Continuing Education Programs Research Articles

A virtual training program for improving cultural competence among academic nurse educators

BackgroundEveryday, nursing students interact with culturally diverse clients. Nursing education recognizes that cultural competence is a necessary outcome of nursing programs. Nurse educators expect all nursing students to provide culturally congruent care to multicultural clients. Therefore, nurse educators must be culturally competent in order to prepare culturally competent nursing students for clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of virtual training program on the cultural competence of academic nurse educators.MethodsThis randomized controlled study included nurse educators working in six nursing schools affiliated with medical universities of Kerman province in southeastern Iran. Sixty-nine nurse educators were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 35) and control (n = 34) groups. The training program consisted of three 2-hour sessions for a month. Cultural Diversity Questionnaire for Nurse Educators Revised (CDQNE-R) was used to evaluate the cultural competence of educators before and one month after the virtual training program.ResultsBoth the intervention (3.29 ± 0.58) and control (3.24 ± 0.58) groups demonstrated a similar level of cultural competence before the training program (t = 0.05, p = 0.95). After the training, the intervention group showed a significant increase in cultural competence (3.80 ± 0.7) compared to the control group (3.23 ± 0.67). This improvement resulted in culturally competent participants becoming culturally proficient, as evidenced by a large effect size (t = -4.76, p = 0.001).ConclusionThe virtual training program had a positive impact on the cultural competence of nurse educators. Given the importance of cultural competence in nursing education, continuing education programs that focus on strengthening the cultural competence of nurse educators should be prioritized. The experiences gained from implementing virtual training programs can serve as a valuable resource for nurse educators seeking to enhance their cultural competence.

Developing an In-House Comprehensive Medication Review Training Program for Clinical Pharmacists in a Finnish Hospital Pharmacy.

Long-term continuing education programs have been a key factor in shifting toward more patient-centered clinical pharmacy services. This narrative review aims to describe the development of Helsinki University Hospital (HUS) Pharmacy's in-house Comprehensive Medication Review Training Program (CMRTP) and how it has impacted clinical pharmacy services in HUS. The CMRTP was developed during the years 2017-2020. The program focuses on developing the special skills and competencies needed in comprehensive medication reviews (CMRs), including interprofessional collaboration and pharmacotherapeutic knowledge. The program consists of two modules: (I) Pharmacist-Led Medication Reconciliation, and (II) CMR. The CMRTP includes teaching sessions, self-learning assignments, medication reconciliations, medication review cases, CMRs, a written final report, and a self-assessment of competence development. The one-year-long program is coordinated by a clinical teacher. The program is continuously developed based on the latest guidelines in evidence-based medicine and international benchmarking in cooperation with the University of Helsinki. With the CMRTP, we have adopted a more patient-centered role for our clinical pharmacists and remarkably expanded the services. This program may be benchmarked in other countries where the local education system does not cover clinical pharmacy competence well enough and in hospitals where the clinical pharmacy services are not yet very patient-oriented.

Academic writing strategies among Danish students with a professional background

ABSTRACT Expectations of how theory, empirical material, and methods should be dealt with in academic writing has not always been explicitly communicated to students. Due to a heterogeneity in student populations enrolled in higher degree courses worldwide, diversity in academic writing practices has increased. This paper explores academic writing practices among a group of students with professional, vocational backgrounds and close relationships to practical knowledge. Twelve examination papers from fifteen students within a continuing education program at a Danish university have been analysed inspired by Aristotle’s activities of theoria and praxis and Bourdieu’s concept of strategy. In this perspective, the study shows student strategies of how the students seem to retain an affinity to allow a practical approach of social and ethical evaluation when handling theory, empirical material, and methods. The analysis shows that students’ personal preferences are brought into the foreground.

Continuing Education Writing: Know Your Clinician Audience

Continuing education (CE) writing is a major field of work for medical writers and editors. It usually involves writing educational content for practicing clinicians. To help ensure the content is accurate and relevant, medical writers should be aware of the clinical responsibilities of their target audience. Physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, nurses, clinical psychologists, and dieticians are several examples of professions that often require CE to maintain licensure. With a general trend of increased funding for CE programs, medical writers and editors have opportunities to be involved in crafting deliverables such as needs assessments and other portions of grant proposals, as well as various types of deliverables for educational content.

Evaluating the History-Taking Process of Sexual Reproductive Health Problems in Tanzania: Lessons from a Study of Health Students and Practitioners.

Building trust and therapeutic relationships between healthcare providers and patients are crucial for delivering high-quality, comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. Yet, while patients face substantial SRH disparities in Tanzania, little is known about health care professionals' [HCPs] SRH history-taking practices and experiences. This paper describes HCPs' interdisciplinary practices, experience in conducting SRH taking, and the critical lessons learned to optimize quality SRH care. We conducted 18 focus group discussions in June 2019 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with 60 healthcare practitioners and 61 students in midwifery, nursing, and medicine. We implemented a purposive, stratified sampling design to explore the experiences and perspectives of HCPs regarding providing sexual health services. We employed a grounded theory approach to perform the analysis. We provided seven scenarios to participants to discuss how they would manage SRH health problems. The scenarios helped us evaluate the practice and experience of SRH in Tanzania. Four broad themes and sub-themes emerged during the discussion; 1) SRH history-taking practices and experiences in the health care facilities; 2) the perceived benefit of effective SRH history-taking; 3) Factors hindering the SRH history-taking process; 4) The power of confidence. These findings have implications for strengthening a sexual health curriculum for medical students and continuing education programs for practicing health professionals designed to address the observed health disparities in Tanzania. These findings affirm that proper SRH history-taking requires a conducive environment, knowledge of relevant SRH-related laws and regulations; application of evidence-based techniques; and giving patients autonomy to make decisions for their health while making recommendations regarding standard care. Comprehensive SRH history-taking identifies critical data for illness diagnosis, provides foundational information for risk-reduction behavioural change counselling, and reduces medical costs. Therefore, the primary goal is to optimize health professional training on SRH issues and history-taking skills within the medical interview.

Assessment of Food Safety, Knowledge and Practices among Students and Staff at Zarqa University, Jordan

The food safety matter is an issue that is discussed widely, but cases of food poisoning in particular, are still ongoing. This may be associated with person’s level of knowledge and practices on food safety. This current study aimed to evaluate knowledge and practices levels related to food safety and to examine the relationship of some demographic characteristics with knowledge and practices levels related to food safety, as well as the relationship between food safety knowledge and practices among the students and staff members of Zarqa University, Jordan. The study was conducted via a Google form that was set up for this study. 406 subjectsparticipated in the study, where 37.7% were males and 62.3% of the participants were females. Results showed that 90.6% and 75.1% of the participants had a good knowledge and a high level of practices related to food safety, respectively. The findings also showed a significant relationship between age, marital status and the knowledge scores related to food safety, and a significant relationship (P˂ 0.05) between age, gender, marital status and practices related to food safety (P˂ 0.05). Further, a small significant positive relationship between food safety knowledge and food safety practices was found (P˂ 0.05). Overall, it was found that there is a good knowledge level related to food safety and high food safety practice level among the participants. As a result; to achieve an advanced level of knowledge continuing education programs, are required to increase understanding food safety.

Educational Needs of Healthcare Providers for Maternal and Newborn Care During Disasters in Iran

Background & Aims Healthcare providers are responsible for providing services to mothers and infants during disasters. The purpose of this study is to determine their educational needs for maternal and newborn care during disasters in Iran. Materials & Methods This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted in 2017 on 208 healthcare providers (nurses, practical nurses, and midwives) from nine armed forces hospitals in Tehran, Iran who were selected by a census method. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire with acceptable face validity, content validity, and structure, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.94. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS software, version 16. Results The mean score on the educational needs assessment scale was higher in the fields of sexual violence management (4.30±0.01) and information management (4.28±0.01), indicating the high need for education in these areas. The lowest scores were in the fields of postpartum care in newborns (2.19±0.96) and responsiveness (2.98±0.89). In total, the educational needs of healthcare providers were high (3.3±0.43). Conclusion The readiness of healthcare providers in Iran to provide maternal and newborn care during disasters is low and needs more attention. Therefore, it is recommended to compile and revise university educational programs and implement continuous education programs based on the results of this study in the proposed areas (especially sexual violence management and information management) in a regular, periodic, and continuous manner.

A Survey of Community Providers on Feeding Problems in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Feeding problems, ranging from mild to severe, are common in children with autism spectrum disorder. We conducted a 15-item online survey of community providers to gather information on service demand and current treatment approaches for this clinical population. Respondents, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, registered dietitians, and Board-Certified Behavior Analysts, were recruited via e-mail listservs, professional conferences, continuing education programs, social media and electronic newsletters. The survey included questions about professional discipline, years in practice, patient population served, feeding problem types, therapeutic approaches, and level of interest in parent-mediated interventions. A total of 541 community practitioners responded to the survey; 419 provided usable data. Across all providers, 97% (n = 406) reported seeing children with ASD and feeding problems. Of these, 90% (n = 367) offered treatment. Providers (n = 23) who did not treat feeding problems cited "insufficient training." Most common presenting problems included limited dietary variety, texture sensitivity, and disruptive mealtime behavior. Although treatment approaches varied across disciplines, 89.3% indicated openness to parent-mediated treatment. These results indicate a high demand for treatment of children with ASD and feeding problems across disciplines. Food selectivity was the most common problem. Treatment approaches varied across disciplines. Dissemination and implementation of evidence-based, parent-mediated intervention is warranted.

Continuing Professional Development for Nurses and Midwives in Community Health in Riyadh First Health Cluster

It is important for nurses to consistently enhance their knowledge and abilities, which can be achieved through participating in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs. The objective of this research is to implement a CPD program at PHCCs that will maintain the standard of nursing services. This will be accomplished through a training needs evaluation that was conducted in 2021. Methods: The research conducted was a secondary quantitative study known as a "desk study". The data used for this study was collected in 2021 from Primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs) in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specifically from the Riyadh First Health Cluster. The participants were recruited from these health centers and were all nurses. The study interviewed a convenient sample of 700 nurses and managed to get a response rate of 82.4%. Results: According to the study, a significant number of nurses (84.8%) held a Diploma of Science in Nursing, indicating that the study participants recognized the advantages of attending continuing nursing education. The nursing staff prioritized learning essential concepts and principles for performing nursing procedures and improving their advanced nursing skills. Although the majority of the sample had a Diploma degree, most of the respondents expressed a desire for professional development in leadership and management knowledge and skills. Conclusion: It is important to establish a continuing education program that is tailored to meet the professional requirements of nurses working in primary health care centers. The design of such a program should consider the challenges that inhibit nurses' participation in continuing professional development (CPD) and develop effective strategies and frameworks to enhance their involvement in community health.

Continuing Education Needs of Custodial Adult Inmates for Sustainable Community Development in Zamfara State, Nigeria

This study assessed the Continuing Education Needs of Custodial Adult Inmates for Sustainable Community Development in Zamfara State, Nigeria. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study was 762 respondents in the 5 Nigerian Correctional Custodial Centres of Zamfara State. Purposive sampling technique was used to sample 351 Custodial Adult Inmates comprising all the 266 male and 85 female convicted inmates of the Gusau Central Custodial Centre for the study. The instrument used for data collection was self-structured questionnaire tagged “Questionnaire on the Continuing Education Needs of Custodial Adult Inmates (QACENCAI)”. The instrument was subjected to face validation by three experts. The reliability coefficient for the instrument was 0.85. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics of mean, while the null hypotheses were tested using t-test at the probability of 0.05 level of significance. The study showed that there were only two Continuing Education (CE) programmes for Adult inmates in Gusau Central Custodial Centre and at the time of the study, there were convicts trainees in the CE programmes of the Gusau Central Custodial Centre. Based on these findings, the study recommended among others that the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) should introduce more CE programmes and extend them to other Satellite’s Custodial Centres of the state for sustainable community development in the study area and country at large.

Denture Adhesive Utilization and Associated Factors among Dental Practitioners in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.

Denture adhesives (DAs) enhance denture retention and stability, thus improving functions of removable prostheses. However, the adverse effects of DAs on denture foundation area were also reported. The clinical use of DAs among dentists has not been investigated in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate utilization of DAs and associated factors among dental practitioners in Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional study included dental professionals practicing in both public and private sectors in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. A self-administered pilot tested questionnaire was distributed among participants. The questionnaire has questions related to demographic information, knowledge and awareness, and the utilization of DAs. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. The study included 279 participants with a response rate of 79.03%. The majority of participants (61.6%) were below 35 years of age, males (56.6%), general dentists (57.3%), and worked in the private sector (59.9%). Less than half of the participants (39.4%) used DAs in their dental practice, and 64.5% recommended using DAs when needed. The most reported complications of DAs included inflammation (58.40%), ulcers (35.10%), and whitish color (31.20%) of denture foundation area. A vast majority (83.90%) reported that DAs improve retention of the dentures. About 55.2% of the participants were taught about DAs in their undergraduate programs, 12.5% attended continuing education, and 21.5% updated their knowledge about DAs. Multiple logistic regression showed that those who attended continuing education activities (adjusted OR = 2.41, p = 0.036) and updated their knowledge about DAs (adjusted OR = 4.43, p = < 0.001) were significantly more likely to use DAs in their dental practice. A minority of dental practitioners used DAs in their practices. Attending continuing education programs and updating knowledge of DAs were significantly associated with DAs utilization.

Evolution of a Cocurricular Program to Support Student Professional Identity Formation

ObjectiveDescribe the development, implementation, and assessment of a cocurricular program intentionally designed to foster professional identity formation at a private institution. MethodsA cocurricular committee was established which developed a cocurriculum program in 3 phases. The committee utilized a gap analysis to inform the development of a continuing-education-based elective program (phase I), broadened program components and enhanced assessment (phase II), and continued to strengthen select areas of the affective domains through a second gap analysis and implement a summative assessment (phase III). ResultsOver 2 academic years, the completion rates for reflections, continuing education programming, and community outreach in the most recent academic year were consistently above 80% by the final due date. Rates of the mentor-mentee meetings fell below 50%; however, this component is tracked by the faculty member and not the students. Community outreach monitoring was managed by the committee for the first time in the 2021–2022 academic year and completion rates increased from 64% to 82%. Student reflections indicated consistent progression toward practice readiness from first- to third-year pharmacy students. For the Pharmacy Affective Domain Situational Judgment test, 22% and 16% of first-year pharmacy students were flagged during the first and second year implemented, respectively, and only 8% of the third-year pharmacy students were flagged in both years. ConclusionUtilization of a cocurricular committee has been vital for the development, progression, and assessment of the cocurriculum at a single private institution.

OC-106 #SOME4SURGERY

Abstract Aim Digital transformation of society is now a reality, as is the incessant increase in the use of social networks. The aim is to present digital platforms for surgeons, how they are used, what impact they have and their roles in research and communication. Material and methods We carried out a narrative review based on bibliographic searches on the use of social networks in health professionals, as well as studies of impact and repercussion in the field of surgical communication and research. Results There are different social networks that can be used by surgeons, Twitter being preferred for its easy use and speed of diffusion, with the ability to group specific topics and amplify them through the use of hashtags such as #SoMe4Surgery (Social Media for Surgery). It is possible to spread knowledge in specific areas, facilitate conversation, collaboration and support between professionals with common interests anywhere in the world. Conclusions Social networks have been described as a necessary component in the usual practice of surgery and as an obligation for surgeons to know how to recognize their power and potential and to be used in the preparation of guides or expert panels, as well as the dissemination of information and interaction between professionals in the face of the growing difficulty in the resources available to access continuing education programs or attendance at face-to-face events. All this through responsible use (even requiring the publication of a guide for the ethical use of social networks by the American College of Surgeons).

Effectiveness of Telephone-Based Interpersonal Psychotherapy on Antenatal Depressive Symptoms: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial in The Kingdom of Jordan.

Jordanian pregnant women report high prevalence of antenatal depressive symptoms, compared to their counterparts internationally. One potential nonpharmacological intervention is Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), accessed by telephone. The aim of this study is to compare the depressive symptom level(s) among Jordanian pregnant women who received IPT treatment with those who received routine antenatal care. A prospective randomized controlled trial design was used. Following ethical approval, a sample of 100 pregnant women (50 in each group) at 24 to 37 weeks gestation, was drawn from one governmental public hospital. Seven sessions (each half an hour) of telephone-based IPT were offered twice weekly to those assigned to the intervention arm: one pretherapy orientation, five intermediates, and one closing session. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was administered before and after the intervention. Analysis of covariance was used to detect the intervention effect. The two groups were matched based on demographic and health characteristics. Compared to the control group, pregnant women who received the intervention reported fewer depressive symptoms. Midwives and general nurses should screen all pregnant women for symptoms of depression. The effectiveness of IPT treatment in alleviating depressive symptoms indicates the importance of using such supportive interventions by midwives and general nurses, who are trained in psycho-educational counseling techniques. Moreover, data provided by this study may encourage policymakers to legislate policies that make psychotherapists available and accessible in antenatal care units and ensure that staff have adequate training via continuing education programs to screen for antenatal depressive symptoms.

182 North Carolina Small Ruminant Improvement Program Workshops Build Producer Knowledge of Important Management Techniques

Abstract Growing interest in small ruminant production, strong market demand, and producers’ minimal use of data-driven management practices led to the development of the North Carolina Small Ruminant Improvement Program (NCSRIP) in 2021. This program seeks to improve the number and quality of small ruminants produced in North Carolina as well as improve producer profitability. Three workshops were held to increase producer awareness of new small ruminant production practices and opportunities. All workshops included classroom and breakout sessions featuring hands-on activities. In February 2022, the Lambing and Kidding Workshop was held in cooperation with NC Sheep Producers Association at the North Carolina State Small Ruminant Educational Unit (Raleigh, NC). Topics included pre-lambing/kidding management, lambing and kidding diseases, the birthing process, dystocia management and lamb/kid processing. The Flock Management Workshop was held in May on a working sheep farm near Dobson, NC. Attendees learned about hay sampling and analysis, ration balancing, flock health management and cost share resources for small ruminant operations. In June, the NCSRIP joined with the Eastern Alliance for Production Katahdins to host a grazing school in Roxboro, NC. The agenda featured predator regulatory considerations, herding dog use, parasite management, genetic selection, soil health and pasture management. Workshop pre-registrations were 162 with 65 attending the events with 63 evaluations completed. Fifty-six percent of participants owned 1-50 breeding females. Twenty-seven percent of participants had no livestock but were gathering information for future endeavors. Fifty-seven percent of operations owned sheep, 13.0% raised goats, 7.4% produced cattle and 22.4% grazed combinations of all species. Fifty-seven percent of producers lived in the North Carolina Piedmont region while 14.3% resided in the Coastal region, 2.9% from the Mountain region and 25.7% from out of state. Post-workshop evaluations asked attendees to rank their increased understanding of each major agenda topic. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 = no improvement to 5 = significant improvement), participants indicated they had improvement in all topics (mean = 4.18). When asked about participating in future NCSRIP events, producers suggested they would attend (mean = 4.62; 1 = will not participate to 5 = will attend if possible). When asked about what they like most about these workshops, attendees mentioned the hands-on approach and practical knowledge gained. Producer feedback indicates a growing interest in small ruminant production and a need for continued practical education programs.

The study of healthcare professionals' perspective towards the quality of diabetic care services in Abha.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between organizational characteristics and diabetes care from the perspective of health care professionals (HCPs) in Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional, self-reported survey of healthcare professionals was done. The study comprised a total of 106 HCPs from various departments involved with diabetes patient clinics or service providers. The electronic data collecting form was used to gather the data. The study revealed a stronger association between the availability of bed facilities and better glycemic control. Moreover, the majority of HCPs believes that urbanization and sedentary lifestyles are the main contributors to the rise of diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia. Depending on organizational features, the regulations that are available for monitoring defaulter patients and running continuous medical education (CME) programs are vastly different. The main cause of the reported lack of medications for managing diabetic care was described as being a problem with the central medical supply store's drug supply, which was influenced by the type of health sector. Facilitating change at all levels, including patient education, HCPs education, and organizational development, can improve the quality of treatment. The current study can provide insight into the focus of interventional strategies to deliver diabetes patients with high-quality patient care.

Enhancing the care of neuro-oncological patients: Fundamental and useful concepts for nurses who specialize in neurorehabilitation

Due to the variety of neurological abnormalities that these patients experience, the neuro-oncological population effectively conveys the complexity of neurological disability. Also, because of treatment advancements, patients with brain tumors live longer and need rehabilitation services. Even if their importance in this environment is acknowledged and their role is growing, the nurse's position in the interdisciplinary specialty of neurorehabilitation is not precisely defined. The study aims to determine the fundamental skills that neurorehabilitation nurses should possess, which might be taught in a specialty course. According to the literature, advancing medical professionals' scientific and practical knowledge is necessary for the growth of rehabilitation. This organized training curriculum could be included in graduate nurse continuing education programs and undergraduate nursing education programs. For nurses to provide better overall care and care management for patients with extremely complex disabilities, such as those affected by brain tumors, they must become experts in neuro-rehabilitation. The next step will be to begin debating the creation of a specialization program in neurorehabilitation nursing at the level of scientific associations related to neurorehabilitation and cancer.

Question of the Day: A Learning Success (S10.001)

<h3>Objective:</h3> To demonstrate the successful implementation of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Question of the Day (QOD) mobile application and its value to AAN members. <h3>Background:</h3> QOD, launched in 2020, provides daily board exam–style multiple-choice questions in two tracks: one for practicing neurologists and one for medical students. Questions for neurologists follow a yearly curriculum based on the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) content outline. Topics include a wide variety of neurology subspecialties. Each question is accompanied by a detailed rationale and current references, many of which are hyperlinked to peer-reviewed resources. Users can earn up to 29 self-assessment continuing medical education (SA-CME) per year, which is 2 SA-CME per 25 QOD questions. The ABPN has approved QOD as part of a comprehensive lifelong learning program. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> Data collected from QOD since April 2021 include activity by AAN member type, total active daily users, number of CME earned, and program evaluation data. <h3>Results:</h3> Total users per year were 5.6K, 9.5K, and 11K for 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively, with practicing neurologists (25%) and junior (59%) AAN members the most engaged, and with participation from 123 countries. Average daily users increased from 1.4K in 2021 to 1.5K in 2022, with weekly (2.7K) and monthly (4.3K) usage comparable in 2021 and 2022. In total, 8.7K hours of SA-CME have been claimed in 2022 compared with 5.8K in 2021. Satisfaction has remained high since launch and is currently 99%. Users report that the questions are useful, fair, balanced, and of high quality. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> Since its introduction in 2020, QOD has become a very popular, effective continuing education program for AAN members. There has been substantial growth of new users each year while maintaining a strong contingency of daily users. <b>Disclosure:</b> Dr. Seachrist has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of American Academy of Neurology. The institution of Dr. Seachrist has received research support from Bristol Myers Squibb. Dr. Seachrist has a non-compensated relationship as a Topic Group Member with American Academy of Neurology that is relevant to AAN interests or activities. Ms. Shindoll has nothing to disclose. The institution of Dr. Pawar has received research support from ACGME "Back to Bedside" Grant support. Dr. London has nothing to disclose. Dr. Khan has nothing to disclose. The institution of Dr. Kraakevik has received research support from Parkinson Foundation. Dr. Graber has a non-compensated relationship as a Editorial Board member with Neuro-Oncology: Practice, published by Oxford that is relevant to AAN interests or activities. Dr. Graber has a non-compensated relationship as a Editorial Board Member with Journal of Pain and Symptom Management that is relevant to AAN interests or activities. Dr. Graber has a non-compensated relationship as a Board of Directors with American Society of Neuroimaging that is relevant to AAN interests or activities. Dr. Graber has a non-compensated relationship as a Certification Exam Committee Member with United Council of Neurogical Subspecialties that is relevant to AAN interests or activities. Dr. Graber has a non-compensated relationship as a Question of the Day ’app’ committee with American Academy of Neurology that is relevant to AAN interests or activities. Dr. Graber has a non-compensated relationship as a Editorial Board Member with Practical Neurology (BMC) that is relevant to AAN interests or activities. Dr. Gliksman has nothing to disclose.

Evaluation of the Clinical Nurse Specialists Training Program in Pediatric Intensive Care Units in China: Quantitative Results from Participants’ Perspectives

Background: This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of a clinical nurse specialists training program in Zhejiang Province, China, from participants’ perspectives. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 209 PICU nurse specialists who participated in the training program from 2016 to 2021. All participants completed an online questionnaire two years after graduation. We collected their demographic characteristics and their development status after the training (e.g., continuous improvement of core competence, research skills, and promotion). Chi-squared test was applied to assess the differences in effectiveness across subgroups. Results: In total, 209 (87.8%) out of 238 nurses responded to the survey among whom 73.7% launched new projects in their hospital after training and 75% published research articles in peer-reviewed journals. Also, 32.4% received promotions, and 67% participated in ICU-related continuing education programs. Based on multivariate regression analysis, the execution of new projects was closely related to the nurse’s position and the level of their working hospitals. The job title and position were associated with publication, research performance, promotion, and continuing education. Conclusions: The nurse specialists of the PICU carried out a set of new projects implanting new skills that they had learned from the training program. Their core competence was improved, including theoretical knowledge and operation skills, teaching capacities, and scientific research abilities. Many trainees published papers, applied for research grants, got promotions, and had further opportunities for continuing education.

Evaluating a dental sleep apnea mini-residency program using the Kirkpatrick model.

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate a Dental Sleep Medicine Mini-Residency (DSMMR) continuing education (CE) program using the Kirkpatrick model. After receiving ethical approval, data from participants in the 2019-2020 DSMMR CE course were included for the Kirkpatrick evaluation. The analysis was stratified and all the Kirkpatrick levels were integrated: level 1 (satisfaction) was assessed via Likert scale and open-ended questions; level 2 (learning) was evaluated using pretest and posttest knowledge data following Module 1 (M1) and an assessment of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) developed by participants; level 3 (behavior) was evaluated using Likert scale questions; and level 4 (results) was assessed via the percentage of participants who passed the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine (ABDSM) examination on their first attempt. A total of 90 participants were included in the study. At least 83.1% of participants agreed/strongly agreed with positively worded statements about satisfaction. Knowledge scores significantly increased from pre-M1 to post-M1 (p<0.001); however, only 15.2% of MCQs were evaluated as well-formulated. At least 88.6% of participants agreed/strongly agreed with positively worded statements about transfer of knowledge/skills to their practice. 91.1% passed the ABDSM examination on their first attempt. The evaluation of the 2019-2020 DSMMR using the Kirkpatrick model suggests its overall positive impact as a training program. The Kirkpatrick model provided information that can be used to improve the quality of a program. Future studies should assess other dental CE programs using the Kirkpatrick model or another evaluation model.