LARC training guide

This training programme is based on the Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) Health Practitioner Training Principles and Standards (2022). It is designed to fulfil these requirements and support learning for trainees in LARC procedures.

Trainees must meet clear prerequisites and complete both theoretical and practical training before achieving competency in LARC procedures.

On this page

Prerequisites
Theoretical training
Practical training
Demonstrating competency
Maintaining competency
Documentation
Things to consider
LARC course modules
Useful documents
FAQs

Prerequisites

Before starting this training, you must:

Hold a current practising certificate

Hold a current resuscitation certificate (e.g. NZ Resuscitation Council CORE Immediate - Adult)

Have completed cultural safety training in accordance with your scope of practice

Have competence in providing contraceptive counselling (complete the Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa Contraceptive Counselling course, or equivalent)

Be able to prescribe contraception, or have a clear referral pathway to a prescriber

For IUD/IUS insertion, be competent in bimanual examination and speculum insertion

Have access to necessary equipment and consumables for LARC procedures

Theoretical training

Before beginning practical training, you need to:

Complete theoretical learning about LARC, including management of side effects and complications, by completing the relevant Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa LARC training modules:
- Contraceptive counselling, and
- Intrauterine Contraception (IUC) Theory, and/or
- Contraceptive Implant Theory
Be familiar with the Aotearoa New Zealand's guidance on contraception.
Be familiar with the Ngā Paerewa Health and Disability Services Standard.

We have a free online course module that steps you through the process. See NZCSRH course modules.

Practical training

Once you have met the pre-requisites and completed the theoretical requirements, you may begin practical training. We recommend the ideal way to train is:

Observe an experienced trainer performing a LARC procedure. This will help to confirm this is something you want to do, and you will gain a concept of the process and expected experience for the person having the procedure.
Access hands-on practice using a model, and practice the steps until you are fluid, ideally observed by a trainer.
Complete your training with a trainer until you are signed off as competent. You will need to complete a minimum number of supervised procedures to achieve competency:
- IUC insertion: minimum of 7 supervised insertions.
- Contraceptive implant insertion: Minimum of 4 supervised insertions.
- Contraceptive implant removal: Minimum of 4 supervised removals.

Practical training should ideally be completed within six months of undertaking the theoretical components, but may take up to 12 months if necessary. If you do not have a LARC trainer in your workplace, funding is available for an external LARC trainer to provide training (subject to trainer availability).

Demonstrating competency

Your trainer will observe each of your procedures using direct observation of procedural skills (DOPS) assessment forms. To demonstrate competency, you need to:

perform all steps or tasks proficiently, and in the proper sequence, during the procedure
achieve competency in all relevant criteria for the specific LARC procedure(s) being trained for

If competence is not achieved within the minimum number of procedures, work with the trainer to create a development plan.

Maintaining competency

Once trained, healthcare professionals must maintain their competency by:

Participating in ongoing and appropriate professional recertification requirements (e.g., CME or CNE, peer review, practice reflection) according to their scope of practice.

Performing insertion and/or removal procedures regularly - aim for a minimum of 10 LARC procedures per year (on average) for each type of LARC they are competent in.

Maintain a logbook of LARC procedures performed, especially in the first year after training.

Documentation

Prior to beginning practical training, you will need to provide evidence of completed theoretical training (e.g., certificates) to your trainer.
Maintain a logbook of practical procedures.
Ensure DOPS forms are completed and retained as evidence of competency. You can submit your signed off DOPS form/s to administration@nzcsrh.org.nz to be issued a certificate of competency.

DOPS forms

Things to consider

Before you start training, consider:

Do you meet all the prerequisites?
Is your practice set up with the necessary equipment and consumables?
Will you be able to maintain your competence as per the Long-acting Reversible Contraception Health practitioner training principles and standards 2022? These require you to insert/remove at least 10 per year for each type of procedure you are trained in [IUD/implant insertion/implant removal]
Are you up to date with your CPR?
If you are learning to insert IUDs, are you competent in doing speculums and bimanuals? See DOPs for these competencies. Not sure? Maybe get signed off before contacting a trainer.

LARC course modules

If you answered YES to all of the things to consider, please complete the relevant course/s for the procedures you are training in. See the list of courses on the NZCSRH course modules page. On completion, you will have access to a list of NZCSRH LARC trainers you may contact to request practical training.

Depending on your situation, you may have the trainer come to your practice to do your training or they may be able to provide training opportunities at their practice.

We have a limited training budget per annum so it is possible we may need to place you on a wait list.

Useful documents

FAQs

If you have further questions, please check out our frequently asked questions page. If you're still not sure, please contact us.