Regulation Of Health Professionals Research Articles

Ethics in optometry: an educational intervention

ABSTRACT Clinical relevance As registered health professionals, optometrists have a responsibility to apply ethical reasoning skills to ensure the best outcomes for their patients. Background The ability to apply ethical knowledge in practical situations has emerged as a crucial skillset for health professionals. This research aimed to highlight the potential benefits and challenges associated with employing case-based scenario workshops as a method for teaching the application of ethical knowledge. Methods An intervention study was conducted at an Australian university to establish whether a case-based ethics workshop could improve the confidence of optometry students in navigating ethical dilemmas. Prior to completing the workshop, optometry students were invited to complete a survey, and the survey was repeated at the end of each workshop. Results Fifty nine students completed the pre-workshop survey, and 49 students completed the post-workshop survey. A Mann-Whitney U test showed no significant difference in the baseline confidence levels of students who had prior or no prior experience in tertiary education, healthcare work or eyecare work. There was a statistically significant improvement in confidence navigating ethical dilemmas (Z = –2.541, p = 0.011) from 53% very or moderately confident pre-workshop to 82% post-workshop. Conclusion These results suggest that case-based ethics workshops are an effective educational tool that should be considered for incorporation into optometry and other health profession courses.

Ableism and the discourse of risk and safety in patient-facing work-integrated learning.

In many countries, such as Canada, the USA, England, and Australia, to graduate from a regulated profession such as nursing, students must complete a set of work-integrated learning (WIL) hours and demonstrate their ability to safely perform physical skills and apply knowledge in relation to professional standards. For a disabled nursing student (DNS) undergoing training in higher education institutions (HEI), securing proper accommodations to participate effectively in WIL experiences has been difficult due to concerns related to risks to self and patient safety. This study used critical discourse analysis to investigate the framing of risk and safety in association with providing DNS with accommodation in WIL. Our data were collected from an intensive codesign (group-based discussion) session with participants (n = 16), including clinicians and DNS, from four institutions (two WIL-sites and two HEI organizations). Using an iterative thematic approach based on Foucauldian framework, our analysis revealed three ways in which health professionals discursively framed risk and safety: (a) beliefs that a lack of disclosure by disabled students decreases patient safety and indicates poor self-reflection, (b) concerns that accommodating students poses a risk to institutions offering WIL experiences and to the relationships between HEI and institutions offering WIL-sites, and (c) a framing which challenges the dominant discourse by thinking about safety and risk more expansively. Our findings suggest the first two of these framings are ableist and function to enact barriers to access for DNSs in WIL, whereas the third framing serves the goal of inclusion. Recommendations to address the current ableist discourse within the Canadian nursing context are provided, which may also be applicable across other regulated health professions.

Health professional regulation and provision of quality health services; cross sectional analysis of private health care providers in Wajir County, Kenya

Background: Health professional regulatory bodies oversee and enforce standards in healthcare to safeguard patient safety and prevent harm. However, international consistency in these regulations remains limited. The Kenya health sector relies on various bodies to enforce standards among professionals and institutions, albeit constrained by financial and human resources that hinder effective oversight. This study aimed to assess how regulatory practices- such as licensing, training oversight, inspection of practice, and quality assurance mechanisms- affect the quality of healthcare provided by private providers. Methods: The study targeted 108 healthcare providers from 36 private health facilities, primarily nurses and clinical officers. A sample of 86 participants was drawn using purposive sampling. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Results: The licensing of health professionals, training, inspection of practice, and quality assurance mechanisms collectively influenced 47.9% of the variation in service quality. Statistical analysis revealed significant associations between licensing (p=0.003), practice inspections (p=0.01), quality assurance (p=0.001), and service quality. Conclusions: Regulatory bodies play a crucial role in ensuring healthcare standards; however, their effectiveness hinges on tailored strategies that address local challenges and foster collaborative efforts towards sustainable quality improvement in healthcare services. Routine inspections, conducted in a supportive manner, are likely to ensure ongoing adherence to standards. Moreover, adequate resource allocation for regulatory compliance and continuous quality improvement activities, including the formation of internal quality improvement (QI) teams and the maintenance of regular QI meetings and assessments, was deemed essential.

Federal opioid agonist therapy policy: interrupted time series analysis of the impact of the methadone exemption removal across eight provinces in Canada

BackgroundFederal deregulation of opioid agonist therapies are an attractive policy option to improve access to opioid use disorder care and achieve widespread beneficial impacts on growing opioid-related harms. There have been few evaluations of such policy interventions and understanding effects can help policy planning across jurisdictions.MethodsUsing health administrative data from eight of ten Canadian provinces, this study evaluated the impacts of Health Canada’s decision in May 2018 to rescind the requirement for Canadian health professionals to obtain an exemption from the Canadian Drugs and Substance Act to prescribe methadone for opioid use disorder. Over the study period of June 2017 to May 2019, we used descriptive statistics to capture overall trends in the number of agonist therapy prescribers across provinces and we used interrupted time series analysis to determine the effect of this decision on the trajectories of the agonist therapy prescribing workforces.ResultsThere were important baseline differences in the numbers of agonist therapy prescribers. The province with the highest concentration of prescribers had 7.5 more prescribers per 100,000 residents compared to the province with the lowest. All provinces showed encouraging growth in the number of prescribers through the study period, though the fastest growing province grew 4.5 times more than the slowest. Interrupted time series analyses demonstrated a range of effects of the federal policy intervention on the provinces, from clearly positive changes to possibly negative effects.ConclusionsFederal drug regulation policy change interacted in complex ways with provincial health professional regulation and healthcare delivery, kaleidoscoping the effects of federal policy intervention. For Canada and other health systems such as the US, federal policy must account for significant subnational variation in OUD epidemiology and drug regulation to maximize intended beneficial effects and mitigate the risks of negative effects.

History of development of undergraduate public health education in Bulgaria.

The study aims to present a historical review and analysis of the establishment and development of undergraduate public health (PH) education in Bulgaria from 1878 until 2019. А search and selection of historical documents was performed, including laws, rules, regulations, government plans, programmes, scientific publications from periodical medical press, journals, specialized monographs, and books. A retrospective analysis of the normative documents related to the organization of the sanitation and public health activities, and to the provision of professional undergraduate education of the public health workforce in Bulgaria has been carried out. The required competences and tasks of the specialists exercising public health control services were extracted. The development in the public health educational activities were followed in three consecutive periods: the newly independent state (1878-1944); the socialist state (1945-1990); the democratizing state (1990-2019). The development of organized PH activities began after the liberation of Bulgaria in 1878. The historical analysis reveals a direct link between the major socioeconomic changes in the country and the organization of PH undergraduate education which passed through dynamic transformations. The professional education in the sphere of PH started with the training of feldshers, followed by sanitary feldsher and sanitary health inspectors performed in secondary vocational medical schools during the socialist period, reaching the stage of undergraduate university PH education provided by medical colleges associated with universities in the third period. Despite the continuous development in the organization of undergraduate PH education in Bulgaria, its content is still not fully compatible with the basic European PH services and actions. There is a growing need for wider standardization and integration of undergraduate PH education in the EU so that the specialty can reach the status of a regulated health profession similar to medicine, nursing, and others.

Riding to the Rescue: A Comprehensive Review of Health and Safety Measures in Ambulance Cars

Paramedics are registered health professionals in numerous countries. Whilst ambulance services must prioritize their patients, they also require personnel to be healthy to perform at their utmost to provide optimal patient care. Ambulance transport is associated with predictable and likely preventable occupant hazards. Ambulance services provide care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and shift work is known to be a risk factor for poor health. Working unsociable hours has detrimental consequences on the health and well-being of healthcare workers and can ultimately result in compromised patient care. Ambulance service utilization rates are high, with paramedics working in unpredictable environments, and undertaking complex clinical and manual handling tasks whilst caring for critically unwell patients; thus, there are several reasons postulated for poor health in this professional group. These include injuries, serious infections, high rates of musculoskeletal diseases, stress, and mental health problems. This review article aims to identify the occupational risks in an ambulance service, assess their impact on the health of employees, and explore control measures that can be implemented to reduce the risks and improve the safety of healthcare workers and patients.

Unlocking the Digital Toolbox — A Mixed Methods Survey of New Zealand Mental Health Clinicians’ Knowledge, Use and Attitudes Towards Digital Mental Health Interventions

AbstractTo assess New Zealand mental health clinicians and trainees’ knowledge, usage patterns, and attitudes towards digital mental health tools and their potential role in clinical practice. Participants recruited through professional organisations and training programs completed an online survey (August 2021 to February 2022). Eligible participants included Registered Health Professionals working in mental health or those enrolled in relevant training programs. The survey explored their knowledge, use of digital interventions, and perspectives on incorporating digital tools into clinical practice. Quantitative responses were summarised for the entire sample, and free-text responses regarding perceived benefits and concerns were coded to establish their relative importance. One hundred forty-four people started the survey and a total of 118 participants (77% female, 68% NZ European) completed it. Key findings indicated that 81% of the respondents had used digital tools, 65% rated their knowledge as moderate or higher, and 86% expressed interest in utilising digital tools. The primary advantages included ease of access and empowerment for clients, while concerns centred around the digital divide and the threat that digital tools may be used to replace traditional services. Clinicians demand more support and training including access to locally accredited tools. Blended (digital interwoven with in-person) support was highly favoured too. New Zealand mental health clinicians generally hold favourable views towards digital tools, with a significant proportion already trying them in their clinical practice. Clinicians are wary of digital approaches exacerbating existing inequities and want free of charge, secure, user-friendly, and evidence-based tools.

Deconcentrating regulation in low- and middle-income country health systems: a proposed ambidextrous solution to problems with professional regulation for doctors and nurses in Kenya and Uganda

BackgroundRegulation can improve professional practice and patient care, but is often weakly implemented and enforced in health systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Taking a de-centred and frontline perspective, we examine national regulatory actors’ and health professionals’ views and experiences of health professional regulation in Kenya and Uganda and discuss how it might be improved in LMICs more generally.MethodsWe conducted large-scale research on professional regulation for doctors and nurses (including midwives) in Uganda and Kenya during 2019–2021. We interviewed 29 national regulatory stakeholders and 47 subnational regulatory actors, doctors, and nurses. We then ran a national survey of Kenyan and Ugandan doctors and nurses, which received 3466 responses. We thematically analysed qualitative data, conducted an exploratory factor analysis of survey data, and validated findings in four focus group discussions.ResultsKenyan and Ugandan regulators were generally perceived as resource-constrained, remote, and out of touch with health professionals. This resulted in weak regulation that did little to prevent malpractice and inadequate professional education and training. However, interviewees were positive about online licencing and regulation where they had relationships with accessible regulators. Building on these positive findings, we propose an ambidextrous approach to improving regulation in LMIC health systems, which we term deconcentrating regulation. This involves developing online licencing and streamlining regulatory administration to make efficiency savings, freeing regulatory resources. These resources should then be used to develop connected subnational regulatory offices, enhance relations between regulators and health professionals, and address problems at local level.ConclusionProfessional regulation for doctors and nurses in Kenya and Uganda is generally perceived as weak. Yet these professionals are more positive about online licencing and regulation where they have relationships with regulators. Building on these positive findings, we propose deconcentrating regulation as a solution to regulatory problems in LMICs. However, we note resource, cultural and political barriers to its effective implementation.

Substitution of regulated health professionals, such as doctors and nurses, with unregulated health care workers, such as physician assistants, gives rise to concerns around patient safety and accountability issues: No

Substitution of regulated health professionals, such as doctors and nurses, with unregulated health care workers, such as physician assistants, gives rise to concerns around patient safety and accountability issues: No

Substitution of regulated health professionals such as doctors and nurses with unregulated health professionals such as physician assistants gives rise to concerns around patient safety and accountability issues: Yes

Substitution of regulated health professionals such as doctors and nurses with unregulated health professionals such as physician assistants gives rise to concerns around patient safety and accountability issues: Yes

Factors influencing nursing and allied health recent graduates' rural versus urban preferred principal place of practice: A cross-sectional data linkage study.

Disparities between metropolitan and non-metropolitan health workforce must be addressed to reduce inequities in health care access. Understanding factors affecting early career practitioners' choice of practice location can inform workforce planning. To investigate influences on rural practice location preferences of recent graduates. Cross-sectional analysis linked university enrolment, Graduate Outcomes Survey (GOS) and Australian Health Professional Regulation Agency (Ahpra) principal place of practice (PPP) for 2018 and 2019 nursing and allied health graduates from two Australian universities. Chi-squared tests and logistic regression compared rural versus urban PPP and locational preference. Of 2979 graduates, 1295 (43.5%) completed the GOS, with 63.7% (n = 825) working in their profession and 84.0% of those (n = 693) in their preferred location. Ahpra PPP data were extracted for 669 (81.1%) of those working in their profession. Most reported influences were 'proximity to family/friends' (48.5%), 'lifestyle of the area' (41.7%) and 'opportunity for career advancement' (40.7%). Factors most influential for rural PPP were 'cost of accommodation/housing' (OR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.23-4.17) and 'being approached by an employer' (OR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.12-3.92). Having an urban PPP was most influenced by 'spouse/partners employment/career' (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.30-0.93) and 'proximity to family/friends' (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.24-0.72). While the findings add strength to the understanding that graduates who originated from a rural area are most likely to take up rural practice in their preferred location, varied social and professional factors are influential on decision-making. It is imperative to recruit students from non-metropolitan regions into health professional degrees, as well as addressing other influences on choice of practice location.

Social media as a mechanism of dissemination and knowledge translation among health professions educators: a scoping review.

Health professions educators often use social media to share knowledge; however, it is unclear what specific dissemination and knowledge translation (KT) processes are occurring and the implications of this sharing for health professions education (HPE). This study explored how educators have used social media as a mechanism of dissemination and KT in the literature. A critical scoping review methodology, informed by Engeström's Activity Theory, was employed. Twelve databases were searched and studies that: (a) addressed health professions educators; (b) described the use of social media for dissemination or KT; (c) focused on a regulated health profession; (d) focused on undergraduate or graduate education; and (e) were published in English or French between 2011 and 2021 were included. Data were analyzed using numerical and qualitative content analyses. Of the 4859 articles screened, 37 were eligible for inclusion. Social media may facilitate knowledge sharing in HPE, but there is a lack of conceptual clarity on what is meant by 'dissemination' and 'KT'. Who is responsible for sharing knowledge, what knowledge is being shared, and the target audiences are not always clear. Multiple factors (e.g., affordances, opportunity costs) influence how social media is used as a mechanism of dissemination, and it remains unclear whether and how it is used as a mechanism of KT. Concepts like KT and dissemination, which are often borrowed from other disciplines, must be critically evaluated for their relevance and suitability if they are to be appropriately applied to HPE and in particular to social media. Educators looking to use social media to teach students about KT should consider whether this use of technology truly aligns with their stated learning outcomes.

Impact on all-cause mortality of a case prediction and prevention intervention designed to reduce secondary care utilisation: findings from a randomised controlled trial

BackgroundHealth coaching services could help to reduce emergency healthcare utilisation for patients targeted proactively by a clinical prediction model (CPM) predicting patient likelihood of future hospitalisations. Such interventions are designed...

The pandemic experiences of Ontario perinatal providers: a qualitative study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has produced widespread disruptions for healthcare systems across Canada. Perinatal care in Ontario, Canada was subject to province-wide public health restrictions, reallocation of hospital beds and human health resources. To better understand the impacts of the pandemic on Ontario perinatal care, this study explored the perspectives of perinatal care providers about their clinical COVID-19 pandemic experiences.MethodsSemi-structured key informant virtual interviews were conducted between August 2021 and January 2022 with 15 Ontario-based perinatal care providers. Recorded interviews were transcribed, and thematic content analysis used to identify major themes and subthemes.ResultsParticipants were mainly women, practicing in Eastern and Central Ontario as health providers (obstetricians, nurses, midwives), allied regulated health professionals (social worker, massage therapist), and perinatal support workers (doula, lactation consultant). Major themes and subthemes were identified inductively as follows: (1) Impacts of COVID-19 on providers (psychosocial stress, healthcare system barriers, healthcare system opportunities); (2) Perceived impacts of COVID-19 on pregnant people (psychosocial stress, amplification of existing healthcare barriers, influences on reproductive decision making; minor theme- social and emotional support roles); (3) Vaccine discourse (provider empathy, vaccines and patient family dynamics, minor themes- patient vaccine hesitancy, COVID-19 misinformation); and (4) Virtual pregnancy care (benefits, disadvantages, adaptation of standard care practices).ConclusionsPerinatal care providers reported significant stress and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and evolving hospital protocols. Providers perceived that their patients were distressed by both the pandemic and related reductions in pregnancy healthcare services including hospital limits to support companion(s). Although virtual pregnancy care impaired patient-provider rapport, most providers believed that the workflow efficiencies and patient convenience of virtual care is beneficial to perinatal healthcare.

Artificial Intelligence in Health Professions Regulation: An Exploratory Qualitative Study of Nurse Regulators in Three Jurisdictions

Artificial Intelligence in Health Professions Regulation: An Exploratory Qualitative Study of Nurse Regulators in Three Jurisdictions

Nursing research and the cancer continuum: Challenges and future directions.

Research in Nursing & HealthEarly View SOCIETY NEWS Nursing research and the cancer continuum: Challenges and future directions Dara L. James, Corresponding Author Dara L. James [email protected] [email protected] College of Nursing, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona, USA Correspondence Dara L. James, College of Nursing, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA. Email: [email protected] and [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorJoyce Pittman, Joyce Pittman College of Nursing, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USASearch for more papers by this author Dara L. James, Corresponding Author Dara L. James [email protected] [email protected] College of Nursing, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona, USA Correspondence Dara L. James, College of Nursing, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA. Email: [email protected] and [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorJoyce Pittman, Joyce Pittman College of Nursing, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USASearch for more papers by this author First published: 05 June 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.22325Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. REFERENCES American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2019). Fact sheet: Creating a more highly qualified nursing workforce. https://www.aacnnursing.org/news-data/fact-sheets/creating-a-more-highly-qualified-nursing-workforce Anand, P., Kunnumakara, A. B., Sundaram, C., Harikumar, K. B., Tharakan, S. T., Lai, O. S., Sung, B., & Aggarwal, B. B. (2008). Cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes. Pharmaceutical Research, 25(9), 2097– 2116. Chien, L.-Y. (2019). Evidence-based practice and nursing research. Journal of Nursing Research, 27(4), e29. https://doi.org/10.1097/jnr.0000000000000346 Cummings, G. G., Lee, S. D., & Tate, K. C. (2018). The evolution of oncology nursing: Leading the path to change. Canadian Oncology Nursing Journal, 28(4), 314– 317. DeSantis, L., & Ugarriza, D. N. (2000). The concept of theme as used in qualitative nursing research. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 22(3), 351– 372. https://doi.org/10.1177/019394590002200308 Ellenbecker, C. H., & Edward, J. (2006). Conducting nursing research to advance and inform health policy. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Research, 17(4), 208– 217. https://doi.org/10.1177/1527154417700634 Gelo, O., Braakmann, D., & Benetka, G. (2008). Quantitative and qualitative research: beyond the debate. Integrative psychological & behavioral science, 42(3), 266– 290. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12124-008-9078-3 Hariton, E., & Locascio, J. J. (2018). Randomised controlled trials-the gold standard for effectiveness research. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 125(13), 1716. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.15199 Ingham-Broomfield, R. (2014). A nurses' guide to quantitative research. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 32(2), 32– 38. Kiley, D. P., & Wysocki, A. B. (2020). Federal funding of nursing research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH): 1993-2017. Nursing Outlook, 68, 270– 283. National Cancer Institute. (2023). National Cancer Institute Overview and Mission. https://www.cancer.gov/about-nci/overview Salvador, J. T. (2016). Exploring quantitative and qualitative methodologies: A guide to novice nursing researchers. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 12(18), 107. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2016.v12n18p107 Segrott, J., McIvor, M., & Green, B. (2006). Challenges and strategies in developing nursing research capacity: A review of the literature. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 43, 637– 651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2005.07.011 Squires, A., & Dorsen, C. (2018). Qualitative research in nursing and health professions regulation. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 9(3), 15– 26. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2155-8256(18)30150-9 Tingen, M. S., Burnett, A. H., Murchison, R. B., & Zhu, H. (2009). The importance of nursing research. Journal of Nursing Education, 48(3), 167– 170. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20090301-10 Yale School of Public Health. (2023). Transdisciplinary research on energetics and cancer (TREC) training workshop. https://ysph.yale.edu/trecrep/about/ Early ViewOnline Version of Record before inclusion in an issue ReferencesRelatedInformation

Antimicrobial stewardship: Prescribing across the primary care health professions.

We examined the patterns of antibiotic prescribing by medical and non-medical prescribers (dentists, nurse practitioners, and midwives) in Australia. We explored trends in the dispensed use of antibiotics (scripts and defined daily dose [DDD] per 1000 population/day) by Australian prescribers over the 12-year period, 2005-2016. We obtained data on dispensed prescriptions of antibiotics from registered health professionals subsidized on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). There were 216.2 million medical and 7.1 million non-medical dispensed prescriptions for antibiotics over 12 years. The top four antibiotics for medical prescribers were doxycycline; amoxicillin, amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid, and cefalexin, constituting 80% of top 10 use in 2005 and 2016; the top three for non-medical were amoxicillin, amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid and metronidazole (84% of top 10 use in 2016). The proportional increase in antibiotic use was higher for non-medical than medical prescribers. While medical prescribers preferentially prescribed broad-spectrum and non-medical prescribers moderate-spectrum antibiotics, there was a large increase in the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics over time by all prescribers. One in four medical prescriptions were repeats. Overprescribing of broad-spectrum antibiotics conflicts with national antimicrobial stewardship initiatives and guidelines. The proportional higher increase in antibiotic use by non-medical prescribers is a concern. To reduce inappropriate use of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance, educational strategies targeted at all medical and non-medical prescribers are needed to align prescribing with current best practice within the scope of practice of respective prescribers.

Protecting the public interest while regulating health professionals providing virtual care: A scoping review.

Technology is transforming service delivery in many health professions, particularly with the rapid shift to virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health profession regulators must navigate legal and ethical complexities to facilitate virtual care while upholding their mandate to protect the public interest. The objectives of this scoping review were to examine how the public interest is protected when regulating health professionals who provide virtual care, discuss policy and practice implications of virtual care, and make recommendations for future research. We searched six multidisciplinary databases for academic literature published in English between January 2015 and May 2021. We also searched specific databases and websites for relevant grey literature. After screening, 59 academic articles and 18 grey literature sources were included for analysis. We identified five key findings: the public interest when regulating health professionals providing virtual care was only implicitly considered in most of the literature; when the public interest was discussed, the dimension of access was emphasized; criticism in the literature focused on social ideologies driving regulation that may inhibit more widespread use of virtual care; subnational licensure was viewed as a barrier; and the demand for virtual care during COVID-19 catalyzed licensure and scope of practice changes. Overall, virtual care introduces new areas of risk, potential harm, and inequity that health profession regulators need to address as technology continues to evolve. Regulators have an essential role in providing clear standards and guidelines around virtual care, including what is required for competent practice. There are indications that the public interest concept is evolving in relation to virtual care as regulators continue to balance public safety, equitable access to services, and economic competitiveness.

An Evaluation of Practice Supervisor Training for Student Paramedics

Background: Registered health professionals have a responsibility to facilitate learning in the workplace and those who are supporting students should have the skills and knowledge to take on this role. Paramedics are now working in a variety of healthcare settings. Regulatory bodies recognise that students should have opportunities to develop their supervision skills before qualifying, so practice supervisor training was implemented into the final year curriculum at one university. Aim: To explore the value of incorporating practice supervisor training into the curriculum. Methods: Final-year student paramedics were provided with practice supervisor training as part of their degree. This training was delivered over three seminars before the students’ final preregistration placement. Students were invited to provide anonymous feedback via an evaluation form. Findings: A significant number of students felt prepared to take on the practice supervisor role when qualified. Conclusion: Practice supervisor training, when delivered as part of the curriculum, is of benefit to students.

Protecting the public interest when regulating health professionals providing virtual care: a scoping review protocol

BackgroundVirtual care is transforming the nature of healthcare, particularly with the accelerated shift to telehealth and virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health profession regulators face intense pressures to safely facilitate this type of healthcare while upholding their legislative mandate to protect the public. Challenges for health profession regulators have included providing practice guidance for virtual care, changing entry-to-practice requirements to include digital competencies, facilitating interjurisdictional virtual care through licensure and liability insurance requirements, and adapting disciplinary procedures. This scoping review will examine the literature on how the public interest is protected when regulating health professionals providing virtual care.MethodsThis review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scoping review methodology. Academic and grey literature will be retrieved from health sciences, social sciences, and legal databases using a comprehensive search strategy underpinned by Population-Concept-Context (PCC) inclusion criteria. Articles published in English since January 2015 will be considered for inclusion. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts and full-text sources against specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Discrepancies will be resolved through discussion or by a third reviewer. One research team member will extract relevant data from the selected documents and a second will validate the extractions.DiscussionResults will be presented in a descriptive synthesis that highlights implications for regulatory policy and professional practice, as well as study limitations and knowledge gaps that warrant further research. Given the rapid expansion of virtual care provision by regulated health professionals in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, mapping the literature on how the public interest is protected in this rapidly evolving digital health sector may help inform future regulatory reform and innovation.Systematic review registrationThis protocol is registered with the Open Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/BD2ZX).