Purpose or Case Report: Educating adult learners, while competing with a busy clinical environment, limited staffing, and differences in learning styles can be challenging. To combat these challenges, a delivery format that is memorable, engaging and adaptive is essential to the safety of the environment for patients, visitors and staff.
Methods & Materials: Numerous formats for executing delivery of educational information were developed in an effort to accommodate multiple learning styles and environments. Some of the educational techniques were designed to target specific learning styles, such as: formal lectures, newsletters, bulletin boards and computer based education. Other techniques were devised to be inclusive of several leaning styles, for example: interactive games, informative videos, and a travelling easel on wheels referred to as Info on the Go. Additional methods included the offering of incentives from staff participation and the encouragement of technologist developed classes offered to peers for continuing education credits.
Results: The effectiveness of utilizing multiple teaching methods and accommodating all learning styles was apparent with an increase in tracer scores, indicating growth in staff compliance and competency. A noticeable rise in staff engagement resulted in the development of various technologist driven educational opportunities. An increase in staff resiliency, due to the fostering of an educationally supportive environment, was an unexpected but welcomed outcome. The skill development of Education and Quality Team members was an essential contributing factor to the success of this endeavor.
Conclusions: By recognizing the need to incorporate multiple learning styles in educational initiatives and fostering an environment suited for adult learners, a Radiology Department may achieve an increase in staff compliance, competency, and resiliency.