Purpose for the program: The Mississippi Delta Region is one of the most distressed areas of the nation. Healthcare providers fight to improve health disparities of its maternal, neonatal and pediatric residents. This project will improve evidence-based educational opportunities in maternal child health (MCH) for these rural healthcare providers using new and innovative technologies.

Proposed change: Develop distance learning curricula fostering MCH leadership, competencies, and evidence-based practices, specifically addressing topics relevant to MCH professionals in the Delta to include racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse themes. Increase attainment of MCH continuing education (CE) in the Delta through distance learning opportunities, specifically targeting outreach among racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse MCH professionals. Increase understanding and comprehension of MCH evidence-based practices among participants in the Delta. Improve translation of MCH evidence-based practices into care provided by participants.

Implementation, outcomes and evaluation: The program began in July 2010 and has conducted 28 educational topics through interactive video and has granted 278 continuing education hours to health care providers in the Mississippi Delta Region in the first year of the program. In August 2011, a new web-site, Learnondemand.org, was launched to provide a forum for live streaming, content modules, and other web-based educational materials for health care providers.  Randomized surveys identified that nurses that utilize the learning opportunities are more likely to engage in evidence-based practice initiatives at their facility. One nurse stated “They [the nursing teleconferences] are invaluable and becoming a planned event in our unit”.  In addition to nursing and medical continuing education, DISCOVER also provides educational needs for other health care providers such as songraphers, genetic counselors, as well as multiple other health care providers. Two years of outcome data will be discussed related to current use of live-streaming, interactive video and enduring educational materials and which is most beneficial to rural health care providers.

Implications for nursing practice: Utilization of new and innovative technologies in continuing education events can aid in dissemination of evidence-based practice implementation by rural health care providers.

Keywords: Mississippi Delta region, Telecommunication, enduring educational materials, health care providers, evidence-based guidelines, rural health care providers, maternal child health, health disparities, web-based continuing education, and multidisciplinary education.