A blended learning approach for capacity strengthening to improve the quality of integrated HIV, TB, and malaria services during antenatal and postnatal care in LMICs: a feasibility study
Abstract Background The blended learning (BL) approach to training health care professionals is increasingly adopted in many countries because of high costs and disruption to service delivery in the light of severe human resource shortage in low resource settings. The Covid-19 pandemic increased the...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-06633-2 |
| _version_ | 1826879219590758400 |
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| author | Alice Norah Ladur Uzochukwu Egere Marion Ravit Florence Mgawadere Christopher Murray Sarah Ann White Mohammed Hauwa Rael Mutai Lucy Nyaga Shikuku Duncan Issak Bashir Olubunmi Olufunmilola Ayinde Rukia Bakar Leonard Katalambula Carlo Federici Aleksandra Torbica Nicholas Furtado Elizabeth Adjoa Kumah Charles Ameh |
| author_facet | Alice Norah Ladur Uzochukwu Egere Marion Ravit Florence Mgawadere Christopher Murray Sarah Ann White Mohammed Hauwa Rael Mutai Lucy Nyaga Shikuku Duncan Issak Bashir Olubunmi Olufunmilola Ayinde Rukia Bakar Leonard Katalambula Carlo Federici Aleksandra Torbica Nicholas Furtado Elizabeth Adjoa Kumah Charles Ameh |
| author_sort | Alice Norah Ladur |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The blended learning (BL) approach to training health care professionals is increasingly adopted in many countries because of high costs and disruption to service delivery in the light of severe human resource shortage in low resource settings. The Covid-19 pandemic increased the urgency to identify alternatives to traditional face-to-face (f2f) education approach. A four-day f2f antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) continuous professional development course (CPD) was repackaged into a 3-part BL course; (1) self-directed learning (16 h) (2) facilitated virtual sessions (2.5 h over 3 days) and (3) 2-day f2f sessions. This study assessed the feasibility, change in healthcare providers’ knowledge and costs of the BL package in Nigeria, Tanzania, and Kenya. Methods A mixed methods design was used. A total of 89 healthcare professionals, were purposively selected. Quantitative data was collected through an online questionnaire and skills assessments, analyzed using STATA 12 software. Qualitative data was collected through key informant interviews and focus group discussions, analysed using thematic analysis. Results Majority of participants (86%) accessed the online sessions using a mobile phone from home and health facilities. The median (IQR) time of completing the self-directed component was 16 h, IQR (8, 30). A multi-disciplinary team comprising of 42% nurse-midwives, 28% doctors, 20% clinical officers and 10% other healthcare professionals completed the BL course. Participants liked the BL approach due to its flexibility in learning, highly educative/relevant content, mixing of health worker cadres and CPD points. Aspects that were noted as challenging were related to personal log-in details and network connectivity issues during the self-directed learning and facilitated virtual sessions respectively. Conclusion The blended learning approach to ANC-PNC in-service training was found to be acceptable, feasible and cost less to implement compared to face-to-face training approach in the study settings. The BL training approach was effective in improving the knowledge and skills of healthcare providers who participated in the training. |
| first_indexed | 2025-02-17T01:53:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-412e8a2c23854a7282342f66dfa411dc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-02-17T01:53:54Z |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-412e8a2c23854a7282342f66dfa411dc2025-01-12T12:28:34ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202025-01-0125111110.1186/s12909-024-06633-2A blended learning approach for capacity strengthening to improve the quality of integrated HIV, TB, and malaria services during antenatal and postnatal care in LMICs: a feasibility studyAlice Norah Ladur0Uzochukwu Egere1Marion Ravit2Florence Mgawadere3Christopher Murray4Sarah Ann White5Mohammed Hauwa6Rael Mutai7Lucy Nyaga8Shikuku Duncan9Issak Bashir10Olubunmi Olufunmilola Ayinde11Rukia Bakar12Leonard Katalambula13Carlo Federici14Aleksandra Torbica15Nicholas Furtado16Elizabeth Adjoa Kumah17Charles Ameh18Department of International Public Health, Emergency Obstetric and Quality of Care Unit, Liverpool School of Tropical MedicineDepartment of International Public Health, Emergency Obstetric and Quality of Care Unit, Liverpool School of Tropical MedicineDepartment of International Public Health, Emergency Obstetric and Quality of Care Unit, Liverpool School of Tropical MedicineDepartment of International Public Health, Emergency Obstetric and Quality of Care Unit, Liverpool School of Tropical MedicineDepartment of International Public Health, Emergency Obstetric and Quality of Care Unit, Liverpool School of Tropical MedicineDepartment of International Public Health, Emergency Obstetric and Quality of Care Unit, Liverpool School of Tropical MedicineLSTM Nigeria office, Zankli Medical CentreLiverpool School of Tropical MedicineLiverpool School of Tropical MedicineLiverpool School of Tropical MedicineDepartment of Family Health, Ministry of HealthDepartment of Public Health, Ministry of HealthDepartment of Public Health, University of DodomaThe State University of ZanzibarCentre for Research on Health and Social Care Management (CERGAS), SDA Bocconi School of ManagementCentre for Research on Health and Social Care Management (CERGAS), SDA Bocconi School of ManagementThe Global FundDepartment of International Public Health, Emergency Obstetric and Quality of Care Unit, Liverpool School of Tropical MedicineDepartment of International Public Health, Emergency Obstetric and Quality of Care Unit, Liverpool School of Tropical MedicineAbstract Background The blended learning (BL) approach to training health care professionals is increasingly adopted in many countries because of high costs and disruption to service delivery in the light of severe human resource shortage in low resource settings. The Covid-19 pandemic increased the urgency to identify alternatives to traditional face-to-face (f2f) education approach. A four-day f2f antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) continuous professional development course (CPD) was repackaged into a 3-part BL course; (1) self-directed learning (16 h) (2) facilitated virtual sessions (2.5 h over 3 days) and (3) 2-day f2f sessions. This study assessed the feasibility, change in healthcare providers’ knowledge and costs of the BL package in Nigeria, Tanzania, and Kenya. Methods A mixed methods design was used. A total of 89 healthcare professionals, were purposively selected. Quantitative data was collected through an online questionnaire and skills assessments, analyzed using STATA 12 software. Qualitative data was collected through key informant interviews and focus group discussions, analysed using thematic analysis. Results Majority of participants (86%) accessed the online sessions using a mobile phone from home and health facilities. The median (IQR) time of completing the self-directed component was 16 h, IQR (8, 30). A multi-disciplinary team comprising of 42% nurse-midwives, 28% doctors, 20% clinical officers and 10% other healthcare professionals completed the BL course. Participants liked the BL approach due to its flexibility in learning, highly educative/relevant content, mixing of health worker cadres and CPD points. Aspects that were noted as challenging were related to personal log-in details and network connectivity issues during the self-directed learning and facilitated virtual sessions respectively. Conclusion The blended learning approach to ANC-PNC in-service training was found to be acceptable, feasible and cost less to implement compared to face-to-face training approach in the study settings. The BL training approach was effective in improving the knowledge and skills of healthcare providers who participated in the training.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-06633-2Blended learningAntenatal carePostnatal careQuality of careTrainingCapacity strengthening |
| spellingShingle | Alice Norah Ladur Uzochukwu Egere Marion Ravit Florence Mgawadere Christopher Murray Sarah Ann White Mohammed Hauwa Rael Mutai Lucy Nyaga Shikuku Duncan Issak Bashir Olubunmi Olufunmilola Ayinde Rukia Bakar Leonard Katalambula Carlo Federici Aleksandra Torbica Nicholas Furtado Elizabeth Adjoa Kumah Charles Ameh A blended learning approach for capacity strengthening to improve the quality of integrated HIV, TB, and malaria services during antenatal and postnatal care in LMICs: a feasibility study BMC Medical Education Blended learning Antenatal care Postnatal care Quality of care Training Capacity strengthening |
| title | A blended learning approach for capacity strengthening to improve the quality of integrated HIV, TB, and malaria services during antenatal and postnatal care in LMICs: a feasibility study |
| title_full | A blended learning approach for capacity strengthening to improve the quality of integrated HIV, TB, and malaria services during antenatal and postnatal care in LMICs: a feasibility study |
| title_fullStr | A blended learning approach for capacity strengthening to improve the quality of integrated HIV, TB, and malaria services during antenatal and postnatal care in LMICs: a feasibility study |
| title_full_unstemmed | A blended learning approach for capacity strengthening to improve the quality of integrated HIV, TB, and malaria services during antenatal and postnatal care in LMICs: a feasibility study |
| title_short | A blended learning approach for capacity strengthening to improve the quality of integrated HIV, TB, and malaria services during antenatal and postnatal care in LMICs: a feasibility study |
| title_sort | blended learning approach for capacity strengthening to improve the quality of integrated hiv tb and malaria services during antenatal and postnatal care in lmics a feasibility study |
| topic | Blended learning Antenatal care Postnatal care Quality of care Training Capacity strengthening |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-06633-2 |
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