Comparison of Outcomes Between Professions Following an Interprofessional Continuing Education Program to Enhance Trauma Care for Children

Abstract

ABSTRACT The prevalence of children exposed to a potentially traumatic event (PTE), or Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) is high, with exposure to long-lasting and severe PTEs and ACEs associated with negative health outcomes. Health care professionals who predominantly work with the paediatric population have limited training on how to screen, assess, and treat children after exposure. This study aimed to assess differences in learner outcomes between three healthcare provider types (PCPs, behavioural health providers, and other care team members [e.g. nurses, community health workers]) after participating in a continuing education programme designed to improve health outcomes of paediatric patients experiencing trauma. Learner outcomes were assessed as pre- and post-series changes in self-reported knowledge, self-efficacy, skills, and attitudes related to the programme’s learning objectives. Self-reported learner outcomes of 31 participants revealed significant increases in knowledge among all provider types, and significant increases in self-efficacy and skills for behavioural health providers and care team members. Additionally, results revealed that behavioural health providers significantly outperformed medical providers in self-efficacy and skills outcomes. These findings suggest that interprofessional continuing education programmes to enhance trauma care can be successful at training PCPs, behavioural health providers, and care team members, but learner outcomes may vary by discipline.