Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T12:50:32.912Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Toolkit to Assess Medical Reserve Corps Units' Performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 April 2013

Elena Savoia ,
Sarah Massin-Short ,
Melissa Ann Higdon ,
Lindsay Tallon ,
Emmanuel Matechi  and
Michael A. Stoto
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives: The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a national network of community-based units created to promote the local identification, recruitment, training, and activation of volunteers to assist local health departments in public health activities. This study aimed to develop a toolkit for MRC coordinators to assess and monitor volunteer units' performance and identify barriers limiting volunteerism.

Methods: In 2008 and 2009, MRC volunteers asked to participate in influenza clinics were surveyed in 7 different locations throughout the United States. Two survey instruments were used to assess the performance of the volunteers who were able to participate, the specific barriers that prevented some volunteers from participating, and the overall attitudes of those who participated and those who did not. Validity and reliability of the instruments were assessed through the use of factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha.

Results: Two survey instruments were developed: the Volunteer Self-Assessment Questionnaire and the Barriers to Volunteering Questionnaire. Data were collected from a total of 1059 subjects, 758 participated in the influenza clinics and 301 were unable to attend. Data from the 2 instruments were determined to be suitable for factor analysis. Factor solutions and inter-item correlations supported the hypothesized domain structure for both survey questionnaires. Results on volunteers' performance were consistent with observations of both local health departments' staff and external observers.

Conclusions: The survey instruments developed for this study appear to be valid and reliable means to assess the performance and attitudes of MRC volunteers and barriers to their participation. This study found these instruments to have face and content validity and practicality. MRC coordinators can use these questionnaires to monitor their ability to engage volunteers in public health activities.

(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2010;4:213-219)

Keywords

volunteersperformanceemergencyflu
Type
Original Article
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 4 , Issue 3 , October 2010 , pp. 213 - 219
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1.Hoard, ML, Tosatto, RJ.Medical Reserve Corps: strengthening public health and improving preparedness. Disaster Manag Response. 2005;3 (2):48–52.Google Scholar
2.US Department of Health and Human Services. Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA). http://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/legal/pahpa/pages/default.aspx. Accessed August 29, 2010.Google Scholar
3.Office of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps. Accessed June 3, 2010. www.medicalreservecorps.org.Google Scholar
4.Franco, C, Toner, E, Waldhorn, R, Maldin, B, O’Toole, T, Inglesby, TV.Systemic collapse: Medical care in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Biosecur Bioterror. 2006;4 (2):135–146.Google Scholar
5.Schaffzin, S.Impact of the medical reserve corps on hurricane response efforts. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2009;3 (2):126–127.Google Scholar
6.McCurley, S, Vineyard, S.Measuring Up: Assessment Tools for Volunteer Programs. Downers Grove, IL: Heritage Arts Publishing; 1997.Google Scholar
7.Hall, MH, Phillips, SD, Meillat, C, et alAssessing Performance: Evaluation Practices & Perspectives in Canada's Voluntary Sector. Toronto: Canadian Centre for Philanthropy; 2003.Google Scholar
8.Minnesota Department of Human Services. Measuring the difference volunteers make: a guide to outcome evaluation for volunteer program managers. http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/rgk/serviceleader/leaders/uploads/measuring-the-difference-2005.pdf. Published 2005. Accessed November 25, 2009.Google Scholar
9.Yoshioka, CF, Brown, WA, Ashcraft, RF.A functional approach to senior volunteer and non-volunteer motivations. Int J Volunteer Admin. 2007;24:31–43.Google Scholar
10.Clary, EG, Snyder, M, Ridge, RD, et alUnderstanding and assessing the motivations of volunteers: a functional approach. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1998;74 (6):1516–1530.Google Scholar
11.Esmond, J, Dunlop, P.Developing the Volunteer Motivation Inventory to Assess the Underlying Motivational Drives of Volunteers in Western Australia. Perth: CLAN WA Inc; 2004.Google Scholar
12.Institute of Medicine. Research Priorities in Emergency Preparedness and Response for Public Health Systems: A Letter Report. Washington, DC: Institute of Medicine; 2008.Google Scholar
13.Seid, M, Lotstein, D, Williams, VL, et alQuality improvement in public health emergency preparedness. Annu Rev Public Health. 2007;28:19–31.Google Scholar
14.ØVretveit, J, Bate, P, Cleary, P, et alQuality collaboratives: lessons from research. Qual Saf Health Care. 2002;11 (4):345–351.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15.Institute for Healthcare Improvement. The Breakthrough Series: IHI's Collaborative Model for Achieving Breakthrough Improvement. Boston: Institute for Healthcare Improvement; 2003.Google Scholar
16.Lotstein, D, Seid, M, Ricci, KUsing quality improvement methods to improve public health emergency preparedness: PREPARE for pandemic influenza. http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/reprint/27/5/w328.pdf. Published July 15, 2008. Accessed November 25, 2009.Google Scholar
17.Nembhard, IM.Learning and improving in quality improvement collaboratives: which collaborative features do participants value most? Health Serv Res. 2009;44 (2 Pt 1):359–378.Google Scholar