Assessing the impact of training on the performance of healthcare professionals: a case study at the Holy Family Hospital, Nkawkaw

Abstract

Training of health professional has evidently impacted positively on the skills and knowledge of health professional. One key area of improving professional’s knowledge and patient’s outcome has been through continuing training. The study conducted at Holy Family Hospital, was to assess the impact of training on the performance of healthcare professionals. Specifically it sought to assess the different kinds of training the hospital and other stakeholders organize for the health professionals, to determine whether the training given improve the knowledge and skills of the professionals. A survey design was conducted for a target population of about three hundred and fifty staff (350). About one hundred and fifty (150) of this population was sampled and interviewed through convenience sampling technique. The study found that majority of the staff has attended training within the past one year prior to this research. Moreover, it was no doubt that clinical care was the main focus on the type of training the facility organized for its staff members. The study concludes that training of health staff has improved the knowledge and skills of the staff interviewed and this may be as a result of the mode of delivery during training which focus on patient centeredness. Further conclusion can be drawn that the training has resulted in change of ideas and with this; improvement in clinical care specialty and reduction in maternal mortality are paramount. In making recommendation for future policy direction, the study suggested that staff should cooperate with management and consider in-service training as a package for higher performance. Again budget allocation for in-service training should be effectively apportioned irrespective of financial constraints.