Mentor Training Research Articles

A Profile of Novice and Senior Nurses' Communication Patterns during the Transition to Practice Period: An Application of the Roter Interaction Analysis System.

Novice nurses’ successful transition to practice is impacted by their interactions with senior nurses. Ensuring that novice nurses are adequately supported during their transition to practice has wide-ranging and significant implications. The aim of this study is to explore the communication patterns between novice and senior nurses by applying an interaction analysis technique. Trimonthly onboarding evaluations between novice and senior nurses were recorded. The Roter Interaction Analysis System was adapted and deployed to identify communication patterns. In total, twenty-two interactions were analyzed. Senior nurses spoke more (64.5%). Task-focused exchange was predominant amongst senior (79.7%) and novice (59.5%) nurses. Senior nurses’ talk was concentrated in clusters of information-giving (45%) and advice or instructions (17.2%), while emotional expression (1.4%) and social talk (0.4%) were rare. Novice nurses’ talk was concentrated in clusters-information giving (57%) and positive talk (39.5%). The communication patterns between senior and novice nurses during the onboarding period indicate aspects of novice nurse transition that could be addressed, such as encouraging novice nurses to use these interactions to communicate more, or emphasizing the importance of social talk. These insights can be used to inform mentorship and preceptorship training to ensure that senior nurses are able to adequately support novice nurses through all parts of the transition to practice period.

Career implications for college student mentors through their contribution to a climate film outreach program for adolescents

ABSTRACT Mentorship has been shown to have a positive influence on mentees but less research is available on the impacts for mentors, particularly those involved in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) outreach. As we work to enhance STEM engagement through outreach programs that include mentoring, understanding the impact on mentors that participate in these programs has implications for program design and offers new avenues for effective mentor engagement. This study explored the impacts of mentoring on undergraduate film and graduate science students who served as mentors in an outreach program for middle and high school youth. In this outreach program, a participant-centered mentorship model was implemented, with mentors supporting students in creating films about local climate change impacts in their communities. The focus was put on interdisciplinary work and the development of communication and relationship building in teams of students and their mentors. Data were collected from the mentors through surveys and interviews. As a result of their participation, mentors experienced professional and personal benefits, such as building teaching and communication skills, developing relationships and networking connections, and personal satisfaction. Several mentors reported high, positive impacts that resulted in changes to their career paths towards STEM education. Mentors who reported moderate or low levels of impact may have had past mentoring experiences that moderated the impact. Based on these findings, we suggest that mentor career and skill development is considered in the development of outreach programs and mentor training to enhance the impact on mentors and their engagement in STEM.

17.3 DISSEMINATING MENTORSHIP AND ADVANCED TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES TO EARLY CAREER CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRISTS

Although autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) are common, few child and adolescent psychiatrists specialize in working with patients who have these diagnoses. A recent initiative from AACAP's Autism and Intellectual Disability Committee has been to foster awareness of, and interest in, advanced training opportunities to work with this unique population among trainees and those early in their careers. This session will describe how this initiative developed and some of the lessons we learned about when and where opportunities exist to develop interest in advanced ASD and ID training. The presentation will discuss several approaches taken by the Early Career Working Group of AACAP’s Autism and Intellectual Disability Committee to disseminate mentorship and advanced training opportunities to trainees and early career child and adolescent psychiatrists. Our working group identified 8 programs across the country that provide advanced training to child and adolescent psychiatrists interested in working with the ASD and ID population. We distributed a flyer advertising these programs to child and adolescent psychiatry fellows at AACAP’s 66th Annual Meeting in 2019 but had limited engagement. However, we unexpectedly found that medical students and general psychiatry residents were interested in learning more about these programs. In light of this, at AACAP's 67th Annual Meeting in 2020 (virtual meeting), we prioritized ensuring that AACAP’s Autism and Intellectual Disability Committee would have a presence at medical student and trainee mentorship events. In 2021, we aim to maintain that presence, as well as to take advantage of the new ubiquity of videoconferencing to offer face-to-face mentorship opportunities beyond the annual AACAP meeting. By the time they are child and adolescent psychiatry fellows, many trainees may already have career plans. Engaging with and mentoring people earlier may be more effective in encouraging an interest in ASD and ID among trainees.

46.1 ADVANCING EQUITY THROUGH PSYCHIATRIC EDUCATION

Addressing the structural racism inherent in the medical and psychiatric education process, from medical school admissions up through fellowship training, requires an intentional, multilayered strategy. This presentation will: 1) summarize efforts to help increase workforce diversity and true representation; 2) describe examples of learning experiences that do not recreate or perpetuate the extant structural injustice present in the psychiatric training process; and 3) provide meaningful ways that training program directors, faculty, and mentors can support psychiatry trainees and early career psychiatrists’ role in health equity efforts. Medical and psychiatric educational processes must engage in meaningful practice change in order to realize a more socioeconomically and racially representative mental health workforce that is well-educated and supported to address health disparities in the mental health care of Black and Latinx children. Academic literature is available to guide training programs interested in improving their health equity education. Attendees will learn how each pillar of psychiatric training program development, including didactics, readings, supervision, and advisement, can be re-examined and recreated to provide a health equity lens to all psychiatry trainees and foster their interest and involvement in health equity work. There is a need for a social justice framework throughout the medical and psychiatric education process about topics including a holistic review of applicants, knowledge of structural trauma, creation of pipeline programs in collaborations with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and majority-minority medical schools, and collaborations of an interdisciplinary nature.

Therapeutic Mentoring for Multiply Marginalized Youth: A Grounded Theory Study of Mentors’ Adaptation During the COVID-19 Crisis

The Campus Connections (CC) therapeutic youth mentoring program provides multiply marginalized youth with access to resources (e.g., highly trained undergraduate student mentors, therapeutic interventions) to thrive. In this study, the researchers investigated the distinctive encounter that mentors and their mentees within the CC program experienced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The qualitative data collected from the mentors’ weekly written reflections, and semi structured interviews were coded using Grounded Theory Method (GTM). Findings describe an adaptive process with three connecting themes of: Initial stress response of mentors, transition to online programming, and the mentorship process. The findings have important implications for youth mentoring programs using virtual platforms.

Promoting padawans: a survey examining the state of mentorship in neurosurgical training in the United Kingdom

Background Mentorship has long since been acknowledged as an integral part of Neurosurgical training. The authors sought to evaluate the state of mentorship in Neurosurgical training in the United Kingdom (UK). Methods A 28-point questionnaire was sent to all neurosurgical trainees in the UK and Ireland via the British Neurosurgical Trainee’s Association (BNTA), comprising 180 trainees. Results There were 75 responses (180 trainees on the mailing list, 42% response rate). Despite all respondents reporting it to be at least somewhat important to have a mentor, 16% felt they had no mentors. The mean number of mentors was 2.91 with 72% of respondents having more than 1 mentor. In terms of the content of mentorship relationships, 63% were comfortable discussing career related topics with their mentor to a high or very high degree but only 29% felt comfortable discussing their general wellbeing. With regards to allocated educational supervisors, 43% thought this person to be a ‘low’ or ‘very low’ source of mentorship. The three most important traits of the ideal mentor as reported by respondents were: someone chosen by them (48%), working in the same hospital (44%) and having received formal mentorship training (36%). Conclusions The current perception of mentorship in Neurosurgery from the surveyed trainees is mixed. A healthy majority of trainees benefit from mentorship of some kind, whilst a significant minority feel underserved. The surveyed trainees feel mentorship is slanted more towards clinical and professional aspects of development than it is towards personal ones. Suggestions for future insight would be an evaluation of senior registrar and consultant sentiments towards mentorship, whilst exploration into more flexible models for establishing mentoring relationships may help to address the heavy importance of trainee choice which is voiced by this survey’s results.

Centralisation: placing Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) within the wider work of learning developers

This article investigated whether a centralised PASS system, run in partnership between academic leads (ALs) and Learning Developers (LDs), might be supported by staff and students currently involved in PASS (N=10) within a Higher Education Institution (HEI). The study interviewed staff from the humanities, physical science, medical science and the arts. Findings revealed that all participants were in favour of some form of centralisation. Centralised training of PASS mentors, advertising and quality control received the strongest support. Based on these findings, the article argues that if LDs work closely with ALs, centralisation is a viable solution to common challenges to PASS such as low attendance, misconceptions about PASS, administrative costs and scheme maintenance.

Reasons for Premature Closure of a Mentoring Relationship: A Qualitative Study of Mentoring Youth With a Visual Impairment

Preventing mentor-mentee relationships from ending prematurely is important because an early or unanticipated closure could lead to negative youth outcomes. In this study, the reasons for premature closure of a community-based mentoring program for youth with a visual impairment (VI) are studied. Data from 44 prematurely ended mentor-mentee pairs were analyzed; all mentees ( M age = 18.5, SD = 1.92) and 23 of the mentors had VI. Logbook data with two types of transcribed semi-structured interviews were thematically coded line-by-line. Frequencies of coded responses provided insight into the most frequently reported reasons and the most frequently reported problems. Chi-square analyses were conducted to study differences between matches in the two conditions (i.e., matches containing mentors with or without VI). Regardless of the condition, premature closure was primarily initiated by mentees, and the most common cause was reported to be due to deficiencies in mentors’ relationship skills. Matches with a mentor with VI experienced more problems within one domain of the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) model. These results show that additional pre-match mentor and supplementary mentee training are needed to increase relationship success in mentoring programs serving youth with VI.

Anti-Racism Education and Training for Adult Mentors Who Work With BIPOC Adolescents

Racism and White supremacy culture shape the experiences of youth and adults in mentoring programs, which is detrimental to the development of BIPOC youth. The aims of this paper are to a) show why anti-racism training and education for adult mentors is necessary for promoting the positive development of BIPOC youth and b) offer a framework for anti-racist education and training for mentors. We review research showing how mentors’ attitudes about race, ethnicity and culture can harm their relationships with BIPOC youth and research on general mentor training, anti-racism training for mentors, and general diversity and anti-bias training in the workplace. Crossing disciplinary boundaries to inform developmental science, we draw upon critical mentoring, culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogy, and ethnic/racial identity frameworks, and propose four components for anti-racist education and training for mentors: a) acknowledging, confronting, and interrupting racism, b) facilitating youth critical consciousness, c) supporting positive identity development in youth, and d) mentors and mentees as active agents and partners. At the foundation of these pillars is decentering and interrupting Whiteness and youth as co-constructors of knowledge. We offer suggestions for future research and practice in anti-racism training for mentors, which also have implications for youth-adult relationships across settings.

Analyzing Evidence on Interventions to Strengthen the Clinical Support for Midwifery Students in Clinical Placements: Protocol for a Systematic Scoping Review

BackgroundThe benefits of clinical support are evident in various mentorship, preceptorship, or clinical supervision models. Poor collaboration between lecturers and clinical staff, lack of confidence about student support, large student intakes coupled with core demands create negative attitudes toward student supervision, and this poses a huge challenge to midwifery students who are expected to become competent in the process.ObjectiveThis study aims to identify and analyze interventions, strategies, and/or mechanisms in order to strengthen the clinical support for midwifery students in clinical practice areas from a global perspective.MethodsThis review will follow the Arksey and O’Malley framework (2005). The search strategy will include primary studies searched for in electronic databases such as EBSCOhost (CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Health Source: Nursing/Academic edition), PubMed, Google, and Google Scholar. Keywords such as “midwifery students,” “midwifery education,” and “clinical support” will be used to search for related articles. The search will include articles from the cited by search, as well as citations from the reference list of included articles. All title-screened articles will be exported to an EndNote library, and duplicate studies will be removed. Two independent reviewers will concurrently carry out the abstract and full-text article screening according to the eligibility criteria. Extracted data will highlight the aims, geographical setting, and level of training; intervention outcomes; and the most relevant and most significant findings. This review will also include a mixed methods quality appraisal check. A narrative summary of data extracted will be analyzed using content analysis.ResultsInterventions to strengthen the clinical support for midwifery students in practice will be extracted from this review, and data will be analyzed and extracted to develop a comprehensive guide or framework for clinical mentorship. As of August 2021, the electronic search, the data extraction, and the analysis have been completed. The results paper is expected to be published within the next 6 months.ConclusionsIt is expected that this review will contribute to midwifery education by identifying quality evidence on clinical support interventions available to midwifery students globally, as well as best practice methods, procedures, or interventions that can be used to develop a midwifery mentorship training program.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/29707

Covid-19, The Perfect Time to Broaden our Horizons About Social Media Use in Oncology?

"Objective: The study aims to explore the attitudes of Swiss healthcare professionals towards the use of social media in adolescent and young adult oncology and to examine whether the ongoing social restrictions due COVID-19 might have altered these attitudes. Methods: This study was cross-sectional in design. The subjects were healthcare providers working in pediatric or adult oncology settings in Switzerland. We performed descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. Results: While considered useful, only a small minority of participants actually used social media for professional reasons and considered themselves skillful in using these platforms. Although institutional guidelines were deemed crucial to improve social media use, many respondents seemed unaware of their existence. Only a minority reported an impact of Covid-19 on their attitudes towards the professional implementation of social media. Conclusion: The global health crisis creates important challenges for young patients with cancer and their healthcare providers. In times of social restrictions, social media may be promising tools to facilitate health information provision, connectivity and patient care. Virtual mentorship and target social media training interventions might be the best way to improve familiarity with social media and with ethical guidelines for their use. "

Mentoring Underrepresented Minority Physician-Scientists to Success.

As the nation seeks to recruit and retain physician-scientists, gaps remain in understanding and addressing mitigatable challenges to the success of faculty from underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds. The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Fund to Retain Clinical Scientists program, implemented in 2015 at 10 academic medical centers in the United States, seeks to retain physician-scientists at risk of leaving science because of periods of extraordinary family caregiving needs, hardships that URM faculty-especially those who identify as female-are more likely to experience. At the annual Fund to Retain Clinical Scientists program directors conference in 2018, program directors-21% of whom identify as URM individuals and 13% as male-addressed issues that affect URM physician-scientists in particular. Key issues that threaten the retention of URM physician-scientists were identified through focused literature reviews; institutional environmental scans; and structured small- and large-group discussions with program directors, staff, and participants. These issues include bias and discrimination, personal wealth differential, the minority tax (i.e., service burdens placed on URM faculty who represent URM perspectives on committees and at conferences), lack of mentorship training, intersectionality and isolation, concerns about confirming stereotypes, and institutional-level factors. The authors present recommendations for how to create an environment in which URM physician-scientists can expect equitable opportunities to thrive, as institutions demonstrate proactive allyship and remove structural barriers to success. Recommendations include providing universal training to reduce interpersonal bias and discrimination, addressing the consequences of the personal wealth gap through financial counseling and benefits, measuring the service faculty members provide to the institution as advocates for URM faculty issues and compensating them appropriately, supporting URM faculty who wish to engage in national leadership programs, and sustaining institutional policies that address structural and interpersonal barriers to inclusive excellence.

Perceptions of training, self-efficacy, and mentoring among veterinary clinical specialty trainees

To determine the perceptions of training, self-efficacy, and mentoring among veterinary clinical specialty trainees on the basis of their career interest. 207 veterinarians who were either in a residency training program or had recently (within 2 years) completed one in a specialty recognized by the American Board of Veterinary Specialties. An online survey was used to collect data about the respondents' perceived preparedness for an academic career, training emphasis, and mentoring received during training and demographic information. Results were compiled and compared by professional career interest (ie, academic medicine or private practice) and gender. Included respondents represented 20% (207/1,053) of those invited. Preferred career choice was academic medicine for 48% (93/194) of respondents and private clinical practice for 52% (101/194) and did not differ by gender. Respondents perceived their likelihood of success in an academic career as high, and these perceptions did not differ by gender or preferred career choice. Mean self-efficacy scores for teaching were high among all respondents for most but not all listed teaching skills and did not differ by gender or preferred career interest. Mean self-efficacy scores were low for formulating research hypotheses and designing studies. Perceptions of training emphasis indicated strong mentoring in the areas of clinical practice and teaching with less mentoring and training emphasis in multiple areas of research and academic activity. Lower self-efficacy of veterinary clinical specialty trainees in aspects of academic career appeared to be related to training emphasis and mentoring. Enhancement of emphasis on the identified areas of weakness may improve the interest and success of trainees in an academic career.

A Case Study on the University Freshman Adaptation Program Using an Online Mentoring Program during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study is a case study that presents the results of developing and operating online mentoring programs to more effectively help freshmen adapt to college life amid the spread of COVID-19. Mentoring has traditionally been recognized as a program that contributes to individual academic ability and psycho-social growth. Against this background, the results of developing and operating online mentoring programs for 1,654 freshmen were presented as examples. As a result of the operation of this mentoring program, the latter helped freshmen solve some of the challenges they faced, not only from having to change their academic environment, but from having to form new relationships as well. Senior mentoring also confirmed that such a program is able to reduce the social gap felt by freshmen regarding their campus life during the COVID-19 situation by motivating them to study more, and by encouraging them to form senior-junior IRL (in real life) relationships. This study is significant in that it presents specific examples and techniques to improve the performance of online mentoring programs. Also, in order to effectively operate online mentoring programs, we proposed to systematically implement the selection and training of mentors, to structure mentoring activities, to monitor the program through a communication system, and to engage in performance sharing.

Building Research Capacity in HIV and Noncommunicable Diseases in Africa: A Mentorship and Leadership Workshop Report.

Introduction:Few structured mentoring programs target early-stage investigators in Africa, creating a gap in mentorship skills where HIV burden is greatest. We describe findings from a Nigeria-based workshop for early-career physician scientists to build mentoring and leadership capacity in HIV and noncommunicable disease research.Methods:Baseline surveys captured participant demographics, confidence in implementing mentoring competencies, and perceived importance of workshop training domains. The workshop included didactic presentations, small group activities, and interactive discussions. Daily surveys evaluated sessions, and postworkshop surveys solicited overall course impressions.Results:Of the 33 participants, most were male (n = 21, 63.6%) and from medicine, laboratory sciences, and surgical specialties. “Building mentees' confidence” and “setting mentees' research goals” were ranked as areas where participants most believed they needed training. Sessions were rated favorably across five areas. Greatest improvements in mean scores were for confidence in identifying personal temperament styles, describing mentoring and leadership theories/frameworks, and developing mentoring plans. Additional identified workshop strengths were content relevance, leadership case series, interactive nature, and collegial atmosphere. All respondents indicated learning something new/useful/helpful in each session. At 6-month postworkshop, most respondents (25 of 26, 96%) had replicated or plan to replicate parts of the workshop in their departments/institutions.Discussion:Effective mentoring training initiatives targeting future academic leaders have the potential to create skilled academicians who can impart mentoring skills and competencies to their mentees.

Effects of the Norfolk diabetes prevention lifestyle intervention (NDPS) on glycaemic control in screen-detected type 2 diabetes: a randomised controlled trial

BackgroundThe purpose of this trial was to test if the Norfolk Diabetes Prevention Study (NDPS) lifestyle intervention, recently shown to reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes in high-risk groups, also improved glycaemic control in people with newly diagnosed screen-detected type 2 diabetes.MethodsWe screened 12,778 participants at high risk of type 2 diabetes using a fasting plasma glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c). People with screen-detected type 2 diabetes were randomised in a parallel, three-arm, controlled trial with up to 46 months of follow-up, with a control arm (CON), a group-based lifestyle intervention of 6 core and up to 15 maintenance sessions (INT), or the same intervention with additional support from volunteers with type 2 diabetes trained to co-deliver the lifestyle intervention (INT-DPM). The pre-specified primary end point was mean HbA1c compared between groups at 12 months.ResultsWe randomised 432 participants (CON 149; INT 142; INT-DPM 141) with a mean (SD) age of 63.5 (10.0) years, body mass index (BMI) of 32.4 (6.4) kg/m2, and HbA1c of 52.5 (10.2) mmol/mol. The primary outcome of mean HbA1c at 12 months (CON 48.5 (9.1) mmol/mol, INT 46.5 (8.1) mmol/mol, and INT-DPM 45.6 (6.0) mmol/mol) was significantly lower in the INT-DPM arm compared to CON (adjusted difference −2.57 mmol/mol; 95% CI −4.5, −0.6; p = 0.007) but not significantly different between the INT-DPM and INT arms (−0.55 mmol/mol; 95% CI −2.46, 1.35; p = 0.57), or INT vs CON arms (−2.14 mmol/mol; 95% CI −4.33, 0.05; p = 0.07). Subgroup analyses showed the intervention had greater effect in participants < 65 years old (difference in mean HbA1c compared to CON −4.76 mmol/mol; 95% CI −7.75, −1.78 mmol/mol) than in older participants (−0.46 mmol/mol; 95% CI −2.67, 1.75; interaction p = 0.02). This effect was most significant in the INT-DPM arm (−6.01 mmol/mol; 95% CI −9.56, −2.46 age < 65 years old and −0.22 mmol/mol; 95% CI −2.7, 2.25; aged > 65 years old; p = 0.007). The use of oral hypoglycaemic medication was associated with a significantly lower mean HbA1c but only within the INT-DPM arm compared to CON (−7.0 mmol/mol; 95% CI −11.5, −2.5; p = 0.003).ConclusionThe NDPS lifestyle intervention significantly improved glycaemic control after 12 months in people with screen-detected type 2 diabetes when supported by trained peer mentors with type 2 diabetes, particularly those receiving oral hypoglycaemics and those under 65 years old. The effect size was modest, however, and not sustained at 24 months.Trial registrationISRCTN34805606. Retrospectively registered 14.4.16

Development and Implementation of a Total Worker Health® Mentoring Program in a Correctional Workforce.

Correctional officers (COs) are exposed to a number of occupational stressors, and their health declines early in their job tenure. Interventions designed to prevent early decline in CO health are limited. This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of a one-year peer health mentoring program (HMP) guided by Total Worker Health® principles and using a participatory action research to collectively address worker safety, health, and well-being of newly hired COs. The HMP aimed to provide new COs with emotional and tangible forms of support during their first year of employment, including peer coaching to prevent early decline in physical fitness and health. The development and implementation of the HMP occurred across five main steps: (1) participatory design focus groups with key stakeholders; (2) adaptation of an existing mentoring handbook and training methods; (3) development of mentor–mentee recruitment criteria and assignment; (4) designing assessment tools; and (5) the initiation of a mentor oversight committee consisting of union leadership, corrections management, and research staff. Correctional employee engagement in the design and implementation process proved to be efficacious in the implementation and adaptation of the program by staff. Support for the HMP remained high as program evaluation efforts continued.

“A brain to pick, an ear to listen and a push in the right direction” (John C. Crosby)

This paper provides the context and background to a ‘Student Peer Mentoring’ scheme that was co-created with students and piloted within the Business Faculty in University of Greenwich. We reflect on sharing this experience at the annual SHIFT1 conference on Teaching, Learning and Assessment and the lessons learned that will support the further development of this scheme. Key themes that arose were around the value of mentoring to support first year students and the benefit for mentors in terms of their own self confidence and development as evidenced by their contribution to SHIFT. Lessons learnt were the need to provide more guidance to mentees in preparation for mentoring and providing supervision support to mentors to allow them to reflect on issues that arise out of mentoring. Our complex approach to evaluation was challenged given the small numbers of numbers of mentors and mentees. We concluded that qualitative evidence gives enough support for the success of this scheme. It is planned to provide mentor training to all students on a voluntary basis leading to enhanced peer relationships and support.

Providing support for the development of authentic assessment instruments for civic education teachers in Central Lampung Regency

The objective of this paper is to increase the comprehension of teachers on the significance of authentic assessment in Civic Education, particularly with a scientific approach and quality learning process. Therefore, adequate skill support for developing these channels, specifically in relation to character and learning activities in the form of attitude scales and guidelines. Expository, discussion, assignment, training, individual or group mentoring were among the applied community empowerment methods. Based on this assistance, teachers' understanding of the design and implementation of authentic assessment instruments in the 2013 curriculum was greatly increased. Furthermore, it is expected that the knowledge learned is simultaneously integrated into the learning process.

Quality of service and continuous quality improvement in voluntary medical male circumcision programme across four provinces in South Africa: Longitudinal and cross-sectional programme data.

BackgroundRecent studies in the Sub-Saharan countries in Africa have indicated gaps and challenges for voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) quality of service. Less has focused on the changes in quality of service after implementation of continuous quality improvement (CQI) action plans. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of coaching, provision of standard operating procedures (SOPS) and guidelines, mentoring and on-site in-service training in improving quality of VMMC services across four Right to Care (RTC) supported provinces in South Africa.MethodThis was a pre- and post-interventional study on RTC supported VMMC sites from July 2018 to October 2019. All RTC-supported sites that were assessed at baseline and post-intervention were included in the study. Data for baseline CQI assessment and re-assessments was collected using a standardized National Department of Health (NDoH) CQI assessment tool for VMMC services from routine RTC facility level VMMC programme data. Quality improvement support was provided through a combination of coaching, provision of standard operating procedures and guidelines, mentoring and on-site in-service training on quality improvement planning and implementation. The main outcome measure was quality of service. A paired sample t-test was used to compare the difference in mean quality of service scores before and after CQI implementation by quality standard.ResultsA total of 40 health facilities were assessed at both baseline and after CQI support visits. Results showed significant increases for the overall changes in quality of service after CQI support intervention of 12% for infection prevention (95%CI: 7–17; p<0.001) and 8% for male circumcision surgical procedure, (95%CI: 3–13; p<0.01). Similarly, individual counselling, and HIV testing increased by 14%, (95%CI: 7–20; p<0.001), group counselling, registration and communication by 8%, (95%CI: 3–14; p<0.001), and 35% for monitoring and evaluation, (95%CI: 28–42; p<0.001). In addition, there were significant increases for management systems of 29%, (95%CI: 22–35; p<0.001), leadership and planning 23%, (95%CI: 13–34; p<0.001%) and supplies, equipment, environment and emergency 5%, (95%CI: 1–9; p<0.01). The overall quality of service performance across provinces increased by 18% (95%CI: 14–21; p<0.001).ConclusionThe overall quality of service performance across provinces was significantly improved after implementation of CQI support intervention program. Regular visits and intensive CQI support are required for sites that will be performing below quality standards.