Impact of web‐based learning for health program planning competency, knowledge and skills among mid‐level public health nurses: A randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of web-based learning modules for health program planning competency, recognition, knowledge and skills among mid-level public health nurses (PHNs). DESIGN: Parallel-group randomized controlled trial. SAMPLE: During 2018, 244 Japanese PHNs were eligible as participants with 5-20 years experiences as a PHN were randomly allocated to the intervention (n = 121) or control group (n = 123). MEASUREMENTS: The outcome was assessed using the Competency Measurement of Creativity for PHNs (CMC) and 26 questions about recognition, knowledge, and skills for health program planning. INTERVENTIONS: Eight web-based modules. RESULTS: No significant differences in CMC scores between the control and intervention groups at base line and post-intervention. By contrast, significant differences in total score of the 26 items of knowledge and skills. In an exploratory analysis, there was a significant difference identified in CMC scores in the demographic of post graduate training in program planning at base line and post-intervention. (p = .034). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggested that web-based learning with flexibility in terms of time and location would improve competency, skills and knowledge of health program planning among mid-level PHNs.