Training

Preparing to implement a surveillance assessment requires developing training for data collection teams to successfully implement the assessment procedures. The level of skill needed will determine how much and what types of training are needed to prepare the team to implement the assessment. Training for data collection teams is a critical part of effectively conducting an assessment and needs to include practical application of the skills that are required as well as understanding study procedures. Depending on the assessment approach, it will be essential to select team members who have knowledge, skills and experience that are relevant to your assessment. Key training for data collection teams includes:

1. Overview of the Study Objectives and Methods: The data collection team needs to understand the goals and objectives of the study, research questions, and an overview of the process that will be used to collect data, conduct the analysis and how findings will be reported and used.
2. Orientation to the Overall Data Collection Procedures Including Data Collection: Training should cover each of the methods used in the assessment with practical application of the methods in a training setting. For example, if the assessment includes qualitative data collection such as interviews, the training should include reviewing all the interview guides including questions and probes, clarifying the goal of each question, and practicing using the interview guides with roleplays. If the assessment includes quantitative surveys, the training should include reviewing each question and ensuring that data collectors understand the data dictionary and data sources for each question.
3. Data Collection Tools and Documentation: Team members need to understand all the data collection tools and instruments that will be used, data sources to complete tools, and how they will collect data to ensure quality and security. Data collection tool can include interview guides, observation tools, facility inventories, mapping exercises, or any other data collection tools in the study procedures. If data are collected electronically, the team should practice using tablets or electronic data collection methods using the tools with dummy data to ensure that data collectors can use the devices as indicated in the study protocol, including troubleshooting any challenges that might occur.
4. Ethics, Obtaining Consent, and Recruitment: A high ethical standard is critical to all assessments and research. Training should include principles of ethics and participation consent. If there are informed consent processes as part of your assessment, team members should review the components of informed consent, practice using and completing the informed consent documents, and review what to do if a person does not consent to participate. Additionally, members should review approaches to confidentiality. Consider having each team complete a course in research ethics, compliance, and safety as part of their training. Most academic institutions include free access to online training for human subject protection and other relevant topics.
5. Practice, Practice, Practice!: The training environment should be a safe place to build skills, make mistakes, and practice how to collect data to ensure quality aligned to assessment procedures. Ensure that there is adequate time to practice how to use all of the data collection tools with dummy data and through roleplays, including using audiotaping or any other special procedures used in the assessment. Also, include troubleshooting case studies for team members to practice. Ensure that everyone practices using the actual tools or devices, such as tablets, that they will be using to collect data on or with during the assessment. During training, the trainers should circulate and act as observers to support the training environment.
6. Field Work Process: Review the process for field work including departure times, dress code, name tag use, formalities that occur at facilities (e.g., introductions), any items data collectors should bring, logistics including transportation, and a schedule review for each day of the field work process. Clarify the team leader(s) and ensure that each team member has everyone’s contact information. Every evening, debrief with the full team to review progress, discuss problems with the data collection, discuss thoughts and ideas that emerge from the data collected, and review notes and data collected for the day.
7. Safety and Security: Review safety and security procedures for field work.
8. Data Management: Review data management protocols with team members. Be sure to include how data will be stored. Review data quality assurance procedures for the assessment.
9. Additional considerations: If the assessment settings are new to some data collectors, it is important to consider additional training to support data collectors’ knowledge and comfort about working in those settings. For example, if data collection is expected in laboratories or clinics, orienting data collection teams to any safety procedures or clarifying any questions about risk that they have is important.
   1. Notes from the Field: In a previous I-TECH activity, an I-TECH team assessed data flow in India at a Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV sanatorium in a large city. Some of the data collection team had never been to a clinical setting like this and had questions and concerns about TB and HIV. The team added an introduction about HIV and TB that included information on transmission, infection prevention and control, but also stigma and discrimination that people living with HIV in particular experienced. The team lead had data collectors anonymously write down their questions and any fears or concerns on paper and we answered them. By the time the team entered the sanatorium, data collectors felt comfortable and empathetic to clients accessing services there. We also debriefed at the end of the day with data collectors about their experience, answered any additional questions, and processed the experience together as a team.