Photo Credit: Tempura

The following is a summary of the “Enhanced train-the-trainer program for registered nurses and social workers to apply the founding principles of primary care in their practice: a pre-post study,” published in the September 2024 issue of Primary Care by Poitras et al.

The integration of new practice standards in healthcare often requires innovative educational strategies, and the train-the-trainer approach has proven effective in this regard. This study examines the impact of an enhanced train-the-trainer program designed to improve the understanding and application of fundamental primary care principles among registered nurses and social workers in primary care clinics. The program aimed to equip these professionals with the necessary skills to navigate the complexities of primary care settings better and foster greater collaboration within their teams.

Researchers implemented this program across six primary care clinics, focusing on trainers—registered nurses and social workers—and the trainees they subsequently instructed. The study employed a pre-post design, incorporating quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate changes in the participants’ intention, commitment, and confidence in applying the knowledge they gained. A total of 11 trainers and 33 trainees participated in the study.

The results indicated a high level of satisfaction with the program among both trainers and trainees. However, a notable decrease in the trainers’ confidence, particularly in their ability to provide tailored coaching, was observed after the training (p = 0.03). This decline suggests potential gaps in the program’s support mechanisms for trainers. On the other hand, trainees showed a significant increase in their commitment to understanding the operations of their clinics (p = 0.05) and integrating more effectively into their teams (p = 0.01). Despite these positive developments, there was a paradoxical decrease in their intention to apply the knowledge they had acquired (p = 0.02). Trainers and trainees identified several organizational and professional barriers, which likely contributed to this decline in intention.

The study concludes that while the enhanced train-the-trainer program successfully strengthened the foundational knowledge of primary care among nurses and social workers, challenges remain in ensuring the effective and sustained application of this knowledge in practice. These findings underscore the need for further research to explore the long-term impacts of train-the-trainer programs on primary care practices and how these improvements translate into patient care outcomes. Addressing the identified barriers could enhance the effectiveness of such programs and better support the ongoing professional development of healthcare providers in primary care settings.

Source: bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12875-024-02574-3