Continuing Education Courses Research Articles

A History of Scope Expansion in Optometry and its Impact on the Profession

The purpose of this article is to review the history of meetings held pertaining to the future direction of the profession, legislation passed, and other factors that have significantly impacted the scope of practice of the optometric profession over the past 55 years. Among the topics discussed are the various antecedent events that led to the decision to evolve from a drugless profession to a profession that embraced drugs and surgical procedures. Also discussed are such issues as changes in the optometric curriculum, nature of continuing education courses, type of research conducted both inside and outside of optometric institutions, improvement in interprofessional relations, personal and professional esteem, benefits to the public, and integration into the nation’s health care system.

Evaluation of a continuing education course on guideline-concordant management of acute dental pain

BackgroundThe purpose of the present study was to evaluate the use of a free online continuing education (CE) course that sought to address barriers of capability by training dental team members in the specific recommendations of the American Dental Association (ADA)-endorsed adult guideline for the pharmacologic management of acute dental pain, shared decision-making, and the adoption of the guideline into practice.MethodsIn 2022 and 2023, dentists completed an online, asynchronous CE course on the guideline-concordant pharmacologic management of acute dental pain. They completed 11-item knowledge tests before and after completing the course. Total scores on the pre- and post-tests were compared using a t-test.ResultsThe mean score increased from 7.68 (SD = 1.08) on the pretest to 8.79 (SD = 1.35) on the post-test (t(4468) = -27.34, p < .01), indicating that dentists gained knowledge from the CE course.ConclusionsWe found that the CE course increased knowledge with respect to the guideline recommendations and shared decision-making but not epidemiology or incorporating a guideline into practice. Future studies should evaluate whether the CE course increased guideline-concordant prescribing.

Development method in a large-scale public sector IT programme

The Norwegian parental benefit programme started as a large-scale information technology operation to automate and provide self-service solutions for parental benefit applications. This benefit replaces lost salaries for about 100,000 parents every year while parents are home with new-born children. A previous programme to modernize IT solutions was stopped. The new programme replacing legacy solutions from the 1970s was seen as a large, complicated, and risky undertaking with a cost limit of USD 130 million. Initially, this programme had three main releases based on an internal development method combining project management and agile methods. During the second release, the programme experienced challenges with coordinating work across the business and development projects. The programme manager established a task force to propose changes in the development method for the last release. We then ask the question: If you were part of this task force, what should the programme manager do to remedy the coordination challenges for the last release? This teaching case is based on a longitudinal case study and is relevant for graduate or continuing education courses in information systems development or IT project management during which students learn how to organize efficient software development at scale.

Assessment of Dental Students' Knowledge and Attitudes About the Epidemiologic and Clinical Characteristics of Oral Cancer: Implications for Other Middle-income Countries.

The stage of detection of head and neck cancer and the time between detection and treatment are critical to prognosis. The importance of the dentist in primary diagnosis and treatment planning has been emphasized. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of dental students in the prevention and early diagnosis of oral cancer. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 199 students from different institutions. A self-administered questionnaire with 34 multiple-choice questions on clinical and epidemiologic knowledge and opinions about oral cancer was used. Descriptive analysis to show means and frequencies and the binomial logistic regression test were used to perform the statistical analysis. The confidence level used was 95%. The results showed that all students in the study had heard of the existence of oral cancer, but only 24.6% knew someone with the disease. The majority reported a lack of information in the population about prevention and self-examination, as well as a lack of information campaigns in institutions. Although the majority perform clinical examinations of the oral mucosa (73.4%) and refer patients with suspicious lesions to specialists, there is low confidence in performing biopsies (73.4%) and gaps in training during graduation (84.4%). The majority have never attended continuing education courses on oral cancer but show interest (97.5%). The study identifies deficiencies in the knowledge and practices of dental students and highlights the need for improved teaching and training to promote oral cancer prevention and early detection. Further research in this area and ongoing assessment of students' skills are suggested.

Evaluating Dentists' Understanding of Dry Mouth Management: An International Cross-Sectional Study.

Studying dentists' knowledge of dry mouth management is crucial for effective diagnosis and treatment, improving patient outcomes and oral health. This study aimed to evaluate their knowledge and awareness of dry mouth and its predictors. A pre-validated online survey was administered to a convenience sample of dentists across six countries. The questionnaire evaluated knowledge in various domains, including predisposing factors, diagnosis, clinical signs and symptoms, and management of dry mouth. A total of 884 dentists participated. Knowledge and awareness of dry mouth management varied significantly between countries (p < 0.05). Overall, 34.3% of participants demonstrated good knowledge, while 53.7% had moderate knowledge. Regarding management awareness, 55.4% had good awareness and 35.5% had moderate awareness. A majority (69.2%) showed good knowledge of common signs, symptoms, and consequences of dry mouth. Significant predictors of better knowledge and awareness included the country of practice and attendance at continuing education courses on dry mouth. The findings suggest that dentists in the surveyed countries require improved education on dry mouth and its management. Dental educators and healthcare planners can use this data to design targeted continuing education activities to enhance knowledge and awareness of dry mouth.

Knowledge, Attitude And Practice In Oral Cancer Among Dental Hygienists In Libya

Background: Oral cancer remains a global health problem. Lack of awareness leads to inadequate watchfulness regarding early signs/symptoms despite the ease of visual oral inspection. Dental hygienists play an important role in early detection of oral cancerous lesions. Evidence on the awareness and knowledge level of oral cancer and its associated risk factors among dental hygienists in Libya is scarce. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) regarding OC among dental hygienists in Libya. Materials and methods: Administered questionnaires were distributed on dental hygienists (through Google Forms). The questionnaire included four sections: sociodemographic information, oral cancer knowledge, attitudes toward oral cancer, and clinical practices related to oral cancer. Participants' responses to the questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Responses were received from 100 participants (60% women and 40% men). Overall, there is a good knowledge of the real risk factors among the participants (86%, 83%, and 71%) regarding the following risk factors smoking, alcohol, and poor diet respectively. The analyze related to the knowledge of non- risk factors, Just over half of the respondents correctly indicated that family history, poor oral hygiene, and poor fitting prosthesis are not risk factors for OC onset (57%; 55%; and 51%, respectively). The majority of respondents (80% &amp; 77% respectively) correctly identified leukoplakia and erythroplakia as oral potentially malignant disorders. The totality 81% of DHs believed they needed continuous updates in the future. With regard to practice, high percentage of DHs stated to perform an extra/intraoral examination and carried out palpation of the lymph nodes. Conclusions: Overall, this study highlighted the importance of introducing continuous education and training courses to dental hygienists which could increase oral cancer prevention and survival rates among oral cancer patients

Study tours as strategy in building multi-level public health system transformation in Ukraine (UA)

Abstract With 14 million Ukrainians in need of psychological aid (UNDP) and a strained health system, UA urgently requires mental health and psychological support services (MHPSS). As a TA partner on the USAID funded Public Health System Recovery and Resilience project in UA, the Philadelphia (PHL) team supports capacity building for population-based MHPSS at the community level with a study tour strategy. Such approaches apply to other countries interested in remodeling public health systems. The strategy aims to advance community based MHPSS through in person tours in PHL with remote follow up to stimulate vision, exchange ideas and accelerate action among governmental, community, and academic partners. The study tours presented overviews on health policy, system development, program services delivered to children and adults, community interventions, and workforce development of professionals and paraprofessionals. All included the foundational principles of trauma-informed practice. The June 2023 tour hosted 11 decision makers and regional officials who embraced the vision for system development and endorsed further engagement. The December 2023 tour hosted 13 practitioners and coordinators of health and social services to observe community programs. Results include development of PHL NGOs and UA social service hub partnerships to implement train the trainer programs for peers/people with lived experience and for mural arts programs to promote community engagement and empowerment. The September 2024 tour involves university partners from nursing, social work and psychology and PHL counterparts to strengthen curricula to include mental health competencies, support faculty development with potential for collaborative research and student exchange, and design post-graduate continuing education courses for upskilling the incumbent workforce. Study tours and direct exchange are an effective strategy for capacity building for MHPSS in Ukraine to address population health needs. Key messages • The sequenced study tour strategy affects distinct levels of change makers in UA. The results are governmental buy-in, partnerships for programmatic development, and academic advancement. • The study tour model promotes systematic change and offers solutions to MHPSS workforce shortages through information exchange, relationship building, and capacity development.

Impact of a Registered Dietitian Led Diabetes Nutrition Continuing Education Course on Primary Care Provider's Knowledge, Attitude, and Clinical Practice

Impact of a Registered Dietitian Led Diabetes Nutrition Continuing Education Course on Primary Care Provider's Knowledge, Attitude, and Clinical Practice

Pediatric Dentists' Practice Patterns in the Screening, Diagnosis, and Management of Temporomandibular Disorders.

Pain associated with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) is the main non-odontogenic cause of orofacial pain among youth. Pediatric dentists are often the first healthcare practitioners to perform a comprehensive oral examination in children, which should include evaluation of the temporomandibular joint, masticatory muscles, and surrounding structures for signs and/or symptoms of TMD. This study assessed pediatric dentists' practice patterns in the screening, diagnosis, and management of TMD. A 19-item online survey was used to assess pediatric dentists' clinical practice patterns and perceived knowledge and comfort levels in the screening, diagnosis, and management of TMD. The survey was distributed in July 2024, with a one-month window open for the study. Confidence levels and perceived knowledge were compared according to years from graduation and frequency of TMD screening assessment with ANOVA or independent t-test, as appropriate. Open-ended items were analyzed thematically. A total of 206 pediatric dentists and pediatric dentistry residents participated in this study. A share of 72.8% of respondents reported that up to 25% of their patients per week present with signs and symptoms of TMD. About one-fifth of pediatric dental providers never complete a screening history for TMD (22.1%) or a clinical assessment of TMD-related structures (21.6%). There was overall low self-perceived knowledge and confidence among pediatric dentists regarding the diagnosis, screening, and management of TMD in children and adolescents, regardless of the number of years from graduation. Respondents who reported seeing up to 50% of TMD patients reported significantly more knowledge and confidence in diagnosing pediatric TMD than those who encountered fewer TMD patients. An overwhelming majority (81.6%) indicated a need for continuing education courses and training focused on the management of TMD in pediatric patients. Providers reported low confidence and self-perceived knowledge about TMD in pediatric populations, a high rate of referral of patients with TMD, and a particular interest for professional development opportunities focused on management of TMD.

Insights into an innovative point of care ultrasound curriculum for Ontario primary maternity care providers

Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) has increasingly been used by midwives worldwide. In 2018, the scope of midwifery care in Ontario was expanded to include POCUS to allow practitioners to provide more comprehensive care. In response to the scope expansion, a new continuing POCUS education course was created in collaboration with faculty and clinicians from obstetrics, midwifery, and medical radiation sciences. The continuing education sonography course focused on fostering the knowledge, skills and judgment Ontario midwives required to safely perform these new POCUS skills. The course included online modules, a two-day hands-on bootcamp workshop, and a clinical practicum under the supervision of a sonographer to confirm competency across the three trimesters of pregnancy. The first cohort of 17 learners completed the course in Fall 2019, the new curriculum was well received by learners for its many benefits into learning and applying bedside sonography to clinical care. This paper outlines our process for POCUS curriculum development and implementation in pregnancy care. This POCUS continuing education course should continue to be offered in the future to give more practitioners the ability to perform point of care pregnancy scans.

Dentists' knowledge, attitudes, and awareness regarding interprofessional collaboration with physical therapists.

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) between dentists and physical therapists (PT) could improve access to patient treatment and oral care outcomes. This study aimed to assess dentists' knowledge, attitudes, and awareness of IPC with PT. The study design included a 16-question online survey sent to dentists (n=102) at a university in fall 2022 via SurveyMonkey. This survey evaluated dentists' knowledge of PT services and IPC referrals, awareness of PT IPC improving oral health and continuing education (CE) opportunities, and attitudes toward team care. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and Chi-squared tests. Participants included general dentists (71.2%) and dental specialists (28.8%), with experience ranging from 1-5 years through 55+ years. Gender distribution included approximately 46.2% female and 53.8% male, with a survey response rate of 51.0% (n=52). Females reported a significantly higher interest in PT IPC (p=0.016) and referring (p=0.022) than males. Dentists in practice for 21-40 years reported significantly higher participation in CE referral courses compared to other groups (p=0.011). Compared to dental specialists, general dentists had a significantly more positive attitude when asked if dental collaboration with PT and physicians is equally important (p=0.001). Additionally, 78.8% of respondents reported interest in attending a CE course on interprofessional education. This study demonstrated dentists' limited awareness of the PT interprofessional collaborative approach. Females and general dentists reported higher positive attitudes toward PT IPC relationships. Most dentists were interested in attending additional IPC training.

Exploring the Opportunities and Barriers of Implementing the Health Focused Physical Therapy Model

The Health-Focused Physical Therapy Model integrates lifestyle behavior management into physical therapy practice using a standardized care model and motivational patient interviewing. The purpose of this study was to identify the perceived opportunities and barriers physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and rehab administrators may face when implementing the model. This study included a survey of 19 physical therapy clinicians, and interviews with four rehabilitation administrators from one healthcare system. All participants attended a continuing education course covering the model and then completed a survey detailing their perceptions. Participants included female (100%), physical therapists (78.9%) and physical therapy assistants (21.1%), with variable educational degrees, and at least 16 years of clinic experience (73.7%). Four rehabilitation administrators, 100% female with at least 11 years of PT practice, participated in a semi-structured interview. Survey analysis revealed participants were confident in their understanding of the model and believed the model would positively impact the health of patients. However, over half perceived time limitations as a barrier. Meanwhile, three themes from the interview emerged including holistic care, implementation barriers, and needed resources. This study demonstrated time limitations and productivity standards could limit the implementation of health-focused physical therapy care. Future research should analyze opportunities and barriers of the model with broadened participant sampling methods and triangulation across healthcare practitioner roles to guide implementation and realistic practice standards.

Theory in action for graduate nurse educator students: An experiential learning project

BackgroundHigh turnover rates of new nurse educators are amplifying nursing shortages by reducing the ability of nursing programs to educate new nurses. When nurses enter their new role as nurse educators, there is a major transition from experienced bedside nurse to novice educator. This transition can be difficult and frequently leads to frustration, and in many cases nurse educators leaving the field. AimThe aim of this project is to improve the readiness, and preparedness of new nurse educators prior to entering the field. ProjectGraduate nursing students in the Master of Science in Nursing Education (MSNE) Option at Lamar University were competitively selected and hired as graduate assistants (GA) with a focus on easing the transition of becoming nurse educators by creating nursing professional development (NPD) opportunities for current nursing faculty. The project utilized Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory and mentorship to prepare future nurse educators for their future role. ApplicationsThrough the application of Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory, graduate assistants (GAs) developed curriculum to be deployed in continuing education courses. This provided graduate assistants the ability to maneuver the nuances of course development using Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory as a template for curriculum development by examining their work with peers and analyzing the cycle of concrete experiences (CE), reflective observation (RO), abstract conceptualization (AC), and active experimentation (AE). ConclusionMaster's programs help instill knowledge necessary to equip future educators with the tools needed to give nursing education students a solid foundation. By utilizing Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory with this project, future nurse educators could apply a deeper understanding of newfound knowledge into practice. Increasing demands in nursing requires innovations in the preparation of nurse educators. By incorporating projects such as this, with a strong grasp on concrete experiences (CE), reflective observation (RO), abstract conceptualization (AC), and active experimentation (AE), novice educators can be primed for their new role of developing future nurses.

Considerations for occupational risk management during pregnancy: A summary of a continuing education course.

Women comprise approximately 40% of the global workforce, and many women continue to work during pregnancy. Although occupational exposure limit values (OELVs) are intended to protect all workers, many OELVs may have been established without consideration of the unique changes in pregnant workers, and many chemicals lack OELVs altogether. A short educational course was developed to address the informational needs of health professionals who have responsibility to ensure a safe workplace for pregnant employees. The course was designed to raise awareness of the key elements in risk management and their application to the pregnant worker, such as physiological changes of pregnancy that influence susceptibility to exposures; guidance for nonclinical data interpretation; exposure assessment and control strategies; and risk management in practice in a diverse regulatory environment. This paper summarizes the course content and is intended to support informed risk management decision making to protect the health of pregnant workers and their offspring.

Múltiplas representações e objetos de aprendizagem na capacitação docente em cursos de engenharia

The Master’s research that this article takes place aimed to develop a proposal for teacher training for teachers working in Higher Education, in Engineering courses to distance, who have difficulties with pedagogical practices aligned with digital Technologies. The aim was to address pedagogical possibilities based on the Multiple Representations and Learning Objects frameworks. This theoretical articulation supported the development and application of a continuing education course for a group of teachers trained in engineering, promoting the updating of their pedagogical practice in the light of their training needs and the reality of distance education. The research was based on a qualitative approach and the data was collected through electronic activities and questionnaires, which were analyzed according to the assumptions of the Textual Discourse Analysis framework. From the analytical categories, it was possible to deduce that the teacher training raised participants' awareness of the importance of continuing pedagogical training and the contributions of digital technologies to distance learning, as well as showing the relevance of inserting Multiple Representations and Learning Objects as strategies to promote the exemplification of content and satisfactory student learning.

Evaluation of the strategies opioid manufacturers used to recruit health professionals and encourage overprescribing: an analysis of industry documents

BackgroundMore than 263,000 individuals died due to prescription opioid misuse between 1999 and 2020. Between 2013 and 2015 alone, pharmaceutical companies spent over $39 million to market opioids to over 67,000 prescribers. However, there is still limited information about differences in provider responses to promotions for medications. In this study we investigated and evaluated strategies used by opioid manufacturers to encourage overprescribing, specifically focusing on oncology.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective review of opioid industry documents released in litigation between 1999 and 2021. We began with a preliminary search for business plans in a subset of collections that identified key terms and phrases. These search terms were then used to narrow the investigation, which ultimately focused on Insys Therapeutics, and how they targeted oncology providers as well as patients with cancer pain.ResultsWe found that, overall, Insys sought to market to institutions with fewer resources, to less experienced and high-volume providers, and directly to cancer patients, with the goal of encouraging increased opioid prescribing and use.ConclusionsOur research revealed gaps in provider training that may make some providers more susceptible to pharmaceutical marketing. Developing and promoting continuing education courses for providers that are free from conflicts of interest, particularly at smaller institutions, may be one step towards reducing opioid overprescribing and its associated harms.

Evaluation of a Nursing Informatics Course by Nurses: A Continuing Education.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a nursing informatics continuing education course and nurses' perceptions of it. This study investigates the evaluation and satisfaction of 103 nurses who attended the course on 10-11 June 2023. The survey was divided into two parts: the first part focused on the evaluation of teaching and the second part focused on the evaluation of the course. The first part contained 7 structured questions and 1 open-ended question, while the second part contained 11 structured questions. The results show a high level of satisfaction, with the teaching receiving a score of 9.9 out of 10. 95% of the participants were "very satisfied" and 5% were "satisfied".

Assessment of COMMUNITY Pharmacists' Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Towards Oral Health Care in Jordan

Background Community chemists now provide more professional and public health care, which is beneficial to the community, in addition to traditional medication distribution. While community pharmacists play a vital role in maintaining and promoting health, further research is required to accurately evaluate their knowledge, attitude, and practice toward oral health care among Jordanian pharmacists in northern Jordan. Methods A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire in Arabic language, targeting 250 community pharmacists in four cities (Irbid, Jerash, Ajloun, and Al-Mafraq) in northern Jordan. The questionnaire comprised four domains: socio-demographic, knowledge, attitudes and practice concerning oral health care. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 22.0 was used to analyze the collected data, and the significance level was set at P ≤ 0.05. Results A total of 198 respondents returned the survey form, returning a response rate of 79.2%. Community pharmacists showed a good knowledge score of 58.2%. Only 40.9% said periodontal disease was the most frequent cause of tooth loss. The majority lacked knowledge of the optimal fluoride levels in toothpaste. The average attitude score was 71.05%. The most common oral health issues raised by patients were gingivitis and toothache (43.4% and 38.9%), respectively. Conclusion Community pharmacists have the general knowledge and attitude needed to play a significant role in providing dental care counselling to patients dental care. Nonetheless, community pharmacists stated they needed education and training to improve their practice. Continuing education courses related to oral health are recommended to reduce the risk of oral diseases and improve quality of life.

Mobile devices integrated into Mathematics teaching practice: contributions emerging from continuing training

This article presents the investigation of a Continuing Training course for Mathematics teachers in the final years of Elementary School, with a view to integrating mobile devices into teaching practice. In the theoretical framework, Digital Technologies, Didactic Sequences and the Technological model were addressed. Pedagogical Content Knowledge. The general objective of the research was to investigate the contributions of a continuing education course for the integration of mobile devices in the teaching practice of Mathematics teachers. As a result, it was found that the main contributions of the course to the participants' teaching practice refer to the expansion of their Knowledge about applications that address mathematical content, increasing teachers' confidence in integrating mobile devices, and the expansion of teachers' vision regarding the integration of technological resources, resulting from the sharing of experiences and the study of the theoretical basis covered during the course.

Assessing a Continuing Education Course for Dental Hygienists to Improve HPV and HPV Vaccine Knowledge and Self-efficacy.

Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection and causes anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers. Although HPV-related cancers can be prevented through vaccination, HPV vaccination rates are low compared to other vaccines. One of the strongest indicators for vaccination is provider recommendation, and dental health providers are well positioned to promote HPV vaccination among their patients. The purpose of this study was to determine if a continuing education (CE) course could improve dental hygienists' HPV-related knowledge and self-efficacy related to HPV vaccination recommendations. Data were collected from a sample of participants (n = 202) at a large dental hygiene conference in the southern US. A pre- and post-tests were administered with the CE course and differences in HPV vaccine knowledge and self-efficacy in counseling, recommending, and referring for the HPV vaccine were analyzed using SAS. HPV vaccine knowledge overall significantly increased post-CE (p < .001) and improvement was seen among several specific knowledge areas. However, knowledge regarding the common sites of HPV-related oral and oropharyngeal cancers remained moderate (82% correct) even after the CE intervention. There was no significant change from pre-test to post-test in participants' self-efficacy related to counseling patients about the HPV vaccine, recommending the HPV vaccine to patients, or referring patients for the vaccine. This study demonstrates that continuing education can improve dental hygienists' HPV-related knowledge. Since dental providers may play an important role in HPV-related cancer prevention, future work should develop continuing education tools that can motivate changes in self-efficacy and ultimately improve practice behaviors.