Workforce Programs Research Articles

Bridging the Language Gap in Healthcare: Implementing a Qualified Medical Interpreter Program for Lesser-Spoken Languages

Linguistic inequity drives systemic disparities in healthcare for non-native English speakers. This study evaluates a project to train and provide qualified medical interpreters (QMI) to assist volunteer and safety-net clinics and community-based organizations in supporting healthcare for immigrants and refugees. We provided scholarships to bilingual community members to take a medical interpreter training course and developed a workforce for those who passed the training course. We focused on lesser-spoken foreign languages such as Arabic, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, and Burmese. Those who passed the course participated in a semi-structured interview to learn about their experiences in the training program, as well as barriers and facilitators to becoming a QMI. To date, 23 people have passed the training and are part of the QMI workforce program that has provided 94 h of interpreter services over four months, serving 66 individual patients. The evaluation showed that community members have interest in becoming QMIs and many have the required language proficiency to enroll and pass training. Finding full-time employment for less spoken languages has proven to be challenging.

Training in Public Health Informatics and Technology Leveraging a Multi-institutional Partnership Model and Emphasizing Experiential Learning.

Though public health is an information-intense profession, there is a paucity of workforce with Public Health Informatics and Technology (PHIT) skills, which was evident during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This need is addressed through the PHIT workforce program (2021-2025) by the Office of the National Coordinator for training and to increase racial and ethnic diversity in the PHIT workforce. The objective is to share details on the Training in Informatics for Underrepresented Minorities in Public Health (TRIUMPH) consortium, funded by the PHIT workforce program. The TRIUMPH consortium is a collaboration between academic and practice partners with a commitment to training 879 students in PHIT. The Schools of Public Health and Nursing at the University of Minnesota, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Public Health Informatics Institute offer PHIT training through various programs. Academic institutions focus on student recruitment, developing courses/curriculum, and granting degrees/certificates, and the role of practice partners is to support experiential learning through internships/practicums. The TRIUMPH consortium is progressing toward its goals, with 692 students (79%) already trained in a PHIT modality as of December 2023. The learners comprise diverse race/ethnicity, including White (48%), Black/African American (32%), Asian (10%), White Hispanic (5%), American Indian/Alaska Native (2%), and Black Hispanic (1%). Numerous internships have been completed in settings ranging from state/local public health agencies to health care delivery systems. Diversity initiatives were supported by partnering with existing programs (e.g., the AMIA First Look program and the Nursing Knowledge Big Data Science conference). This consortium model is an excellent approach to informatics training and sharing expertise across partners. It provides scalability and broader geographic outreach while presenting opportunities to students from underrepresented backgrounds. Lessons learned have implications for overall informatics training (e.g., partnerships models, promoting racial/ethnic diversity).

Lessons Learned: A Qualitative Study of Service Delivery and Experiences in Local Youth Workforce Programs

Lessons Learned: A Qualitative Study of Service Delivery and Experiences in Local Youth Workforce Programs

Agents of Change: Geriatrics Workforce Programs Addressing Systemic Racism and Health Equity.

Many factors affect how individuals and populations age, including race, ethnicity, and diversity, which can contribute to increased disease risk, less access to quality healthcare, and increased morbidity and mortality. Systemic racism-a set of institutional policies and practices within a society or organization that perpetuate racial inequalities and discrimination-contributes to health inequities of vulnerable populations, particularly older adults. The National Association for Geriatrics Education (NAGE) recognizes the need to address and eliminate racial disparities in healthcare access and outcomes for older adults who are marginalized due to the intersection of race and age. In this paper, we discuss an anti-racist framework that can be used to identify where an organization is on a continuum to becoming anti-racist and to address organizational change. Examples of NAGE member Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Programs (GWEPs) and Geriatrics Academic Career Awards(GACAs)activities to become anti-racist are provided to illustrate the framework and to guide other workforce development programs and healthcare institutions as they embark on the continuum to become anti-racist and improve the care and health of vulnerable older adults.

Problems in Using Measures of Taxpayer Return on Investment to Evaluate Work Force Programs

Problems in Using Measures of Taxpayer Return on Investment to Evaluate Work Force Programs

Whakarōpū: An Exemplar Fostering Professional Development and Cultural Growth With a Collective Grouping of Māori, and Pacific, Nurses

The path to increasing and fostering the Māori and Pacific nursing workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand is multifaceted and requires Indigenous solutions. As part of a national workforce programme to increase Māori and Pacific enrolled nurses in primary healthcare, the workforce team developed and supported a whakarōpū (collective grouping) to attend and present at the National Enrolled Nurse Conference. This paper reports on the experiences of five Māori and two Pacific nurses, together with three senior Indigenous nurse leaders, as a whakarōpū. Ongoing kōrerorero (conversations), both face-to-face and online, was the primary data source; however, participants also provided written and verbal feedback. Through kaupapa kōrero, a collective analysis of the data was conducted. To mitigate the barriers created by a dominant Western-centric learning culture, whakarōpū is a successful example of how to foster flourishing learning experiences for Māori and Pacific nurses. Keeping Māori and Pacific nurses connected, participating, and maintaining dialogue is essential for their collective professional development and cultural growth. The whakataukī, waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa (let us keep close together, not wide apart), describes the weaving of people, and their aspirations as Māori and Pacific nurses who feel prepared to lead and provide culturally responsive care for their communities. Supporting whakarōpū is essential for Māori and Pacific nurses to develop cultural connections, enable clinically and culturally safe spaces, and feel empowered and prepared for leadership. Te reo Māori translation Ko te Whakarōpū, he Tauira Whai Painga Poipoi i te Whakapakaritanga Ngaio me te Tupunga Ahurea me tētahi Rōpū Tapuhi Māori, Moana-nui-a-Kiwa hoki Ngā Ariā Matua He tini ngā pekanga o te ara whakapiki, poipoi hoki i te ohu kaimahi tapuhi Māori, Moana-nui-a-Kiwa hoki, ā, me kimi hoki he rongoā nā ngā iwi taketake i te tuatahi. I whakawhanaketia e te tira kāhui kaimahi tētahi ohu whakarōpū (collective grouping) kia tae atu, kia tāpae kōrero hoki ki te Hui ā-Motu o ngā Tapuhi Rēhita, hei wāhanga o tētahi hōtaka ohu kaimahi ā-motu e whai nei ki te whakapiki i ngā tapuhi Māori, me ō Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa. E tāpae kōrero ana tēnei tuhinga mō ngā kitenga a ētahi tapuhi Māori, Moana-nui-a-Kiwa hoki e rima, tae atu ki ētahi kaihautū tapuhi taketake mātāmua tokotoru, hei ohu whakarōpū. I noho ko ngā kōrerorero ā-kanohi, tuihono hoki hei puna raraunga tuatahi; ahakoa rā, i tāpaetia hoki e ngā tāngata whai wāhi mai ētahi whakaaro ā-tuhi, ā-kōrero hoki. I kawea ngā tātaritanga tōpū nā roto i ngā kaupapa kōrero. Hei kaupare i ngā maioro nā te ahurea akoranga o whenua kē i whakaara, he mea pai te ohu whakarōpū hei penapena i ngā wheako akoranga mō ngā tapuhi Māori, ō Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa hoki. He mea taketake te whai kia honohono ngā tapuhi Māori, me ō Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, kia whai wāhi tonu, kia kōrerorero tonu mō tō rātou mahi whakapakari ngaio, tupunga ahurea hoki. E ai rā te whakataukī, waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa (let us keep close together, not wide apart), kei reira te tauira o te whakapipiri i te tangata, me ō rātou wawata hei tapuhi Māori, Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa hoki, kua oti te whakangungu hei kaiarataki, hei kaikawe taurimatanga tika ā-ahurea hoki mō ō rātou hapori. He mea taketake te tautoko i ngā ohu whakarōpū mā ngā tapuhi Māori, me ō Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa hei whakawhanake i ngā hononga ahurea, hei whakarite wāhi haumaru ā-tiakinga tūroro, ā-ahurea hoki, kia piki anō tō rātou mana, kia tika te tū ki te ārahi i ētahi atu.

‘Grow your own’: optimising the contribution of the occupational therapy support workforce

This article describes an innovative approach to workforce development that has been modelled across an integrated care system. Triangulating evidence from published research, an expert panel, economic modelling and discovery workshops with practitioners, including support staff, the cost and benefits of the strategy, which is based on NHS England's allied health professions support workforce programme, were evaluated. The evaluation suggests that investing in support worker development delivers substantial benefits, not just for support workers, but also for registered staff, employers, patients, and more widely. The approach can be used across occupational groups.

The Implementation of Non-Formal Education and Training Programs to Encourage the National Economy Concerning the Unemployment Rate in Southeast Asia

This research raises the topic of comparing the implementation of non-formal education and training after the COVID-19 pandemic to encourage the national economy through economic recovery policies on the concerning issue with the unemployment rate in the Southeast Asia region. The aim is to compare the implementation of non-formal education and training for workers in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore which have been organized by the national government, namely: "Kartu Prakerja" from Indonesia, "SkillsFuture" from Singapore and "Upskill" from Malaysia. Each country has a similar background in handling educational programs after the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has differences in implementing the workforce programs. A qualitative approach is used with data sources obtained through literature studies in the form of official documents, websites, press releases from state governments and journals based on their relevance. Data analysis was carried out comparatively. The results of the research show that the implementation of non-formal education and training includes two aspects of management; organizing and implementing, each country has differences and similarities adjusted to the beneficiaries and the actualization of non-formal education and training programs that have been carried out in the country.

An Analysis of Primary Care Physician Accessibility and Medical Resource Distribution in Eastern Quebec: Utilizing an Enhanced Two-Step Floating Catchment Area (E2SFCA) Methodology

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the accessibility of primary care physicians (PCPs) in Eastern Quebec by employing an enhanced two-step floating catchment area (E2SFCA) methodology. This approach will facilitate the identification of patterns in primary care accessibility that may not be readily apparent through the use of regional availability measures. Methods: To evaluate the accessibility of primary care physicians (PCPs), an enhanced two-step floating catchment area methodology was utilized. This approach considers both the population supply of PCPs at the dissemination area level and the travel time between PCPs and dissemination areas. Additionally, a continuous distance decay function (β) was employed. Results: The enhanced two-step floating catchment area (E2SFCA) methodology is effective in identifying possibly underserved areas that could have otherwise appeared to have sufficient access when evaluated using traditional provider-to-population ratios. The availability of primary care services is contingent upon the presence of adequate road infrastructure. Populations residing in areas with limited access to main road networks may experience compromised access to primary care. This issue disproportionately affects vulnerable individuals who lack private transportation options. Conclusions: The application of the enhanced two-step floating catchment area methodology can facilitate the identification of areas experiencing a shortage of primary care physicians. This information can be used to inform the development of regional medical workforce programs, such as "plans régionaux d’effectifs médicaux", and to support the establishment of rural residency initiatives.

Early Care and Education Workforce Compensation, Program Quality, and Child Outcomes: A Review of the Research

ABSTRACT Research Findings: Despite the importance of early care and education (ECE) for children’s early learning and parents’ labor force participation, workers average low pay with few benefits. The precarity of work and low compensation contribute to staff turnover and other problems, with potential implications for staff well-being, children’s development, and parents’ employment. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated problems relating to the supply of and staff recruitment and retention in ECE. This paper provides a brief background and then reviews the empirical research linking early ECE worker compensation with program quality, children’s outcomes, and staff turnover. We identified a range of studies that examined pay or workplace benefits in ECE, the majority of which used nonexperimental methods. In general, most studies found small associations among low compensation, poor worker mental health or well-being, or turnover or intentions to leave their jobs or the early childhood field. Fewer studies examined associations between compensation and measures of quality or children’s outcomes, finding small or nonsignificant associations. One study using experimental methods found evidence that financial bonuses reduced staff turnover. Practice or Policy: Together, evidence suggests that low worker compensation is linked with poorer worker outcomes and staff turnover in ECE.

Working to Reduce Crime: Exploring the Link Between Economic Participation and Crime Rates in Forsyth County, N.C. Neighborhoods

We examine the relationship between economic participation rates and rates of assaults, vandalisms, and drug offenses in neighborhoods in Forsyth County, N.C. We use a unique dataset containing assault, vandalism, and drug offense rates at the neighborhood level from 2013 to 2020. We estimate a two-way fixed effects spatial Durbin regression model relating crime rates to economic participation rates for the three types of crime. The results show that neighborhoods, proxied with census tracts, with higher economic participation rates among its residents have significantly lower crime rates. The relationship exists even after controlling for unobserved heterogeneity and spatial autocorrelation. Workforce programs that recruit individuals from neighborhoods with low economic participation rates may have the additional benefit of reducing crime.

Embracing DDMT Teaching Model and Design Thinking for Organization Development

The multi-generational workforce presents challenges for organizations, as the needs and expectations of employees vary greatly between different age groups. To address this, organizations need to adapt their development and learning principles to better suit the changing workforce. The DDMT Teaching Model of Tsing Hua STEAM School, which integrates design thinking methodology, aims to address this challenge. DDMT stands for Discover, Define, Model & Modeling, and Transfer. The main aim of this study is to identify the organization development practices (OD) and gaps through interdisciplinary models such as DDMT and design thinking. In collaboration with a healthcare nursing home service provider, a proof of concept using the DDMT-DT model was conducted to understand the challenges in employment and retention of support employees between nursing homes under the healthcare organization. The paper highlights the rapid change in human experiences and mindsets in the work culture and the need for a design curriculum that is more relevant to the current and future workforce. The DDMT-DT approach can help organizations address these challenges by providing a framework for HR personnel to design training curricula that are more effective in addressing the issues of hiring and employee retention. By applying the DDMT-DT model, HR personnel can better understand the needs and motivations of the workforce and design training programs that are more relevant to their needs. The proof-of-concept research pilot project conducted with the healthcare nursing home service provider demonstrated the effectiveness of the DDMT-DT model in addressing the issues of hiring and employee retention. The project provides a valuable case study for other organizations looking to implement the DDMT-DT model in their HR practices. Overall, the paper highlights the importance of adapting HR practices to better suit the changing workforce. The DDMT-DT model provides a useful framework for organizations looking to improve their HR practices and better address the needs of their workforce.

Tracks to Postgraduate Rural Practice: Longitudinal Qualitative Follow-Up of Nursing Students Who Undertook a Rural Placement in Western Australia

The nursing workforce is the backbone of healthcare provision in rural and remote Australia. Introducing student nurses to rural clinical placements is one strategy used to address the shortfall of healthcare workers outside of major cities, with the goal of improving the training, recruitment and retention of nurses in rural areas. The aim of this qualitative, longitudinal study was to better understand personal and professional decision-making around rural nursing practice intentions and subsequent rural employment and retention. The study methodology consisted of repeated semi-structured interviews with student nurses who had completed at least one rural placement and following them on their journey to becoming graduate nurses over a 6-year period. Thematic longitudinal analysis was undertaken, with three main themes developing, each with further subthemes: (1) participants' satisfaction with rural placements; (2) their challenges with gaining employment; and (3) considerations regarding 'going rural' for work. The participants engaged in both prospective and retrospective reflection around several professional, personal, and wider systemic barriers and enablers to rural practice, which are discussed in detail in this paper. The insights from this longitudinal study have the potential to assist the development of a sustainable rural nursing workforce through informing rural workforce programs, strategies and policies.

An Exploratory Review of Investments by Development Actors in Health Workforce Programs and Job Creation

An Exploratory Review of Investments by Development Actors in Health Workforce Programs and Job Creation

THE ROLE OF FORMAL RESOURCES ON ELDER MISTREATMENT HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIORS AMONG ASIAN OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Elder mistreatment is one of the most difficult topics to talk about among Asian older adult immigrants in the U.S. because they are unfamiliar and uncomfortable to disclose the issue due to their unique cultural values and limited English language proficiency. We recruited 494 community dwelling older adults from five cities who identified themselves of Asian ethnicity, and were 55 years old and older. Participants had various Asian ethnic and language backgrounds (e.g. Korean, Chinese, Filipino, and Vietnamese). Most of them were foreign-born (84.6%) with the mean age of 69.0 (SD = 8.47). Using the participant survey data, we focused on examining difference regarding elder mistreatment experience, perceptions, and help-seeking intentions between the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) group and the non-SCSEP group that may or may not participate in paid workforce. The SCSEP is the federally paid workforce program for low-income older adults aged 55 or above aiming at fostering older adults’ community service and economic self-sufficiency. There was a significant difference in emotional mistreatment experiences between SCSEP and non-SCSEP participants. Furthermore, the two groups were significantly different in their likelihood of seeking help from Adult Protective Services (APS). Those who ever participated in the SCSEP were more likely to seek help from APS (X2 = 1, N = 284) = 4.674, p ≤ .05. Implications for future research and gerontology services are discussed to enhance Asian older adults’ awareness of elder mistreatment, and APS and other formal sources of help.

Assessing for socioeconomic background diversity in behavioral health workforce development programs.

Assessing workforce diversity is an increasing area of evolution. A comprehensive assessment of socioeconomic diversity is important in that it can help identify needs and enable planned inclusion across a range of students. Subsequently, a more comprehensive set of background indicators is needed. The purpose of this brief report is to describe the approach we are using to determine socioeconomic background among individuals participating in a behavioral health workforce program. By using 3 strategies to assess background, we were able to determine that 4 individuals reported being unable to pay for housing, 3 indicated they had sold plasma, and 1 had experienced homelessness since starting graduate school. Our findings provide a starting point for using a comprehensive set of indicators to guide the recruitment and selection process in workforce development programs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

HRSA's Investment in Public Health Training Centers.

HRSA's Investment in Public Health Training Centers.

Promoting the Pipeline of Diverse Individuals Within Gastroenterology: Reflections From AGA FORWARD Program Scholars

Promoting the Pipeline of Diverse Individuals Within Gastroenterology: Reflections From AGA FORWARD Program Scholars

How to Build a Flexible Nursing Workforce Program: Making the Dream a Reality

Flexibility is one of the most sought-after offerings in attracting and retaining the nursing workforce. However, the ability to build flexibility into nursing workforce programs is a lot easier said than done due to the complexity of the practice environment. This article reviews core elements of flexible workforce programs and provide design recommendations that nurse leaders can use for their practice environment. A real-life case study is also provided to show how an integrated health system built flexible workforce programs and experienced improved internal recruitment success for over 5000 shifts in a 6-week time frame.

The clinically led worforcE and activity redesign (CLEAR) programme: a novel data-driven healthcare improvement methodology

BackgroundThe NHS is facing substantial pressures to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Optimising workforce modelling is a fundamental component of the recovery plan. The Clinically Lead workforcE and Activity Redesign (CLEAR) programme is a unique methodology that trains clinicians to redesign services, building intrinsic capacity and capability, optimising patient care and minimising the need for costly external consultancy. This paper describes the CLEAR methodology and the evaluation of previous CLEAR projects, including the return on investment.MethodsCLEAR is a work-based learning programme that combines qualitative techniques with data analytics to build innovations and new models of care. It has four unique stages: (1) Clinical engagement- used to gather rich insights from stakeholders and clinicians. (2) Data interrogation- utilising clinical and workforce data for cohort analysis. (3) Innovation- using structured innovation methods to develop new models of care. (4) Recommendations- report writing, impact assessment and presentation of key findings to executive boards. A mixed-methods formative evaluation was carried out on completed projects, which included semi-structured interviews and surveys with CLEAR associates and stakeholders, and a health economic logic model that was developed to link the inputs, processes, outputs and the outcome of CLEAR as well as the potential impacts of the changes identified from the projects.ResultsCLEAR provides a more cost-effective delivery of complex change programmes than the alternatives – resulting in a cost saving of £1.90 for every £1 spent independent of implementation success. Results suggest that CLEAR recommendations are more likely to be implemented compared to other complex healthcare interventions because of the levels of clinical engagement and have a potential return on investment of up to £14 over 5 years for every £1 invested. CLEAR appears to have a positive impact on staff retention and wellbeing, the cost of a CLEAR project is covered if one medical consultant remains in post for a year.ConclusionsThe unique CLEAR methodology is a clinically effective and cost-effective complex healthcare innovation that optimises workforce and activity design, as well as improving staff retention. Embedding CLEAR methodology in the NHS could have substantial impact on patient care, staff well-being and service provision.