Competent Practitioners Research Articles

Stress and Wellbeing of Social Work Students in Field Instruction

ABSTRACT The study explored the professional and personal stress experienced by the social work students at the Bicol University, Daraga Campus in the Philippines during their field instruction. Furthermore, it sought to discuss the implications for social work education, particularly in the field instruction program. It employed qualitative methods to gather and analyze the data. The study revealed significant and interrelated themes based on the qualitative analysis derived from the conducted focus group discussion and review of documents. In terms of the professional stressors, the following were identified: organizational processes, interpersonal relationships with the staff, agency politics, physical set-up, and characteristics of clients. In terms of personal stressors, the respondents identified the following: academic requirements and pressure, family issues and concerns, financial limitations, and health conditions. These situations affected the students’ physical, psychological, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. The results of the study suggest that integrating subjects related to the prevention of stress and the promotion of self-care in the social work curriculum and in supervision can help social work students to better cope with professional stress, academic responsibilities, and personal challenges. It may lead to future social workers who know how to maintain healthy well-being, making them more effective, competent, and ethical practitioners.

The fully equipped physician: An ancient Indian competency framework.

There has been an observable trend towards developing medical competency frameworks across the globe. These competency frameworks are intended to improve societal trust in the medical education system in developing appropriately competent medical practitioners. A framework developed by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons; Canada has been widely accepted by several institutions across the world. Medical Council of India has also published a similar framework of medical competencies. Most of these frameworks does not consider ancient Indian frameworks which have existed for several thousand years. Current paper examines the medical competency frameworks from ancient India and compares it with current frameworks. A review of literature available in reputable libraries and online on the medical competency framework from ancient India has been attempted. Key words including 'competency framework, medical framework, ancient India and fully equipped physician' were used. A medical competency framework was written and implemented more than two thousand years ago. The framework identified key competencies including: Medical expertise, Communication skills, Scholar, Health advocacy and Professionalism. This framework was used for medical practitioners at the time and used during the training and subsequent medical practice. There is striking similarity between ancient Indian and current model of competency framework. Teachings and wisdom from ancient India can prove invaluable while developing future medical competency frameworks.

The Perceptions and Expectations of the Clinical Learning Environment in Saudi Arabia: a Multidisciplinary Study.

The clinical learning environment is a fundamental component of healthcare education. In this setting, students can develop the skills and knowledge necessary to become competent and efficient healthcare practitioners. Due to the importance of clinically based education, it is crucial to have a valid and reliable tool to enable its evaluation. The aim of this study was to use the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (CLEI) to examine the perceptions of Saudi undergraduate healthcare students regarding their actual and preferred clinical learning environment and explore the differences between the two viewpoints. A cross-sectional survey design was utilised with a cohort of Saudi undergraduate healthcare students. Data regarding perceptions of the 'actual' and 'preferred' clinical learning environments were gathered with the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory tool. A total of 194 students participated and nine healthcare disciplines were represented. The highest mean score for both 'actual' and 'preferred' clinical learning environment was for the subscale Task Orientation. Significant differences between 'actual' and 'preferred' environments were demonstrated for Innovation and Individualization, with both subscales scoring higher for the 'preferred' environment. All five subscales-Individualization, Innovation, Involvement, Personalization, and Task Orientation-appear to be important aspects contributing to student satisfaction with their clinical learning environment. Saudi healthcare students demonstrate a preference for a clinical learning environment with the utilization of new and interesting experiences, as well as recognition and accommodation of student individuality. Additionally, student satisfaction appears to be multifactorial in origin. Therefore, there may be many avenues available to enhance the clinical experiences of healthcare students, which is vitally important for the optimization of clinical learning opportunities.

A concept analysis of cultural competence within a diverse midwifery context in South Africa

BackgroundSouth Africa is known for its cultural diversity. Within this context, midwives are challenged to provide culturally congruent care to women receiving maternal care who are from diverse cultural backgrounds. When researchers identified lack of consensus on what cultural competence in midwifery means, a concept analysis was activated. The study aimed to define cultural competence within the midwifery context in South Africa. ObjectiveTo define the concept ‘cultural competency’ within the midwifery context. MethodA concept analysis approach following the eight steps of Walker and Avant (2014) was used. This approach followed a qualitative descriptive design, whereby literature obtained from multiple data sources between 2008 and 2018 were included. Only literature that met inclusion criteria was used. The concept selected to be analysed was cultural competence. ResultsIn addition to the theoretical definition, the concept analysis process identified cultural diversity and ongoing learning as the antecedents of cultural competence. Cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural encounters, cultural skills, and cultural desire were identified as attributes. The consequences of cultural competence were identified as being a culturally competent practitioner, improved quality of care, and improved health outcomes. ConclusionFrom a theoretical definition, midwives in culturally diverse settings can facilitate cultural competency, which can improve maternal outcomes for patients from diverse backgrounds. ContributionThis study led to developing a theoretical definition for cultural competence in the South African context.

What do patients want from therapy? Understanding treatment goals of patients with long-term conditions referred for cognitive behavioural therapy in primary care

Abstract Integrating cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) into primary care for patients with long-terms conditions (LTCs) is a priority for the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom (UK). To inform delivery of cognitive behavioural interventions for this clinical population, the aim of this study was to evaluate the major treatment goal themes of patients with LTCs. A single group mixed-methods design was used to analys treatment goals and their association with patient characteristics. A total of n=222 patients (86 males; 132 females) who participated in a service development evaluation of the Accessible Depression and Anxiety Psychological Therapies for Individuals with Long-Term Conditions in Scotland (UK) were selected for inclusion if they reported at least one treatment goal at assessment. Data were drawn from routine outcome measures that recorded information in relation to client demographics, physical conditions, mental health, functioning and treatment goals. Participants freely reported up to three goals as part of assessment. Thematic analysis identified four major goal themes ranked in the following order of frequency: functioning, emotional health, condition management, and self-appraisal. Wanting to improve functioning was positively associated with age and depression, and negatively associated with anxiety. No other patient characteristics were associated with any of the major themes. Patients with LTCs referred to CBT in primary care can have wide-ranging goals that only partially correspond with their mental health status. Practitioners and service providers need to flexibly deliver CBT to enhance the individual relevance of therapy which is tailored to patient’s goals. Key learning aims (1) Treatment goals are fundamental to a better understanding of how best to assess and plan treatments that meet the needs of patients with long-term conditions. (2) We highlight the need to enhance practitioner competencies in aligning treatment with patient’s goals to ensure goal-based decision-making is achieved in practice. (3) Key areas of goal-oriented therapy for patients with long-term conditions include integrating aspects of wanting to improve functioning, emotional health, condition management, and self-appraisal. These aspects should represent primary outcomes of treatment.

Level of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of General Physicians in West Java, Indonesia on Middle Ear Inflammation

Background: The prevalence of middle ear inflammation in West Java is still relatively high. General practitioners are at the forefront who see and treat the patients directly; thus, the number of cases can be reduced by increasing the competence of general practitioners. This study aimed to determine the level of knowledge, attitude, and practices of general practitioners in West Java towards middle ear inflammation, as an evaluation for improving health services in the community.Methods: This research was a descriptive study with a questionnaire conducted in August–December 2021 conducted online with a probability sampling technique of at least 368 general practitioners in West Java. The level of knowledge, attitude, and practices were calculated using the Guttman scale. The data were presented as a frequency distribution.Results: The results showed that the majority of the general practitioners still had poor knowledge of middle ear inflammation (n=325; 84.6%) as well as the attitude (n=333; 86.7%) and the level of practice (n=340; 88.5%).Conclusions: The level of knowledge, attitude, and practices of general practitioners in West Java towards middle ear inflammation is poor. Special interventions and approaches are needed to improve the competence of general practitioners in West Java based on the Standard Competency of Indonesian Doctors.

The Sudanese Medical Education in the Light of Flexner Report

Medical education as a profession is a legitimate offspring of Flexner’s report in 1910. It strived to excel in preparing future doctors and increasing the competency of medical practitioners. We provide a scientific critique of Flexner’s report, displaying its merits and shortcomings and shedding a spotlight on Sudan’s medical education milestones and its current strive for excellence and innovation in curricula designing, accreditation, graduate competencies, staff professional development, and quality improvement. Since the publication of this inspiring study, a global effort has been launched to improve the quality of health system policies and health professions’ competency through education. All stakeholders now seek fundamental reform in medical education in Sudan to improve its quality and trustworthiness. Based on this study, our impost does not necessarily propose following its footsteps but instead evaluates its stimulating role in planning and intervention.

The essence and significance of informal education for library specialists

In the modern world, the unity of formal, nonformal and informal education affects the success of professional activities of library staff. Informal education plays a significant role in the society, as it includes all possible branches of knowledge and provides an opportunity for the full development of a person and a specialist. The essential characteristic of informal education is the individual cognitive activity of a person. The article actualizes the problem of implementing informal education in the context of continuing
 education of library specialists. The pros and cons of informal
 education are considered, the psychological features of informal education and methods of overcoming emerging psychological barriers in its implementation are described. Social media is one of the methods of obtaining informal education, which allows users to get the necessary information in an accessible, capacious and clear form. The Instagram profile «Library Journalism» is an example of the informal education of library specialists through social media. It is noted that such online assistants for library specialists contribute to the development of multi-level education, which leads to the creative self-realization of librarians, their professional, intellectual and cultural improvement. The results of the study can find practical application in the implementation of informal education using an online methodological resource both in relation to the training of students of the library specialty and in relation to improving the competence of library practitioners.

Development of sport psychology in Сhina

This article clarifies the historical and pedagogical features and development of the sports psychology in China. It identifies the historical and pedagogical features of the development of sports psychology in China and determine their social significance. Research methods: observation, survey, study of documents. This analysis identifies three periods of development in sports psychology: the period of data collection (1949-1970); the period of formation (1970-1990); and the period of development (since 1991). The social aspect of the development of sports psychology in China is related to the activities of the Psychological Society (CPS), which was established by the International Union of Psychological Sciences in 1980, bringing Chinese psychology back to the world stage and the formation of the Chinese Association of Social Psychology (CASP). Emphasis is placed on the social direction of sports psychology development in China and the need to further improve the competence of Chinese sports psychology practitioners in training in psychology and psychological counselling, as well as for better psychological support for Chinese athletes. The use of sports psychology in competitive sports in China is for diagnosis, monitoring, training, all of which contribute to the effective solution of athletes’ psychological problems, improves their ability to make psychological adaptations, and lays the foundation for excellent sports results. Psychological counselling includes various aspects of athletes’ mental training, including stimulating motivation, maintaining confidence, controlling emotions, avoiding difficulties, attention and concentration, overcoming accidents during training and performances, setting competition goals, adaptability, desire and team cohesion. Chinese sports psychologists have developed research into practice of participants in three directions: the psychology of competition, the psychology of exercise and the psychology of physical education.

Assessing self-reported core competencies of public health practitioners in Lebanon using the WHO-ASPHER validated scale: a pilot study

BackgroundThe World Health Organization and the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region recommend the self-assessment of public health core competencies to strengthen the proficiency of the public health workforce and prepare them for future challenges. A framework for these competencies is lacking and highly needed in Lebanon. This study aims to validate the WHO-ASPHER self-declared scale and evaluate the perceived competency level of the different categories of Lebanese public health practitioners.MethodsThis population-based cross-sectional study conducted online between July and September 2021 involved 66 public health practitioners who graduated from different universities in Lebanon. Data were collected using the snowball technique via a self-report questionnaire that assessed public health proficiency, categorized into 1) content and context, 2) relationship and interactions, and 3) performance and achievements. The rotated component matrix technique was used to test the construct validity of the scales. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed after ensuring the adequacy of the models. Significance was set at a p-value < 0.05.ResultsThe factor analysis for scale domains showed that the Barlett test sphericity was significant (p < 0.001), high loadings of items on factors, and Cronbach’s alpha values of more than 0.9 in all three categories, showing an appropriate scale validity and reliability. The perceived level of competencies was significantly different between public health professionals and other health professionals with public health activities. All respondents scored low in most public health categories, mainly science and practice.ConclusionData findings showed variability of self-declared gaps in knowledge and proficiency, suggesting the need to review the national public health education programs. Our study offers a valuable tool for academia and public health professionals to self-assess the level of public health proficiency and guide continuous education needs for professional development.

디지털 트랜스포메이션 환경에서 HRD 담당자의 업무 변화 및 필요 역량에 대한 사례연구

The purpose of this study was to find out the changed duties and core competencies of HRD practitioners in a business environment where the introduction of digital transformation has been accelerated and to explore difficulties encountered in performing tasks. For the research, in-depth one-on-one interviews were conducted with ten HRD practitioners. The results are as follows; First, duties for HRD practitioners in digital transformation era are categorized into reinforced, reduced and newly added based on the existing NCS-based competency units. Second, core competencies of HRD practitioners in digital transformation era are presented by categorizing into knowledge, skill, attitude and ability. It was found the attitude and ability to actively and positively respond to use of technology and change are important. Last, the overall amount of work increased due to continuous learning of digital trends and skills. In this study, practical implications, limitations of research and suggestions for future research directions were presented to HRD practitioners who should lead changes in organizational members based on the above results.

Regulating for-profit virtual care in Canada: Implications for medical profession regulators and policy-makers.

For-profit virtual medical care has been expanding rapidly in Canada, creating new societal and practical challenges requiring policy and regulatory reform. We mapped the current state of regulatory policy across 10 Canadian provinces by analyzing practice standards and guidelines for virtual care from medical profession regulators. Through a comparative framework, we assessed the extent to which virtual practice policies addressed issues around mobility and licensure, equitable access, privacy, complaints, and continuity of care. We also compared these regulatory documents to the model standards from the Canadian medical regulatory consortium and considered implications for practicing in for-profit virtual environments. We found considerable variation across provincial regulatory bodies, with most existing frameworks not adequately addressing equity, access, and practitioner competency and not providing flexible, nuanced, or risk-based approaches to virtual care provision. As we compared jurisdictions, we identified gaps and leading practices to inform recommendations for professional regulators and policy-makers.

Men in the service of humanity: Sociocultural perceptions of the nursing profession in South Africa

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Background. The classification of nursing as a female-gendered profession, along with patriarchally determined cultural gender roles, makes it difficult for men to select nursing as a career and to excel in their caring capacity as nurses.Objective. To gain in-depth insights into and an understanding of male nursing students’ perceptions of the nursing profession.Methods. A generic qualitative approach, which was explorative, descriptive and contextual, was used to conduct the study. Sixteen male nursing students at two nursing education institutions in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, were purposively sampled to participate in the study. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and unstructured observation. Thereafter, thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.&#x0D; Results. Three main themes were developed from the interview data. The participants perceived nursing as the extension of women’s work, with low social status ‒ nursing is not considered to be a profession for men. During the provision of nursing care, feelings of discomfort and embarrassment were experienced. They feared misinterpretation of their care, especially when caring for the naked body when alone with a patient. They resorted to the use of cautious caring, where they do not provide physical care alone, but seek support, especially from female nurses.&#x0D; Conclusion. Male nursing students require role models to support them in their academic journey towards becoming competent practitioners. A male-friendly environment should be created to enable them to provide quality nursing care to all patients. The society needs to be empowered in understanding that men choose the nursing profession to provide care, and that they are capable of caring for the sick.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Do oral health therapists need to collaborate?

It is imperative oral health therapists (OHTs) collaborate with peers from other disciplines. Interprofessional collaboration contributes to improved health outcomes, improvements in health systems, and increased patient and practitioner satisfaction (World Health Organisation, 2010). The legislation provides a clear mandate for interprofessional collaboration. The Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act (2019) clause 118 states professional regulatory authorities have a responsibility to promote collaboration across, and between health professionals in the delivery of health services. The World Health Organization (2010) explains that embedding interprofessional education (IPE) enables health graduates to develop the capability necessary to practice confidently as interprofessional collaborative practitioners. Despite these factors, IPE is not immersed within the AUT OHT curriculum. To inform and guide sustainable change in line with the evidence and legislative requirements, this study uses a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology to draw on AUT OHT educators lived experiences of interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP), and applies an interpretative lens to understanding these experiences, informed by van Manen (1990). The findings from the research will provide insights that aim to inform future IPECP curriculum development. Taking an informed approach to developing IPE for AUT OHT students, it aims to prepare collaborative and practice-ready graduates, and ultimately improve the health outcomes of those they serve. In this presentation, I will highlight the importance of IPECP for OHT at AUT, share some of the stories told during the semi-structured interviews with AUT OHT educators on their lived experiences of IPECP and summarise my research to date.

A COVID-19 University-Based Dental Clinic Experience and Infection Control Protocol Modification for Safe Clinical Education.

The aim of the study was to share our experience of the development and application of a modified infection control protocol at the Dental Teaching Hospital, Umm Al-Qura University (UQUDENT) during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A second aim was to evaluate the impact of the implemented strategies on preparations for future requirements in clinical dental education. In this descriptive study, we evaluated the challenges facing dental practice and categorized them into four domains: challenges facing dental practice during the pandemic, the risk of acquiring COVID-19 infection, the design of student clinics, and the financial challenges. The impact of strategies established to deal with such challenges was studied by comparing the number of treated patients from September 1, 2020, to March 01, 2021, with the number treated during the same months pre-COVID-19. The COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed students and health care workers (HCWs) were expressed in numbers and percentages in each category of the study group. Policies were set up to deal with the challenges in each domain, after training all the hospital personnel in mitigation of the spread of infection within the hospital. We left a non-working clinic between every two operating clinics, and the patient risk was assessed by triage scoring and health status checks by a Saudi mobile application at the entrance. The hospital delivered more personal protective equipment and obligated all students and HCWs to wear KN95 or N95 masks during procedures. Over 1,500 patients were treated during the study period with more than a 30% reduction in comparison to those in the pre-COVID-19 period, but only 20 UQUDENT personnel had confirmed COVID-19 infection, and all proved to be community-acquired by contact tracing. The measures implemented in this study proved effective. With the challenges and limited resources, UQUDENT managed to resume the operation of its dental clinics and training while preventing cross-infection, and it ensured that dental students graduated with the required competency. Sharing experiences between educational institutes will help to graduate safe competent practitioners.

Expectations of learner nurses in sampled clinical areas of the Limpopo province, South Africa.

Nurse training in South Africa requires placing learner nurses in real-life setting for them to gain practical experience. To complete their training and be competent practitioners, learner nurses must have expectations and aspirations when they go for practice. This study sought to understand learner nurses' expectations at clinical learning areas during placement. Four clinical learning areas in the Limpopo province were purposely sampled. Tertiary, regional and district hospitals were sampled to obtain information from different levels of care. A qualitative, descriptive and contextual design was used to explore the expectations of learner nurses during clinical placements. Permission to conduct the study was obtained from various bodies and ethical considerations were ensured. Nonprobability purposive sampling was used, and six focus groups were formed. Each focus group discussion (FGD) had six to eight participants. The FGDs were according to level of study, with the third and fourth levels each having two FGDs because of the number of participants. The following three themes emerged: milieu in the clinical learning areas, learning in the clinical areas and self-actualisation. The clinical learning areas are institutions of promoting learning through practice. They should promote learning and offer support to learners so that learners meet their expectations, which may prevent discouragement and attrition. This study adds to the body of knowledge in nursing education and practice because when students' expectations are met, their training outcome might be positive leading to competent professional nurses.

Standards for Infection Control Nurse Practitioner competency standards

The main aim of this document is to contribute to improve the professional development of Infection Control Nurses and to be a standard for the certification and recertification of these professionals. In Argentina, until now, the Infection Control Nurses don´t have a uniform academic training at national level. A framework of reference was outlined to measure or assess infection control professionals. These standards are intended to be used by the Higher Certification Committee of the Argentine Association of Infection Control Nurses, the institutions that require a trained human resource, the ICUs that wish to position their role and the Secretariats and/or Ministries of Health of the Argentine provinces

Health and social care practitioners' experiences of exercising professional curiosity in child protection practice: An integrative review.

This integrative review aims to evaluate the experiences of health and social care practitioners with regard to how they exercise professional curiosity in child protection practice. Professional curiosity gained significant currency following the Munro Review of Child Protection (2010) in England, as a means of seeking clarity on what is happening within a family. However, a recurrent finding from child safeguarding practice reviews is that practitioners continue to struggle to exercise curiosity. This is evident within both the United Kingdom and international literature, although descriptors for the concept may differ. This study attempted to identify facilitators and barriers to applying professional curiosity to provide a greater understanding of this theoretical concept. Title and abstract review of 1428 articles identified from databases and 11 from other sources resulted in 52 papers for full-text review. The quality of each article was appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool for qualitative studies, the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) for quantitative/mixed method studies and the Joanna Briggs framework for theoretical/opinion papers. Key findings were recorded in the Summary Table of Literature Reviewed. Data extracts were thematically analysed. Twenty-four papers predominantly from the UK, but also from Australia, Italy, Sweden and USA formed the data set. Overarching themes that emerged from the thematic analysis included: noticing dissonance, emitting curiosity, constructing meaning, facilitators, individual professional challenges, organisational and macro-level influences and conceptual development. This review demonstrated that professional curiosity is multifaceted and involves a whole system approach, from empowered, knowledgeable and competent frontline practitioners to creative, innovative and empathic organisations, that value staff contributions and place the child's best interests at the forefront of service development. Recommendations are made for practice and further research.

Language barriers for primary care access in Europe: a systematic review

Abstract Background A recent increase in migration both inside Europe and from non-European countries has expanded the language profile of many European countries. As a result, there has been a significant increase in barriers to healthcare access experienced by linguistic minority migrants. This systematic review aims to explore language barriers in primary care, focusing on the experiences of linguistic minority migrants living in Europe. Methods PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Global Health were searched to identify studies published in English until May 2021. Qualitative and mixed methods studies on either linguistic minority migrants or healthcare workers working with linguistic minority migrants, exploring the impacts of language barriers in a primary care setting published were eligible. The studies were analysed using a Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis approach. Quality of the studies were assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Results 16 studies from 14 different European countries were eligible. Participants in the studies included four groups: linguistic minority migrants (n = 11), healthcare workers (n = 10), interpreters (n = 1) and administrative staff (n = 1). Barriers identified included a lack of interpreters, limited cultural competence of practitioners, a lack of practitioner training and knowledge, a lack of accessible information for migrants, difficulties expressing emotions and building patient-practitioner relationships, and risks to women's bodily autonomy resulting from language barriers. Conclusions Linguistic minority migrants living in Europe face a number of barriers when accessing primary care. These barriers can risk patient safety, reduce the likelihood of seeking healthcare services, and impact patient experiences of healthcare services. There is a need for improved interpreter services, practitioner training, and information accessibility for both migrants and healthcare staff. Key messages • Linguistic minority migrants experience significant barriers to primary healthcare access across Europe. • There is a need for improved interpreter services, practitioner training, and information accessibility for both migrants and healthcare staff.

Integrating teacher data literacy with TPACK: A self-report study based on a novel framework for teachers' professional development.

While teachers' knowledge is widely viewed as a key aspect of professional development in the new era, little research attention has been paid to one of its key components: teacher data literacy. Accordingly, this study aimed to combine teacher data literacy with TPACK (technological pedagogical content knowledge), a widely-used framework for understanding and assessing teachers' knowledge. We first used qualitative methods to develop this integrated framework, then distributed a quantitative self-report survey based on the framework to teachers, and analyzed the resulting data. The qualitative phase highlighted five types of teachers' knowledge required in an integrated core knowledge system incorporating data literacy and provided insights for reflecting on teaching and learning in smart learning environments. The quantitative analysis of data from the TDL-TPACK questionnaire indicated that most teachers were competent practitioners but had some areas for improvement. Experienced teachers in their 30s and 40s performed at higher levels, while some of those aged over 50 displayed incremental decreases in performance. Other factors such as the age, experience, academic qualifications, and role of teachers may affect different aspects of their knowledge, including their data literacy. The research findings provide useful insights for additional teacher training and development programs in the context of smart education.