Refresher training, also known as remedial or continuing education training, is a process that allows people to improve on the skills and talents they already have in the workplace. At times, the focus of this type of remedial training is on assisting the individual in discarding habits that have developed over time, thereassisting the employee in regaining lost efficiency. In other cases, refresher training allows an individual to revisit some aspects of previous training while also being exposed to new methods or technology that will improve his or her performance. This type of training is available in a variety of fields, from computer science to medicine.
The medical field is an excellent example of a field that regularly uses refresher training. Nurses are required to attend periodic training sessions in many jurisdictions in order to maintain their license. While this type of training used to focus on teaching experienced nurses how to deal with irate patients or how to use the most up-to-date medical equipment, it now includes a wide range of topics. A nurse may attend continuing education courses to learn how to use the most up-to-date charting software or to receive training on how to function as a charge nurse.
Refresher training is also provided to other professionals who have a connection to responding to health emergencies. Emergency medical technicians, or EMTs, can benefit from paramedic refresher courses to stay up to date on the latest strategies and techniques for emergency care during transport. Lifeguards and educators receive CPR refresher training on a regular basis, allowing them to assist in life-threatening situations. It is not uncommon for various office personnel to receive first aid refresher training, ensuring that someone is nearwho can assist in an emergency situation while professional medical assistance is on its way.
Refresher training is not always associated with life-threatening situations. A refresher course could focus on helping people rediscover how to use all of the tools that come with a specific software product. Factory workers may be given remedial training to help them break habits that slow them down on the assembly line and reduce productivity. Math refresher courses are also available for those involved in academic pursuits or research where the use of mathematical formulas is critical to the research’s success.
Refresher training, at its best, aids in the development of the individual receiving the training’s competency and knowledge base. In many cases, people who receive this training report an increase in job satisfaction and their ability to perform efficiently. Because continuing and remedial training tends to boost employee productivity while also boosting self-confidence, many employers consider the time and resources invested in this type of training to be well worth it.