Date of Graduation

Summer 8-12-2022

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Department/Program

Nursing

Program

Family Nurse Practitioner

First Advisor

Dr. Alexa Curtis

Second Advisor

Dr. Jo Loomis

Abstract

Background: Community Health Workers (CHWs) are invaluable members of the healthcare system that often have linguistic or cultural connections with the communities they serve and are a potential link to bridging the divide between medically underserved communities to the greater healthcare system.

Local Problem: Save the Children of the Central Valley (STC) employs Early Childhood Coordinators based out of local schools to provide in-home and in-school services to assist families to prepare children for school but do not have formal recognition of CHW training.

Methods: Development of customized education modules for STC, while also complying with nationally accepted CHW competencies delivered by USF DNP Student Instructors.

Interventions: Each module consisted of hybrid in-person, synchronous Zoom instruction, and constructed online content using the Canvas for Teacher platform during the Spring 2022 semester and are planned for the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 including new educational material.

Measures: A pre- and post-survey were delivered to identify CHW comfort level of working with families on the topic. A post-survey to Spring 2022 DNP Student instructors was given to evaluate whether program management needs were met.

Results: Student confidence in working with families regarding Childhood Obesity increased by 31%, 23% in Health Literacy, 21% in Prenatal Care, and 40% in Substance Use in Pregnancy. DNP student instructors benefitted from program management.

Conclusion: Providing instruction and the development of a certification of completion CHW program delivered by DNP student instructors to rural-based community workers is feasible, effective in raising CHW confidence, and is potentially transferrable to other rural health settings.

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