CAN-DO-IT! Building capacity through technical assistance in PHN faculties and administrators for a healthy Tennessee

BACKGROUND: The CAN DO IT (Competencies in Advanced Public Health Nursing-Develop, Organize, and Instruct Together!) Workshop is a technical assistance (TA) workshop implemented by DNP PHN students for health department (HD) administrators and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) faculties to close gaps between practice and education with joint activities. However, little HBCU response obliged design changes to include all TN PHN faculties. PURPOSE: The workshop's purpose was to identify HD leadership challenges, address HD workforce deficits, educate PHN faculty about the HD programs through planned student-led collaborative exercises validated by the HD administration, to partner HD leaders and faculty in student-led exercises of logic models development for 5 HD programs, and build PHN DNP student core competencies (CC). METHODS: Faculty met administration to determine HD TA goals. Administrator survey provided case studies to challenge leadership skills collaboratively that included pre- and post-activity assessment using PHN CC. Second, the faculties and DOH administrators were taught Logic Model development for their DOH programs; and the student-led activity measured participant learning through identification of CC. RESULTS: The “leadership” student-led TA activity had mixed reviews from HD administrators but faculties reported learning about DOH workforce challenges. The student-led “Logic Model activity” saw partnerships develop between administrators and faculties and positive participant reporting emphasized increasing PHN CC knowledge and portfolio development. Last, student-led activities showed proficiency through CC portfolio tool documentation by adding TA leadership through leading teams in problem solving of complex workforce vignettes and Logic Model development of 5 HD programs.