Strategies for enhancing the digital competencies of health and medical professionals: An explanation of individual resources

Background: The ravages of COVID-19 escalated the penetration of online education and usage of digital technologies. While educational institutions across the globe adopted different forms of computer-mediated communication, the institutes in India have gradually attuned to the new normal, notwithstanding the initial glitches of adopting new technology and shifting to blended. It became increasingly significant to gain a better understanding of students’ perspectives of newly emerged learning environment. This motivated the researchers to study the digital competencies (DC) and their impact on students’ learning agility (LA) and perceived learning (PL) in professional/technical education.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a DigiComp 2.1 framework was attempted to investigate the relationship between DC and PL among higher education students in India. The data from 359 graduate and post-graduate students were analyzed using Structural equation modelling and Process Macro 4.0.Results: The findings of this study revealed that DC has a significant positive impact on PL (b = 0.33; p < 0.001), indicating that higher learners’ DC leads to higher learning outcomes. Similarly, DC also had a significant positive impact on LA (b = 0.59; p < 0.001), suggesting that the higher DC of learners leads to higher learning agility. Further, a positive significant relationship was also found between LA and PL (b = 0.21; p < 0.001). This significant positive path reveals that higher learners’ agility leads to higher student learning outcomes.Discussion: Post-COVID, DC, a technology-related skill set is linked to the academic performance of teachers and students. Our findings reveal that DC significantly positively impacts PL and LA. Therefore, we recommend that the higher educational institutes in India consider the inclusion of DC in their curriculum as a fundamental competence for a better learning outcome for learners.

Background: The ravages of COVID-19 escalated the penetration of online education and usage of digital technologies. While educational institutions across the globe adopted different forms of computer-mediated communication, the institutes in India have gradually attuned to the new normal, notwithstanding the initial glitches of adopting new technology and shifting to blended. It became increasingly significant to gain a better understanding of students’ perspectives of newly emerged learning environment. This motivated the researchers to study the digital competencies (DC) and their impact on students’ learning agility (LA) and perceived learning (PL) in professional/technical education. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a DigiComp 2.1 framework was attempted to investigate the relationship between DC and PL among higher education students in India. The data from 359 graduate and post-graduate students were analyzed using Structural equation modelling and Process Macro 4.0. Results: The findings of this study revealed that DC has a significant positive impact on PL (b = 0.33; p &lt; 0.001), indicating that higher learners' DC leads to higher learning outcomes. Similarly, DC also had a significant positive impact on LA (b = 0.59; p &lt; 0.001), suggesting that the higher DC of learners leads to higher learning agility. Further, a positive significant relationship was also found between LA and PL (b = 0.21; p &lt; 0.001). This significant positive path reveals that higher learners' agility leads to higher student learning outcomes. Discussion: Post-COVID, DC, a technology-related skill set is linked to the academic performance of teachers and students. Our findings reveal that DC significantly positively impacts PL and LA. Therefore, we recommend that the higher educational institutes in India consider the inclusion of DC in their curriculum as a fundamental competence for a better learning outcome for learners.

Background: The ravages of COVID-19 escalated the penetration of online education and usage of digital technologies. While educational institutions across the globe adopted different forms of computer-mediated communication, the institutes in India have gradually attuned to the new normal, notwithstanding the initial glitches of adopting new technology and shifting to blended. It became increasingly significant to gain a better understanding of students’ perspectives of newly emerged learning environment. This motivated the researchers to study the digital competencies (DC) and their impact on students’ learning agility (LA) and perceived learning (PL) in professional/technical education.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a DigiComp 2.1 framework was attempted to investigate the relationship between DC and PL among higher education students in India. The data from 359 graduate and post-graduate students were analyzed using Structural equation modelling and Process Macro 4.0.Results: The findings of this study revealed that DC has a significant positive impact on PL (b = 0.33; p < 0.001), indicating that higher learners’ DC leads to higher learning outcomes. Similarly, DC also had a significant positive impact on LA (b = 0.59; p < 0.001), suggesting that the higher DC of learners leads to higher learning agility. Further, a positive significant relationship was also found between LA and PL (b = 0.21; p < 0.001). This significant positive path reveals that higher learners’ agility leads to higher student learning outcomes.Discussion: Post-COVID, DC, a technology-related skill set is linked to the academic performance of teachers and students. Our findings reveal that DC significantly positively impacts PL and LA. Therefore, we recommend that the higher educational institutes in India consider the inclusion of DC in their curriculum as a fundamental competence for a better learning outcome for learners.

BackgroundPsychiatric hospitals are becoming increasingly digitized because of the disruptive rise in technical possibilities. This digitization leads to new tasks and demands for health professionals, which can have an impact on technostress. It is unclear whether digital competence reduces technostress and how technostress affects health professionals’ mental and physical health.ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the association between digital competence and technostress, considering individual characteristics and the association between technostress and long-term consequences for health professionals.MethodsCross-sectional data from 3 Swiss psychiatric hospitals were analyzed using multiple linear regression. The dependent variables for the models were digital competence, technostress, and long-term consequences (intention to leave the organization or the profession, burnout symptoms, job satisfaction, general health status, quality of sleep, headaches, and work ability). One model was calculated for each long-term consequence. The mean scores for technostress and digital competence could range between 0 (fully disagree) and 4 (fully agree), where a high value for technostress indicated high technostress and a high value for digital competence indicated high digital competence.ResultsThe sample comprised 493 health professionals in psychiatric hospitals. They rated their technostress as moderate (mean 1.30, SD 0.55) and their digital competence as high (mean 2.89, SD 0.73). Digital competence was found to be significantly associated with technostress (β=−.20; P<.001). Among the individual characteristics, age (β=.004; P=.03) and profession were significantly associated with both digital competence and technostress. Technostress is a relevant predictor of burnout symptoms (β=10.32; P<.001), job satisfaction (β=−6.08; P<.001), intention to leave the profession (β=4.53; P=.002), organization (β=7.68; P<.001), general health status (β=−4.47; P<.001), quality of sleep (β=−5.87; P<.001), headaches (β=6.58; P<.001), and work ability (β=−1.40; P<.001).ConclusionsPhysicians and nurses who have more interaction with digital technologies rate their technostress higher and their digital competence lower than those in other professions. Health professionals with low interaction with digital technologies appear to overestimate their digital competence. With increasing digitization in psychiatric hospitals, an increase in the relevance of this topic is expected. Educational organizations and psychiatric hospitals should proactively promote the digital competence of health professionals to manage expected disruptive changes.

BackgroundDespite the critical role of professional competence in providing quality primary health care, evidence on the facilitators and barriers to health professionals’ competence is limited. Therefore, we explored factors influencing health professionals’ competence in delivering quality primary health care in Amhara region, Ethiopia.MethodsA qualitative case study was conducted in Amhara region from November 1 to December 30/2023. We conducted key informant interviews with five faculty members from training institutions, five health service or facility managers, and five study participants from non-governmental organizations. Additionally, we conducted in-depth interviews with twelve health professionals. The number of participants was determined based on information saturation, and purposive heterogeneous sampling was used. A thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data. The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) were used to report findings.ResultsFactors influencing the competence of health professionals in providing quality primary health care were divided into two main categories: facilitators and barriers. The presence of educational technologies, advanced instructional methods, educational design, the education-for-life model, universities, colleges, CPD centers, and NGOs working on health workforce capacity development in the region were facilitators of health professionals’ competence to provide quality primary health care. On the other hand, identified barriers include poorly prepared and demotivated students, the rapid expansion of universities and colleges with inadequate infrastructure, weak external quality assurance systems, poor collaboration between education and health systems, and the impacts of conflict and COVID-19.ConclusionAlthough facilitators exist to enhance health professionals’ competence in the region, higher education institutions have not effectively produced the competent professionals necessary for quality primary health care. Factors such as poor-quality pre-service education, inconsistent and poorly implemented CPD initiatives, and limited NGO-funded training have all contributed to the subpar competence of health professionals. There is an urgent need for collaboration between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education to plan, revise, and implement health professional training, improve the quality of pre-service education, and optimize in-service training and CPD efforts.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12875-025-03003-9.

Though competent health professionals are essential for building strong and resilient health systems; there is a dearth of evidence on whether health professionals possess core competencies for providing quality primary health care in Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine health professionals' competence in the provision of quality primary health care in Amhara region, Ethiopia. A mixed methods study design with pragmatic philosophical paradigm was conducted on, 846 (for quantitative) and 12 (for qualitative) selected, health professionals from June 1-July 30/2023. Health professionals' competence was measured through six domains, adapted from the World Health Organization (WHO) global competency framework for universal health coverage. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Logistic regression modeling and thematic analysis were carried out. The response rate was 98%. As rated by themselves, only 116 (14%) health professionals were competent for all competencies. The rating for specific competency domains was slightly higher with a range of 21.7% (180) to 30.7% (255) of the professionals were competent in personal conduct and evidence informed practice domains, respectively. The qualitative findings support the competence gaps identified in health professionals' survey. Educational status, training, taking licensure/ certificate of competence (COC) exam, training in public universities/colleges, high cumulative GPA and monthly salary above 10,000 ETB (177.84$) positively affected the rating of the competence. The rate of health professional competence as judged by the health professionals themselves in the study area was very low. The qualitative findings also identified several competence problems. Progressive health professional development in the form of upward and in-service training, provision of licensure/COC exam, and learning in public universities/colleges positively impact professional competence. Therefore, the health and education systems together should strengthening upgrading and in-service training including CPD; licensure/COC exam; optimize the salary and strong regulation of private colleges.

The need to train non-sleep-specialist health professionals in evidence-based pediatric behavioral sleep care is well established. The objective of the present study was to develop a list of core competencies for training health professionals in assisting families of 1- to 10-year old children with behavioral insomnia of childhood. A modified Delphi methodology was employed, involving iterative rounds of surveys that were administered to 46 experts to obtain consensus on a core competency list. The final list captured areas relevant to the identification and treatment of pediatric behavioral sleep problems. This work has the potential to contribute to the development of training materials to prepare non-sleep-specialist health professionals to identify and treat pediatric behavioral sleep problems, ideally within stepped-care frameworks.

ABSTRACTBackgroundIdentifying personal, social and emotional resources relevant to nurses' wellbeing and job engagement is important for addressing workforce shortages and nurse burnout, and turnover.AimThis study examined the relationships between New Zealand (NZ) nurses' personal resources (resilience, adaptability, self‐efficacy, collective efficacy) and their occupational commitment and job engagement.SampleParticipants were 270 New Zealand nurses.MethodsQuantitative research design involving a confirmatory factor analysis was used to provide measurement support and to obtain latent correlations among factors. The final analysis was performed using structural equation modelling. The Job Demands‐Resources (JD‐R) model was adopted as the conceptual framework for this study.ResultsThe personal resources for New Zealand nurses of self‐efficacy, adaptability and resilience were generally positively associated with their occupational commitment and job engagement. In addition, New Zealand nurses' collective efficacy was seen as important for managing the demands of the job.ConclusionTaken together, findings offer an understanding about the salient personal and collective resources in relation to New Zealand nurses wellbeing and job engagement.Implications for the ProfessionFuture research could explore how integrating cultural perspectives can improve job satisfaction and retention among nurses who identify as coming from collectivist cultures. The personal resources used in this study also need to be examined from a Māori perspective to ensure their relevance to the health and wellbeing of Māori nurses.ImpactThis study highlights the crucial role of collective support in enhancing job engagement among nurses. It underscores the importance of incorporating a cultural lens in workplace research, showing how collective efficacy can help individual nurses adapt to workplace challenges and reduce their intention to leave amid global nurse shortages.Reporting MethodSTROBE.No patient/public contribution.

Objectives This study aims to examine the impact of job crafting and learning agility on the digital competence of early childhood teachers in Guangdong, China, and to identify the moderating role of organizational creativity in kindergartens in this relationship. Methods An online survey was conducted with 449 early childhood teachers working in kindergartens in Guangdong Province. The data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0, employing descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression analysis. Results The findings revealed that job crafting and learning agility of early childhood teachers in Guangdong had significant effects on their digital competence. Furthermore, the results indicated that the higher the level of organizational creativity in kindergartens, the stronger the effect of learning agility on digital competence, confirming its moderating role in this relationship. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that fostering job crafting and learning agility among early childhood teachers is essential for enhancing their digital competence. Additionally, organizational creativity in kindergartens plays a crucial role in supporting the digital competence development of early childhood teachers.

North-South partnerships have been identified as one way of solving some of the challenges in health sectors globally. Norway and Malawi have one such partnership in trauma and emergence care. Lack of trauma care and emergency medicine is a major public health concern worldwide. This results in substantial loss to individual, families, and society. The study follows this partnership between Norway and Malawi, investigating on its socio-cultural benefits, and on how this contributes to the health professionals’ cultural competence. A qualitative case study was chosen for this study, 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted with health professionals and coordinators of the program. Interviews were conducted digitally using platforms such as Zoom and WhatsApp. Interviews were collected between the period of December 2020and February 2021. We found out that exchange participants from both countries largely reported positive experiences. Their experiences centered around their interactions and encounters with patients, patients’ relatives, and colleagues at host institutions. Participants reported a better understanding on health seeking behaviors in different contexts, the importance of communication with both patients and colleagues, and teamwork. In addition, the study revealed the importance on perceptions around identities such as race and gender and how these impact on health professionals’ interactions with patients. We also found out that although working in a different socio-cultural environment was reported as challenging, it was experienced as enriching and rewarding in terms of building and developing cultural competence. The study concludes that North-South health professionals exchange partnerships can be a viable vehicle for developing and naturing cultural competence in health professionals, however, such programs need to invest in preparing the exchange participants to be ready for the challenges that lies ahead in host institutions and countries.

Medical professionalism in the new millennium: a physician charter.

BackgroundAdaptive e-learning environments (AEEs) can provide tailored instruction by adapting content, navigation, presentation, multimedia, and tools to each user’s navigation behavior, individual objectives, knowledge, and preferences. AEEs can have various levels of complexity, ranging from systems using a simple adaptive functionality to systems using artificial intelligence. While AEEs are promising, their effectiveness for the education of health professionals and health professions students remains unclear.ObjectiveThe purpose of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of AEEs in improving knowledge, competence, and behavior in health professionals and students.MethodsWe will follow the Cochrane Collaboration and the Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) Group guidelines on systematic review methodology. A systematic search of the literature will be conducted in 6 bibliographic databases (CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science) using the concepts “adaptive e-learning environments,” “health professionals/students,” and “effects on knowledge/skills/behavior.” We will include randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials, in addition to controlled before-after, interrupted time series, and repeated measures studies published between 2005 and 2017. The title and the abstract of each study followed by a full-text assessment of potentially eligible studies will be independently screened by 2 review authors. Using the EPOC extraction form, 1 review author will conduct data extraction and a second author will validate the data extraction. The methodological quality of included studies will be independently assessed by 2 review authors using the EPOC risk of bias criteria. Included studies will be synthesized by a descriptive analysis. Where appropriate, data will be pooled using meta-analysis by applying the RevMan software version 5.1, considering the heterogeneity of studies.ResultsThe review is in progress. We plan to submit the results in the beginning of 2018.ConclusionsProviding tailored instruction to health professionals and students is a priority in order to optimize learning and clinical outcomes. This systematic review will synthesize the best available evidence regarding the effectiveness of AEEs in improving knowledge, competence, and behavior in health professionals and students. It will provide guidance to policy makers, hospital managers, and researchers in terms of AEE development, implementation, and evaluation in health care.Trial RegistrationPROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews: CRD42017065585; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.asp?ID=CRD42017065585 (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/6rXGdDwf4)

BackgroundHealth professionals play a key role in promoting health literacy, as they continue to be one of the main points of contact and most trusted source of information for healthcare users on questions and concerns regarding health and disease. To adequately support individuals in dealing with health information and services and to strengthen health literacy, health professionals need a corresponding set of knowledge, skills, and attitudes, hence they need a wide range of health literacy competencies. Despite their crucial role in guiding and supporting patients and their relatives in terms of health-related information and services, in-depth studies on health literacy competencies of health professionals are still scarce. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify and prioritize health literacy competencies of health professionals in German-speaking countries.MethodsA modified, two-round Delphi study was conducted with 24 experts in the field of health literacy or a relevant field from Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. The experts were asked to evaluate and rate different competencies of health professionals regarding health literacy.ResultsAs a result, 14 core competencies have been identified by the experts, including five items referring to the category “knowledge”, seven items to the category “skills” and two items referring to the category “attitude”. The identified competences indicate that health literate health professionals understand health literacy’s importance, employ clear communication techniques, and actively engage patients to ensure comprehension. Furthermore, health literate health professionals recognize cultural barriers, use plain language, and maintain that effective communication is crucial for quality healthcare. Among the 14 core competencies, communication practices were reported to be of particular importance for practice-oriented, professional health literacy skills of health professionals.ConclusionsThe identified set of health literacy competencies provides an essential groundwork for future assessments of competencies concerning professional health literacy among health professionals, their integration into curricula, and further development of tailor-made trainings and education.

The primary purpose of the study was to explore the impact of health workers' awareness of artificial intelligence (AI) on their workplace well-being, addressing a critical gap in the literature. By examining this relationship through the lens of the Job demands-resources (JD-R) model, the study aimed to provide insights into how health workers' perceptions of AI integration in their jobs and careers could influence their informal learning behaviour and, consequently, their overall well-being in the workplace. The study's findings could inform strategies for supporting healthcare workers during technological transformations. The study employed a quantitative research design using a survey methodology to collect data from 420 health workers across 10 hospitals in Ghana that have adopted AI technologies. The study was analysed using OLS and structural equation modelling. The study findings revealed that health workers' AI awareness positively impacts their informal learning behaviour at the workplace. Again, informal learning behaviour positively impacts health workers' workplace well-being. Moreover, informal learning behaviour mediates the relationship between health workers' AI awareness and workplace wellbeing. Furthermore, employee learning orientation was found to strengthen the effect of AI awareness on informal learning behaviour. While the study provides valuable insights, it is important to acknowledge its limitations. The study was conducted in a specific context (Ghanaian hospitals adopting AI), which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other healthcare settings or industries. Self-reported data from the questionnaires may be subject to response biases, and the study did not account for potential confounding factors that could influence the relationships between the variables. The study offers practical implications for healthcare organizations navigating the digital transformation era. By understanding the positive impact of health workers' AI awareness on their informal learning behaviour and well-being, organizations can prioritize initiatives that foster a learning-oriented culture and provide opportunities for informal learning. This could include implementing mentorship programs, encouraging knowledge-sharing among employees and offering training and development resources to help workers adapt to AI-driven changes. Additionally, the findings highlight the importance of promoting employee learning orientation, which can enhance the effectiveness of such initiatives. The study contributes to the existing literature by addressing a relatively unexplored area - the impact of AI awareness on healthcare workers' well-being. While previous research has focused on the potential job displacement effects of AI, this study takes a unique perspective by examining how health workers' perceptions of AI integration can shape their informal learning behaviour and, subsequently, their workplace well-being. By drawing on the JD-R model and incorporating employee learning orientation as a moderator, the study offers a novel theoretical framework for understanding the implications of AI adoption in healthcare organizations.

BackgroundBreastfeeding up to two years and beyond supports the health and neurobiological development of a child. Nevertheless, mothers experience criticism from health professionals towards breastfeeding beyond 12 months. Competence related to breastfeeding counselling is defined as minimum knowledge, skills and attitudes that all health professionals should have to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. Professionals’ education related to breastfeeding beyond 12 months is insufficient worldwide which challenges the competent and evidence-based support mothers wish for.MethodsThis systematic review aimed to synthesize the existing literature on health professionals’ competencies regarding breastfeeding beyond 12 months. The search was limited to peer-reviewed scientific papers published between 2000 and 2022 that focused on the competencies of health professionals regarding breastfeeding beyond 12 months. Seven databases were searched, and of the 884 studies retrieved, seven were included in the review. The studies were subjected to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklists. The data were analyzed using deductive thematic analysis, driven by the concept of competence.ResultsAll the dimensions of competence could be found in the data. Health professionals’ knowledge or skills related to breastfeeding beyond 12 months were explored in all seven studies, and attitudes towards breastfeeding beyond 12 months were explored in four studies. The main themes identified were Knowledge Combined with Skills, and Attitudes. The main theme, Knowledge Combined with Skills, was formed out of eight themes: perceptions regarding nutritional value, perceptions regarding economic value, perceptions regarding family interaction, perceptions regarding impacts on the mother’s wellbeing, perceptions regarding impacts on the child’s wellbeing, perceptions regarding suitable duration, perceptions regarding recommendations, and counseling skills. The attitudes varied and therefore the Attitudes main theme consisted of three themes: promotive attitudes, hostile attitudes, and passive attitudes towards breastfeeding beyond 12 months.ConclusionsHealth professionals’ knowledge and skills include several dimensions and vary substantially. Health professionals’ attitudes vary between hostile and supportive and influence professionals’ advice regarding breastfeeding beyond 12 months. The results suggested that there is considerable variation in health professionals’ competencies, which emphasizes the importance of education regarding breastfeeding beyond 12 months.