Contraceptive care training for staff and clinicians

Training for your whole health care team is an essential component of partnering with Upstream. These informative and fun blended-learning training events are a highlight for many of our partners. Our virtual training includes a combination of e-learning modules, videos, live workshops, and an in-depth practicum for clinicians.

We deliver our CME/CEU-eligible training to providers of all types: hospitals, private practice groups, state and local health departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Planned Parenthood clinics, community agencies, tribal health centers, and more.

Patient-centered approach

Quality care begins with listening. This principle is the foundation of our training and underscores all that we do. All staff are trained on patient-centered counseling using a shared decision-making model. Our goal is to help patients make their own choices, free from coercion. We conduct patient surveys at Upstream-trained health centers to assess whether patients feel they were in charge of choosing their own method, that they feel listened to by their providers and that they feel no pressure to choose any method of birth control.  

99%

of Delaware patients made their own choices about birth control.

98%

of Delaware patients did not feel pressured to choose a specific method of birth control.

98%

of Delaware patients feel that health center staff listen to them and their preferences. 

Training Outcomes

After training, participants should be able to:

  • Describe the full range of contraceptive methods, associated screening requirements, and timing for initiation in order to provide medically accurate information to patients
  • Use patient-centered counseling and education skills
  • Support and assist patients in choosing their desired method of contraception, if any, and understand follow-up requirements in a shared decision-making framework

What to expect

  • 6-8 hours of total content
  • Up to 7.5 CME/CE contact hours
  • Compliant with the CDC/OPA’s Quality Family Planning Guidelines

Knowledge scores for staff and providers improve post-training

Pre- and post-surveys following Upstream training show increases in clinician and staff knowledge on the Implant, IUD, and Depo-Provera injection and a range of other indicators.

Table shows large gains from pre- to post-survey in respondents’ average scores on a set of the Implant, IUD, and Depo-Provera injection-related knowledge items.     

Data represent group-level averages for attendees at over 30 Upstream trainings held in Delaware from mid-2017 to early 2019. Pre-survey data were collected up to 2 weeks before trainings, and post-survey data were collected immediately following trainings.    

Virtual training and in-person training produce similar outcomes

We find comparable increases in knowledge scores between virtual and in-person training events.

The Average Knowledge Score is an aggregate value commonly used as a quick assessment of training. This score covers three knowledge areas: contraceptive methods, patient eligibility for IUD placements, and best practices in contraceptive counseling. Graphs appear on the same image but have different y-axes.

Washington pre-and post-training survey. Data represent group-level averages for training events in mid-2020.

Virtual training resulted in the same or increased levels of self-reported understanding and confidence across two additional measures: clinician roles in contraceptive counseling and how to ask and respond to pregnancy intention screening questions (PISQ) at a health center in Massachusetts. 

Chart shows high levels of understanding among clinicians pre- and post- training. 

Massachusetts pre- and post-training survey. Data represent group-level averages for a training event in 2020.

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