Developing and Implementing Noninvasive Ventilator Training in Haiti during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Respiratory Therapy
• Global Health

Background:

• Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is crucial for respiratory therapy but underutilized in low- and middle-income countries.
• The World Health Organization recommends NIV to manage respiratory failure, especially during high-demand periods like the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Haitian healthcare providers lacked prior experience with NIV, necessitating targeted training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement a multimodal NIV training program in Haiti.
• To enhance healthcare workers' confidence and knowledge regarding NIV use for respiratory failure.

Main Methods:

• A 3-day multimodal training program was delivered to 36 Haitian healthcare workers in January 2021.
• The curriculum included didactic sessions, team-based learning, and multistation simulations.
• Pre- and post-training knowledge tests and confidence surveys (5-point Likert scale) were administered.

Main Results:

• The training involved 36 participants (75% physicians) with an average of 14.3 years of experience.
• Post-training, the mean confidence score significantly increased from 2.75 to 3.70 (P < .05).
• Mean knowledge scores improved by 39.63% (P < .001), demonstrating significant learning gains.

Conclusions:

• Multimodal NIV training is feasible and effectively boosts healthcare provider confidence and knowledge in Haiti.
• This curriculum offers a scalable model for NIV training in resource-limited settings globally.
• Further research is needed to ensure long-term sustainability and adaptability to diverse low-resource environments.