Building the Nigerian Palliative Care Workforce: An Interdisciplinary Distance Learning Training Program.

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Medical Education
• Palliative Care

Background:

• Palliative care education and capacity building are critically needed in Nigeria, with limited existing formal training programs.
• A collaborative effort between Nigerian and US institutions developed a virtual palliative care training program for health professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a virtual palliative care training program on Nigerian healthcare professionals' knowledge, skills, attitudes, and confidence.
• To assess the program's relevance and effectiveness within the Nigerian healthcare context.

Main Methods:

• A 12-hour virtual training program was designed using adapted curricula (EPEC and KEHPCA) for the Nigerian context.
• A mixed-methods evaluation, including surveys and focus groups based on Kirkpatrick's framework, was employed.
• The training covered essential palliative care topics, including pain management, communication, and psychosocial support.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in participants' knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards palliative care.
• Confidence in providing end-of-life care increased dramatically, from 27.3% to 92.9%.
• Knowledge test scores improved by 10% (p < 0.01), and 96.4% found the program relevant to Nigeria.

Conclusions:

• The virtual palliative care training demonstrated a positive impact and is a vital component for capacity building in Nigeria.
• This program serves as a successful model for international collaboration in global health education.
• The training is expected to enhance holistic patient care and communication within families.