In this Product Highlight, we’ll review key tools to consider in your screening program, as well as...
Healthcare students are dedicated and motivated but the demands on their time can be overwhelming, especially for non-traditional students.
From rigorous academic schedules to part-time jobs and family commitments, healthcare students often find themselves in a perpetual juggling act.
Given that, how can schools capture the attention of their students and impress upon them the need to complete required administrative tasks in a timely manner?
Table of Contents
- Post-Traditional Students
- School Approach Can Determine Student Success
- Top Five Proven Approaches
- Four Considerations to Find the Right Provider
- PreCheck Shares the Load
Post-Traditional Students of Today
To most of us, administrative tasks are part of the fabric of life. Whether it is electing healthcare or obtaining permits to put an addition onto a house, we have become so accustomed to them that we often perform these tasks without asking why.
Not so the student of today!
Students are balancing many responsibilities between their academic, work, and personal life in additional to the flood of digital information they consume.
In fact, 74% of today's students are classified as "post-traditional," meaning they exhibit one or more of the following characteristics:
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- Attending school part time
- Being a single caregiver
- Being employed full time
- Being “independent” (for financial aid purposes)
- Delaying college enrollment after high school
- Having one or more dependents
- Not having a traditional high school diploma
In fact, a third of students exhibit three or more of these characteristics.
They can become overwhelmed, and push back by wondering if a task is necessary and then attempt to answer that question by waiting to see if there are consequences to not performing the task.
School Approach Can Determine Student Success
Ask any school instructor about their success in getting students to complete tasks and you will hear quite a lot about the challenge.
Healthcare schools are in a particularly difficult situation as many of their pre-enrollment and clinical placement requirements are mandated by law. This includes completion of a background check, sometime drug testing, and immunization tracking.
To ensure potential and current students meet these requirements schools must be innovative in getting the student’s attention and cooperation.
“We take a proactive approach to ensure our students are meeting administrative tasks and compliance requirements for StudentCheck. Our students are given a special ‘StudentCheck Orientation’ prior to the first day of class to ensure initial compliance,” said Brooke Hinson, MSN, RN at the Southeastern Technical College ASN-RN Program.
“Throughout the program, faculty utilize face-to-face reminders during class and video reminders to encourage students to stay in compliance in order to attend clinical rotations and progress in the program. We have found our process is an efficient way to get the tasks completed on time.”
Southeastern Technical College utilizes many of the following approaches in their efficient process.
Top 5 Proven Approaches
1. Explain the Relevance of Required Tasks
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- Clearly define the list of requirements and highlight the sequence of tasks
- Show how meeting the requirements will allow a student admission to the program or placement at a clinical site
- Write “success stories” from the student’s perspective about how they have been able to move forward in their careers
2. Incorporate Technology
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- Host a group Zoom / Teams call for students to join in which you explain the list of requirements
- Use online forms whenever possible and ensure they can be completed on a mobile phone
- Ensure your process requires documents be uploaded only once
- Track compliance
3. Provide Clear Instructions
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- Provide every student with a written list of requirements and how to complete those requirements
- Include an FAQ
- Write a list of definitions explaining the meaning of terms such as “immunization tracking”
4. Offer Instructions in a Variety of Ways
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- Include videos in which real students offer tips on completing the requirements
- Offer students the chance to meet with a school representative who can help answer questions
- Give students a workflow document that shows the sequence of events in meeting the requirements and moving forward in your program
- Provide the instructions in the languages commonly spoken by your student population, at a minimum in English and Spanish
5. Monitor and Adjust
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- Evaluate current and past students to determine the effectiveness of your strategies and make adjustments as needed based on student feedback and level of compliance
4 Considerations to Find the Right Provider
While you can add the steps above to help your students meet their requirements, it's also imperative to work with a background screening partner who understands the needs of your school and the students you teach. Pay attention to the following when choosing your provider:
Technology
Your students likely expect a tech-enabled, mobile-friendly experience to complete their tasks, so considering the technological capabilities of your background screener is crucial. It enhances the user experience for both the students and administration, saving time and simplifying the process for better student engagement.
Ultimately, a background screener with robust technological capabilities can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of mandatory administrative tasks.
Pre-Written Templates
Pre-written templates are a significant time saver in background screening processes. They streamline your workflow, reducing the time and effort spent on drafting individual forms or documents, and ensure consistency across all documentation.
They play a crucial role in optimizing administrative tasks in background screening, leading to increased student engagement.
Customizable Program
Your organization's needs are as unique as your students. Look for a highly customizable solution to meet the requirements of your healthcare institutions, no matter how large. A great background check platform can be tailored to align with your workflow, regulations, and strategic goals.
With an ability to seamlessly integrate with existing systems, a flexible solution enhances operational efficiency and reduces administrative burden. Ask about features such as customizable compliance tracking and report generation, so your organization can monitor and manage your compliance efforts effectively.
Dedicated Client Service Team
Does your background check provider give you access to a dedicated client service team for your students?
With specialized knowledge of the unique needs and challenges of this demographic, these professionals will provide invaluable guidance and support throughout the compliance process. Their expertise extends from the initial setup to the management of ongoing requirements, ensuring that students are always well-equipped to meet their obligations with ease.
PreCheck Shares the Load
When it comes to obtaining the students’ engagement and cooperation, who you chose as your provider matters.
Education is a transformative journey that relies on the synergy between students, teachers, and the resources they use. The provider you choose should be one that aligns with your educational goals, values, and the needs of your students.
Quality service, innovative tools, and dedicated support all play a crucial role in capturing students' attention and motivating them to actively participate in meeting their requirements.
PreCheck provides a sample instruction sheet that schools can customize to fit their program requirements. Additionally, our platform is mobile optimized, so students find it easy to supply their data.
They only upload their immunization data once and we do the parsing and data populating. Drug test can also be scheduled online and at collection sites near your student. Our StudentCheck Support team helps to answer the questions students might have.
Now that you understand some ways to increase student compliance with your school’s requirements, speak to one of our experts in healthcare student screening today!
