1. 2010 NAO Conference Sustainability by Expanding Continuing Education Opportunities Pam Bartley, RN, BS, CEN, CCRN Education Coordinator, Mid-Carolina AHEC and Bennie M. Pettit, MS Education Consultant, Upstate AHEC

2. Objectives Describe the critical elements in building and sustaining a consortium for Continuing Education. List the key points in grant generation for Continuing Education. Discuss the steps in conference planning as a fee-for-service activity. Recognize community and company benefits of serving as an American Heart Association Training Center

3. SOUTH CAROLINA REGIONAL COVERAGE

4. What is a Continuing Education Consortium? con·sor·ti·um A cooperative arrangement among groups or institutions. Membership in the AHEC CE Consortium allows all employees of the agency to attend Continuing Education programs free of charge. NOTE: Meals, roster fees and books, if required for a specific program are not included in consortium membership.

5. What is a CE Consortium? Agencies pay a yearly fee to become members of the CE AHEC Consortium. Fee is based on total FTE count of institution. Price per FTE goes down as FTE count goes up Sign a Contractual Agreement Between institution and AHEC Center Defines duties/responsibilities of each organization Defines benefits to each organization

6. Consortium Building Three of the four South Carolina AHEC Centers have consortium members: Lowcountry AHEC Mid-Carolina AHEC Upstate AHEC

7. Consortium Benefits How does it benefit AHEC? -Allows CE income projection for FY Budget -Increases participation in CE programs *less cancellation of programs How does it benefit Consortium members? -Can budget for CE via their annual budget -Participation in CE Advisory Group *Needs Assessment -Decreases their CE Cost

8. Building and Sustaining a Consortium for Continuing Education How to Build A Consortium? Market the concept –Meet one on one with CEOs and Educators –Printed material, e-mail blast –Website Do good work – word of mouth How to Sustain a Consortium? Provide quality programs that increase competency Keep customers happy Be innovative (alternative delivery)

9. Key Points in Grant Generation for Continuing Education What types of grants are available to AHECs? Federal State Local Corporate Foundation Private

10. How Does One Learn About Grants? Federal Register Internet Grants Newsletters Grants Publication Conferences Agency Newsletters and Notices Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Others

11. How Do I Learn To Write a Grant? Books Articles Workshops Colleague or Mentor Just do it

12. What Do the Best Grant Ideas Look Like? Fits your Center’s mission Consistent with your strategic plan Solves a problem - you can document the need Gets you and your key staff excited Targets a specific, definable group Involves the community- Collaboration is the key Innovative Sustainable

13. What is an RFP? Request for Proposal includes: Abstract Needs Assessment Methodology Work Plan Evaluation Organization Specific Information Budget Appendices Letters of Support or Commitment

14. All Parts of the Proposal are NOT Equal Need: the extent to which the proposal describes the problem (20 points) Response: degree to which the proposed project responds to the need identified (25 points) Impact: the extent and effectiveness plans for disseminating the project results or degree to which the project is replicable (20 points) Resource/Capabilities: the extent to which the project personnel are qualified by training and/or expertise to implement the project (15 points) Evaluation: effectiveness of the method proposed to monitor the project results (10 points) Budget: the reasonableness of the proposed budget (10 points)

15. Grant Resources www.grants.gov www.grantwritersonline.com www.foundationcenter.org www.TGCI.com www.gsa.gov/cfda

16. Conference Planning Discuss steps in conference planning as a fee-for-service activity

17. Why AHEC as Conference Planners? Familiar with the CE needs & audiences in our areas Knowledgeable about meeting spaces in our areas Approved provider of CE AHEC Coordinators –Organized –Eye for detail –Accustomed to planning a year in advance –Administrative support

18. Steps in Conference Planning Conference budget Select appropriate target audience based on topic Select dates that do not conflict with other conferences Select appropriate venue based on budget & space, site visit Negotiating venue contract based on hotel rooms reserved, meeting space, & catering

19. Steps in Conference Planning Recommend speakers, call for abstracts, assist with bio data & objective forms Recommend sponsors/exhibitors, develop sponsor forms Develop registration and evaluation forms Set agenda to maximize hours of credit Prepare session descriptions based on objectives

20. Steps in Conference Planning Apply for credits, placing correct credit statements on printed materials Market conference through mailing lists, etc Process registrations! Prepare conference syllabus Prepare name badges, attach ribbons, designate vegetarian AV equipment Compute evaluation summary post event

21. AHA Training Center Recognize community and company benefits of serving as an American Heart Association Training Center A Training Center is an organization that has contracted with the AHA to provide basic &/or advanced life support training courses to the community and healthcare providers

22. Agencies That Are AHA Training Centers Colleges; i.e. medical, nursing, allied health, or community colleges AHEC’s Public safety agencies Hospitals EMS training agencies

23. What Does an AHA Training Center Provide? Schedules and conducts AHA courses –Basic life support (BLS) –Advanced life support (ACLS) –Pediatric advanced life support (PALS) –Automated External Defibrillator (AED) –First Aid Maintain course and instructor records Issue course completion cards Train and mentor instructors

24. Criteria for Being an AHA Training Center Knowledge of healthcare environment in your community Follow the mission and guidelines of the AHA Must have sufficient administrative, financial, and staff resources

25. For Additional Information Please Contact: Pam Bartley, RN, BS, CEN, CCRN Education Coordinator Mid-Carolina AHEC pbartley@comporium.net Bennie M. Pettit, MS Education Consultant Upstate AHEC bpettit@upstateahec.org