Explaining Current and Changing Teachers’ Educational Needs in Health Care Behvarz Training Centers during 2012-2013 in Iran

Background and purpose: Considering that health care training centers’ teachers are one of the main elements of human-force training for rural health care system in the country, it is essential to improve knowledge and skills. The purpose of this study was to explain educational needs of teachers in our country in Behvarz training centers.Methods: This is a qualitative and a needs assessment study and experts’ opinion method, experts’ group discussion and Delphi was used for data extraction and the study was conducted during the years 2012-2013 by two methods: direct and indirect needs assessment. Needs related to learning were determined using experts’ opinion method after holding two sessions of experts’ group discussion (two groups of ten top country teachers and a group of five top experts responsible for health providing) and two rounds of Delphi (a group of 12 Behvarz experts) and a round of ranking. The first round of Delphi questionnaire was designed with 77 closed questions and 3 essay questions in 5 categories based on Behvarz educational textbooks and the results of experts' group discussion sessions and were sent to the participants. Based on the results of the first round, the second round of Delphi questionnaire consisted of 84 closed questions and 3 open-ended questions was designed and resent. In third stage, a questionnaire of 68 items was sent to the experts to determine the priorities of educational needs. Data were analyzed using SPSS-18 statistical software.Results: The findings indicate that each teacher needs general and special education issues (teaching, management, research method, personal development skills). Educational needs of first aid and relief efforts (of nursing) were determined for all teachers with different specialties and only English language skill was not determined necessary.Conclusions: The results indicate that the educational needs are common in some cases for all teachers and in some cases differ in terms of study field and teaching area and due to changes in the current health package; educational needs are changing and require needs assessment and teachers’ ongoing retraining.