Longitudinal evaluation of a course to build core competencies in implementation practice

Area of Science:

• Implementation Science
• Healthcare Research
• Knowledge Translation

Background:

• Limited training opportunities exist for implementation practitioners.
• The Practicing Knowledge Translation (PKT) program was developed to address this gap.
• PKT aims to equip practitioners with skills to use evidence and implementation science in healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the PKT training program.
• To evaluate the impact of PKT on participants' use of implementation science theories, models, and frameworks (TMFs).
• To assess changes in participants' knowledge, self-efficacy, satisfaction, and feedback regarding the PKT course.

Main Methods:

• An uncontrolled before-and-after study design was employed.
• Convergent parallel mixed methods, including online surveys and semi-structured interviews, were used for assessment.
• Data were collected at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Participants reported a significant increase in their use of implementation TMFs (p=0.03).
• Significant improvements were observed in participants' knowledge and self-efficacy across multiple core competencies, including evidence-informed program development and implementation.
• The training led to significant increases in knowledge and self-efficacy in areas such as evidence implementation, evaluation, and sustainability.

Conclusions:

• The PKT program effectively enhanced participants' use of, knowledge of, and self-efficacy in implementation science.
• Longitudinal evaluations of training initiatives are crucial for building capacity among healthcare implementers.