Outcomes of Multimodal Training for Healthcare Professionals at an AIDS Education and Training Center

Abstract

There is an ongoing need for continuing professional education (CPE) in the rapidly changing field of HIV care, but the best instructional methods remain a subject of debate. This study assessed the effects of training at an AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC) over an 18-month period. Health care professionals (HCP) who attended more than one training event showed small but significant improvements over time in HIV-related clinical practice behaviors. The type of training also predicted self-reported practice behavior, with interactive trainings and individual consultations associated with greater change, and intensive clinical training activities associated with a faster rate of change but not better scores on the self-reported behavior measure. Participants also reported high levels of satisfaction, knowledge improvement, and intention to change after each training event; however, these results were unrelated to whether trainees actually reported improved practice behavior.

Changing HIV Clinical Knowledge and Skill in Context: The Impact of Longitudinal Training in the Southeast United States

“…Similarly, of the 444 responses with valid data on intent to change practice, 374 (84.2%) indicated the learner would change how she or he worked with HIV-infected patients, whereas 41 (7.3%) indicated the learner would not change, and 29 (6.5%) designated the question as not applicable. However, no significant correlation was observed between average change in self-rated knowledge and change in PAT score in any year of training, corroborating the findings by Cook, Friedman, Lord, and Bradley-Springer (2009) that self-reported knowledge change may not be a reliable predictor of objectively measured knowledge change.…”

“…Indeed, Cook et al (2009) demonstrated that objective change in knowledge and skills, measured by preand post-testing, is predictive of behavior change in HIV clinical training of health care professionals. Our evaluation did not measure behavior change more thoroughly in an effort to balance the rigor of optimal program evaluation methodology with real-world evaluation priorities, such as limiting interference with clinical training and operating within resource constraints.…”

Did you learn something useful today? An analysis of how perceived utility relates to perceived learning and their predictiveness of satisfaction with training

“…Some evaluators consider self-assessed gains in knowledge to represent Kirkpatrick's level 1 data (Werth, 2009;Wisher, 2004) whereas others treat it as level 2 data (Al-Jishi, Khalek, & Hamdy, 2009;Baker & Brooks, 2005;Bartlett & Sherry, 2004;Cook, Friedman, Lord, & Bradley-Springer, 2009;McLean & Moss, 2003). However, Kirkpatrick's definition of level 2 assessment clearly requires measuring the actual learning of a topic, not the perception of how much was learned, as can be seen in Kirkpatrick's guidelines on how to assess learning outcomes: ''(1) Measure knowledge, skill and/or attitudes before and after the training.…”

Managing the Personal Side of Health Care among Patients with HIV/AIDS

“…Consequently, training on brief risk screening methods that do not require much of providers' time and brief risk-reduction interventions can enhance comfort, skills, and motivation of providers. 57 The AIDS Education and Training Centers, 58 which operate nationwide, provide excellent education and training programs for health care providers treating persons living with HIV/AIDS and can be instrumental for this purpose.…”