Use Google Docs AI to Create UR Training Materials

What This Does

Google Docs has a built-in AI writing feature called "Help me write" (powered by Gemini) that can generate structured training documents, criteria guides, and onboarding materials for new UR staff, directly inside the document you're building. For UR nurses who already use Google Workspace, this is a zero-install way to produce polished training content without starting from a blank page.

Before You Start

• You have a Google account and access to Google Docs (docs.google.com)
• Your organization uses Google Workspace (if not, this feature may not be available; use the free version at docs.google.com with a personal account)
• You have a topic in mind for the training material you need to create

Steps

1. Open a new Google Doc and find the AI feature

Go to docs.google.com and click Blank to create a new document. Look for the pencil/sparkle icon in the bottom-left corner of the blank document, or click in the document body. You should see a faint "Help me write" prompt or a + icon with a sparkle. Click it.

What you should see: A text input box appears at the top or inline in the document.

Troubleshooting: If you don't see "Help me write," your Google Workspace account may not have Gemini features enabled. Try accessing it at docs.google.com with a personal Google account, as the feature is available on free accounts.

2. Describe the training document you need

In the input box, type a detailed description. For example: "Create a training guide for new utilization review nurses on observation vs. inpatient status determination. Include: the Two-Midnight Rule explained simply, key documentation requirements for each status, 3 common borderline scenarios with how to handle them, and a quick reference checklist."

Click Create or press Enter.

What you should see: Google Docs generates a full document draft with headers, sections, and content populated.

3. Review and refine with follow-up prompts

Highlight any section that needs improvement and click the Gemini icon that appears. Type: "Expand this section with a concrete example for a cardiac patient" or "Simplify this explanation for a nurse new to utilization review."

4. Add criteria-specific details manually

The AI-generated content is a strong structural foundation. Review it and add the specific criteria language (InterQual or MCG exact wording), your organization's specific workflow steps, and any internal contacts or escalation paths that the AI can't know.

What you should see: A training document that's 70-80% complete, needing only organization-specific details to be finalized.

Real Example

Scenario: You're onboarding two new UR nurses and need an orientation guide on the behavioral health parity requirements, a complex topic that's hard to explain clearly.

What you type: "Create an orientation guide for new UR nurses on mental health and substance use disorder parity requirements. Explain: what parity means in plain language, what it means for utilization review decisions, common mistakes that violate parity, and what documentation is required to defend a behavioral health denial."

What you get: A 2–3 page structured guide with clear headings, plain-language explanations, and a practical focus on UR implications, ready to review and share within 15 minutes.

Tips

• Start with the outline level first: ask for "an outline of a training guide on [topic]," then expand each section separately for more control over the content
• Use "Insert → Headers" to auto-generate a table of contents after the AI builds the document. This makes longer training guides easier to navigate
• Share the draft with a physician advisor or senior UR nurse for a quick accuracy review before distributing

Tool interfaces change. If a button has moved, look for similar AI/magic/smart options in the same menu area.