External Training Programs Research Articles

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on training conditions and education in oncologic disciplines: a survey-based analysis

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to changes in global health care. Medical societies had to update guidelines and enhance new services such as video consultations. Cancer treatment had to be modified. The aim of this study is to ensure optimal care for cancer patients with the help of high-quality training even in times of crisis. We therefore conducted a nationwide survey of physicians in training in oncological disciplines during the pandemic to assess the impact on their education.MethodsThe survey was sent to tumour centres, hospitals, specialist societies, and working and junior research groups and distributed via newsletters and homepages. Interim results and a call for participation were published as a poster (DEGRO) [26] and in the German Cancer Society (DKG) journal FORUM [42]. The survey contained 53 questions on conditions of education and training and on clinical and scientific work. Statistics were carried out with LimeSurvey and SPSS (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).ResultsBetween February and November 2022, 450 participants answered the survey, with radio-oncologists being the largest group (28%). Most colleagues (63%) had access to digital training methods. Virtual sessions were rated as a good alternative, especially as multidisciplinary meetings (54%) as well as in-house and external training programs (48%, 47%). The time spent by training supervisors on education was rated as less than before the pandemic by 57%. Half of all participants perceived communication (54%), motivation (44%) and atmosphere (50%) in the team as bad. The participants felt strongly burdened by extra work (55%) and by a changed team atmosphere (49%). One third felt a change in the quality of training during the pandemic and rated it as negative (35%). According to 37% of the participants, this had little influence on their own quality of work. Additional subgroup analyses revealed significant differences in gender, specialty and education level.ConclusionIn order to improve oncology training in times of crisis, access to digital training options and meetings should be ensured. Participants wish for regular team meetings in person to enable good team spirit, compensation for overtime work and sufficient time for training supervisors for discussion and feedback.

Skills Capacity Building For Health Care Services and Research Through the Sickle Pan African Research Consortium.

Skills development, the building of human capacity, is key to any sustainable capacity building effort, however, such undertakings require adaptable and tailored strategies. The Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium (SPARCo) is building capacity in sickle cell disease (SCD) management and research in sub-Saharan Africa, including a multi-national SCD patient registry, this is underpinned by skills development activities in data, research, and SCD management. Method: The SPARCo Skills Working Group was set up with the mandate of coordinating skills development activities across the three SPARCo sites in Ghana, Nigeria and Tanzania. To tailor activities to the requirements of the consortium, a needs assessment was conducted at the start of the project which identified skills required for SCD management and research and catalogued existing external and internal training programmes. The needs assessment highlighted differences in skill levels between the sites and different organisational structures which required tailored skills development activities at individual, site and consortium levels. Strategy: Based on the needs and the resources available, different types of training activities were implemented: these included online, blended and face to face activities. In order to create a sustainable skills development programme, existing short, medium, long-term, on-job training activities were used wherever possible. World Sickle Cell Day (19th June) was leveraged for training and health education activities. Results: SPARCo has recorded 1,726 participants in skills development activities across the three sites. Skills have been enhanced in data management, SCD and research to underpin the core deliverables of SPARCo. Conclusion and Lessons Learned: The baseline needs assessments and continual review and adjustment were critical for development of an effective skill development strategy for the consortium. This adaptability was particularly valuable during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sustainability plan leveraged existing programmes and activities and has created a pool of people with required skills for health care and research in SCD. To be effective, skills development programmes need to take into account existing capacity, training opportunities and local conditions. The model was applied to SCD and is adaptable to other skills development in healthcare and research in low and middle- income countries.

Forest Contracting Businesses in the US Southwest: Current Profile and Workforce Training Needs

AbstractWe surveyed forestry contractors in three sectors (logging, mastication, and trucking) across the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. Our survey sought to gather current demographic and background information on contractors as well as establish how a forest operations training center might address their employee training needs. Most of the businesses surveyed were small, with owner ages tending to be high (over 50) but employee ages much lower (under 40). Finding skilled workers was identified as the greatest barrier to success by the respondents, underscoring the need for more training opportunities. The majority of respondents (86%) did not have access to any external training programs. Survey results indicated a high demand for training programs for forestry contractors in the Southwest, which could play a vital role for the region to achieve landscape-scale forest restoration goals.

The role of the administrative leadership in raising the motivation to work among the employees and its impact on the distinction of institutional performance in the General Administration of Education in Al-Jawf region: دور القيادة الإدارية في إثارة الدافعية للعمل لدى الموظفين وأثر ذلك على تميز الأداء المؤسسي في الإدارة العامة للتعليم بمنطقة الجوف

The aim of the research is to identify the role of administrative leadership in raising motivation to work among employees and its impact on the excellence of institutional performance in teaching Al-Jouf, and the descriptive analytical approach and the questionnaire were used as a research tool, and the questionnaire consisted of (65) paragraphs distributed on two axes, and was applied to (210) Singles, which varied between (leader, teacher, educational supervisor, administrative assistant). And after analyzing the data statistically, the results came as follows: The statistical indicators showed that the degree to which leaders practiced their role in raising the motivation to work among the employees from the employees' point of view was a degree of agreement, and the average responses ranged between (3.40- 4.19). Among the most prominent phrases in the approval rate: The administrative leadership encourages employees to perform work well, the administrative leadership supports the professional growth of its employees. The research reached a set of recommendations, the most prominent of which are: Providing professional development opportunities for leaderships by providing quality internal and external training programs aimed at enhancing leadership skills to suit contemporary changes and challenges. Improving the preparation of second-grade leaderships programs and developing their leadership and creativity skills. Utilizing the proposed procedural methodology prepared by the researcher based on the (Claire) model to design motivation to work.

External wine education and certification for restaurant service staff: a mixed-methods evaluation of training effectiveness

PurposeThe purpose of this mixed-methods explanatory sequential study was to assess the effects of an external wine education and certification program on trainee reactions, learning, transfer and financial results.Design/methodology/approachThe quantitative phase was a mixed experimental design in which the training intervention was between-subjects and time was within-subjects. The sample comprises 91 employees (NTraining = 43; NControl = 48) from 12 units of a fine dining restaurant group. The qualitative phase, comprised of semi-structured interviews with training group participants (N = 12), was implemented after the experiment.FindingsTraining group participants reported high scores for attitude toward training content, instructional satisfaction and transfer motivation. Financial metrics, tracked up to 60 days post-training, demonstrated the wine education program was effective in increasing wine knowledge but not wine sales. Four themes emerged from the qualitative data: sense of accomplishment, enhanced guest interaction, tips and gratuities and defeat. Integrated findings revealed increased wine knowledge led to personal financial impact (increased tips) rather than organizational impact.Originality/valueThis research builds on existing training literature and human capital theory by examining external training programs. Further, the use of a mixed-methods design and integration of the quantitative and qualitative findings offers a previously unidentified explanation for why wine training, although effective in facilitating positive reactions and learning, fails to result in transfer behaviors which generate increased wine sales.

Effectiveness of implementation of evidence-based educational intervention regarding chest tube on clinical patient’s outcomes in cardiothoracic care unit

Background: Ineffective evacuation of the accumulated intra-thoracic air and/or fluid after cardiothoracic surgery may upsurge postoperative complications, morbidity, and mortality. So, chest drains are a prevalent intervention for patients admitted to acute respiratory or cardiothoracic care areas. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of nurses’ evidence-based educational intervention regarding the chest tube on clinical patient’s outcomes in intensive cardiothoracic care. Setting: The study was carried out at the cardio-thoracic care unit affiliated to Mansoura University Hospital. Method: A quasi-experimental research design was utilized to conduct this study using a pretest posttest approach. A convenience sample of 55 nurses and 60 patients were selected to achieve the aim of the present study. The results revealed that there were a highly statistically significant differences regarding total mean scores of nurses' knowledge and practice pre and post implementation of evidence-based educational intervention. Also there were an improvement in total mean scores of the patients’ outcomes regarding chest tube. Conclusion: There was a statistical significant improvement in nurses’ total mean knowledge and practice scores post evidence-based educational intervention. Also, there was a statistically significant positive effect of nurses’ evidence-based educational intervention regarding the chest tube on clinical patient’s outcomes in intensive cardiothoracic care. Recommendation: The nurses should implement nursing care for patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery based on evidence based practice. The nurses must enroll into internal and external training programs and attain and participate in conferences to renovate their knowledge and practices regarding EBP about chest tube post cardiothoracic surgery

Evaluation of healthcare professionals' knowledge on Code Blue: A multi-centre survey study

Introduction: The Blue Code practice provides increase in survival rates and decrease in the rate of permanent sequelae after cardiac arrest. There are issues that healthcare workers should pay attention to in the Code Blue practice. Aim The primary purpose of this survey study is to determine the knowledge levels of physicians and nurses about the Code Blue and cardiopulmonary resuscitation in 6 centres. The secondary aim is to determine the solutions that can be made to eliminate these deficiencies. Methods After the approval of the Faculty Ethics Committee, Mersin University Faculty of Medicine, Adana Baskent Turgut Noyan Training and Research Hospital, Dokuz Eylül Univ. Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Gulhane Training and Research Hospital, Manisa Celal Bayar Univ. Faculty of Medicine, except for the doctors and technicians of the Department of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation and the healthcare professionals working in the intensive care units, the doctors and nurses working in other departments were asked to answer the questions in the questionnaire via the internet with the questionnaire form stated in Appendix 1. Results A total of 415 participants responded the survey. Of them, 45.8% were nurses, 24.8% residents, 23.3% faculty members, 5.4% specialist doctors and 0.7% general practitioners. Totally 86.6% of the participants knew the Code Blue number. To the question "What is the Code Blue?", 92.7% of the participants gave the correct answer to his question. "Do you hesitate to intervene when you encounter a patient requiring emergency intervention?" 25.9% of the participants answered "Yes" to the question. "Is there a form about Code Blue in your clinic?" 41% answered "No" to the question. Conclusion According to the results of the survey we conducted, we are of the opinion that healthcare workers have insufficient knowledge about the Code Blue. In order to solve these problems, it would be appropriate to direct healthcare professionals to both in-hospital and external training programs.

Towards a Scholarship of Practice for University Leadership in Southern Africa: The Two-Way Practitioner-Researcher Loop

Vice chancellors of public universities in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region face a myriad of challenges that require research- and data-driven decision-making. This paper presents a decision-making model for college and university leadership - The Two-Way Practitioner-Researcher Loop. This scholarship of practice has the twin goals of developing a knowledge base for college and university leadership and improving leadership practice in the university. The scholarship of practice comprises two “loops”. In the practitioner-to-researcher loop, vice chancellors develop practitioner-defined research agenda to be researched internally by Departments of Institutional Research and externally by members of Higher Education research communities. In the researcher-to-practitioner loop, research findings are communicated back to vice chancellors for immediate application to institutional planning, policy formulation, and decision making. This scholarship of practice develops a knowledge base comprised of both “knowledge for practice” and “knowledge in practice” at the level of university leadership. To build capacity for vice chancellors to craft research agenda and questions emanating from their “knowledge in practice”, we identify internal mechanisms and external associations, training programmes and other forums that provide leadership development and support for these university executives.

Selected highlights of the 2019 Pulmonary Pathology Society Biennial Meeting: PD-L1 test harmonization studies.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) including programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors, such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab, or programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors, such as atezolizumab and durvalumab, have recently emerged in advanced stage lung cancer as new standards of care. They are now indicated in first- line and second- or later-line treatment of metastatic or locally-advanced stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as well as for metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC), as single agent immunotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy. Four PD-L1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays have been established and validated in randomized trials, each for a specific ICI. They use different primary monoclonal antibodies, platforms and detection systems, as well as different scoring systems to assess PD-L1 expression either by tumor cells (TCs) and/or by infiltrating immune cells (ICs). Most studies have shown a close analytical performance of three of these clinically-validated standardized assays, but their use restricted to dedicated platforms, which are not all available in most laboratories, questions their applicability. In addition, the relative high costs of the assays have led to the development of in-house protocols in many pathology laboratories. Their use in clinical practice to assess the predictive value of PD-L1 expression for prescription of ICI raises the issue of their reliability and their validation as compared to standardized assays. This article discusses the main comparative studies available between LDT and assays, with clear evidence that LDT can reach a performance equivalent to the trial-validated assays. The requirements are an adequate validation as compared to an appropriate standard, and the participation to external quality assurance programs and training programs for PD-L1 IHC assessment for pathologists.

The impact of employee perceptions of training on organizational commitment and turnover intention

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of employee perception of training on organizational commitment, and consequently, the impact of organizational commitment on turnover intention.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a quantitative research design. Data were collected from 302 registered nurses working at Jordanian hospitals using an email survey questionnaire. Using statistical package for the social science analysis of regression to test the hypothesized model.FindingsThe results suggest a strong relationship between two variables: perceived availability of training and perceived supervisor support for training and organizational commitment. On the other hand, the perceived benefits of training is found to be negatively related to organizational commitment. The study also confirms a strong inverse association between organizational commitment and turnover intention.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations and suggestions for future studies three as with all research, there are limitations to this work. First, only three employee perceptions of training are investigated in this study to include perceived availability of training, perceived supervisor support for training and perceived benefits of training. Given that employee perceptions of training include a number of factors, future research may consider other factors such as motivation to learn and co-worker support for training (Newman et al., 2011). Second, the study uses a quantitative approach. Future studies may conduct interviews to examine the relationship between the variables. Third, the data came from registered nurses working in hospitals in a single industry; to increase the generalizability of the findings, there is a need for future research in other industries in Jordan. Fourth, other attitudinal constructs in addition to organizational commitment may act as potential mediators in the relationship between employee perception of training and turnover intention. Future studies can include mediating variables such as job satisfaction (Poon, 2004) and trust in management (Whitener, 2001), which may better explain the hypothesized relationships. Finally, the findings cannot be generalized, as there is a possibility of bias because of differences in knowledge of and attitude to perceived training.Practical implicationsThe findings of the present study have implications for theory and practice. At the theoretical level, the current study adds to the body of knowledge on commitment and turnover. Specifically, the current study provides evidence of a strong or weak relationship between employee perception of training, organizational commitment and turnover intention. The research findings verify the applicability of the social exchange theory (Blau, 1964) and the norm of reciprocity (Gouldner, 1960), and concurs with Fishbein and Ajzen’s (1967) model of beliefs, attitude and behavioral intentions in Jordanian hospitals. From the practical aspect, the study findings urge Jordanian hospitals to enhance employee perception of training and correlated development opportunities, so as to fulfill their employees’ needs and expectations in terms of organizational development. Hospitals may achieve this by providing effective and more comprehensive training programs and urging supervisors to motivate their subordinates to participate in these programs (Jehanzeb et al., 2013). This study results also confirm that perceived supervisor support is very significant to the maintenance of organizational commitment. Hospitals need to create an environment in which practicing training is highly motivated by supervisors. While supervisors are required to publicize the availability of training to the nursing workforce (Ha et al., 2014). Furthermore, the study findings reveal no evidence of a link between perceived benefits of training and organizational commitment. The premise behind this result is attributed to the fact that employees believe that the benefits obtained from participating in training activities are very limited (Kadiresan et al., 2015). So, supervisors are requested to raise their awareness of the benefits to be gained from participating in training programs. The role of supervisors here is very important, they should also unfreeze the old concerns of individuals through positive approach by communicating aggressively about the benefits of training. Moreover, hospitals need to focus more on promoting better relations between training and career development (Newman et al., 2011). Finally, the study results suggest that organizational commitment is negatively related to turnover intention. So, to increase organizational commitment, the hospitals’ management should first, design more effective in house training, as well as motivate their nursing workforce, and financially support external training programs that will foster the nurses’ skills and knowledge. Second, create a culture of commitment to reinforce the relationship with nursing workforce and encourage them to consider the hospital as a family to which they belong (Diab and Ajlouni, 2015). Finally, the work and environmental conditions must be improved through the provision of career development and promotion opportunities (Silva and Dias, 2016).Originality/valueThis study makes a significant theoretical contribution to the literature, as it addresses an essential and not so well researched issue in Jordan a developing Arab country in Middle East. The paper investigates the interaction between employee perceptions of training, organizational commitment and turnover intention of registered nurses in Jordanian Hospitals.

Recruitment and Retention of Community Preceptors.

Recruiting and retaining community-based pediatricians for teaching medical students has been explored through the lens of preceptors and educational leaders. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspective of pediatric department chairs, a key stakeholder group charged with maintaining teaching capacity among a faculty. In 2015, members of the Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs and Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics joint task force disseminated a 20-item survey to pediatric department chairs in the United States and Canada. Topics included demographics, incentives offered to community pediatricians, and the perceived value and feasibility of such incentives. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and χ2 to compare categorical variables. Pediatric department chairs from 92 of 145 (63% response rate) medical schools returned the survey. Sixty-seven percent reported difficulty recruiting or retaining preceptors, and 51% reported high-reliance on preceptors for the ambulatory portion of the pediatrics clerkship. Almost all (92%) cited competition from other programs for the services of community preceptors. The provision of incentives was correlated with perceived feasibility (R2 = 0.65) but not their perceived value (R2 = 0.12). Few (21%) chairs reported providing financial compensation to preceptors. The provision of compensation was not related to reliance but did vary significantly by geographical region (P < .001). Pediatric departments rely heavily on community-based pediatricians but face competition from internal and external training programs. The perspective of department chairs is valuable in weighing interventions to facilitate continued recruitment and retention of community preceptors.

Science Training for Journalists: An Essential Tool in the Post-Specialist Era of Journalism

A majority of U.S. adults are concerned about a rise in misinformation regarding current issues and events. The spread of inaccurate information via social media and other sources has coincided with a massive transition in the news industry. Smaller newsrooms now have fewer journalists and their responsibilities have shifted toward producing more stories, more quickly, while contributing to their outlets’ blogs and social media feeds. Lean newsroom budgets also eliminated in-house professional development for journalists, making external training programs an essential vehicle for reporters and editors to gain new content knowledge, sources, and skills in a constantly evolving news landscape. The loss of specialized beat reporters in many newsrooms since the mid-2000s has made training especially critical for journalists covering complex, science-based topics like climate change and public health. In the U.S., relatively few organizations offer science training opportunities for journalists, but the need and demand for these programs is growing as newsrooms increasingly rely on generalist reporters to cover a wide range of scientific topics. This perspective summarizes the challenges non-specialist reporters face in covering science-based stories and describes a successful training model for improving science and environmental news coverage to yield reporting that is not only accurate, but also offers the nuance and context that characterizes meaningful journalism.

Study on Effectiveness of Internal and External Training to the Development of Employee in Corporate Sectors and Hospitals

In the present corporate scenario, the investment which is vested in training programs is very high. The corporate organizations and hospitals are intending to expand the skill set of the employee thus it helps in the organizational growth. Initially, the training was given from the organization employees who are experts in that particular field. But in early 2000s, the involvement of external training programs started booming and it is now gaining better prominence in the corporate market. The employees are also getting involved in those sessions. This study will give a brief comparison of both internal and external training programs for the employee growth in corporate business sectors and hospitals with necessary suggestions.

The relationship between training and organizational commitment among academicians in Malaysia

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address the question “what is the relationship between employees’ perception on training and employees’ organisational commitment?” using the widely accepted theories of three-component model of organisational commitment and training-related variables. Design/methodology/approach – This study utilises the survey methodology approach. The study design is an associational descriptive research designed to identify the relationship between employees’ training measured by five training variables (perceived availability of training, motivation to learn in training, perceived co-worker support for training, perceived supervisor support for training and perceived benefits of training) and employees’ organisational commitment measured by three organisational commitment components (affective commitment, continuance commitment and normative commitment). The target population of this study consisted of academic staffs of one of the faculty in a public university in Malaysia. The name of the University is not disclosed due to the request from the management of the University. Comprehensive sampling approach was used in this survey, whereby the survey was distributed to all the target population. This approach was chosen to ensure higher response rate from the respondents. The target population is academic staff and 60 responses were analysed. Findings – Findings from the study revealed a significant and positive relationship between the training-related variables (availability of training, motivation to learn, co-worker support for training, supervisor support for training and benefits of training) the affective and normative commitment components of the organisational commitment; while a non-significant relationship with continuance commitment. Additionally, the results of the study revealed that the best predictor of affective commitment is co-worker support for training followed by availability of training. For normative commitment, the best predictor was availability of training. Research limitations/implications – Although this study was conducted in the education industry, the results of this study were consistent with previous studies conducted in western countries and the few studies conducted in some Asian countries such as Qatar, China, Australia and Malaysia that are non-education industries. However, the study was conducted in a single university in Malaysia and therefore results of the study may not be generalisable to all higher institutions nor the universities excluded in the sample. The study was limited to academic staffs, and does not involve other employees such as non-academic staff. Therefore the result may not be generalisable to those excluded staff as training policies, skills and knowledge requirement among various staff categories differ. Practical implications – This study has indicated that co-worker support for training and supervisor support of training enhance emotional attachment/sense of belonging (i.e. affective commitment) and loyalty (i.e. normative commitments) among academic staff. Thus in this view the university authority could create an environment where there is a strong encouragement by colleagues and supervisors towards participating in training activities. Supervisors in the context of this study refer to HoDs, Deans, head of research groups, etc. This research has also revealed that availability (or access) to training has a strong relationship with both affective and normative commitments; with availability of training a strong predictor of the former type of commitment. Therefore the university through supervisors can play a role in publicising the availability of training to the academic staff. The university can also design more in-house training and development programmes/activities as well as encourage and financially support external training programmes that will enhance the academic staff teaching and research skills. Such move by the university could be perceived by the academic staff as support and care which ultimately leads to better organisational performance. Originality/value – This is a pioneering study on perception on training towards organisational commitment among academic staff in a public university in Malaysia. The result of this study will spur public universities in Malaysia to find ways to improve their training plan and design to achieve maximum satisfaction among the academician.

Lösungsvorschläge für Probleme in der integrativmedizinischen Weiterbildung von Ärzten an anthroposophischen Kliniken Deutschlands und der Schweiz

Hintergrund: Im Rahmen einer erstmaligen Untersuchung zu Qualität und Problemen der integrativmedizinischen Weiterbildung der anthroposophisch-medizinischen (AM) Kliniken Deutschlands und der Schweiz wurden alle 240 Assistenzärzte und alle 214 Weiterbilder gleichzeitig nach möglichen Maßnahmen zur Problemlösung befragt. Methode: Die Studie umfasste eine Querschnittserhebung mit Fragebögen inklusive Freitextfeldern. Die potenziellen Maßnahmen zur Problemlösung wurden über Freitextantworten erfragt. Die qualitative Inhaltsanalyse erfolgte nach Mayring. 56 (51,8%) von 108 Assistenzärzten und 54 (54%) von 100 Weiterbildern gaben Lösungsvorschläge an. Die beiden Gruppen wurden gemeinsam ausgewertet. Ergebnisse: Die vorgeschlagenen Lösungsmaßnahmen beinhalteten auf interner Ebene ein Umdenken bei der Klinikleitung und -verwaltung, d.h. Aufwertung der Weiterbildung zu einer Kernaufgabe anthroposophischer Kliniken, bessere Auswahl von Klinikpersonal, mehr Fach- und Lehrkompetenz der Weiterbilder in AM, ein strukturiertes und inhaltlich ausgeweitetes Weiterbildungsangebot, Abstimmung der Weiterbildung mit Stations- bzw. Klinikbetrieb, Entlastung der Mediziner durch Prozessoptimierung, Ressourcenplanung und Senkung der Arbeitsbelastung. Auf externer Ebene umspannten die Lösungsvorschläge finanzielle Unterstützung, externe Weiterbildungsangebote, Vernetzung der AM-Kliniken im Bereich der Weiterbildung, Einrichtung eines übergeordneten Kompetenzzentrums für AM-Weiterbildung, ein schulmedizinisches und AM-Weiterbildungscurriculum sowie die Verbesserung der Wissenschaftsbasis und des öffentlichen Diskurses zur AM. Schlussfolgerung: Die Lösungsvorschläge erwachsen der konkreten Wahrnehmung betroffener Assistenzärzte und Weiterbilder. Sie bieten eine Grundlage für konkrete Verbesserungen der Weiterbildung, die professionell und international vernetzt verwirklicht werden könnten. Die Voraussetzungen dazu sind durch die universitäre Anbindung der AM und durch die gute nationale und internationale Vernetzung der anthroposophischen Kliniken und Ärztegesellschaften gegeben.

P-420 - Quality of training program for early-career psychiatrists in italy: focus on forensic psychiatry and psychotherapy

Training in Psychiatry is especially debated since the biological, psychological and social perspectives need to be integrated in the education of Early-Career Psychiatrists (ECP). To describe the opinion of ECP about the training received and to evaluate their self-confidence in therapeutic interventions. A training event for ECP from all over Italy takes place in Rome yearly. A 30-item ad hoc questionnaire with both yes/no and rating scale answers has been administered to all the participants in the event. Over the past three years 224 questionnaires were collected from 216 last-year trainees and 8 recently qualified psychiatrists (68.5% women, mean age 30.5 ± 3.5). Only 13% of participants was globally satisfied with his/her training program in psychiatry, the most of them were only partially or a little satisfied (51.4% and 32.0% respectively). The most critical training areas were Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy followed by Psychiatric Rehabilitation. Conversely, Clinical Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology were the most satisfying areas of training. Likewise, ECP felt themselves most confident in Clinical Psychiatry (87.9%) and Psychopharmacology (48.7%); whereas the most uncomfortable areas were Forensic Psychiatry (62.5%), Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (37.2%), and Dual Diagnosis/Substance-Abuse Related Disorders (33.9%). The 45% of ECP complained that Psychotherapy is a critical issue. Despite the 46.4% of participants had supervision within the training program (less than two hours per week), the 87.4% seek help from external psychotherapeutic training programs. To achieve a satisfactory educational standard and an adequate self confidence, network programs (within Italy and/or Europe) might be helpful.

The training institution efficiency of the semiconductor institute programme in Taiwan—application of spatiotemporal ICA with DEA approach

Despite the fact that Taiwan’s high-tech industry has gradually secured a leading position in the world, enterprises in Taiwan have striven to strengthen their technical advancement by providing employees with various internal or external training programmes. These institutional training programmes are designed to sustain competitive advantage, enhance the quality of manpower and improve operational efficiency. Much literature assesses the efficiency of an internal training programme that is initiated by a firm, but only a little literature studies the efficiency of an external training programme that is led by a government. Various efficiency measurement tools, such as conventional statistical methods and non-parametric methods, have been successfully developed in the literature. Among these tools, the data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach is one of the most widely discussed. However, the DEA's capability to discriminate efficient decision-making units from inefficient decision-making units requires much improvement (Adler and Yazhemsky). In this paper, a two-stage approach of integrating spatiotemporal independent component analysis (stICA) and DEA is developed for efficiency measurement. stICA is used to search for latent source signals where no relevant signal mixture mechanisms are available; and DEA is used to measure the relative efficiencies of decision-making units (DMUs). We suggest using stICA first to extract the input variables for generating independent components (IC), then selecting the ICs representing the independent sources of input variables, and finally inputting the selected ICs as new variables in the DEA model. To find the effects of environmental variables on the estimated efficiency scores, the Tobit–Bayes (censored) regression is applied. A simulated dataset and the training institution dataset provided by the Semiconductor Institute in Taiwan is used for analysis. The empirical result shows that the proposed method can not only separate performance differences between the training institutions but also improve the discriminatory capability of the DEA's efficiency measurement. The study results can serve as a reference for training institutions wishing to enhance their training efficiency.

Supramaximal Training and Postexercise Parasympathetic Reactivation in Adolescents

Repeated supramaximal exercise training is an efficient means of improving both aerobic and anaerobic energy system capacities. However, the influence of different levels of supramaximal training on parasympathetic function is unknown. To compare the effects of repeated-sprint (RS) versus high-intensity intermittent training (HIT) on performance and postexercise parasympathetic reactivation in trained adolescents. Fifteen male adolescents (15.6 +/- 0.8 yr) were divided into two groups that performed 9 wk of either RS (repeated all-out 6-s shuttle sprints; 14-20 s of recovery; N = 8) or HIT (15- to 20-s runs at 95% of the speed reached at the end of the 30-15 intermittent fitness test (V(IFT)); 15-20 s of recovery; N = 7). Groups performed intervals twice per week and maintained similar external training programs. Before and after training, performance was assessed by the V(IFT), countermovement jump (CMJ), 10-m sprint time (10 m), mean RS ability time (RSAmean), and heart rate (HRsub) level during a 6-min submaximal (60% V(IFT)) exercise test, where parasympathetic reactivation was assessed during the recovery phase (i.e., HR recovery time constant (HRRtau) and HR variability (HRV)). Parasympathetic function, V(IFT), and RSAmean were improved with HIT but not RS training. In contrast, changes in CMJ and HRsub were similar in both groups. A significant relationship was shown between the decrease in HRRtau and RSAmean (r = 0.62, P < 0.05; N = 15). HIT was more effective than RS training at improving postexercise parasympathetic function and physical performance. In addition, HRRtau, which was more sensitive to training than HRV indices, seems to be a useful performance-related measurement.

Value for Money: Getting the Most Out of External Training Programs

Guaranteeing value from staff training and development is not an easy task at the best of times. Getting value for money from externally supplied training, whether conducted in house or at another site, adds another level of complexity to the process. What is necessary is to implement a series of strategies, based on interactions amongst the three major stakeholders: the employee, the library and the trainer; and aimed at influencing the success or failure of particular staff training and development activities. Once the initial parameters have been set, the framework is then in existence for an evaluation exercise.

THE CONSULTANCY AGENDA FOR TRAINERS

Argues that trainers are, more than ever, being asked to reconcile corporate agendas with human values. This may mean working in an equal business partnership with line managers and fulfilling what amounts to a consultancy role within their operations. Managing the transition from trainer to consultant can be helped by attending external training programmes. Trainers who are adaptable in the climate of change will, therefore, become the survivors.