Continuing Professional Development Programme Research Articles

A qualitative study of soft skills development opportunities: perceptions of university information professionals

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the self-perceptions of university information professionals about continuous professional development (CPD) opportunities regarding their soft skills.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative design using in-depth interviews was used. The population was all the information professionals working in the public sector universities of Pakistan, but the geographic range of the population, to reduce travelling expenses and to complete the study in time, the interviews were restricted to the universities of the capital city Islamabad and provincial capital Peshawar. A total of 21 interviews were conducted using a snowball sampling technique to select information professionals.FindingsThe findings revealed that only three information professionals attended CPD opportunities in soft skills. More than half of the information professionals stated that CPD programmes have an overall “good” impact on the development of their soft skills. Similarly, more than half of the participants stated that CPD training opportunities on soft skills are very limited. The majority of the participants held professional associations responsible for the development of information professionals’ soft skills. It was also found that communication and persuasion skills, self-management skills and interpersonal skills were the top three soft skill categories for which they urged CPD programmes.Research limitations/implicationsDuring interviews, most of the Assistant Librarians were not expressive and comfortable. This might be because of a lack of their soft skills knowledge, poor communication skills and interview anxiety.Originality/valueAccording to the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind in Pakistan that dealt with the CPD opportunities regarding soft skills of university information professionals using a qualitative research design.

The Development and Evaluation of a Structured Continuing Professional Development Programme for Pharmacists in Kuwait: A Feasibility Study.

Continuous education and training play a critical role in preparing a competent pharmacy workforce to meet the healthcare needs of the public. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of implementing a structured Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training programme for pharmacists in Kuwait. Twenty-one practicing pharmacists participated in the programme. This study evaluated the programme’s effectiveness and feasibility by analysing data from three sources: (1) two focus group interviews, (2) CPD records collected in May and November 2019, and (3) online survey responses collected at the middle and end of the programme. Findings from this study showed that implementing a structured CPD programme is feasible and could positively impact pharmacists’ practice. A guiding competency framework and continuous feedback from programme instructors added valuable support for pharmacists during the programme, and facilitated an impactful translation of education into practice. This study provides the first data on pharmacists’ CPD in Kuwait and serves as a starting point for future education plans, studies, and transformational actions pertaining to pharmacy workforce education and training.

Motivation for change in the health care of children with developmental disabilities: Pilot continuing professional development-quality improvement project.

People with developmental disabilities (DDs) experience significant barriers accessing and receiving optimal health care resulting in poorer health-care outcomes. Continuing professional development (CPD) represents an effective means to alter health-care staff behaviour to improve the care of people with DDs. However, given the scepticism regarding the effectiveness of certain CPD models' ability to alter learner's workplace behaviour, the current pilot study developed and determined the feasibility of a novel CPD programme aimed at improving the health care provided to children with DDs. Motivation for Change (MFC) is a novel CPD programme based on empirically based behaviour and educational strategies including motivational interviewing, flipped classroom and process mapping. It utilises input of patients, practitioners, and family members during administration of the programme. MFC was administered with 14 staff members in a Sydney Children's Hospital Sleep service. After MFC engagement, staff reported significant improvements in their knowledge of behavioural characteristics of children with DDs, the difficulties they face, how best to support them within the learner's work setting and confidence in working with children with DDs. There was a non-significant decline in their reported need for further training and expressed high level of satisfaction with the MFC programme. MFC represents a feasible means of providing CPD to health-care staff but further research is needed to determine objective clinical behavioural change. Evaluation of the impact on patient health outcomes, parent/child satisfaction, staff sustainability and overall system functioning is also needed. It may represent an effective model of CPD for other targets of health-care improvement.

Pivots and pirouettes: adapting a robust departmental CPD and training program to the COVID-19 crisis.

The onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic caused swift change in society, affecting both personal and professional lives. In radiation therapy (RT), professional and social interactions are highly important to maintaining team culture and effective patient care. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is also an integral part of maintaining professional and personal competence and growth for healthcare professionals. This article examines the rationale for and methods of swiftly adapting a robust CPD program and training calendar to an online offering for radiation therapists (RTs) at the Princess Alexandra Hospital Radiation Oncology Department, Brisbane, Australia. Reasons for the change, how it was achieved quickly, and the opportunity to build resilience in the staff group are discussed. Successes and challenges of achieving meaningful change in a short timeframe are described, ensuring RTs maintained access to both CPD and social support during the crisis. Initial feedback suggested a positive response from RTs, but the situation remains dynamic and will need to be monitored and adapted as the pandemic continues.

Dementia knowledge, attitudes and training needs of speech-language pathology students and practitioners: A countrywide study.

Due to dementia-related communication difficulties, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) play a significant role in supporting individuals with dementia and their caregivers. Nevertheless, SLP practitioners may not have received adequate dementia training during their undergraduate programme and skills updating post-qualification. Investigating the knowledge, attitudes and training needs of SLP students and practitioners would provide evidence on the need of enhancing training in dementia care and management at both the undergraduate level and through continuous professional development programmes. To assess the levels of dementia knowledge, attitudes and training needs of SLP students and practitioners. A countrywide survey was conducted with undergraduate students reading for a BSc degree in communication therapy and SLPs currently in practice. Dementia knowledge and attitudes were assessed using the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) and the Dementia Attitude Scale (DAS). Training needs were measured using a three-point Likert scale from a list of topics related to dementia management and care. Quantitative methods were used to analyse the collected data. A total of 49 SLP students (94.2% response rate) and 113 practitioners (57.4% response rate) completed the survey. Although SLP practitioners scored significantly better than students on the ADKS and its constructs, both cohorts showed inadequate knowledge of dementia, in particular dementia risk factors. In general, both SLP students and practitioners showed positive attitudes towards individuals with dementia, even though significant differences were observed. With respect to training needs, SLP practitioners significantly scored less compared with students denoting that, in this cohort, there was the belief that less training in dementia was required. Although SLPs have an important role to play in the management and care of individuals with dementia, the findings of this study indicated a shortage of in-depth knowledge in this area of practice. This continues to highlight the need of enhancing dementia training programmes through undergraduate curriculum development and continuous professional programmes for skills updating. What this paper adds What is already known on the subject One of the symptoms of dementia is that affected individuals progressively lose the ability to communicate effectively. With an increase in the number of people with dementia due to global ageing growth, SLPs are more likely to come into contact with such individuals and their caregivers. At present, there is little research on the levels of dementia knowledge, attitudes and training needs among individuals pursuing their career in this profession. What this paper adds to existing knowledge This study highlights a dearth of in-depth knowledge among undergraduate students and practising SLPs in various aspects of dementia management and care and argues on the need of enhancing training in this field of study. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Improving SLPs' knowledge on dementia can enhance their professional role in several areas, including the provision of information on risk factors, disease progression and its effect on communication abilities, screening of cognitive communication difficulties and developing management plans aimed at maintaining communication abilities at the highest level.

برنامج تدریبی قائم على قواعد البیانات اللغویة فی إعداد المعلم: الکفایة النحویة فی الکتابة. A Corpus-Based Training Program in Teacher Education: The Case of Grammatical Competence in Writing

استهدفت الدراسة الحالية الکشف عن أثر برنامج قائم على قواعد البيانات اللغوية في تنمية الکفاية النحوية لدى طلاب شعبة اللغة الإنجليزية بکلية التربية، جامعة الأزهر، ولقد اعتمدت الدراسة على المنهج شبه التجريبي (تصميم المجموعة الضابطة ذو الاختبارين القبلي والبعدي)، بلغ عدد طلاب عينة الدراسة 59 طالبا تم اختيارهم بطريقة عشوائية، ولقد قام الباحث بتقسيم طلاب عينة الدراسة عشوائيا إلى مجموعتين، إحداهما تجريبية قوامها 30 طالبا، وأخرى ضابطة قوامها 29 طالبا، کما تم الاعتماد على اختبار للکتابة ومقياس متدرج للتصحيح بعد التحقق من صدق الاختبار وثباته، قام الباحث بتصميم برنامج تدريبي قائم على قواعد البيانات اللغوية کمادة معالجة تجريبية لتحقيق هدف الدراسة، کشفت نتائج الدراسة أن البرنامج التدريبي القائم على قواعد البيانات اللغوية أدى إلى تحسن کبير في الکفاية اللغوية للطالب المعلم في الکفاية النحوية والتي انعکست في أدائهم الکتابي، وأوصت الدراسة بحتمية تدريب الطالب المعلم على کيفية استخدام وتوظيف قواعد البيانات اللغوية في الاستجابة لحاجات واهتمامات متعلم العصر الرقمي، ذلک الجيل الأکثر دراية ومهارة في التعامل مع معطيات العصر، وقد ختمت الدراسة بعدد من التوصيات التي ترتبط باستخدام برامج التدريب القائم علي قواعد البيانات اللغوية، والکفاية النحوية ، ومهارات الکتابة في برامج إعداد المعلم والتنمية المهنية المستدامة. The current research sought to explore the effect of a corpus-based training program on developing grammatical competence as measured in the writing test among EFL majors at the Faculty of Education, Al-AzharUniversity. To meet this end, a quasi-experimental method (the pretest-posttest control-group design) was adopted. The research participants totaling 59 students were randomly assigned into two groups, namely an experimental group (30 students) and a control one (29 students). A writing test was developed with a scoring rubric after testing its validity and reliability and a corpus-based program was developed as a treatment material for fulfilling the research purpose. Results of the study revealed that the corpus-based training program led to significant improvement in EFL student teachers' grammatical competence manifested in their writing. The study highly recommended that teacher education programs need to train student teachers on how to use corpus-based or data-driven language teaching in reaction to the needs and interests of the digital and Gen z students who are more knowledgeable than their teachers themselves. The study concluded with a number of recommendations concerning the use of corpus-based program, EFL grammatical competence and writing skills in initial-teacher education programs and teachers’ continuous professional development programs.

343 Motivational Factors That Influence Adoption of Innovations

While the world of medicine is constantly changing, it has been difficult to persuade physicians to do the same, which may threaten patient care quality and safety. In the face of overwhelming evidence of utility, why do certain physicians adopt some innovations, but not others? What factors influence physicians’ decision to learn new skills? There are many studies that evaluate the barriers and facilitators of continuing professional development (CPD); however, understanding physician motivation to learn a new skill is less well understood and even more difficult to predict. Understanding the “why” and motivations behind such varying adoption behavior in physicians remains paramount in designing effective CPD programs that align physician behavior with evidence-based medicine. The purpose of this study is to explore the motivational factors that influence adoption of innovations in practicing emergency physicians (EPs) and to develop a framework to further CPD. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is an example of the incomplete adoption of an innovation despite evidence of its efficacy and is used as the anchor point of study. This was a sequential mixed methods study in an urban academic center using practicing EPs the study population. Subjects were first sorted into adopter categories from Rogers’ diffusion of innovations theory based on their scores on the Evaluation Tool for Ultrasound Skills Development and Education (ETUDE) survey. Subjects were then purposely sampled based on their adopter category to undergo semi-structured interviews, which were then professionally transcribed. We used constructive grounded theory for thematic analysis until thematic saturation. We found that EPs were represented in all adopter categories, in a close to normal distribution. 5 themes were induced via that discriminate between the adopter categories: 1. professional identity 2. formative experiences 3. perception of influence 4. mentorship and feedback 5. logistical barriers. We conclude that EPs who have had a formative experience with POCUS, which reinforces their professional identity, were more likely to adopt that technology. Development of mentorship networks and programming which engage elements of professional identity (such as diagnostic skill and teaching expertise) may promote the adoption of new technology.

Practices, preferences, and opinions of New Zealand veterinarians towards continuing professional development

ABSTRACT Aims: To describe the current practices and preferences of New Zealand veterinarians towards continuing professional development (CPD), explore factors acting as perceived barriers to CPD engagement, and identify opportunities for reforming the current CPD regulations. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of all veterinarians registered with the Veterinary Council of New Zealand (VCNZ) was conducted in October 2019. Descriptive statistics were provided for all quantitative study variables and thematic analysis was performed on the free-text survey comments to identify key issues regarding the current CPD regulations in New Zealand. Results: Complete survey responses were provided by 222/3,484 (6.4%) registered veterinarians. Most respondents (153/222; 68.9%) were satisfied with the amount of CPD completed and spent a mean of $2,511 (median $2,000; min $0; max $20,000) on CPD activities each year. The most popular CPD formats were those involving collegial interaction including conference and skills training workshops. The choice of CPD activities was most commonly influenced by interest in the topics and the desire to become more competent in their work while the main barriers were difficulties fitting CPD around work and family commitments. There were 164 (73.9%) respondents who cited at least one occasion in the previous 12 months where participating in CPD caused them to modify their existing practices. Thematic analysis of the free-text comments revealed several major themes related to the administrative burden of recording CPD activities under the current regulatory framework, and the need to develop CPD plans tailored towards the unique circumstances and goals of individual veterinarians. Respondents also expressed concerns over the reliability of using CPD record audits for evaluating professional competency. Factors identified as being the most helpful for improving the current CPD framework were simplifying the CPD points categories and developing a mechanism to record and share CPD activities in real-time. Conclusions: While most respondents felt there was significant value in completing CPD, the current regulatory framework was perceived to be administratively burdensome and inflexible in allowing them to tailor CPD activities to match their unique employment situation, learning style and professional goals. Clinical relevance: Providing resources that could assist veterinarians to design and implement tailored CPD programmes may improve professional and personal outcomes. However, further research is needed to develop more effective mechanisms for identifying veterinarians who are not performing competently without placing excessive administrative burdens on those who are.

Health inequalities within professional health education at the University of Malta

Abstract Background Addressing health inequalities is a crucial public health issue. It is thus imperative that health professionals are equipped with explicit competences to recognise and address health inequalities. Methods This is a multi-phase mixed-methods study exploring health inequalities and training within professional health curricula at the University of Malta. Phase One consists of a scoping study which explores whether and how health inequalities feature within the health professions' undergraduate curricula. This involved a systematic search of undergraduate health professional curricula, including competency profiles in each programme of study, using information available in the public domain. Academic year reviewed was 2019-2020. To ensure harmonisation, the two independent reviewers used the following search strategy: a) using a keyword descriptive approach (MeSH terms divided into two levels: direct, level one, and more general keywords, level two) and b) a more subjective approach to assess wider topic elements. Results Preliminary results emanating from mapping of 19 different programmes of study will be presented. A wide range of occurrences, from zero occurrences in some programmes to a maximum of one occurrence for level one and 12 for level two keywords in other programmes, was observed. Conclusions There is a wide disparity between the awareness of and training of inequalities across different professional training programmes. This provides the groundwork for Phase Two of this research during which public health stakeholders' attitudes and perceptions on health professional training and current practices will be explored. Findings from this study will provide the evidence and the impetus for possible interdisciplinary modules and/or continuous professional development programmes in health inequalities. Key messages The need for developing short courses/reviewing health curricula to incorporate health inequalities is encouraged. Public health professionals have a responsibility to address health inequalities in their professional practice.

Teacher advocacy for the enhancement of professional learning and development in continuous professional teacher development programmes

This article focuses on the key role of teachers in the decision-making process concerning the design and implementation of Continuous Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) at a network of independent schools in Johannesburg. The procedure of examining the role-players in the CPTD process and the level of ownership that teachers appropriate in setting and developing their own topics and goals for training, learning and development are discussed. Activity theory and the theory of communities of practice informed the qualitative study undertaken at three independent primary schools in geographically different areas of Johannesburg. The aim of the study was to indicate that teachers as adult learners can generate useful ideas and topics for CPTD and can inform and improve their practice by recommending effective CPTD activities. Semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and document analysis were employed as data gathering techniques to collect rich data from a purposefully selected sample of primary school teachers. Teachers described activities and methods of learning that could improve their CPTD practices. The findings identify important elements that can be applied in CPTD and professional learning contexts. The proposed elements can be implemented to enhance teacher participation, decision-making and ownership of CPTD and teacher learning.

Baseline Assessment in the Elementary Mathematics Classroom: Should it be Optional or Mandatory for Teaching and Learning?

Too few mathematics teachers have the expertise to apply baseline assessment for differentiated learning in mathematics classes. This empirical study was conducted in a focus group of sixty learners and three teachers in a grade four mathematics class. It proved that teachers of mathematics in elementary grades could profitably learn to conduct baseline assessments; developing activities to benchmark learners’ abilities and learning needs. The exploratory research design was utilized to set up the general sample and the focus group, and mixed research methods; qualitative and quantitative instruments to collect data and analyzing data. The records of scores obtained by learners from the assessment activities and the interviews with teachers were the main sources of data. Data analysis followed quantitative procedures and presented in figures and categorized them in frequency distribution tables. Findings highlighted that learners can reach their optimal levels in learning mathematics in a free and flexible environment. This paper concludes that the lack of knowledge about how to conduct baseline and its value is one of the attributes of the high failure rate of children in the middle class. This article recommends the consideration of baseline assessment to be an essential aspect of a continuous professional development program for mathematics teachers. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.8.18

A study of current Continuous Medical Education / Continuous Professional Development programmes for health care staff with special focus on Medical officers and recommendation for improvement

A study of current Continuous Medical Education / Continuous Professional Development programmes for health care staff with special focus on Medical officers and recommendation for improvement

English

Professional development is critical in the life of every organization in positioning workers to meet changing trends of globalization. This study seeks to look at a critical analysis of the challenges facing Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of academic staff of the colleges of education in Ghana. The exploratory, descriptive and evaluative case study approach that combined both qualitative and quantitative methods were used which basically adopted the questionnaire and the interview schedule in the collection of data. The census and the purposive sampling techniques were used in collecting data from 364 respondents constituting tutors, Human Resource Management and Development (HRMD) committee members and chairpersons, vice-principals and quality assurance officers. Primary data collected through the instruments used were analysed using the mean and standard deviation techniques. Text analyses were also done for the interview schedule data. The results of the study revealed that colleges of education do not maximise the full potential of benefits that accrue from CPD programmes due to some profound challenges such as lack of a systematic and comprehensive training needs analysis and weak interaction between the institution seeking the training and the institution providing the training. The study recommended that CPD programme be linked to the learning needs analysis and integration of knowledge with everyday practice. Management of colleges of education must endeavor to have an appraisal system linked to personal development planning of tutors. Key words: Challenges, continuing professional development, colleges of education, training, development.

Applying a social theory of learning to explain the possible impacts of continuing professional development (CPD) programs

Background Continuing professional development (CPD) is essential for life-long learning of health professionals, yet evaluations of CPD focus on a narrow range of impacts. This study explored the range of impacts that are possible from attending CPD programs that foster social learning, and applied Wenger’s social theory of learning to explain why these impacts occur. Methods Twenty semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of past participants from two immersive CPD institutes. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results Five themes were identified; (i) growing and utilising a network of like-minded individuals, (ii) forming stronger identities, (iii) applying learnings to practice, (iv) obtaining achievements and recognition, and (v) going beyond the scholar. Participants described experiencing both immediate and sustained impacts as a result of attending the courses. Concepts from Wenger’s social learning theory including peripheral membership, reification and multimembership helped to explain why these impacts occur. Conclusions The results suggest that a range of sustained impacts are possible as a result of attending CPD programs, but ongoing social learning is crucial to achieving these impacts. The social process of learning should be considered in the design of future CPD.

Characteristics of Individuals Who Chose to Participate in a Preceptor Continuing Professional Development Program.

An online program for pharmacy preceptors to improve their clinical teaching using continuing professional development (CPD) was launched in 2017. While 491 preceptors participated in the CPD program, only 35% of potential participants completed this voluntary program. A secondary data analysis was undertaken to determine the characteristics of preceptors who completed the program and identify ways to target program advertising for those who did not complete it. Residency-trained preceptors were more likely to complete the CPD program compared with those without residency training (45% and 37%, respectively; p = 0.011). This may be due to the inclusion of CPD in residency accreditation standards. To improve completion of the CPD program by preceptors without residencies, a brief introduction to CPD, a statement of benefits, and use of a personalized plan should be included in advertisements. Preceptors teaching more experiential students were more likely to complete the CPD program (p < 0.001 for introductory and advanced experiences). To encourage preceptors with less students to participate, the CPD program should be advertised year-round to allow preceptors to complete the training when it is most relevant to their precepting schedule. Future directions include the monitoring of changes in CPD program participation rates following changes in advertisements and exploring other motivations for program completion such as collaborations with employers.

Each for Equal: Gender Inequity in Dentistry in Australia.

While there is an increasing number of women entering the dental profession, they are still underrepresented in leadership roles in major dental organizations, academia, and journal boards. Keynote and invited speaking roles in professional and scientific conferences recognize expertise and leadership and are key factors in career advancement and academic promotions. The aim of this study was to investigate gender differences in representation at dental continuing professional development (CPD) events and conferences in Australia. An analysis of the gender of speakers was conducted with CPD and conference programs that are publicly available online from the federal and Victorian branches of the Australian Dental Association, the peak national body for dentists. The planned 2020 Victorian Branch CPD program featured 30 events, with a mean 2.5 speakers per event. There were 58 scientific presentations in the schedule, 22 (38%) of which were allocated to female speakers. Seven CPD events in 2020 included only female speakers, and 13 included only male speakers.The 37th and 38th Australian Dental Congresses featured 25% and 36% of female speakers, respectively. All keynote speakers were male for both events, and men accounted for 86% and 93% of international speakers. While women are approaching parity in local and state-level CPD events, there is a large discrepancy in the male-to-female speaker ratio for major national conferences. Suggestions to improve gender imbalance include having women on the convening committee and developing and implementing policies to address the imbalance. There has been significant progress in addressing gender inequity in dentistry, but gender-balanced leadership in major conferences still needs to be addressed. The findings of this study show that while women may be approaching parity with small continuing professional development events, they are still underrepresented as speakers in major conferences. It is recommended that active policies be implemented to reduce the imbalance to ensure gender-balanced leadership in one aspect of the dental profession in Australia.

Psychometric Properties of 2018 Mental Health Module Questions in Ogun State Mandatory Continuous Professional Development Programme for Nurses

There is a need for instrument standardization to elicit a desired result in the subjects. The study assessed the psychometric properties of 2018 Mental health module questions in Ogun State Mandatory Continuous Professional Development Programme for Nurses. A cross-sectional study was used on the pre and post module results from the participants. Data analysis was done with SPSS window 17. The result showed an internal consistency of 0.249 and reliability coefficient of -0.1. The study concluded that there was inconsistency in the structure of the test items. The recommendation was made that experts in psychometric properties could be involved in the structure of the test items before its administration to nurses.

Simulation in the Continuing Professional Development of Academic Emergency Physicians: A Canadian National Survey.

Simulation is becoming a popular educational modality for physician continuing professional development (CPD). This study sought to characterize how simulation-based CPD (SBCPD) is being used in Canada and what academic emergency physicians (AEPs) desire in an SBCPD program. Two national surveys were conducted from March to June 2018. First, the SBCPD Needs Assessment Survey was administered online to all full-time AEPs across 9 Canadian academic emergency medicine (EM) sites. Second, the SBCPD Status Survey was administered by telephone to the department representatives (DRs)-simulation directors or equivalent-at 20 Canadian academic EM sites. Response rates for the SBCPD Needs Assessment and the SBCPD Status Survey were 40% (252/635) and 100% (20/20) respectively. Sixty percent of Canadian academic EM sites reported using SBCPD, although only 30% reported dedicated funding support. Academic emergency physician responses demonstrated a median annual SBCPD of 3 hours. Reported incentivization for SBCPD participation varied with AEPs reporting less incentivization than DRs. Academic emergency physicians identified time commitments outside of shift, lack of opportunities, and lack of departmental funding as their top barriers to participation, whereas DRs thought AEPs fear of peer judgment and inexperience with simulation were substantial barriers. Content areas of interest for SBCPD were as follows: rare procedures, pediatric resuscitation, and neonatal resuscitation. Lastly, interprofessional involvement in SBCPD was valued by both DRs and AEPs. Simulation-based CPD programs are becoming common in Canadian academic EM sites. Our findings will guide program coordinators in addressing barriers to participation, selecting content, and determining the frequency of SBCPD events.

Continuing Professional Development Needs of Community Pharmacists in Qatar: A Mixed-Methods Approach.

ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the educational needs and professional competencies of community pharmacists in Qatar to inform the development of relevant continuing professional development (CPD) programs.MethodsA mixed-methods cross-sectional exploratory study targeting community pharmacists was conducted using a questionnaire and an event diary. Descriptive and inferential analyses were utilized to analyze the data using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS®) version 21 software. For the event diary, thematic content analysis was used for data analysis.ResultsDrug information skills and pharmaceutical care process were the most identified topics for inclusion in CPD programs. None of the pharmacists thought that they were competent in core areas of pharmacy practice. Community pharmacists who filled an event diary highlighted the need for development in areas such as communication skills and medication safety.ConclusionThe identified needs shall help in developing a CPD program that addresses what community pharmacists perceive as educational and professional training needs.

Exploring the influence of educators’ continuous professional development programmes in enhancing students’ achievement in South African schools

Exploring the influence of educators’ continuous professional development programmes in enhancing students’ achievement in South African schools