Journal Club Activities Research Articles

Mandatory continuing professional development in South Africa: Rehabilitation therapists' perspective

Aims: In 2007, Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) introduced mandatory continuing professional development (CPD), which enables therapists to acquire new knowledge and skills to improve patient care. To remain registered, therapists must meet CPD standards by formal HPCSA audits; however, latest figures revealed a compliance rate of 35% due to non-attendance of CPD activities. This study reviewed the experiences of therapists to identify barriers and obtain suggestions to improve attendance. Methodology: This cross-sectional descriptive study used a questionnaire with closed and open questions to explore the aims from a sample of 138 rehabilitation therapists, comprising speech and language therapists (9%), occupational therapists (21%) and physiotherapists (70%), attending an ethics workshop. Results: Eighty five (62%) supported CPD and 97 (71%) supported compulsory ethics. Short 1 to 3 day courses, mini-congresses and journal club activities were the most frequently-attended events. Barriers to CPD were: time, cost of courses, cost of travel due to geographical distance, staff shortages, lack of employee support, and multi-disciplinary or inappropriate courses. Suggestions for improving attendance were: introducing state subsidised and corporate sponsorships, increased in-service journal club activities, tele- and video-conferences, on-line presentations, and profession-specific courses. Conclusion: Therapists support mandatory CPD, but stakeholders must take cognisance of the barriers and suggestions to improve CPD attendance and compliance.

Measuring Impact ofJAMA DermatologyPractice Gaps Section on Training in US Dermatology Residency Programs

JAMA Dermatology Practice Gaps commentaries are intended to aid in the interpretation of the literature to make it more practical and applicable to daily patient care. Practice Gaps commentaries have had an impact on physician clinical practice and dermatology residency curricula. To assess the impact of JAMA Dermatology Practice Gaps commentaries on dermatology residency training programs in the United States, including journal club discussions and local quality improvement activities. A web-based questionnaire of 17 questions was sent via e-mail to US dermatology residency program directors (PDs) in February 2012. Program director report of incorporating Practice Gaps themes and discussions into resident journal club activities, clinical practice, quality improvement activities, or research projects in the residency programs, as a result of a Practice Gaps commentary. Of the 114 surveys distributed to US dermatology residency PDs, 48 were completed (42% response rate). Sixty percent of PDs reported familiarity with the Practice Gaps section of JAMA Dermatology, and 56% discuss these commentaries during resident journal club activities. Quality improvement and research projects have been initiated as a result of Practice Gaps commentaries. Practice Gaps commentaries are discussed during most dermatology residency journal club activities. Practice Gaps have had an impact on physician practice and dermatology residency curricula and can serve as a tool for enhanced continuing medical education and quality improvement initiatives.

Using a Multiuser Virtual Environment to Facilitate Nursing Journal Clubs

The purpose of this mixed-methods pilot study was to explore the feasibility of using Second Life to conduct research and to describe nurses' experiences in using Second Life to facilitate nursing journal clubs. A QUAN→qual sequential design using survey and qualitative methods was used to guide scientific inquiry. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and t, Mann-Whitney U, and χ tests were used to test for presurvey and postsurvey group differences. Journal club screencast recordings were thematically analyzed. This study was conducted in an Internet-accessible, 3-dimensional multiuser virtual environment. A convenience sample of registered nurses from 7 facilities consented to participate. Completed data from 29 presurveys and 20 postsurveys were included in data analyses. Overall, nurses reported a benefit in using Second Life to facilitate journal clubs. The Mann-Whitney U test identified (P < .05) improvement in 7 of 8 critical appraisal competencies after journal club activities: determining design, determining population, interpreting statistics, linking findings/conclusions, identifying limitations, identifying implications, and interpreting qualitative findings. Qualitative analyses of screencastings validated reports of improved critical appraisal competencies and identified 3 inworld themes: presence, learning strategies, and learning outcomes. Registered nurse study participants reported a benefit of using Second Life for nursing journal clubs. Participants perceived and demonstrated improvement in critical appraisal competencies. Further research is warranted on outcomes associated with nurses' appraisal of evidence for application to practice using a multiuser virtual environment.

The Use of Journal Clubs in Canadian Radiation Therapy Departments: Prevalence and Perceptions

BackgroundPublic debate of published research in a journal club (JC) setting keeps professionals abreast of new knowledge and promotes excellent clinical practice. These skills have become increasingly important for radiation therapists (RTs), but the extent of their participation in JC activities is unknown. Therefore, this study was performed to determine the prevalence of JCs within the Canadian RT community and describe RTs’ perceptions of this learning opportunity. Materials and MethodsAfter Research Ethics Board (REB) approval, a prospective, multicenter two-phase project was performed. First, a questionnaire was distributed by e-mail to representatives of all radiotherapy departments in Canada. This questionnaire determined whether a JC was available to the RTs and the approximate number of RT attendees. Second, an online questionnaire was distributed to all RTs in the departments with a JC. This questionnaire asked both attendees and nonattendees for their opinions on JC participation. As all questionnaires and evaluation forms were designed specifically for this research, each tool was piloted and validated prior to data collection. ResultsFifteen replies (43%) were received from 35 Canadian radiotherapy departments, with 5 of these departments holding a JC that RTs could attend. Seven of the remaining departments would consider organizing a JC, but lack of staff interest or time prevented them from doing so. Approximately 5% of RTs attended any single JC meeting. Seventy-one responses (18%) were received from the RTs who worked in a clinic with a JC. Primarily, RTs attended JC because they were interested in the article (40%), and did not attend from lack of time (60%). JC attendees cited improvements in critical analysis skills and increased volume of scientific reading. More than half the nonattendees also read the JC article. ConclusionsThe prevalence of JCs available to Canadian RTs was low compared to those of other professions. When RTs did attend, however, their levels of participation and satisfaction were very high. JC was credited with improving critical analysis skills and the volume of reading done by its participants.

Using Clinical Vignette Assignments to Teach Medical Informatics

In response to curricular changes, many academic health sciences librarians have participated in curriculum planning and/or developed informatics course requirements for students enrolled at health sciences universities. This article describes the use of clinical vignette assignments, student journal club activities, and vignette-type multiple choice questions to teach and assess skills related to managing biomedi-cal information, communicating effectively, basic computing, and lifelong learning.