Education for COVID-19 Testing

This guide contains the mandatory education and other resources required for Regulated Health Care Providers and Unlicensed Health Care Providers to implement COVID-19 swab collection.

Education Plan for Regulated Health Care Providers: Experienced

Regulated Health Care Providers who are experienced Nova Scotia Health employees typically have a range of learning needs related to COVID-19 testing, depending on current practice and competence. Prior to performing COVID-19 Testing (e.g. in COVID-19 Testing Centres), an experienced care provider must complete a self-assessment of learning needs. This requires a review of the self-directed learning checklist with the following questions:

  • Am I familiar with and have recently reviewed (in the past year) the IPAC policies listed below?
  • Am I competent with donning and doffing PPE?
  • Am I competent to safely perform specimen collection via nasopharyngeal, throat/nares and gargle routes?

As per standards of practice, regulated health care providers are responsible and accountable to ensure that they have the knowledge, skills and competence to practice safely. An experienced care provider must ensure that they:

  • Understand their scope related to COVID-19 testing and their role in the practice setting, as well as those of other care team members
  • Complete any education and training required to ensure they have the knowledge, skills and competence for safe, effective COVID-19 testing
  • Follow appropriate care directives and policies, including infection control standards
  • Document as per setting standards

Experienced regulated health care providers do require on-boarding support, with consideration of all individualized learning needs related to variations in designation and current scope (e.g. RN, Physiotherapist), practice experience (e.g. critical care, ambulatory clinic) and currency of practice (e.g. returning from maternity leave).

Component Delivery

Self-Directed Learning:

  • Review Overview of UHCP COVID-19 Testing document
  

Practice and Theory Review:

Delivered by IPP & L

  • Review of Overview of UHCP COVID-19 Testing (i.e. purpose of COVID-19 testing, role of UHCP, regulated HCPs, pre- and post-patient education, when to seek assistance from HCP)
  • Review of care directives
  • Review of collaboration and assignment for COVID-19 testing within current team
  • Could occur in groups or independently
  • Could occur at start of preceptorship (e.g. in early a.m.) or on separate day
  • Could be done virtually with team

Education Plan for Regulated Health Care Providers: New Graduates, New to Nova Scotia Health

Both of these groups are newly hired to Nova Scotia Health, the graduate being new in a care provider role, while those new to NS Health may or may not have practice experience. All would need to complete all components of the Self-Directed Learning Plan, including a review of all care directives, policies and procedures as these may vary from previous education and practice.

It is recommended that the new to Nova Scotia Health care providers do have time with IPP & L, IPAC or Clinical Leadership to review all the content as listed below, with adequate time for a demonstration, practice and questions (e.g., 2-3 hours).

An experienced nurse who is new to NS Health may be competent in skills such as donning/doffing PPE and swab collection but is still required to demonstrate this safely and effectively prior to independent practice. A newly graduated care provider is likely to require additional time with a preceptor, perhaps 7.5 to 15 or more hours, in order to attain competence and confidence in their role with COVID-19 testing.

It is also important to note that these new hires also have mandatory education requirements related to their role in the organization, as well as site-specific learning that is required to perform their role (e.g., documentation, SIMs reporting etc.). This must be taken into consideration in their transition to practice plans. The following details the required education for COVID-19 Testing.

Component Delivery

Self-Directed Learning (2 hours):

  • As per Learning Checklist
  • To be completed prior to attending education and/or preceptored/first shift
  • At home or on-site, requires computer with internet access

Skills Demonstration, Practice and Theory Review:
(not always required for experienced RHCPs, mandatory for new graduates/new to Nova Scotia Health RHCPs)

Delivered by IPP & L, or Clinical Leadership

  • Review of role of team members and care directive
  • Demonstration of specimen collection, oral/nasal anatomy, proper patient identification, including completion of label, requisition, specimen bagging and storage (as required per site)
  • Review of roles, collaboration and assignment for COVID-19 testing within current team
  • Review of pre and post patient education
  • Review of emergency procedures (e.g. Code)
  • Delivered in 1 - 3 hours (varies based on care providers)
  • Could occur in groups or independently
  • Could occur at start of preceptorship (e.g. in early a.m.) or on separate day
  • Could be jointly delivered or separate (e.g. IPAC and IPP & L)
  • Could be done virtually, with practice with preceptor

Skills Demonstration and Practice:
(not always required for experienced RHCPs, mandatory for new graduates/new to Nova Scotia Health RHCPs)

Delivered by IPAC, or Clinical Leadership

  • Demonstration and practice of hand hygiene, donning and doffing of PPE

Preceptorship with regulated HCP competent/experienced in swab collection:

  • If new graduate or new to Nova Scotia Health, must complete self-directed learning, IPP & L and IPAC Skills Demonstration and Practice prior to preceptorship
  • Review of site-specific team and roles, process for patient flow, infection control procedures
  • Demonstration of specimen collection via applicable routes: nasopharyngeal and/or throat and nares swabs, and gargle
  • For each route, observe RHCP safely and completely complete one specimen collection on persons
  • Complete learning checklist
  • If only one type of swab used at site (i.e., throat/nares OR NP) then training only needs to include that swab. Training for other swab collection can occur when required
  • New graduates are recommended to have 7.5-15.0 hours of preceptorship

Education Plan for Unlicensed Health Care Providers

Component Delivery

Self-Directed Learning (3.5 hours)
  • At home or on-site, requires computer with internet access

Skills Demonstration, Practice and Theory Review:

Delivered by IPP & L

  • Short review of Overview: COVID-19 Specimen Collection by UHCP (i.e. purpose of COVID-19 testing, role of UHCP, regulated HCPs, pre- and post-patient education, when to seek assistance from HCP)
  • Demonstration of specimen collection, oral/nasal anatomy, proper patient identification, including completion of label, requisition, specimen bagging and storage (as required per site)
  • Could occur in groups or independently
  • Could occur at start of preceptorship (e.g. in early a.m.) or on separate day
  • Could be jointly delivered or separate (e.g. IPAC and IPP & L)
  • Could be done virtually, with practice with preceptor

Skills Demonstration and Practice:

Delivered by IPAC

  • Demonstration and practice of hand hygiene, donning and doffing of PPE

Preceptorship with regulated HCP or UHCP competent/experienced in specimen collection:

  • Must complete self-directed learning, IPP & L and IPAC Skills Demonstration and Practice prior to preceptorship
  • Review of site-specific team and roles, process for patient flow
  • Demonstration of specimen collection via applicable routes: nasopharyngeal and/or throat and nares swabs and gargle
  • Complete learning checklist
  • If only one type of swab used at site (i.e., throat/nares OR NP) then training only needs to include that swab. Training for other swab collection can occur when required

Additional Resources