Capacity building for critical care training delivery: Development and evaluation of the Network for Improving Critical care Skills Training (NICST) programme in Sri Lanka.

OBJECTIVES: To deliver and evaluate a short critical care nurse training course whilst simultaneously building local training capacity. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: A multi-modal short course for critical care nursing skills was delivered in seven training blocks, from 06/2013-11/2014. Each training block included a Train the Trainer programme. The project was evaluated using Kirkpatrick's Hierarchy of Learning. There was a graded hand over of responsibility for course delivery from overseas to local faculty between 2013 and 2014. SETTING: Sri Lanka. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participant learning assessed through pre/post course Multi-Choice Questionnaires. RESULTS: A total of 584 nurses and 29 faculty were trained. Participant feedback was consistently positive and each course demonstrated a significant increase (p≤0.0001) in MCQ scores. There was no significant difference MCQ scores (p=0.186) between overseas faculty led and local faculty led courses. CONCLUSIONS: In a relatively short period, training with good educational outcomes was delivered to nearly 25% of the critical care nursing population in Sri Lanka whilst simultaneously building a local faculty of trainers. Through use of a structured Train the Trainer programme, course outcomes were maintained following the handover of training responsibility to Sri Lankan faculty. The focus on local capacity building increases the possibility of long term course sustainability.

Nursing intensive care skills training: a nurse led, short, structured, and practical training program, developed and tested in a resource-limited setting.

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of a nurse-led, short, structured training program for intensive care unit (ICU) nurses in a resource-limited setting. METHODS: A training program using a structured approach to patient assessment and management for ICU nurses was designed and delivered by local nurse tutors in partnership with overseas nurse trainers. The impact of the course was assessed using the following: pre-course and post-course self-assessment, a pre-course and post-course Multiple Choice Questionnaire (MCQ), a post-course Objective Structured Clinical Assessment station, 2 post-course Short Oral Exam (SOE) stations, and post-course feedback questionnaires. RESULTS: In total, 117 ICU nurses were trained. Post-MCQ scores were significantly higher when compared with pre-MCQ (P < .0001). More than 95% passed the post-course Objective Structured Clinical Assessment (patient assessment) and SOE 1 (arterial blood gas analysis), whereas 76.9% passed SOE 2 (3-lead electrocardiogram analysis). The course was highly rated by participants, with 98% believing that this was a useful experience. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing Intensive Care Skills Training was highly rated by participants and was effective in improving the knowledge of the participants. This sustainable short course model may be adaptable to other resource-limited settings.