Development and evaluation of training resources to prepare health professionals for counselling pregnant women about non-invasive prenatal testing for Down syndrome: a mixed methods study

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Research Article

Kerry Oxenford¹  Rebecca Daley¹  Lyn S. Chitty²  Melissa Hill³  Celine Lewis³ 

[1] Fetal Medicine Unit, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK;Fetal Medicine Unit, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK;NE Thames Regional Genetics Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK;Genetics and Genomic Medicine, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK;NE Thames Regional Genetics Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK;Genetics and Genomic Medicine, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK;

关键词: Non-invasive prenatal testing;    Down syndrome;    Training;    Education;    Health professionals;    Midwives;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12884-017-1315-7

 received in 2016-10-29, accepted in 2017-04-24,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe availability of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for aneuploidies is expanding rapidly throughout the world. Training health professionals to offer NIPT in a way that supports informed choice is essential for implementation. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a training package for health professionals to support the introduction of NIPT into clinical practice.MethodsTraining on NIPT was offered to health professionals, primarily midwives, involved in Down syndrome screening and testing in eight hospitals located in England and Scotland as part of a research study evaluating the implementation of NIPT in the UK National Health Service. Training was evaluated using a mixed methods approach that included quantitative questionnaires at three time points and post-training qualitative interviews. The questionnaires measured confidence, self-perceived knowledge and actual knowledge about NIPT for Down syndrome. Interviews explored opinions about the training and experiences of offering NIPT.ResultsThe training provided to the health professionals was found to positively impact on their confidence in discussing NIPT with women in their clinic, and both their perceived and actual knowledge and understanding of NIPT was improved. Knowledge remained weak in four areas; cell-free fetal DNA levels increase with gestation; turnaround time for NIPT results; cell-free fetal DNA is placental in origin; and NIPT false positive rate.ConclusionsTraining materials, including a lesson plan, PowerPoint presentation and written factsheet on NIPT, have been developed and evaluated for use in educating midwives and supporting the introduction of NIPT. Implementation of training should include a greater focus on the areas where knowledge remained low. Some groups of midwives will need additional training or support to optimise their confidence in discussing NIPT with women.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017