Health Worker Training and Performance

Applying the Learning for Performance Approach, Murphy C (IntraHealth International) and Viadro C, Capacity Project, 2009.

Legacy Series No. 5. Discusses the Project’s participation in the development of LFP-informed learning interventions. [126 kb]

Best Practices in Training Private Providers, Averbug D and Segall M (IntraHealth International), PSP-One Project, 2008.

The purpose of this primer is to document and promote best practices in training private sector providers. [328 kb]

Continuing Professional Development Accreditation System for Uganda, The Uganda Health Professionals' Councils and IntraHealth (Capacity Project), 2009.

The purpose of this guide is to outline the process by which health professionals in Uganda can satisfactorily participate in accredited CPD activities. [492 kb]

Documenting the Use of Participatory Approaches in IntraHealth’s Vistaar Project, Vistaar Project, 2009. [527 kb]

Effective Scale-Up: Avoiding the Same Old Traps, Gaye PA and Nelson D. 2009.

This article discusses common pitfalls besetting training programs, including a lack of country-level coordination, inequitable access, interrupted services and a lack of training reinforcement due to other unaddressed performance factors. [132kb pdf]

Enhancing Postabortion Care (PAC) Counseling Skills—An Interactive Learning Tool,  PRIME II

The interactive simulations in this DVD package aim to enhance or refresh the counseling skills of experienced PAC providers. To order, please contact Nola Bower-Smith.

Transcripts of the DVDs can be downloaded here:

Evidence Review Briefs From The Vistaar Project

The IntraHealth-led Vistaar Project has produced a series of briefs on Evidence Review in the context of their project's work. [website with pdfs]

Focusing on the Essentials: Learning for Performance, Murphy CJ. 2009. 

This article describes the rationale, methodology and use of IntraHealth’s Learning for Performance (LFP) approach.[199kb pdf]

Gender-Based Violence Training Modules: A Collection and Review of Existing Materials for Training Health Workers, Murphy C., Mahoney C., Ellsberg M. (PATH), and Newman C. Capacity Project, 2006 Addressing gender-based violence (GBV) successfully is an important step toward achieving Millennium Development Goals in the areas of gender equality, infant and maternal health and mortality and HIV/AIDS. [258kb pdf]

Gender Sensitivity Assessment Tool for FP/RH Curricula, Newman C., PRIME II, 2003

A tool designed to help program and training managers, curriculum designers and trainers facilitate the operationalization and assessment of gender sensitivity during pre- and in-service training of service providers. [578kb pdf] 

Gender Sensitivity Assessment Tool for RH Service Providers and Managers, Newman C., PRIME II, 2003

A tool designed to help program and training managers, curriculum designers and trainers facilitate the operationalization and assessment of gender sensitivity during pre- and in-service training of service providers. [601kb pdf] 

Guidelines and  Standards for Accreditation of Continuing Professional Development for Health Care Workers, The Capacity Project, October 2008. This document provides guidelines for planning, accrediting and implementing continuing professional development in Uganda. [128kb pdf]

Guidelines for Integration of Fertility Awareness Methods into Medical Professional Education, Sebikali B and Winkler J. This document presents guidelines to assist in integration of Fertility Awareness Methods (FAM) into established educational programs for health professionals, both preservice education and continuing education. [128 kb pdf]

Health Worker Education and Training: Selected Resources, Capacity Project, 2004–2009.

This web site links to numerous resources for the education and training of health workers. 

Health Worker Retention and Performance Initiatives: Making Better Strategic Choices, McCaffery JA (Training Resources Group, Inc.), Joyce S (Training Resources Group, Inc.) and Massie B (IntraHealth International), Capacity Project, 2009.

Technical Brief No. 16. Proposes a shared approach to retention and performance improvement based on existing motivation theories and experience in the international health field. [132kb pdf]

Healthy Timing and Spacing of Pregnancy: Trainer's Reference Guide, Post M, Elkan N, Giri K (IntraHealth International), Kroeger M, Lane C, Mason J, Salvador-Dávila G, Siddig I, Solter C, Tran C.  Extending Service Delivery Project, 2008.

This guide is a resource for trainers developing in-service reproductive health and family planning training for facility-based healthcare providers and community health workers (CHWs). [3MB pdf]

Implementation of Performance Support Approaches in Central America and Uganda

This document describes the Capacity Project’s work with governments and partners in Central America and Uganda to test approaches for strengthening supervision systems in the health sector, and provides lessons learned for future implementation. [371kb pdf]

Learning for Performance: A Guide and Toolkit for Health Worker Training and Education Programs, Murphy C., Harber L., Kiplinger N, Stang A. and Winkler J, Capacity Project, 2007

This manual presents a systematic instructional design process that helps connect learning to specific job responsibilities and competencies. [website with pdfs and MS Word files, in English, French, and Spanish]

Making It Happen: Using Distance Learning to Improve Reproductive Health Provider Performance, Long P. and Kiplinger N., PRIME II, 2002

Making It Happen is a practical how-to guide for developing distance learning programs in low-resource settings. The guide presents a clear, step-by-step path from conceptualization through evaluation, with detailed examples from program experiences in developing countries.  [3429kb pdf]

Mobilizing Muslim Religious Leaders for Reproductive Health and Family Planning at the Community Level: a Training Manual, Mason J, Freij LS, Muhuhu P (IntraHealth International), Lane C, Berhane E. 2008

This 5-day training curriculum is designed to equip Muslim Religious Leaders (MRLs) with the necessary information and skills to better understand, accept, and support the provision of maternal and child health, reproductive health. [2MB pdf]

Performance Improvement Stages, Steps and Tools, Luoma M. (TRG) and Voltero L., PRIME II, 2002

IntraHealth International relies on the Performance Improvement (PI) approach to build the capacity of providers and organizations working in family planning and reproductive health care. [website]

Private Health Sector Quality Improvement Package: Implementation Guide for Midwives, Segall M (IntraHealth International) and Levin L. 2006.  Private Sector Partnerships-One project, Abt Associates Inc.

This QI package for the private sector includes a review of service statistics accompanying a QI self-assessment tool for midwives to identify quality issues, and a linked action plan for midwives and supervisors to help solve issues the QI tool identifies. [7MB pdf]

Programming for Training: A Resource Package for Trainers, Program Managers, and Supervisors of Reproductive Health and Family Planning Programs, ACQUIRE Project, 2008.

This resource package provides an overall approach to programming for training, as well as information, methods and tools for designing, developing, planning, implementing and evaluating training. It also provides tools and information for strengthening training systems.

Strengthening  Quality Assurance in Primary Health Care in the Republic Of Armenia:
  • Implementation Plan, Kirakosyan M, USAID/Armenia; Segall M, IntraHealth International; Crigler L, IntraHealth International, PHCR Project, 2008.
    This implementation plan shows how to both implement and sustain a nationwide quality assurance system initiated by the Government of Armenia to improve quality of services provided by primary health care (PHC) facilities. [466kb pdf]
  • Toolkit,  Kirakosyan M, USAID/Armenia and Segall M, IntraHealth International, PHCR Project, 2008.
    This document describes theoverall strategy, content, and process for improving the quality of primary health care in Armenia. [ 1mb pdf]
  • Faculty Training Guide,  Kirakosyan M, USAID/Armenia; Segall M, IntraHealth International; Lewis S, IntraHealth International, PHCR Project, 2008.
    This document describes the Training Curriculum to prepare the Primary Health Care facility representatives to introduce Quality Assurance tools in their facilities. [ 971kb pdf]
  • Training Guide: Preparing Quality Coordinators for the Marz Level,  Kirakosyan M, USAID/Armenia; Segall M, IntraHealth International; Lewis S, IntraHealth International, PHCR Project, 2008.
    This document describes the Training Curriculum to prepare the lead trainers/implementers of QA in the regions—known as Quality Coordinators. [ 1mb pdf]

Supporting Existing Health Cadres in Learning New Skills, Murphy C. and Millonzi K., Capacity Project, 2006

This resource paper discusses the challenge of developing human capacity for health care occuring in the context of severe staff shortages. [280kb pdf]

Training Works! [English] [French] [Spanish], JHPIEGO, IntraHealth, FHI, Population Leadership Program, TRG, 2003

Effective training can help providers of family planning/reproductive health (FP/RH) services to improve their performance. This handbook summarizes the tasks that should be completed at each stage of training to ensure an effective training course. IntraHealth International was part of the development team that developed this handbook, which was produced by partner JHPIEGO. [1536kb pdf]

Transfer of Learning: A Guide to Strengthening the Performance of Health Care Providers, IntraHealth (PRIME II Project) and JHPIEGO, 2002

When health care workers participating in training are able to transfer their newly acquired knowledge and skills to their jobs, higher levels of performance and sustained improvements in service delivery are likely to result. [website]

Transfer of Learning: A Guide for Strengthening the Performance of Health Care Workers [English] [French] [Spanish], IntraHealth (PRIME II Project) and JHPIEGO, 2002

When health care workers participating in training are able to transfer their newly acquired knowledge and skills to their jobs, higher levels of performance and sustained improvements in service delivery are likely to result. [3432kb pdf]