Community Health Network

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Training and classes

CultureVision

In 2008, the network began offering access to CultureVision software that gives employees across the network instant access to a wealth of information about different global cultures—information that is helpful in understanding the needs of patients of different cultures.

Diversity training

This course began in 2003 and provides personal awareness that heightens capabilities in working with diverse cultures. Participants engage in experiential and didactic learning that enhances their cultural competencies. (Right: Spanish interpreter Vicky Andrade works with a physical therapist to assist a patient during a rehabilitation appointment.)

At the completion of this session, a participant is able to:

• Define work place diversity
• Identify one's own prejudices
• Identify tools that enable enhancement when serving various customers of different cultures

Workplace conversational Spanish

This two session class is designed for clinical and non-clinical employees with little or no Spanish-speaking skills who are interested in learning the basics of the language and its culture to be able to communicate with their Spanish-speaking patients and families. 

Relationship training

This class is a required two-day course that focuses on relationship building. Class content includes relationship development, awareness wheel, accountablity, listening and more. 

Benefits of relationship training

(Right: Network employees participate in the “broken squares” game during the two-day relationship development course. The game involves five employees who must create five equal squares out of various paper shapes. The catch is that no one can communicate by talking, pointing or gesturing to one another and participants can only take pieces they’ve been given by others in their group. The game teaches employees about the importance of communication in teams. Without it, a simple task can become very difficult.)

Community Health Network promises employees that the development of strong relationships is “Job One” within our network. In 1999, after three years of pilot programs in various segments of the network, Community adopted network-wide relationship competencies as part of employees’ annual performance appraisals. That says a lot about how much the network values relationships.

It also fosters them by encouraging each and every employee to participate in the two-day relationship development course as part of their training. The goal of the course is to teach tools and skills that will encourage employees toward greater self-awareness and to embrace their ability to problem-solve conflicting team and organizational issues.

“All that we do is about relationships,” says Ann Daniel, director of the relationship development program. “When relationships on work teams are strong, employees are happier and more productive. The bottom line is everybody wins.”

The relationship course offers user-friendly tools that encourage employees to learn about themselves. “People are excited, but sometimes afraid to come to relationship development because they say, ‘I’m not sure I can live up to these standards,’” Daniel says. “It’s difficult because we’re talking about ourselves.”

The payoff is worth the short-term apprehension. Many employees notice that their personal and family relationships also improve after taking the relationship development course. “Anything employees learn permeates their whole life,” Daniel says. “Often people report that they’ve made changes in their family life and that happens more quickly than relationships at work.”