Measuring the Impact of Training (Group)

In this session, two Tissue Banking Directors of Education and Training, discuss how to measure the true success of training practices and programs. Why and what kind of training assessments, measurements, and metrics support the overall organizational achievement and Key Performance Indicators to unpack the age-old question of, “Is our training effective?”.

Learning Objectives:

Identify the differences and key components of a formalized training program vs. on-the-job (OTJ) training.
Understand critical metrics for evaluating a formal training program
Understand how operational metrics and training are tied
Identify examples of evaluation tools using the Kirkpatrick Model

Tanya A. Ward, BSN, CNOR, RNFA

Director of the BioSciences Learning Center

A professional careered nurse of 20 years with 17 of them dedicated to perioperative surgical services at a Level I Trauma Center. Tanya’s career in the operating room has provided her with experience in advanced team management and clinical education. Developing and implementing training programs for various specialties including multidisciplinary Vascular Hybrid Room and Surgical Navigation teams. In 2010, she became a medical device representative for Medtronic in the neurotechnology division. Her nursing background, medical device experience, and advanced training in program development brought her to the organ and tissue transplant provider, LifeNet Health, in 2015. As the Director of the BioSciences Learning Center of LifeNet Health, Tanya has the honor and responsibility of developing and implementing, with an instructional design team, diverse educational materials, and skills training programs that specialize in donation, transplantation, clinical allograft recovery and preparation along with being an accredited Continue Education, CE provider for healthcare professionals. In 2020 and for 2021 the Biosciences Learning Center of LifeNet Health was named by Training Magazine as one of the Top 125 Training Program Companies in the world.

LifeNet Health is in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is where she resides with her husband of 6 years. They enjoy attending music festivals and worldwide travel. They also have two very large furry children that love long walks and hunting squirrels.

Sonja Barlow, BS, CTBS

Director of Training and Development

Life Connection of Ohio

Sonja Barlow is the Director of Training and Development at Life Connection of Ohio, involved in donation operations for over 7 years. With a background in microbiology research, her time spent in eye and tissue banking has included emphasis on increasing suitability, changing philosophy for family conversations, and building training workshops. She holds a BS degree in Microbiology from the University of Texas at El Paso and previously managed Donation Services for Nevada Donor Network in Las Vegas, Nevada and Donor Operations for SightLife in Seattle, WA.