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Poster Session II: Health Services

(P186) OKLAHOMA STI ACADEMY: A TWO-DAY BOOTCAMP FOR NURSES

Wednesday, September 18, 2024
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM EST

    Primary Author(s)

  • Anissa Lynch, BSN (she/her/hers)

    STI Nurse Consultant/Rapid Start Program Manager
    Oklahoma State Department of Health
    Bethany, Oklahoma, United States

    • Co-Author(s)(s)

  • Amber Rose, MS

    Director, Sexual Health and Harm Reduction Service
    Oklahoma State Department of Health

  • LM

    Leila Murphy, MA

    Oklahoma State Department of Health

Background: The Sexual Health and Harm Reduction Service (SHHRS) within the Oklahoma State Department of Health learned of the need for a more intensive STI training for nurses working in the county health department clinics. A two-day comprehensive academy providing current evidenced-based information and skills to identify, treat, and prevent sexually transmitted infections was developed to meet this need. In addition, the curriculum includes epidemiology of HIV/STIs, sexual history taking, stigma and bias training, nursing protocols, and a physical exam skills check. The material is constantly growing and evolving based on feedback and identified gaps. SHHRS is continually evaluating the effectiveness of STI Academy to educate and inform nursing staff.

Methods: An anonymous survey was created to assess whether or not the program was helpful to the nurses, both new and experienced, who attended STI Academy. Survey responses from attendees were collected over a two-year period using Qualtrics. Both quantitative and qualitative results were assessed.


Results: Of the county health department nurses surveyed, 159 responded. Most nurses agreed or strongly agreed that attending the academy will improve their job performance (98.7%) The majority also said they would recommend the training to a colleague (95.0%). When asked about the most beneficial part of the course, the topics most frequently mentioned in the free response answers were the hands-on physical skills check (32.8%; 52/159) and syphilis education (16.4%; 26/159).


Conclusions: Based on the nurses surveyed, the STI Academy was found to be successful in providing additional knowledge and skills to nurses, with 98.7% stating what they learned will improve their job performance. Continuing education on identification and treatment of STIs is crucial to the health of Oklahomans. SHHRS is looking to expand and tailor this training to include additional providers outside of county health department nurses.