From July till November International HIV/AIDS Institute have maintained 10 trainings in Rivne oblast within the programme “Reducing the risk of occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens among nurses, the most vulnerable group of health care workers in Rivne oblast”. The training aimed at two objectives:

· To get participants acquainted with means for safe interaction with patients potentially infected with blood-borne pathogens;

· To motivate and teach participants to maintain trainings aiming at expansion of the knowledge received during the training among their colleagues. 

144 people participated in the trainings. In general this was health care staff of the middle level, those who maintain manipulations in the hospitals and risk to be infected with blood-borne pathogens.  

At the same time in February 2004 evaluation of this programme was done. By means of focus group and questioning Institute has received the data concerning the programme effectiveness and also proposals on its improvement. Taking into account the fact that 144 people participated in the trainings, the tenth part of the training participants took part in focus group. Out of these 14 recipients 11 were nurses, in particular, 7 of them  - the senior health care staff of the middle branch, 2 teachers and 1 physician. The participants were representing six Rivne oblast districts. 

To talk in general, the training made an extremely positive impression on its participants.  

Concerning the first goal that was introduced before the programme and concerned acquaintance with means for safe interaction with patients potentially infected with blood-borne pathogens, the recipients unanimously stated that information given by the trainers was useful and may be expanded all over Ukraine.  

The senior nurses, first of all, pointed out that the information received during the training helped them to find arguments to explain their subordinates the importance of sticking to the rules of everyday protection in their work while doing manipulations, as the junior health care staff has a somewhat careless attitude to the precaution means.  

One more result of the training was formation of emphatic attitude to people ill with AIDS and acknowledgement of their rights among training participants and their colleagues. It is important that this position is observed together with increased responsibility for personal protection.  

To their point of view the optimal time for training maintenance is three days and not two.  

The recipients are willing to think that information on Hepatitis should be given in wider perspective, as the training participants more often encounter patients infected with Hepatitis and not with HIV/AIDS. 

The recipients have highly evaluated the trainers’ work. Each of them had their own style that was the most effective to achieve their tasks, taking into account the topic of the module. The participants of the training had positive impression from all of them. 

Concerning the second objective of the programme directed at participants’ motivation and teaching in training maintenance aiming at expansion of the information received during the training among their colleagues at work, according to the recipients’ words, the training assisted to some extent in formation of the socially active behavior among the training participants concerning expansion and promotion of the information received during the training. The recipients, as they stated themselves, maintained classes and trainings with their subordinate health care staff, and teachers did it with their students. At the same time they pointed out at the lack of skills to do it. Often activities that were planned to be trainings were done in form of lectures. Though this did not erase the satisfaction from the organized education. Information reached the relatives and acquaintances of the training participants in form of stories.  

The training participants stated that in general it was not difficult for them to be trainers and that there were no special difficulties in training maintenance, as the recipients were acting like that at the places where they work and with people whom they know. At the same time unofficial atmosphere made the work easier. A number of participants expanded information by means of short-term activities. Among them there were information announcements during morning meetings at treatment departments at health care facilities, conversations at the department. The participants have also maintained wider activities. The recipients have been preparing nurses who are senior in departments to be trainers; in their turn they taught the workers who are their subordinates.  

Although there were no special problems in trainings maintenance, the recipients would like to have more information on the topics to be able to have more complete information, to be more confident while teaching, while answering questions.  

During the trainings the recipients have maintained, they first of all talked on the ways of blood-borne pathogens transmission, prevention and post-exposure prevention, peculiarities of nursing care for people ill with HIV/AIDS. The situation in Ukraine concerning blood-borne pathogens infection was described as well as epidemiology, preventive measures among the population in general. The issue of relations between a patient and health care providers was also discussed.

The attention was drawn to the problems of HIV/AIDS prevention among the youth, of HIV/AIDS and women, and children infection prevention during delivery. 

The materials received during the training were very effective during the health care staff work as well as trainers. The recipients have expressed their wish to have such materials. Posters were the most popular, and impressive. At the same time all the printed materials were useful. The recipients often use the methodological materials they received during the training in their work. If it is possible they would like to also receive video materials to be able to use them during the trainings.  

So, training became an effective form and a means to increase responsibility of the health care staff for their security. They formed the attitude to people ill with AIDS as to people who have the same rights and needs as the other citizens. Trainings have become a powerful educational means for health care providers who attended these trainings, initiated by the Institute. The topics discussed in the modules were topical for health care providers. The participants were most successful in the activities in the form of lectures and short announcements on the training topics. The visual and educational-information printed materials were highly evaluated.