Proficiency in Motivational Interviewing among Nurses in Child Health Services Following Workshop and Supervision with Systematic Feedback

BACKGROUND Research on training in motivational interviewing (MI) has shown eroding skills after workshops not followed by additional training input (supervision/coaching). There is a need for more research evaluating different types and lengths of post-workshop training with follow-up periods extending six months. This study is an extension of a previous evaluation of the level of proficiency in MI after workshop and four sessions of supervision among nurses in Swedish child health services. AIMS To explore the level of MI proficiency among nurses participating in an intervention to prevent childhood obesity (n = 33), after receiving five additional sessions of supervision including feedback on observed practice, as well as level of proficiency at follow-up. METHODS Level of proficiency was measured 4 and 12 months after completed supervision using recorded practice samples coded according to the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity (MITI) Code. Potential predictors of outcome were investigated. RESULTS Proficiency remained on the same levels after nine sessions of supervision as after four sessions, and was generally low. The percentage of nurses reaching the proficiency level ranged from 18.2 to 54.5% across indicators. MI-spirit had increased significantly at follow-up, and the rest of the indicators remained on the same levels. No predictors of outcome were found. CONCLUSIONS Comprehensive training programs with prolonged post-workshop supervision and feedback on observed practice may help to sustain but not improve participants' proficiency in MI. Potential explanations to the results and suggestions for future research are discussed.