Professional Capabilities Research Articles

Preparation of university students for independent work using benchmarking technology

Relevance. The study's relevance arises from the increasing adoption of new teaching methods in the education system, particularly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitates rethinking the learning process. Benchmarking technologies aim to enhance these processes by leveraging best practices from leading universities globally. Purpose. The study aims to assess university students' readiness for independent work and evaluate the outcomes of preparing students for independent work using benchmarking technology. Methodology. An experiment was conducted in three stages: collecting information, developing and testing the methodology, and integrating the methodology into the educational process. The study was carried out at Sh. Ualikhanov Kokshetau University. Results. The study revealed the degree of readiness of university students for independent work using benchmarking technology. The focus was on how benchmarking technology improves the educational process and the development of self-educational components. Systematic diagnostics and constant adjustments helped achieve planned results in organizing independent work. Conclusions. The proposed methodology for organizing students' independent work enhances future graduates' competitiveness, creativity, stress resistance, communication skills, and professional development capabilities. Keywords: modern teaching methods; future specialist; self-organisation; learning process

The process of challenge formation in Iranian nursing education: A grounded theory study with model presentation.

Nursing education faces many challenges that must be identified and removed to improve nursing education and promote the quality of nursing care. Identifying the challenges of nursing education helps to solve or correct the weaknesses and achieve educational goals, which ultimately help to train skilled professionals capable of providing higher quality care to patients. The present study was conducted with the aim of explaining the experiences of nursing tutors in regard to the process of challenge formation in nursing education in Iran. This is a qualitative study with a grounded theory approach that was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, which took about 9 months, 18 experienced nursing tutors with managerial positions were selected by purposeful sampling from universities across the country. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, field notes, observation, and memos. Data analysis was done by Corbin and Strauss method through MAXQDA software version 10. In the next step, using the method of Walker and Avant (2011), concepts and statements were gathered within a whole and a model was presented. Twelve male university tutors and six female tutors participated in this study. The mean age of the participants was 45.38 ± 2.1 years, and their mean work experience was 18.66 ± 3.8 years. The findings showed that the challenges of nursing education could be categorized into three categories (defective educational cycle, efforts to restore the educational structure, and learning is a member of educational family), and 12 subcategories. After analyzing the data, trying to provide a need-based education was determined to be the central theme of this study. The components of model developed in this study were presented in the three axes of improving the tutor's teaching skills, managing the situation and educational facilities, and facilitating student's participation in the education process and decision-making. Identifying barriers and facilitators of need-based education in health policy making can enable nurses to build a better future for their nursing position. To provide need-based education, it is necessary to create a suitable ground and platform for proper education. Such platform and ground are a necessity of educational, therapeutic, and community environments. To achieve this goal, it is recommended to improve the professional capabilities of tutors and support educational organizations.

Learning in the workplace: Development of a simple language statement assessment tool that supports second-level nurse practice

AimTo focus learning through clarity of the enrolled nurse (EN) role (a second tier nurse position) through development of a user-friendly workplace performance assessment tool commensurate with EN standards for practice. BackgroundInternationally, the nursing workforce comprises regulated and unregulated staff. In Australia, similar to other western countries, there are two tiers of regulated workforce, namely Registered Nurses (RNs) and Enrolled Nurses (ENs). Differences in RN and EN standards based on the education preparation are not always clearly differentiated in workplace practice. Roles are often seen as interchangeable: Improved clarity of both regulated and unregulated roles, when numbers of healthcare workers are burgeoning, assists performance assessment that guides further learning and safe practice. DesignTwo phase sequential, non-experimental design. MethodsPhase one used focus groups (n=48), expert reference panel (n=8) and end-users (n=16) to develop simple language statements. Phase two involved field testing of the statements. FindingsA 30-item, criterion-based workplace performance tool was developed. Principal component analysis of completed tools indicated work could be organised around three key areas of practice, namely, higher order thinking and problem solving, routine daily activities of care and personal and social attributes. DiscussionParticipants reported the statement items assisted in determining suitable activities and accompanying cues in discussing learning needs. Analysis assisted with discriminating broader elements of EN workplace performance. ConclusionsWorkplace learning is important for nurses to continue to build their capacity to deliver optimum care. Assessment tools that describe professional capability in plain language statements and provide examples of supportive behavioural cues help guide on-going learning through improving the validity and thereby consistency of assessment processes. Furthermore, comprehensible and meaningful statements and cues can readily be adopted by students and educators to target learning and feedback thereby enhancing clarity of the EN role, to distinguish from other nursing roles.

EFS-XGBoost: A robust framework for precision classification of COVID-19 cases

The emergence of the novel COVID-19 virus has had a profound impact on global healthcare systems and economies, underscoring the imperative need for the development of precise and expeditious diagnostic tools. Machine learning techniques have emerged as a promising avenue for augmenting the capabilities of medical professionals in disease diagnosis and classification. In this research, the EFS-XGBoost classifier model, a robust approach for the classification of patients afflicted with COVID-19 is proposed. The key innovation in the proposed model lies in the Ensemble-based Feature Selection (EFS) strategy, which enables the judicious selection of relevant features from the expansive COVID-19 dataset. Subsequently, the power of the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) classifier to make precise distinctions among COVID-19-infected patients is harnessed.The EFS methodology amalgamates five distinctive feature selection techniques, encompassing correlation-based, chi-squared, information gain, symmetric uncertainty-based, and gain ratio approaches. To evaluate the effectiveness of the model, comprehensive experiments were conducted using a COVID-19 dataset procured from Kaggle, and the implementation was executed using Python programming. The performance of the proposed EFS-XGBoost model was gauged by employing well-established metrics that measure classification accuracy, including accuracy, precision, recall, and the F1-Score. Furthermore, an in-depth comparative analysis was conducted by considering the performance of the XGBoost classifier under various scenarios: employing all features within the dataset without any feature selection technique, and utilizing each feature selection technique in isolation. The meticulous evaluation reveals that the proposed EFS-XGBoost model excels in performance, achieving an astounding accuracy rate of 99.8%, surpassing the efficacy of other prevailing feature selection techniques. This research not only advances the field of COVID-19 patient classification but also underscores the potency of ensemble-based feature selection in conjunction with the XGBoost classifier as a formidable tool in the realm of medical diagnosis and classification.

Using Reflection to Engage with the Affective Domain in Legal Education in the Context of Cultural and Institutional Diversity

In legal education, the affective domain plays a vital role in shaping future lawyers’ professional identities, values and ethical decision-making capabilities. However, law schools in England and Wales face specific challenges in addressing the affective domain successfully in the context of cultural and institutional diversity. These include the predominant emphasis on doctrinal instruction and analytical thinking, neglecting emotional intelligence and ethical development and the emotional demands placed on law students. Law schools must also address implicit biases, combat discrimination and foster a supportive and inclusive environment. To overcome these challenges, law schools can integrate courses addressing the affective domain, offer opportunities for self-reflection, mentorship and peer support and invest in faculty development programmes. Collaboration with the legal profession can also bridge the theory–practice gap. By understanding and addressing these challenges, law schools can equip students with emotional intelligence, empathy and ethical foundations for successful legal careers.

Deep Learning PCA Correlation Analysis of Teacher’s Educational Technology Quality and Teacher’s Professional Competence

In contemporary education, the integration of educational technology has become crucial for enhancing teaching quality and fostering student learning outcomes. This study employs a novel approach by combining deep learning techniques with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to explore the relationship between teachers' educational technology proficiency and their professional competence. The research leverages a dataset comprising various metrics related to teachers' usage of educational technology tools and their performance in professional development programs. Initially, the study preprocesses the data and applies deep learning models to extract high-level features from the complex and heterogeneous dataset. Subsequently, PCA is employed to reduce the dimensionality of the feature space while preserving the underlying structure and variability of the data. Through this process, latent factors representing different aspects of educational technology proficiency and professional competence are identified. The correlation analysis conducted on the reduced feature space reveals intricate relationships between teachers' competency in educational technology and their overall professional capabilities. The findings indicate that certain dimensions of educational technology quality, such as adaptability to new tools and innovative pedagogical approaches, positively correlate with measures of professional competence, including classroom management skills, student engagement, and instructional effectiveness.

Professional Identity and Leadership Capabilities of College Physical Education Teachers

The purpose of this study is to explore the professional identity and leadership of college physical education teachers in Shandong Province. It provides the research basis for improving the professional identity of PE teachers, improving their leadership, promoting the training of talents in colleges and universities, and strengthening the construction of teachers. This study adopts the methods of quantitative research design, questionnaire survey and random sampling, and selects 205 physical education teachers from 5 colleges and universities in Shandong Province as the investigation objects. The survey found that given the respondents' profile, they are capable of developing a professional identity with teacher leadership. Respondents have failed their teaching careers in different ways than others. Given effective interventions, respondents can further strengthen their professional identity. The influence of personal experience on the level of professional identity is the least. Respondents were fully engaged in teacher leadership, but there was still a large gap. Given effective intervention, they can further improve their leadership ability. Educational background is one of the factors affecting teachers' leadership ability. Teacher professional identity and teacher leadership can develop simultaneously. Teacher development provides opportunities and interventions that may produce optimal results.

Rational Thinking on Accounting Firms' Assurance of Corporate Internal Control Reports

In the current corporate governance environment, the role of accounting firms in certifying internal control reports is increasingly emphasized. The internal control system of a company is crucial for risk management and the quality of information disclosure. It not only encompasses the definition and composition of the internal control system but also includes the principles and objectives for achieving corporate goals. Within this framework, the certification work of accounting firms is particularly important, as it not only verifies the effectiveness of internal controls but also plays a crucial role in maintaining market order and protecting investor interests. However, accounting firms face numerous challenges and constraints in the process of certifying internal control reports. These challenges include the complexity of internal control systems, as well as issues related to maintaining independence and objectivity, and enhancing professional judgment. Rational analysis of these challenges and constraints is crucial for improving the quality and efficiency of certification work. To address these challenges, a series of strategies and suggestions have been proposed. Firstly, strengthening the independence and objectivity of accounting firms is fundamental, requiring firms to optimize their organizational structure and business processes accordingly. Secondly, enhancing the ability to exercise professional judgment is key, necessitating accountants to continually improve their professional knowledge and practical experience. Finally, developing effective strategies to address challenges, such as adopting advanced technological tools and methods, can significantly improve the accuracy and efficiency of certification work. In conclusion, accounting firms play an indispensable role in certifying internal control reports. By continuously improving certification methods and enhancing professional capabilities, not only can the quality of internal control reports be enhanced, but also contribute to the healthy development of the market. Despite facing challenges, rational analysis and effective strategies can ensure that accounting firms maximize their value in this process.

Comparative analysis of GPT-3.5 and GPT-4.0 in Taiwan's medical technologist certification: A study in artificial intelligence advancements.

This study examines the comparative effectiveness of GPT-3.5 and GPT-4.0, in the certification of medical technologists (MT) in Taiwan, exploring their adeptness in processing complex medical language and their contributory role in the educational and communicative aspects of professional healthcare training. This study used GPT-3.5 and GPT-4.0 to test the medical laboratory technician professional college entrance examination questions. The questions in different fields, including six subjects, such as Clinical Physiology and Pathology, Hematology, and Blood Bank, among others were answered one-on-one using two generative pretrained transformer (GPT) versions, simulating the situations during exam preparation. A total of 480 questions were analyzed and the results showed that both versions of the GPT met the certification standards. Version 4.0 was better than version 3.5 for all subjects, particularly in Clinical Biochemistry (score = 96.25) and Microbiology (score = 91.25). Outstanding performance compared to version 3.5, which had an average score of 65.42 and a maximum score of 77.5. Overall, version 4.0, which was significantly better than version 3.5 in both median and average scores, reflects a significant improvement in professional knowledge processing capabilities. The GPT can provide valuable support for both the upstream and downstream processes of MT certification. Future research can further explore the application of GPT in different educational and certification contexts and improve the passing rate of medical personnel in the certification process. This study provides useful information for exploring the potential applications of GPT in certifying medical examiners. Furthermore, it provides new directions for future research in medical education.

Television News Broadcasting: Conformance to News Standards and Emotional Expression

With the progress of the era and the development of society, China's broadcast television industry has entered the era of all media. The industry level and technology have achieved a qualitative leap, which has placed higher demands on the professional capabilities of broadcasters and hosts. Language communication ability and emotional expression skills are an important part of the professional capabilities of frontline news broadcasters and hosts. Only by aligning news standards with emotional expression can news broadcasters and hosts convey the connotation and viewpoints of news accurately and vividly to the audience on the basis of standard news reporting, thereby achieving the optimal efficiency of news broadcasting.This study first clarifies the basic principles that television news broadcasting emotional expression should follow and the influencing factors of emotional expression in news television broadcasting language. Then, it explores specific pathways to enhance the ability of emotional expression in television news broadcasting language from aspects such as making good use of language and culture, switching to appropriate rhythms, revealing personal emotions, and enhancing details of life. This aims to provide references for research and practice related to news anchor reporting, discourse expression, and the teaching of broadcasting and hosting disciplines.

Characteristics, knowledge, attitude, and practice of pharmacy personnel in supporting tuberculosis treatment: A multicenter cross-sectional study in a high-burden tuberculosis country

BackgroundPositive roles of community pharmacy in tuberculosis (TB) care have been widely reported. However, the actual practice of supporting TB treatment is not optimal yet. ObjectivesWe analyzed the current practice of community pharmacy personnel and its factors in supporting the successful treatment of TB patients in Indonesia, aiming to develop strategies for effective and sustainable TB practice models for the community pharmacy. MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional survey in 3 areas representing Indonesia's eastern, central, and western parts. Development and validation of the questionnaire were conducted to assess 4 domains, that is, characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and practice of community pharmacy personnel in supporting the successful treatment of TB patients. Data were collected with purposive convenience sampling using online and offline questionnaires. Descriptive analyses were used to summarize factors in each domain, while binary logistic regression was used to analyze the associated factors of the practice. ResultsThirty-five questionnaire items indicated a valid instrument, and the study successfully included 844 participants who comprised pharmacists (n = 473, 56%) and pharmacy assistants (n = 371, 44%). Although most of the knowledge items were correctly answered by more than 60% of the participants, items related to TB signs, risk groups, drug regimens, and medicine uses were still less than 60%. This was in line with exposure to updated TB training in only 51% of the participants (n = 426). Most of the participants had a positive attitude toward their professional role (n = 736, 87%), capability (n = 646, 77%), and consequences (n = 655, 78%) in supporting TB treatment. However, this was not aligned with the actual practice of supporting TB treatment, intensively performed by only 1.3% of participants (n = 11). We identified several factors associated with the practice, that is, a pharmacy assistant background (P < 0.05), short working time (P < 0.05), experience in TB training (P < 0.001), and a positive attitude (P < 0.001). ConclusionThis study highlighted a limited number of community pharmacy personnel intensively practicing as TB treatment supporters in Indonesia. An interventional package considering the identified factors is needed to develop effective and sustainable practices in the real world.

A Three-Arm Delphi Process for Exploring Australian Radiography Stakeholder Prioritisation of Graduate Skill Development and their Perception of How Often These Skills are Demonstrated by Graduate Radiographers

Introduction: Clinical skills education requires commitment from academic staff, clinical supervisors, and the students themselves to ensure the attainment of specific learning goals. The aims of this study were to identify specific skill areas that radiography education stakeholders feel are important to develop in Australian radiography students, and to evaluate how frequently the stakeholders believe graduate radiographers demonstrate these skills. Methods: A three-arm Delphi process of consensus development was used to survey radiography academic educators, radiographers, and radiography students as three separate expert groups. Three to four rounds covered the nomination of professional skills important to participants, the rating and ranking of importance of these skills, and identification of how well the stakeholder groups feel graduate radiographers demonstrate these skills. Results: Twenty-four stakeholders participated in the study. Thirty-four professional capabilities were identified as being important by at least one stakeholder group. Six capabilities were rated as being very or extremely important by all groups with no large differences of ratings identified between groups for the remaining capabilities. The student group felt that graduate radiographers demonstrate identified clinical skills more frequently than was perceived by the other groups. Conclusion: The agreement between radiographer education stakeholder groups as to the importance of identified professional capabilities indicates that each group is likely to place similar emphases on the teaching and learning of these skills. Differences of opinion between students and educators around student/graduate performance levels can inform areas for improvement in student performance and educator feedback approaches.

The Concept, Types, and Penalties of Tax Violations: A Study of Afghan Laws Perspective

Aim: The main purpose of this study was to clarify the concept, types, and penalties of tax violations according to the laws of Afghanistan, and propose necessary solutions to prevent tax violations in Afghanistan.&#x0D; Methods: Descriptive and explanatory methods were used in the research of the relevant content. The topic of the research was guided by the Afghanistan Income Tax Law, the Law on Taxation Affairs Administration, the guidelines and manuals of the Ministry of Finance, and the Penal Code of Afghanistan.&#x0D; Results: The findings of the research show that according to the laws of Afghanistan, some actions are considered tax violations. These are late payment of taxes, the imposition of withholding taxes, failure to submit financial statements on time, failure to protect financial documents, submitting an incorrect identification number, providing false information to employees of financial institutions and obstructing the activities of taxation employees. &#x0D; Conclusion: The financial laws of Afghanistan have provided some penalties to prevent tax violations, and these punishments play an important role in preventing tax contraventions. However, tax violations still occur due to the lack of professional capabilities of tax agency employees and the weakness of the financial system.&#x0D; Recommendations: The Afghan government should make some amendments to the income tax law and the law on taxation affairs administration, taking into account the economic conditions of the society and the state of taxpayers. The Ministry of Finance of Afghanistan and Afghanistan Revenue Department (ARD) should design and implement the training courses and workshops about taxation, accounting and interpersonal skill to improve the professional skills and capacity of the employees of the tax agencies, also to undertake necessary measures for the motivation and awareness of taxpayers.

The impact of mindfulness on nurses' perceived professional benefits: the mediating roles of workplace spirituality and work-life balance.

This study delves into the effects of mindfulness on workplace spirituality, work-life balance, and perceived professional benefits among nurses operating in the high-pressure environments of hospitals in Jiangxi Province, China. Utilizing a robust sample of 303 valid questionnaires and employing partial least squares (PLS) analysis, the research uncovers a significant positive relationship between mindfulness and workplace spirituality. Furthermore, it demonstrates how both workplace spirituality and work-life balance serve as crucial mediators in enhancing nurses' perception of their professional benefits. The findings illuminate the potential of mindfulness training in substantially elevating job satisfaction and reducing burnout among nurses. The study not only reinforces the value of mindfulness in the healthcare sector but also advocates for its integration into professional development programs and healthcare policies. By doing so, it aims to bolster the overall wellbeing and professional effectiveness of nurses facing the myriad challenges inherent in demanding healthcare environments. This study contributes to the growing discourse on mindfulness in occupational settings, highlighting its pivotal role in enhancing both the personal wellbeing and professional capabilities of healthcare professionals.

Ethical and Professional Decision-Making Capabilities of Artificial Intelligence Chatbots: Evaluating ChatGPT's Professional Competencies in Medicine.

We examined the performance of artificial intelligence chatbots on the PREview Practice Exam, an online situational judgment test for professionalism and ethics. We used validated methodologies to calculate scores and descriptive statistics, χ2 tests, and Fisher's exact tests to compare scores by model and competency. GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 scored 6/9 (76th percentile) and 7/9 (92nd percentile), respectively, higher than medical school applicant averages of 5/9 (56th percentile). Both models answered 95 + % of questions correctly. Chatbots outperformed the average applicant on PREview, suggesting their potential for healthcare training and decision-making and highlighting risks of online assessment delivery.

The application of functional imaging in visual field defects: a brief review.

Visual field defects (VFDs) represent a prevalent complication stemming from neurological and ophthalmic conditions. A range of factors, including tumors, brain surgery, glaucoma, and other disorders, can induce varying degrees of VFDs, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. Over recent decades, functional imaging has emerged as a pivotal field, employing imaging technology to illustrate functional changes within tissues and organs. As functional imaging continues to advance, its integration into various clinical aspects of VFDs has substantially enhanced the diagnostic, therapeutic, and management capabilities of healthcare professionals. Notably, prominent imaging techniques such as DTI, OCT, and MRI have garnered widespread adoption, yet they possess unique applications and considerations. This comprehensive review aims to meticulously examine the application and evolution of functional imaging in the context of VFDs. Our objective is to furnish neurologists and ophthalmologists with a systematic and comprehensive comprehension of this critical subject matter.

DRAC 2022: A public benchmark for diabetic retinopathy analysis on ultra-wide optical coherence tomography angiography images

We described a challenge named "DRAC - Diabetic Retinopathy Analysis Challenge" in conjunction with the 25th International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention (MICCAI 2022). Within this challenge, we provided the DRAC datset, an ultra-wide optical coherence tomography angiography (UW-OCTA) dataset (1,103 images), addressing three primary clinical tasks: diabetic retinopathy (DR) lesion segmentation, image quality assessment, and DR grading. The scientific community responded positively to the challenge, with 11, 12, and 13 teams submitting different solutions for these three tasks, respectively. This paper presents a concise summary and analysis of the top-performing solutions and results across all challenge tasks. These solutions could provide practical guidance for developing accurate classification and segmentation models for image quality assessment and DR diagnosis using UW-OCTA images, potentially improving the diagnostic capabilities of healthcare professionals. The dataset has been released to support the development of computer-aided diagnostic systems for DR evaluation.

Understanding the impact of chronic diseases on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy using propensity score matching: Internet-based cross-sectional study.

To investigate whether chronic diseases are associated with higher COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and explore factors that influence COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in patients with chronic diseases. Vaccine hesitancy has been acknowledged as one of the greatest hazards to public health. However, little information is available about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among patients with chronic diseases who may be more susceptible to COVID-19 infection, severe disease or death. From 6 to 9 August 2021, we performed an internet-based cross-sectional survey with 22,954 participants (14.78% participants with chronic diseases). Propensity score matching with 1:1 nearest neighbourhood was used to reduce confounding factors between patients with chronic diseases and the general population. Using a multivariable logistic regression model, the factors impacting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy were identified among patients with chronic diseases. Both before and after propensity score matching, patients with chronic diseases had higher COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy than the general population. In addition, self-reported poor health, multiple chronic diseases, lower sociodemographic backgrounds and lower trust in nurses and doctors were associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among patients with chronic diseases. Patients with chronic diseases were more hesitant about the COVID-19 vaccine. Nurses should focus on patients with chronic diseases with poor health conditions, low socioeconomic backgrounds and low trust in the healthcare system. Clinical nurses are recommended to not only pay more attention to the health status and sociodemographic characteristics of patients with chronic diseases but also build trust between nurses and patients by improving service levels and professional capabilities in clinical practice. Patients or the public were not involved in setting the research question, the outcome measures, or the design or implementation of the study. However, all participants were invited to complete the digital informed consent and questionnaires.

Assessment and Enhancement of Professional Development Capabilities of Young Teachers at Private Universities in the Context of Transformation

Assessment and Enhancement of Professional Development Capabilities of Young Teachers at Private Universities in the Context of Transformation

Digital technologies in the AEC sector: a comparative study of digital competence among industry practitioners

The successful implementation of digital technologies (DT) in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) projects necessitates workflow adjustment, crew scheduling, equipment optimization, and efficient collaboration among project parties. Understanding the digital capabilities of industry professionals is essential for the effective deployment of DT. This paper examines the competence of AEC practitioners in 14 types of DT through a questionnaire survey involving 428 participants. Descriptive statistics, including mean scores and standard deviations, were calculated to understand the competence levels of different DT. Specific inferential statistical tests, such as chi-square tests and Mann–Whitney U tests investigated disparities in competence across different business types, operational years, and company sizes. The results indicate that cloud technology, global positioning systems, and building information modeling were predominantly recognized and utilized, whereas blockchain remained underexplored. Notably, building contractors, small and medium-sized enterprises, and start-ups lagged behind their counterparts in digital competence, with large-scale enterprises exhibiting better knowledge but limited implementation of DT. The findings underscore the need for targeted upskilling efforts to harness DT knowledge effectively and manage digital resources within organizations undergoing digital transformation. The research contributes to the literature on digital competence within the AEC sector and sets the stage for further research into effective DT adoption and deployment interventions.