Veterans Health Administration’s Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System (DEMPS) Training Evaluation: Potential Implications for Disaster Health Care Volunteers

Abstract

A blended learning environment using multi-modal training methods, could enhance satisfaction and attitudes and possibly encourage continued engagement in DEMPS or similar programs. DEMPS training program modifications in 2015 expanded this blended learning approach through new interactive online learning opportunities. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018; page 1 of 8).

An Integrative Review on the Feasibility and Acceptability of Delivering an Online Training and Mentoring Module to Volunteers Working in Community Organizations

“…Volunteer trainees filled many specific roles such as Peer Supporter ( 33 , 37 , 42 ), Peer Educator ( 47 ), Lay/Peer Leader ( 31 , 40 , 44 ), Volunteer Health Connector ( 31 ), Community Health Advisor ( 33 , 35 , 36 ), Consumer Health Information Center Volunteer ( 41 ), and Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System Volunteer ( 46 ). Responsibilities included motivational interviewing over the telephone ( 37 ), visiting clients at home ( 30 – 32 ), or providing support to clients virtually ( 39 , 43 ), all with the objective of contributing to the delivery of a health-promoting program [i.e., supportive environments that allow people and communities to adopt healthy behaviors; ( 48 )] to adults in the community.…”

“…Due to our inclusion criteria, there was no exclusively live training for these roles. However, the online training was sometimes combined with simultaneous in-person ( 33 , 36 , 42 ) or hybrid ( 46 ) training to assess differences in implementation from delivery method. Training delivery was delivered equally between a multi-medium platform (e.g., live components and self-paced components) that enabled flexibility for training ( 34 , 35 , 38 , 42 , 46 ), and solely self-paced ( 31 , 33 , 36 , 44 , 45 ).…”

“…However, the online training was sometimes combined with simultaneous in-person ( 33 , 36 , 42 ) or hybrid ( 46 ) training to assess differences in implementation from delivery method. Training delivery was delivered equally between a multi-medium platform (e.g., live components and self-paced components) that enabled flexibility for training ( 34 , 35 , 38 , 42 , 46 ), and solely self-paced ( 31 , 33 , 36 , 44 , 45 ). When training was self-paced, materials included educational videos, quizzes, narrated PowerPoint slides, training manual; practice sessions with role playing; interactive discussions; and recorded webinars.…”

Volunteers' perceived preparedness, training, experiences and satisfaction in a mass COVID‐19 pandemic vaccine clinic

“…The feedback from our volunteer survey highlights the importance of volunteer training and organization. Similarly, Schmitz et al (2018) have emphasized the importance of comprehensive training in helping volunteers to achieve higher satisfaction, continue their volunteering and increase capacity by helping recruit other volunteers. Schmitz et al highlight the value of having more interactive training components, such as simulation, drills, tabletop exercises and multimodal training programmes.…”

“…Creating a positive volunteer training experience may enhance volunteers' desire and readiness to deploy. Schmitz et al (2018) suggest a comprehensive curriculum that includes online independent study, hands‐on training and face‐to‐face classroom teaching. Volunteers in Schmitz et al's (2018) study preferred to have more field exercises available in their training.…”