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No. 3, 2006
Regional Training and Medical Consultation Centers’ TB Education and Training Needs Assessments: Key Cross-Regional Findings
In 2005, CDC funded four Tuberculosis (TB) Regional Training and Medical Consultation Centers (RTMCCs):
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Francis J. Curry National TB Center |
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Heartland National TB Center |
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Northeastern National TB Center |
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Southeastern National TB Center |
The RTMCCs are regionally assigned to cover the 50 states, the District of Columbia, New York City, Puerto Rico, and seven other U.S.
jurisdictions in the Pacific and Caribbean. The goal of the RTMCCs
is to build TB training capacity and to provide medical consultation
within each Center’s region. As part of their first year activities,
the RTMCCs conducted extensive needs assessments to determine TB
education and training resources and needs in their regions.
Methods
Each RTMCC developed its own strategy and tools to conduct
its assessments;
however, they all specifically focused on obtaining information on
barriers to training; distance and technological training
capabilities; preferred training topics and formats; awareness of
existing TB resources; as well as preferred product topics and
formats. The methods for the need assessments varied across regions
but included
- Key informant interviews
- Online and print-based written instruments
- Focus groups
- Review of state TB program, epidemiology, and other data (e.g., Human Resource Development [HRD] plans)
The target audiences for the needs assessments included
- TB controllers
- TB program managers
- TB training focal points
- TB nurse consultants
- Frontline TB staff (local health department staff, physicians, nurses, and outreach workers)
- Private providers
- Others (e.g., HIV/STD, corrections, and substance abuse staff)
Cross-Regional Findings
Although the results from the needs assessments varied by region,
below are some common cross-regional findings. Barriers to Training
Some of the barriers to training included factors such as the
lack of staff coverage while employees were attending a training;
travel restrictions due to limited funds and policies; lack of
awareness of trainings; poor accessibility to trainings due to
isolated geography; and limited technological capabilities. Preferred Training Formats
Live, in-person training at workshops and conferences ranked highly as a preferred
training format among most needs assessment respondents. Other
preferred formats included in-service meetings
and written/self-study format. Telephone and audio-conferencing
ranked low as a preference among respondents. The preference for
online or computer-based trainings varied across regions and by
profession. State TB program staff ranked preference for use of
distance-learning technologies (CD ROMs, online courses, and web
conferencing) higher than did frontline TB staff.
Distance and
Online Learning Capabilities
Technological
capabilities for distance and online learning varied across the
regions; however, findings suggested that video-conferencing
and satellite capabilities are limited throughout the country.
Moreover, while most state-level TB program staff have access to
computers and the Internet, local level TB staff have limited
access.
Training Topics
Training topic
priorities (not listed in rank order) varied by region and
occupation, but identified priorities included
- Contact investigation (interviewing skills, locating contacts,
outbreak response, working with the homeless and substance abusers)
- Case
management
- Cultural competency
- TB
basics for new employees
- Advanced TB training and CDC TB guideline updates for experienced
staff
- Training targeted toward private providers
- Legal
issues related to TB
- Multidrug-resistant TB
- Pediatric TB
- TB/HIV coinfection
- Laboratory issues
Awareness
of Existing TB Resources and Products
Awareness of
existing TB training and education resources differed between
central level TB staff and frontline staff. Central level TB staff
had a higher awareness of resources such as The TB Education and
Training Resources Website (www.findtbresources.org),
the TB Education and Training Network (TB-ETN), and the TB-Educate
electronic mailing list
compared to frontline TB staff. Lower awareness of such
resources among frontline TB staff could be related to their limited
access to the Internet. In terms of awareness of existing training
products, the CDC Core Curriculum and Self-Study Modules were widely
utilized, as were products from the former Model Centers.
Product
Topics Desired
Products that help synthesize
information in the new CDC guidelines (e.g., QuantiFERON-TB Gold
Test, Contact Investigations, and Infection Control) in an
easy-to-understand manner were identified as a need. Other desired
products included a basic TB information packet for new employees,
cultural competency materials, pocket reference lab guide, and
products targeted towards private providers, homeless shelter staff,
and infection control materials. In addition, patient education
materials in low-literacy and multiple languages were also
requested.
Preferred Product Formats
Although
having access to materials online was considered important, findings
also suggested that most respondents preferred printed materials to
CD ROMs and other online-only resources. Furthermore, preference was
high for products to be developed in quick and easy-to-read,
easy-to-use formats such as reference cards, checklists, toolboxes,
and videos.
Conclusions
The needs
assessment provided the RTMCCs with information that will lead to
the development of targeted trainings and products for each region.
Moreover, similar findings across RTMCC regions will provide
opportunities for cross-collaboration for training and product
development. To address barriers to trainings and ensure awareness
and access to products, the RTMCCs should consider
- Working with TB focal points to assist them in assessing and
addressing local training needs
- Offering trainings in a combination of formats (e.g., stand-up and
distance learning)
- Offering more trainings off-site within their regions
- Marketing trainings well in advance to increase awareness and to
allow programs adequate time to plan and allot funding for training
and travel
- Marketing products to frontline TB staff
- Ensuring products are available in print format, especially for
frontline TB staff
For detailed
needs assessment reports for each region, please contact the RTMCCs
(see below).
Submitted by Amera
Khan, MPH
Div of TB
Elimination
Francis J. Curry National Tuberculosis Center
3180 18th Street, Suite 101
San Francisco, CA 94110-2028
415-502-4600 (Phone) 415-502-4620 (Fax)tbcenter@nationaltbcenter.edu
(E-mail)
www.nationaltbcenter.edu |
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Heartland National Tuberculosis Center
2303 SE Military Drive,
San Antonio, TX 78223-3542
800-TEX-LUNG (800-839-5864) (Phone)
210-531-4500 (Fax)
www.heartlandntbc.org |
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Northeastern National Tuberculosis Center
225 Warren Street Second Floor East Wing
Newark, NJ 07103
973-972-3270 (Phone)
800-482-3627 (Toll-Free)
973-972-3268 (Fax)
www.umdnj.edu/globaltb |
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Southeastern National Tuberculosis Center
1329 SW 16th Street
Room 5187
Gainesville, FL 32608
352-265-7682 (Phone) 352-265-7683 (Fax)
http://sntc.medicine.ufl.edu/ |
Last Reviewed: 05/18/2008 Content Source: Division of Tuberculosis Elimination
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
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