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DS 11 Implement Minimum Standardized Data Set to Track Enrollment and Skill Acquisition

Key area

Data Surveillance

Develop and implement a minimum standardized data set to track enrollment and skills achieved through swim lessons, water safety training, swim instructor training, CPR certification, lifeguard certification, boating safety certification.

Spectrum level: Changing Organizational Practices

Evidence level: Medium

Implementation levels: Community County National State

Rationale:

Most jurisdictions (state, county or community) currently are not able to track how many swim lessons, CPR certifications, lifeguard certifications, or boating safety certificates are provided in their purview. With a push for use of the drowning prevention interventions, this data is needed to monitor the reach and effect of promotion efforts and programs. Additionally, developing and implementing a minimum standardized data set to track enrollment and skills achieved will improve monitoring of effectiveness and reach of water safety interventions.

Anticipated Impact:

After implementing this recommendation, you can expect to experience the following outcomes:

  • A minimum standardized data set to track enrollment and skills achieved through swim lessons, water safety training, swim instructor training, CPR certification, lifeguard certification, boating safety certification leads to jurisdictions having an understanding of what is provided in their purview.
  • Collecting this data leads to a greater ability to monitor the reach and effect of promotion efforts and programs.

Evidence:

Swim lessons and water safety training programs have already been identified as effective in preventing drowning (see evidence from each of the other work groups). Surveillance in other contexts, like training programs for best practices for responding to concussions in sports, can allow for the ability to monitor their results and reach (Parker, J Head Trauma Rehab, 2015). Water safety experts agree, similar efforts to monitor reach and effectiveness of training programs in water safety are needed.

Evidence Sources:

Parker, E. M., Gilchrist, J., Schuster, D., Lee, R., & Sarmiento, K. (2015). Reach and knowledge change among coaches and other participants of the online course:“concussion in sports: what you need to know”. The Journal of head trauma rehabilitation, 30(3), 198.

High Risk Populations Addressed:

All populations can benefit from implementation of this recommendation:

Evaluation Metrics:

Indicator of long-term impact:

  • Ability to determine numbers trained and outcomes of training across each of the key interventions (e.g., providers of swim lessons, CPR training, lifeguard certifications, boating safety courses, etc)

Indicators of intermediate impact:

  • Support and promotion by relevant stakeholder organizations
  • commitment to capture and report agreed upon information
  • Development of reporting infrastructure

Indicators of initial impact:

  • Meetings held by key stakeholders
  • Development of key variables to be reported
  • Development of data collection and analysis plan
  • Increase in the number of groups trained on how to collect and report data

Implementation:

Consider the following to ensure successful implementation:

  • Involve industry leaders for each training program (CPR certification; American Red Cross and American Heart Association; Lifeguarding: USLA, ARC, YMCA, StarGuard, Ellis & Associates, etc.; Swim lessons: YMCA, JCC, United States Swim School Association, among others).
  • Engage each industry in the determination of what data can be collected (e.g., numbers trained, level of proficiency), how and where to collect, and the most effective ways to analyze and report the data.
  • Develop a potential stand-alone program within an industry.
  • Develop a larger surveillance strategy (with guidance on collection, analysis, and reporting), which could be the most successful and sustainable approach.
  • Develop consensus within the industry, which may be done best at the national level. However, data should be available to the lowest level possible (state, county, or community) to provide feedback to drowning prevention programs at that level.
  • Developed an intervention-specific surveillance strategy with the participation and buy-in of those providing the training.
  • Provide a separate meeting for each identified training program to discuss and identify what is possible, working through national industry associations when available.
  • Convene relevant industry leaders in each of the identified swim lessons and water safety training programs (e.g., CPR, lifeguarding, etc) to define available data and identify processes for data collection.
  • Provide resources for a standardized instrument and a process for data collection and management.
  • Bring together similar intervention providers to agree on what data to provide (e.g., number of participants, age, geographic location, race/ethnicity, financial need/scholarships, number of training sessions, outcomes of training, etc).

Challenges to Implementation:

When implementing this recommendation, you might encounter challenges related to the following factors.

  • Resources (costs to implement and maintain) may be lacking.
  • A lead agency or organization may be difficult to identify.
  • Infrastructure may be limited.
  • The perceived impact on competitive advantage among for-profit and non-profit providers for these trainings may be a concern.

Potential Facilitators:

The following factors might facilitate the implementation of this recommendation:

  • Data that is currently available (in some capacity) by agencies administering trainings (e.g. CPR certifications, lifeguard certifications) may be beneficial to review.