Teresa Skelton

Background and Objectives Blood transfusion is performed daily in hospitals. Gaps exist between transfusion guidelines and day‐to‐day clinical care. These gaps are prevalent in resource‐limited settings due to scarce continuing medical education. Transfusion Camp Rwanda aims to bridge this gap by (1) delivering context‐appropriate up‐to‐date education, (2) teaching participants how to independently deliver a case‐based curriculum and (3) identifying strategies to promote change in transfusion practice in Rwanda. Materials and Methods In May 2023, a multidisciplinary team from Canada and Rwanda carried out a Transfusion Camp train‐the‐trainer workshop for clinicians from all five provinces in Rwanda. Participants attended in‐person lectures, seminars and workshop group discussions on the implementation of the Rwanda National Directives on Rational Use of Blood and Blood Components. Course feedback was based on the Kirkpatrick Model of Training and Evaluation. Results Fifty‐one physicians and laboratory technicians participated in the course. Confidence in caring for patients based on transfusion guidelines was self‐rated as ‘excellent’ by 23% of participants before and 77% after, while 84% reported they planned to teach Transfusion Camp to others and 100% responded that they will apply course content to clinical practice. Workshop groups recommended strategies to improve transfusion medicine practice in Rwanda in four domains: Communication, Institutional Approval, Practice Audits and Education. Conclusion Transfusion medicine education in Rwanda using a train‐the‐trainer approach was well‐received by participants and allowed for a more detailed understanding of the local medical and educational environment. These observations can inform the further expansion of the Transfusion Camp Rwanda project.

Background Safe blood transfusion is an increasing priority in global health equity. The Global Health 2030 commission lists access to a safe blood supply as essential for all surgical and nonoperative patients. The objective of this study was to determine if Transfusion Camp , when modified through a collaborative partnership between experts in Canada and Rwanda, results in improved knowledge and confidence among trainees in a resource‐limited setting in sub‐Saharan Africa. Methods This prospective study took place at The University Teaching Hospital of Kigali in Rwanda. Participants were postgraduate medical trainees from departments where blood transfusion is frequent. Participants watched five prerecorded lectures and then attended a 5‐hour team‐based learning seminar to consolidate learning. Pre‐ and post‐data were analyzed on transfusion knowledge and trainee confidence. A Rasch analysis investigated the performance of individual questions in assessing respondent knowledge. Results Of 31 trainees from surgery, anesthesia, internal medicine, and pediatrics invited to the course, 27 trainees attended the in‐person team‐based learning and 24 trainees completed the pre‐ and post‐course analysis. Trainee knowledge assessment improved from (mean ± SD) 7.7/20 ± 1.95 to 10.4/20 ± 2.4 ( p < .0001) and this knowledge was maintained by 12 trainees on a 3‐month follow‐up with a mean score of 9.3/20 ± 2.3. Trainees reported increased confidence in managing transfusion medicine‐related patient issues. Conclusion This pilot study demonstrated that Transfusion Camp education content modified to the local context can result in increased knowledge and confidence in managing transfusion‐related issues. These results will inform future planning of Transfusion Camp in resource‐limited settings.