Catheter-associated urinary tract infections, or CAUTI, are a large problem in health care, accounting for 75 percent of the 560,000 total urinary tract infections that patients develop every year from hospital stays. The Health Research and Education Trust, working in partnership with the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, developed a series of materials aimed at reducing that number, especially in the intensive care unit (ICU) environment. The training videos associated with this Facilitator’s Guide is one part of that effort.
Using This Guide
Please note that for the purposes of this training, you are not expected to be a teacher, but, rather, a facilitator. You might be asking, what’s the difference?
Teacher: Often thought to be a “holder of wisdom” and expected to impart that wisdom and knowledge to a student. Generally, information goes to the recipient for consumption, not processing.
Facilitator: Guides and assists learners in learning for themselves by highlighting points for consideration, then letting the learners form their own thoughts about them, which helps them own material through self-exploration and dialogue.
As the facilitator for this training, you will be working with one or more trainees, guiding them through the videos associated with this Guide.
Preparing for a Session
For many people, especially experienced trainers, the transition from a teacher-centered delivery to a student-centered delivery can be difficult. Here are some suggestions on how to make this transition:
- Know the content
- It might seem obvious, but take time to become familiar with both this Facilitator’s Guide and the training videos. For example, know ahead of time when you are expected to pause the presentation and know what a module will cover and how long it will run.
There is no surer way to lose the attention of a learner than to show that you don’t understand what it is you are facilitating.
- It might seem obvious, but take time to become familiar with both this Facilitator’s Guide and the training videos. For example, know ahead of time when you are expected to pause the presentation and know what a module will cover and how long it will run.
- Know your facility
- If you are the Facilitator for this information, then you are expected to know about the facility’s CAUTI rates, policies, and processes. Learn this information before you facilitate for the first time.
- Start by asking questions
- Who is your learner? What does he/she know about the topic? What is his/her background? Before each module, you will see a list of potential questions to ask. It is not an exhaustive list, but should provide you with a place to start developing your own questions.
- Take time to introduce the topic and information slowly
- Often, trainers make the mistake of trying to rush the learner through the content. Doing so often robs the learner of the opportunity to develop his or her own understanding of the content.
- Make the content applicable
- You know the facility in which you and the leaner are working. How can you create questions that apply directly to that environment? How can you use that knowledge to encourage the learner to determine how he or she will apply the lessons from the content?
- Be creative and innovative
- Although we have highlighted places where you can stop the video and assist the learner in understanding the content, these are not the only places to do so. As you familiarize yourself with the content, look for other ways to make the experience more interactive.
- Create a positive learning environment
- Is the room comfortable? Is the video screen easily seen? Volume at an appropriate level? Take the time to set up a positive environment before you put your learner into it.
- Let the learner be a teacher
- Whenever possible, let the learner rephrase what he or she has seen and teach to you (or other learners also watching the video). Doing so helps the learner visualize how he or she will apply the lessons learned and will aid in knowledge retention.
Delivering the Session
“Preventing CAUTI in the ICU Setting” is a series of four videos, lasting between 4 and 13 minutes each. In keeping with the guidance mentioned previously, we recommend that you don’t rush through all the videos. Be sure to allot an additional 30–45 minutes for preparation, discussion during appropriate moments, and post-presentation summarization.
Although it isn’t required, you can also recommend to the learner that he/she takes notes. Taking notes has been shown to improve knowledge processing and retention. It’s also recommended that you take notes of the learner’s responses, too, as it will help you anticipate questions in the future.
