From: Training needs assessment: tool utilization and global impact
Author, year [Ref]/ Country | Publication type | Design/Level of evidencea | Study population/Setting/Sample size | Used original or adapted or translated TNA tool | Findings/ Implications | TNA themeb |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adewole et al., 2019 [25] Nigeria | Article (original research) | Cross-sectional survey / Level VI | Other healthcare professionals / healthcare organizations / 234 participants | Used adapted English TNA tool | -Gaps in health insurance industry personnel capacity - Low performance coverage of the social health insurance scheme - Preferred training through courses rather than organizational change -Stakeholders in Nigeria should pay attention to personnel training | Individual |
Aw and Drury, 2016 [26] Singapore | Article (original research) | Mixed methods (surveys and focus groups) / Level VI | Nurses / acute care / 91 nurses were surveyed and 19 participated in focus groups | Used adapted English TNA tool | - Training needs for ophthalmic nurses -Develop tailored education programs to meet workforce needs (clinical exposure, patient education) | Team/IP |
Barratt and Fulop, 2016 [27] UK | Article (original research) | Descriptive survey / Level VI | Other healthcare professionals / Healthcare organizations / 203 respondents from 20 healthcare and public health organizations | Used adapted English TNA tool | -Key tasks: evaluation, teaching, making do with limited resources, coping with change and managing competing demands, assessing relevance of research -Training priorities: evaluation; finding, appraising, and applying research evidence; data analysis -Key barriers: time and resources, lack of institutional support for research -Implications: improved ability of health organizations to use research and participate in knowledge generation can lead to improved healthcare and population health. | Organizational |
Carlisle et al., 2012 [8] Australia | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Nurses / acute care / 72 nurses from 3 public hospitals | Used original English TNA tool | -Tested the occupational profile construct measurement model and found that it fits the original factorial structure determined by Hicks et al. (1996) - TNA dimensions demonstrated tool’s predictive validity -Organizational factors and demographic variables play a significant role in determining the occupational profile of nurses and their training needs. | Individual |
Eyres and Lima, 2018 [28] Australia | Poster | Cross-sectional survey / Level VI | Nurses / acute care / 280 responses from 10 hospital units | Used adapted English TNA tool | -Nurses performed best in communication and teamwork; this was most important for successful job performance -Training need areas: cardiovascular, respiratory, pediatrics, diabetes, communication, and mental health -Survey data used for developing specific training and education | Team/IP |
Gaspard and Yang, 2016 [29] Saint Lucia | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Nurses, other healthcare professionals / health care organizations / 139 respondents | Used adapted English TNA tool | -Need for continuing professional education was rated as highest priority, followed by research/audit activities -Most respondents required training in communication, management, clinical skills, and research methods -Providing training according to needs is vital in developing countries | Team/IP |
Hennessey and Hicks, 1998 [30] UK, USA, Australia | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey /Level VI | Nurses / primary and secondary health care/ 216 respondents in five groups: health visitor, district nurse, primary care, NP, hospital nurse | Used original English TNA tool | -Similar occupational profiles in all three countries -Results were consistent with the roles and education levels ascribed to the five groups -Identified training needs: patient-centered activities, general work skills, teamwork, and research activities Implications: -No universal trends in training needs according to locus of practice -Training requirements are specific to the actual role performed and the organizational environment -Requirements must be assessed on a regular basis before education is commissioned in each country. | Individual |
Hennessey et al., 2006a [31] Indonesia | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Nurses, other healthcare professionals / primary healthcare, acute care / pilot study included 109 respondents, actual study included 524 nurses and 332 midwives | Used translated and culturally adapted into Bahasa Indonesian TNA version | -Tool was reliable and valid; suited for use with both midwives and nurses -Baseline measurement of the quality of nursing and midwifery across Indonesia. Implications: TNA use could ensure that the quality of health service and health professionals is monitored and optimized, which is essential for countries with diminished health status. | Team/IP |
Hennessey et al., 2006b [32] Indonesia | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Other health care professionals / primary healthcare, acute care / 332 midwives | Used translated and culturally adapted into Bahasa Indonesian TNA version | -Midwives’ roles varied significantly by province, but little difference in the roles of hospital and community midwives -All midwives reported significant training needs for all 40 tasks Implications: important regional differences in roles of midwives call for suitability of basic and post-basic education | Individual |
Hennessey et al., 2006c [33] Indonesia | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Nurses / primary healthcare, acute care / n = 524 | Used translated and culturally adapted into Bahasa Indonesian TNA version | -Significant differences in job profile across nurses from different provinces -Roles of hospital and community nurses were fairly similar -All nurses reported significant training needs for all 40 tasks -Nurse role is not as diverse as expected, which may reflect the lack of central registration system and quality framework. Implications: results provide a rigorous and reliable approach to defining occupational roles and continuing education needs of Indonesian nurses | Individual |
Hicks and Hennessey, 1997 (J Adv Nurs) [12] UK | Article (original research) | Questionnaire/ Level VI | Practice nurses/ primary healthcare (regional health authority), acute care / n = 420 | Used adapted English TNA tool | -Communication and teamwork activities were the most important aspect of a practice nurse’s job -Agreement on how a practice nurse’s role is perceived across the sample -Differences, similarities, and priorities between the practice nurse and NP were identified -The use of a psychometrically valid and reliable instrument may establish the parameters for the definition and education of NPs in the UK | Individual |
Hicks & Hennessey, 1997 (J Nurs Manag) [34] UK | Article (original research) | Opinion article / Level VIII | 47 nurses and their nurse managers | Used original English TNA tool | −29 nurse/manager pairs showed consensus with respect to training interventions, while the remainder showed no accord. -Overall agreement within each professional sample suggested a common view of training needs Implications: a mutually agreed training program that incorporates the organization’s objectives and the individual’s training requirements can be achieved with minimum conflict and an enhanced understanding of both parties’ agendas. | Team/IP |
Hicks & Hennessey, 1998 [35] UK | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Nurses / acute care / 50 nurses and nurse managers | Used adapted English TNA tool | -Overall high agreement between nurses and managers, regarding NP role definition and the essential training requirements, with somewhat different opinions by medical staff. -Attempt at a first-stage definition of the NP | Team/IP |
Hicks & Hennessey, 1999 [13] UK | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Nurses / primary healthcare, acute care / 49 acute care nurses and 420 community nurses | Used original English TNA tool | -Both groups perceived advanced clinical activities, including examination and diagnosis, and a range of research activities to be central to NP role. -The primary care sample reported business and management activities as essential skills, while the acute sector nurses regarded communication skills, autonomy and risk management to be more important Implications: rather than trying to construct a universal definition of the NP role for all contexts, a generic description, with further specificity added for each of the key contexts of NP service delivery is more realistic. | Individual |
Hicks & Hennessey, 1999 [36] UK | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Nurses / primary healthcare, acute & tertiary care / 100 participants from 7 NHS trusts | Used adapted English TNA tool | -TNA showed both common training needs and skill deficits relevant to locality and clinical area -Using more objective information allows for commissioning of customized research skills to meet the needs of both the local organization and its employees Implications: limited training budgets can be more effectively targeted | Organizational |
Hicks & Hennessey, 2001 [37] UK | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Practice Nurses enrolled in NP program / 15 nurses participated, 11 completed the course of interest | Used adapted English TNA tool | -Overall, the course reduced skill deficits in all but seven tasks; six related to research and audit and one to clinical examination. -TNA can identify specific training requirements of a professional group to inform educational curricula -TNA can assess the degree to which course provision has met training needs and which skill deficits need to be targeted. | Individual |
Hicks & Tyler, 2002 [38] UK | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Nurses / primary healthcare/ 388 family planning nurse practitioners (FPNP) | Used adapted English TNA tool | -Role of FPNP is more extended -TNA tool is valid and reliable Implications: FPNP role definition can be used to inform educational programs and assess their efficacy | Individual |
Hicks & Fide, 2003 [39] UK | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Non-specialist breast care nurses / primary healthcare, acute care / n = 119 | Used adapted English TNA tool | -Significant educational needs were identified across all 30 items −13 out 14 cancer-related items were among the top 19 training needs -Most important tasks: communication/team-work, self-management, awareness, of specific psycho-social problems, knowledge of specific clinical issues, and management of care Implications: results should inform continuing educational development for non-specialist nurses caring for breast cancer patients | Individual |
Hicks & Thomas, 2005 [40] UK | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Nurses, physicians/ primary healthcare/ 54 respondents | Used adapted English TNA tool | -Both groups of community sexual health professionals required training and CPD in a range of areas, including clinical, research, legal, professional, and communication tasks -TNA is a valid instrument -TNA approach allows for optimum use of limited educational budgets by targeting actual training needs of staff and promoting multidisciplinary team working Implications: potential for reducing variations in the quality of community sexual health care services | Team/IP |
Holloway et al., 2018 [41] New Zealand | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Nurses / primary healthcare/ 18 respondents | Used adapted English TNA tool | -TNA identified 10 priority training needs for regional primary healthcare nurses -Preference for organizational development approaches -Usefulness of TNA structured approach to commissioning for continuing education Implications: 1) nursing services are expected to respond to changing health care needs, and 2) educational providers should respond with evidence-based curricula that address training needs | Individual |
Kilic et al., 2014 [42] Turkey | Article (original research) | Mixed methods / Level VI | Other healthcare professionals/ healthcare organizations / 46 participants | Used adapted English TNA tool | -Considerable research on non-communicable diseases is concentrated in select areas -Great need for training junior researchers, but training alone is not sufficient -Lack of coordination between governmental institutions and researchers Implications: prioritization of financial resources can close the gap in areas which do not receive research attention, such as social determinants of health | Individual |
Maher et al., 2017 [43] Ireland | Article (original research) | Descriptive survey / Level VI | Physicians / acute care / 547 respondents | Used adapted English TNA tool | -Doctor-patient communication was ranked highest for importance and level of current performance -Workload/time organization and stress management were skills with highest deficiency -Resilience training, management, and communication skills were preferred areas for future continuing professional development (CPD) -All respondents favored interactive, hands-on sessions -Course completion and preference patterns differed significantly across clinical specialties Implications: importance of considering individual needs and preferences across clinical specialties to facilitate more CPD programs. | Individual |
Maher et al., 2018 [44] Ireland | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | General practitioners (GPs)/ primary healthcare/ 719 respondents | Used adapted English TNA tool | -GPs identified doctor-patient communication as the most important and best-performed skill -Discrepancies between perceived importance (high) and current performance (low) emerged for time/workload management, practice finance and business skills -GPs preferred primary care and non-clinical topics for future CPD -Flexible CPD methods were important -Gender and practice location significantly influenced CPD participation and course preference | Individual |
Markaki et al., 2007 [45] Greece | Article (original research) | Questionnaire psychometrics / Level VI | Nurses, other healthcare professionals / primary healthcare / 10 healthcare professionals in pilot test and 55 in implementation study | Used translated and culturally adapted into Greek TNA version | -Translated and culturally adapted TNA Greek version showed good psychometric properties: 1) satisfactory internal consistency and reproducibility, 2) significant positive correlations between respondents’ current performance levels on each of the research items and research involvement, indicating good validity Implications: tool is suitable to assess professional development needs of nursing staff in Greek primary healthcare settings. | Team/IP |
Markaki et al., 2009 [46] Greece | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Nurses, other health care professionals / primary health care / 119 participants | Used translated and culturally adapted into Greek TNA version | -Significant training needs were reported by all staff, mainly in research/audit and clinical skills -No significant differences between 2-year degree graduates and 3- or 4-year degree graduates (RNs, midwives, and health visitors) Implications: regional health authorities should implement a systematic overview of skill deficits in relation to skill requirements to enhance on-the-job training targeting group-specific, local needs | Team/IP |
Moty, 2013 [47] USA | Thesis | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Other / Contract Research Organization / 33 participants in first survey and 26 in second | Used adapted English TNA tool | -Incorporating end users’ input through surveys to optimize portal design led to more positive opinions about portal technology and an increase in desire to use technology in the future Implications: utilizing change management methodology could mitigate resistance to change | Organizational |
Mwansisya et al., 2020 [48] Tanzania | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Nurses, other healthcare professionals / primary healthcare, acute care / 153 participants | Used translated and culturally adapted into Kiswahili TNA tool | -Adapted tool was reliable and valid for identifying training needs in Reproductive, Maternal and Neonatal Health care settings Implications: large sample size studies are required to test the use of this translated version in wider health care systems | Team/IP |
Ngidi, 2012 [49] South Africa | Dissertation for MBA (School of Business) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Medical managers in public hospitals / acute care / 30 respondents in KwaZulu-Natal | Used adapted English TNA tool | -All audited tasks were relevant and overall performance was perceived as high -Training initiatives targeting medical managers should combine informal and formal training methods Implications: 1) need for well-trained hospital managers in developing countries, and 2) more qualitative research could provide insight into the context of training needs | Individual |
Pavlidis et al., 2020 [50] UK, Greece, Bulgaria, Poland, Italy | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Formal and informal caregivers in health and social care (nurses, nursing assistants, home care aides) / primary healthcare / 550 caregivers | Used adapted English TNA tool (UK) – only 10/30 items were used Used translated and culturally adapted TNA tool (Greek, Bulgarian, Polish, and Italian language versions) – only 10/30 items used | -Basic nursing skills, specialization, and training in psychology-related skills emerged as common training needs with some variation by country -Training in advanced health care systems, time management, emotion regulation and communication raise capacity of caregivers employed in health and social care Implications: training in basic nursing skills for managing non-communicable diseases (diabetes, stroke, dementia) should be part of CPD programs for European caregivers. | Individual |
Shongwe, 2019 [51] South Africa | Article (Research report) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Nurses and qualified nursing assistants (QNAs) / acute care / 103 RNs and QNAs from pediatric and neonatal units in 6 hospitals | Used adapted English TNA tool | -TNA identified 15 high level learning needs -Learning needs were skewed towards clinical skills and direct care of neonates and children -There was no statistically significant difference in the overall learning needs between RNs and QNAs -In-service planners and providers should be aware of what nurses in pediatric settings need to learn Implications: strengthening of undergraduate curriculum on pediatric nursing and introduction of child nursing specialty programs in the Eswatini nursing education is recommended. | Team/IP |
Singh, 2015 [52] India | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Nurses, physicians/ Acute care / 274 faculty, senior residents, and nurses | Used adapted English TNA tool | -Studied at the micro level (tasks/job analysis) nurses’ training needs in a tertiary care specialty hospital in Northern India -TNA identified training needs in patient care, research domain, managerial/administrative domain, and communication domain -Nurses identified their needs relevant to their positions and perceived their performance as higher than physicians | Team/IP |
Tyler & Hicks, 2001 [53] UK | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Nurses / primary healthcare/ 388 family planning nurses | Used adapted English TNA tool | -The nurse prescribing role was defined primarily in terms of prescribing functions, although advanced professional issues, communication, teamwork and business/administration were also mentioned -Research was not identified as being important -The top 15 training needs included 7 research tasks, advanced clinical activities, applied pharmacology, administration and technical activities Implications: study offers a role definition of the nurse prescriber in family planning, which can help with curriculum planning and CPD programs. | Individual |
Yousif et al., 2018 [54] Sudan | Article (original research) | Questionnaire survey / Level VI | Other healthcare professionals / school / 29 faculty of Dentistry at University of Gezira in Sudan | Used adapted English TNA tool | -TNA showed an urgent need for all competencies except three -Priorities for improvement were ranked as follows: research, leadership, health professional education, managerial, community development, teaching and learning skills. -University-level education and development center should focus on emerged training needs of staff | Team/IP |