Using a Canadian Online Public Health Professional Development program in the Caribbean. Hilary...
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Transcript of Using a Canadian Online Public Health Professional Development program in the Caribbean. Hilary...
Using a Canadian Online Public Health Professional Development program in the Caribbean.
Hilary Robinson, Public Health Agency of CanadaAnnella Auer, Pan American Health Organisation
What is Skills Online?
• Highly successful Online continuing professional
development program for front line public health
professionals• Series of online facilitated modules in English and French• Offered free of charge in Canada to public health
professionals since Spring 2002• Up to Autumn 2007, 4195 modules have been completed in
English and French• Previous international collaboration with Latrobe University,
Melbourne, Australia
Need for Skills Online in the Caribbean• Increasing demands on Public health workers –
non-communicable disease and HIV/AIDs• Lack of professional development opportunities• Shrinking workforce due to migration (esp. nurses)
means individuals may have to take on PH work in
addition to work they are already doing.
Skills Online PAHO collaborationDiscussions beginning 2007 to use the first
three foundation modules of Skills online;• First module for Caribbean learners was
offered in Spring 2007• To date there have been 40 Caribbean
participants-demand for participation is
high reflecting a perceived need.
Participant Selection
• Participants for the modules are selected by the
Ministries of Health within the Caribbean countries
in consultation with the local PAHO office• Some countries are using the opportunity to
enhance the skills of a particular profession or
work group – e.g. Trinidad and Tobago are trying
to upgrade the skills of the health policy and
planning unit of the Ministry of Health.
Participation of Caribbean learners
• So far 40 learners from the Caribbean
have participated in Skills Online modules• EPI1 – 41 (one learner participated twice)
• EPI2 - 15• EPI3 - 1
Module completion
Module Enrolled Completed Percentage
EPI1 41 29 71%
EPI2 15 13 87%
EPI3 1 1 100%
Total 57 43 75%
EPI1 - Basic epidemiologic conceptsEPI2 - Measurement of Health StatusEPI3 – Epidemiologic Methods
8
Country Participants
Bahamas 3
Belize 3
Guyana 4
Jamaica 3
Trinidad and Tobago
12
St Lucia 3
St Kitts and Nevis
3
Grenada 2
Anguilla 1
St Vincent and Grenadine
3
Antigua and Barbuda
3
Participation by Country
Participation By Professional Background
Professional Background Completed Module
Nurse 7
Public health inspector 1
Nutritionist 4
Doctor 8
Program officer 11
PH Manager 7
Pharmacist 1
Health Educator 1
Place of work:
Work place
Ministry of Health 26
Regional Health Authority 7
Hospital 2
PAHO Regional office 1
Post Module survey response
53 learners completed the specific PAHO survey – (out of 57 – 93%)
41 completed the evaluation survey in the module – (out of 55* - 75%)
Learners were encouraged to complete the post module evaluation at the end of the session. In addition learners were asked to complete and additional e-mailed survey which was specific to the PAHO Caribbean project.
*learners who failed to complete the module did not complete the post module evaluation included in the module but some did complete the specific PAHO survey
Demographics
• 45% of participants were 39 years or
younger and 55% aged 40-59 years• 66% female• 66% of participants had been working in
their current capacity for 10 years or less
Connections
• 68% of learners accessed the internet from home• 75% of learners visited the module 3 or more
times per week• Based on e-mails and the evaluation replies, 53%
of learners experienced technical challenges;
most were related to their internet access
Connections
“…my internet service interruptions were frequent
and disruptive.”
“I had great difficulty accessing the site, at first I
could not get in and when I did manage to log in I
would loose connection within less than five
minutes.”
Support
• 53% of participants were given sufficient or some
time during work hours to work on the module,• 32% said that they preferred to work from home• 37% of participants said that their supervisor did
not support their learning
“My workplace suggested me as a representative to
complete the module but I had to find the time”
Experience with the module
• 93% felt that they had developed confidence to
learn difficult subject matter• 93% enjoyed the ability to work at their own pace• The barriers to completion most commonly cited
were:- work and family commitments and
technical problems with internet connections
Future Participation
• All responders would recommend the
module to others• 96% would like to take other skills modules
in the future
Applicability and relevance
• 95% reported that they could apply what they learned to
their routine work
“This first experience has really developed me professionally.
The structure of the modules and the constant reminders to
relate the content presented to your work experience or
that of your colleagues, really make it hands on.”
Facilitation
• So far all modules have been facilitated by
Canadian facilitators• One Caribbean facilitator assisted in
facilitating the Winter EPI1 module.
Facilitator’s notes
• Slow starts - The discussions took a long time to get going – by the end of
the module learners were really starting to respond to each other. This
occurred in the second module too but the facilitator was prepared and
intervened early to stimulate discussion. Learners struggled to keep to the
time line – many were slow getting started.• Problems with learning styles – difficulty with the idea of facilitation vs.
teaching• Lack of conference calls maybe an issue. It was felt that this would have
been helpful early in the module• There were some content issues related to Canadian data and content.
Conclusions• Skills Online appears to be a useful continuing
professional development tool for the Caribbean• Technical access, workplace support and time
management are the main issues for learners• Adaption of the program and adoption by a local
organization are future considerations.
Conclusions - additional considerations
• A large group of people can access the online
training – more than if it was in person (costs of
travel etc).• Countries can target specific professional or work
groups in accordance with their own HRH strategy• Improved communication within and between
countries as contacts are established.
Next steps?• May 08 – Epi1, EPI2 and EPI3 Caribbean modules
will be offered• PAHO and Skills Online will continue to work
together to explore adaption and adoption of the
program in the Caribbean• Adaption of content and context • Adoption by local agencies• Incorporation into PAHO Virtual Campus of Public
Health
“I liked it. Will do it again.”
For more information contact: [email protected]