Public Health Training Plan

INTRODUCTION

Training is any planned activity that modifies skills, knowledge and attitudes through the learning experience. It enables to maintain the levels of competence and also enables the worker to adjust to the changing demands and new technologies and approaches. The training offered cannot necessarily solve structural and organizational problems but through implementation and use of motivational strategies derived from training the organization is able to improve. The training outcomes that must be achieved, along with the training environment, along with the experience of the trainer, audience characteristics, all determine the media and the mix of methods that will enable achieve effectiveness of the goals. The Addie model is efficient in enabling training through getting to cover all members and fil the gap in the organization through equipped skills and knowledge to members (McGriff, S. J. (2000)

PUBLIC HEALTH TRAINING PLAN

A training need analysis(TNA) on the public health must be carried out so as to enable make concrete information and data to enable in making informed decisions on the direction and activities (Bee, R. 1994). It is a way in which investigation is carried out in an organization and integrates training with developments plans of the organization through observing the workers perform their normal duties. A TNA will provide information on the skills development requirements and training of all the members of the organization. It identifies performance goals and to identify the gap in the training provision in sectors.

The school of public health offers its training so as to reach certain goals and objectives. Some of the goals include; delivering a portfolio of outstanding educational programs, developing and implementing a distinctive research program, they are also in need of providing an environment that is supporting diversity and advanced service through building partnerships and also by engaging communities to improve their health outcomes.

In public health, the training plan includes every staff that is all public health workers. This may include policy and decision makers in the ministry of health, doctors, nurses, auxiliary personnel, pharmacists and dispensers, Hospital administrators, drug sellers and clients. knowledge is necessary for every learner to enable him in remembering relating and judging an idea. A skill in training will enable the learner to make mental manipulation of the data that will enable in execution of specified tasks. An attitude in every training represents the state of mind, feelings, or beliefs of a particular matter which will bring effective abilities.

In program format a variety of concerns are addressed so as to enable achieve a systematic development of the training program. These include, content, learning objectives, assessment instruments, subject matter analysis, exercises, lesson planning, and media selection. Here the review of the original analysis to confirm the specifics is done here and also the desired results are decided here.  The length of training is dependent on whether it is a full-time training or it is a part-time training. A full-time course may take up to five years whereas a part time course will take longer.

Training plan requires to have a budget table that provides an overview of the training costs. In training cost the following should be considered; each student’s costs, training cost units, the period of training budget and allocation of resources in each department. To administer a budget, table a budgeting structure has to be set up.

A budget table includes the following: personnel, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contractual, total direct costs, indirect costs, training stipends and the total cost. In personnel, it includes positions such as project coordinator, project director and training advisor research and methodology consultant and technical support. Fringe benefits may include life insurance. Travels include airfare, hotel, food, conferences fees and transportation.

The direct costs include cost of training materials which therefore refer to items such as resource allocations on laboratory capacity, ensuring bio safety during emergencies, ethical considerations for allocation of medical countermeasures in an anthrax incident, training providers fee which is scheduled for training courses and public health researches, travel and accommodation cost for trainees when they travel for research’s.

Indirect costs include participant wages which include all on-costs such as tax, superannuation and worker’s compensation. The cost of temporarily replacing staff, or the cost of productivity loss while the trainee is being trained. The time spent setting up the required training. In this budget table, it is evident that the public health training has both direct and indirect costs which are evident in appropriate trainings.

The training program materials and activities provide a comprehensive range of topics that may include; Clinician outreach communication activity, immunization training and education, laboratory training, Emergency preparedness and response training and education, environmental health services, injury prevent and control, epidemiologic case studies, sexually transmitted disease training, primary care and public health initiatives and traveler’s health. (Calero-Breckheimer, A, et al.2002).

In the modern-day generation, the trainers have realized that the workers are deeply steeped in social media. Response technology is being used in public health training. It is a software that can be integrated directly into existing instructional materials, it has enabled trainers to put questions in PowerPoint slides, and has allowed students to submit answers via mobile devices. Use tutorial videos, creating of blogs and video messages has also been another tool used in public health course. The lecture styles are also relevant to enhance interaction with the trainer and to bring more and clear emphasis. Through use of articles and magazines and use of paperwork materials and workbooks.

Web based resources are available for public health learning that ae used globally which include, online learning textbooks, e-learning, podcasts, teaching and course materials. Public health modules contain lectures, videos, slide presentations, student assessments and in class activities and resources. The online learning resource has Public health le-learning on epidemiology, health information with teaching resources. The course materials contain the workbook that acts as a guideline to the employee to enable him get to know what is being learnt on daily basis and gives hi freedom to refer to it hence driving him through during the training.

Evaluation is done through a toolkit that helps design and develop an effective evaluation of the training. Its intention is to provide a basic framework that enables intermediate level evaluation skills. The toolkit contains four components; Evaluation overview, building your evaluation, tools and templates and resources.

The best way to measure your training is to evaluate it. A well-designed evaluation can determine whether the program activities have delivered the results that were intended. Through an effective evaluation, the evidence collected enables you to communicate well, the training progress and measures the results. some of the sample questions that may be relevant in public health training are; “1: Did the course enhance the employee knowledge on that topic? 2: Can the information from the training be valuable on the job? 3: Rate your satisfaction with the presenter based on knowledge and skills”

Building your evaluation requires Collecting and utilizing useful evaluation information that needs understanding of the basic principles of evaluation, considerations and careful planning putting into consideration the ultimate objective of the goals. When planning an evaluation, there are some questions one needs to consider; The purpose of the training, the purpose of evaluation and the scope of training and evaluation. Recourses available should also be considered during evaluation. Data collection methods in public heath training include interviews, questionnaires, observations, surveys or analysis of records. These enable in measuring performance whereby the appropriateness of answering questionnaires and the ability to observe and survey gives an answer to the post training evaluation plan.

Short term methods of training are tailor made to certain problems of various target groups and are conducted for a short period. In public health training, they include; Workshops (which involve projects proposal and sets of recommendation), apprenticeships (mentor’s site), in-service training (job-related skills and knowledge) and short courses. The short-term methods enable in upgrading specific skills and knowledge that is required for enhanced performance and the expected duties and responsibilities. It also facilitates the development of trained human resources among a critical mass that is able to contribute effectively towards specified training.

A long-term training method comprises of a series of courses and usually has cost budget and a flexible time. These include lectures, researches, macro-cycle and large scale exercise load. Long term training methods enables the learner acquire advanced knowledge and more detailed information. It enables one get more specialized on skills and professionalism. The period for long term method is more and therefore more researches and practices hence making them have a long-term memory model, innovativeness and explore.

Bridging the gap that has been identified in an organization cannot happen overnight.in a situation like in the public health, it has been identified in the Training need analysis(TNA) that there is need for more training to improve the skills and knowledge so as to enable offer better services. Training being a continuous model of learning requires the employees to acquire skills and knowledge so as to improve their performance (Blanchard, P. N. (1999).

Conclusion

Adequate training contributes to successful performance of auxiliary health workers. The training contains literature that contains several references that show the importance of training health workers. Training enables to identify which areas need improvement through more training and the people to be trained. The methods and resources used in the training such as in public health vary according to the skills required. It is evident that the actual practice of training aids an improvement to the health workers and improve the health services offered.

References

Bee, R. (1994). Training Needs Analysis & Evaluation. Universities Press.

Blanchard, P. N. (1999). Effective Training, Systems, Strategies, and Practices, 4/e. Pearson Education India.

McGriff, S. J. (2000). Instructional system design (ISD): Using the ADDIE model. Retrieved June, 10, 2003.

Qureshi, M. K. A., Merrill, M. J. A., Gershon, R. R., & Calero-Breckheimer, A. (2002). Emergency preparedness training for public health nurses: a pilot study. Journal of Urban Health, 79(3), 413-416.