organization that has contracted with the AHA to provide basic &/or advanced life support training courses to the community and healthcare providers

Agencies That Are AHA Training Centers

• Colleges; i.e. medical, nursing, allied health, or community colleges

• AHEC’s• Public safety agencies• Hospitals• EMS training agencies

What Does an AHA Training Center Provide?

• Schedules and conducts AHA courses– Basic life support (BLS)– Advanced life support (ACLS)– Pediatric advanced life support (PALS)– Automated External Defibrillator (AED)– First Aid

• Maintain course and instructor records

• Issue course completion cards• Train and mentor instructors

Criteria for Being an AHA Training Center

• Knowledge of healthcare environment in your community

• Follow the mission and guidelines of the AHA

• Must have sufficient administrative, financial, and staff resources

For Additional Information Please Contact:

• Pam Bartley, RN, BS, CEN, CCRNEducation CoordinatorMid-Carolina AHECpbartley@comporium.net

• Bennie M. Pettit, MSEducation ConsultantUpstate AHEC bpettit@upstateahec.org