Before we dive into strategy, we want to extend a big thank you to to the Healthcare Academy (HCA) advisory board for their thoughtful insights on eLearning compliance. When asked about realistic goals, the feedback was clear: while 100% completion is the ideal target, the consensus recommendation across the board was an average goal of 85% to 90% compliance. This range strikes the right balance between ambition and practicality—and gives facilities a benchmark they can truly aim for.
These insights reflect real-world challenges and help guide our improvement efforts in a way that feels achievable. With that in mind, let’s explore how long-term care facilities can take ownership of this goal and build a culture where eLearning success is the norm—not the exception
Let’s face it—getting everyone in a long-term care facility excited about mandatory eLearning isn’t exactly a walk in the park. But what if compliance didn’t have to feel like a chore? With a clear plan, strong leadership, and just the right amount of creativity, improving training engagement and outcomes is entirely within your control. This isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about transforming your facility’s learning culture from the inside out.
The Problem: Compliance Fatigue is Real
Across the industry, eLearning compliance is falling short. Busy staff, time constraints, and low engagement levels are dragging down completion rates and putting regulatory compliance—and ultimately resident care—at risk. Some facilities are thriving, others are struggling, and that disparity creates opportunities for targeted improvement. The power to close the gap lies with your facility’s leadership, teams, and willingness to embrace change.
SMART Goals, Real Results
Success starts with clear, achievable goals. That means setting objectives that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Facilities can aim to boost eLearning completion rates over a defined period, create more engaging learning experiences, and strive for full compliance with mandatory training. These goals aren’t just about meeting minimum standards—they’re about embedding learning into the daily rhythm of operations and creating momentum through incremental, tiered milestones that celebrate progress at every stage.
Finding Your Magic Number
Each facility is unique, and so should be its compliance targets. Determining your ideal rate of improvement involves a thoughtful blend of data, feedback, and contextual awareness. Reviewing your current compliance percentage, understanding state and federal regulations, and benchmarking against peers can provide direction. It’s also critical to consider historical performance trends, challenges like staffing or turnover, and, perhaps most importantly, input from your employees. When teams have a say in goal-setting, they’re more likely to buy in and deliver results. Growth doesn’t have to be overnight—it can (and should) be progressive and realistic.
Let’s Talk Strategy
The strategies for improving eLearning compliance come down to leadership, culture, and customization. Leaders play a central role by modeling the behaviors they want to see. When leadership completes training, integrates it into performance reviews, and treats learning as a priority, it sets the tone for the rest of the team. Different departments will have different needs, so a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work. Facilities that succeed often take time to examine high-performing departments or buildings, replicate what’s working, and tailor their strategy to the specific challenges of each team—from nursing to housekeeping to administration.
The next piece of the puzzle—accessibility and incentives—is so important that we’re dedicating an entire blog post to it. Think creative reward systems that turn training into a team-building opportunity. Stay tuned for that!
Putting the Plan in Motion
Change doesn’t happen overnight, but a structured timeline makes it manageable. Start by auditing your current state and gathering honest feedback. From there, communicate your vision, get leadership aligned, and make the necessary technical updates to your learning system. Add in microlearning (Knowledge Now), Knowledge Checks, and clear accountability, and you’ll start to see results. Monitoring and adapting will be a continuous part of the journey—but that’s exactly what keeps progress sustainable.
Measure, Adjust, Repeat
Using a QAPI (Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement) approach ensures your efforts are grounded in real data and ongoing reflection. Track Learning Management System (LMS) reports, compare performance across teams and facilities, and identify patterns in non-compliance. Monthly reviews and quick course corrections help keep the initiative on track and responsive to real-world challenges.
Sustaining the Momentum
The goal isn’t just to hit compliance targets once—it’s to build a culture where learning is part of the daily routine. Annual refreshers, updated content, and recognition of team milestones keep engagement high and training relevant. When teams feel ownership and see their progress celebrated, they’re far more likely to stay engaged.
What to Expect
By taking ownership of this process, facilities can expect stronger compliance, better-prepared staff, reduced regulatory risk, and ultimately, higher standards of care. More importantly, the journey creates a team that values growth and takes pride in continuous improvement.
Coming Up Next:
In our next blog, we’ll explore how to boost participation with smarter accessibility features and motivating incentives. Get ready for tools, tactics, and ideas that make learning something your team actually wants to do.
Change is in your hands—and this is just the beginning.
Author
Amanda Keith, MSN, RN, PHN
Healthcare Academy Clinical Content Manager
