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Health Care Workers Can Now Get More Than 1,000 Continuing Education Courses for Free

Posted on: Monday, 23 April 2007, 18:00 CDT

WHEELING, W.Va., April 23 /PRNewswire/ -- A new Web site from Northwood Health Systems is relieving the financial strain of continuing education on health care workers by offering more than 1,000 accredited courses for free.

The courses, available at http://www.northwoodhealth.com/, all provide Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits to professionals, including registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners, substance abuse counselors, case managers, crisis intervention specialists, outpatient therapists, supportive counselors and social workers.

"We believe this is the greatest number of free health care CEU courses available anywhere on the Web," Pete Radakovich, Northwood's president and chief executive officer, said. "This may be the only Web site of its kind."

Following registration, participants can review course material at their convenience and take tests online at any time. Upon passing those tests, they can print CEU certificates immediately. Secure transcripts are also available online to participants.

"Access to continuing education for health care professionals is important in maintaining quality health care systems," said Tom Jones, chief executive officer of West Virginia United Health Systems, one of the state's largest health care systems, and a member of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.

"In many cases the cost of the continuing educational courses is a barrier for those who want to continue their education. States require these types of courses for medical professionals to maintain their licensure. I applaud Northwood for offering these for free, because this will be a financial relief for many."

The comprehensive library of courses on Northwood's Web site is divided into almost 50 areas of interest to make it more convenient for participants to find the courses they want for continuing professional development.

According to an official at the National Human Resources Association, American businesses spend more than $2 billion a year on employee education. But many professionals must pay for continuing education costs on their own without help from their employers. State licensing boards typically require such professionals to get 24 to 50 credit hours of continuing education every two years.

"On-line learning makes quality education accessible to many busy professionals," said Robin Rector, director of Charleston Area Medical Center, an 893-bed regional hospital system.

"On-line continuing education opportunities allow you to study and learn at the times and places that work best for you. Charleston Area Medical Center supports continuous learning opportunities for professionals who must meet the challenges found in today's health care environment. We support the advancement of knowledge that can have an effect on the quality of care provided to the patient."

A state-of-the-industry report by the American Society for Training and Development found the average annual training expenditure per employee increased from $820 in 2003 to $955 in 2005. Also, the amount of formal instruction increased from 26 hours per employee in 2003 to 32 hours in 2004.

"Northwood benefits from offering these courses online because it helps our mission to recruit regionally and nationally for high-quality personnel, as well as to retain a high-quality workforce," Radakovich said. "We at Northwood believe we should be dedicated to providing high-quality services and community benefits."

As an example of the course offerings, someone in nursing interested in the subject of depression could choose from 34 courses ranging from one unit of continuing education credit to 18.5 units. Students can search for appropriate courses in four employment categories, including nursing, social work, professional counseling and addiction counseling.

Northwood is a world-class comprehensive behavioral health center headquartered in Wheeling, W.Va., that serves Ohio, Marshall and Wetzel counties. It is a 501( c )(3) nonprofit corporation that provides many standard and specialized services at seven clinical sites and 12 group homes located in West Virginia's Northern Panhandle.

Northwood Health Systems

CONTACT: Tom Susman, +1-304-345-1161, for Northwood Health Systems

Source: PRNewswire

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