Cervical screening training and support

Find training opportunities to improve your cervical screening skills and cultural competency.

Training

Ongoing training and professional development are important for cervical screening providers to ensure competent, current patient care. For nurse cervical screening providers, continuing professional development are part of the requirements for registration with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).

There are several accredited training courses available for staff that may be relevant to cervical screening and working with vulnerable communities.

National Cervical Screening Program training

We provide training through the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer (ACPCC) which hosts a series of five interactive eLearning modules for healthcare professionals, to provide education on the National Cervical Screening Program (NSCP). 

The eLearning modules are free and CPD accredited with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association  (APNA) and Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM). 

  1. Cervical cancer causes, prevention and elimination: 1 hour Educational Activities, 0.5 hours Reviewing Performance 
  2. The National Cervical Screening Program: 1 hour Educational Activities, 0.5 hours Reviewing Performance 
  3. Communicating the importance of cervical screening: 1 hour Educational Activities, 0.5 hours Reviewing Performance 
  4. Screening in practice: 1 hour Educational Activities, 0.5 hours Reviewing Performance 
  5. Cervical screening follow-up: 1.5 hour Educational Activities, 1 hour Reviewing Performance.

These modules support you to communicate the importance of cervical screening and include videos focused on people:

  • from culturally and linguistically diverse communities
  • with intellectual disability.

Visit RACGP – QI&CPD or contact your Primary Health Network for details on any local training about the National Cervical Screening Program.

Training in cultural competence and inclusive practice

There are many training options available for improving cultural competence and inclusive practice:

Community education sessions

Community education sessions about cervical screening can help to engage patients who have never had a Cervical Screening Test and those who are not up to date.

Health educators might conduct sessions with existing women’s groups or gather people together for special events, such as Women’s Health Days. Groups may include women’s groups, carers groups, Aboriginal Elders groups, consumer groups, church groups, etc.

Tips

  • Where possible, deliver the information in the group’s first language.
  • If group members are from CALD backgrounds, bilingual health educators may be available locally to deliver education sessions about cervical screening. If they are not, engage the assistance of an interpreter.
  • For groups of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander women, consider engaging, or working in partnership with, local Aboriginal health workers or educators to deliver education sessions about cervical screening.
  • Ensure the health educator has a good understanding of their audience and is able to deliver information in a culturally sensitive manner.
  • Use visual aids, such as diagrams of the female reproductive system and cervical screening equipment (speculums etc) to explain concepts.
  • Allow plenty of time for questions.
  • If planning a larger event, include a range of interesting topics and engaging guest speakers to increase the appeal of the event and hopefully, attract more patients.
  • Providing transport and/or childcare may encourage more patients to attend.
  • Choose a time that works well for the patients you are trying to attract. You might find that evenings work better in your community.
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