Self-assessed Competence Research Articles

Developing and piloting a self-assessment tool for medication review competence of practicing pharmacists based on nationally set competence criteria

BackgroundNew competence requirements have emerged for pharmacists as a result of changing societal needs towards more patient-centred practices. Today, medication review competence can be considered as basic pharmaceutical competence. Medication review specific competence criteria and tools for self-assessing the competence are essential in building competences and a shared understanding of medication reviews as a collaborative practice. The aim of this study was to develop and pilot a self-assessment tool for medication review competence among practicing pharmacists in Finland.MethodsThe development of the self-assessment tool was based on the national medication review competence criteria for pharmacists established in Finland in 2017 and piloting the tool among practicing pharmacists in a national online survey in October 2018. The pharmacists self-assessed their medication review competence with a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 for “very poor/not at all” to 5 for “very good”.ResultsThe internal consistency of the self-assessment tool was high as the range of the competence areas’ Cronbach’s alpha was 0.953–0.973. The competence areas consisted of prescription review competence (20 items, Cronbach’s alpha 0.953), additional statements for medication review competence (11 additional items, Cronbach’s alpha 0.963) and medication review as a whole, including both the statements of prescription review and medication review competence (31 items, Cronbach’s alpha 0.973). Competence items closely related to routine dispensing were most commonly self-estimated to be mastered by the practicing pharmacists who responded (n = 344), while the more clinical and patient-centred competence items had the lowest self-estimates. This indicates that the self-assessment tool works logically and differentiates pharmacists according to competence. The self-assessed medication review competence was at a very good or good level among more than half (55%) of the respondents (n = 344).ConclusionA self-assessment tool for medication review competence was developed and validated. The piloted self-assessment tool can be used for regular evaluation of practicing pharmacists’ medication review competence which is becoming an increasingly important basis for their contribution to patient care and society.

The attitudes of initial teacher education students towards teacher socioemotional competence

A significant acceptance and research of teacher socioemotional competence occurred along with the development of the constructivist approach in education. Socioemotional competence is considered an important part of teacher competences or pedagogical competences which should be acquired and learned during studies. The main research objective was to examine the attitudes of initial teacher education students (future teachers) related to the desirable and necessary teacher socioemotional competences, including self-assessment of students' socioemotional competences. The study involved a total of 121 graduate students attending teacher education study programs in the field of social sciences and humanities. The results of the research indicate that students are generally familiar with characteristics of socioemotional competence and consider them important. As expected, the students show having somewhat less confidence in their own teacher competences.

Diagnosis of competencies in the meetings industry in Poland, Hungary and Ireland in post-COVID-19 period

The freezing of economies due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused damage not only on the sales side but also on the labor market due to the outflow of staff from companies specializing in the organization of meetings. The return of the meetings industry sector to the development path will involve skillful change management, including in the area of competencies and skills. To inventory and assess the competencies of employees in the meetings industry, this study was carried out among specialized enterprises in the meetings industry in Poland, Hungary, and Ireland, on samples of two research groups, i.e. the Director General (CEO) and operational employees based on questionnaires and individual in-depth interviews (IDI). The obtained results allowed to establish the hierarchy of self-assessment of own managerial competencies, assessment of the competencies of the CEO by the employees, areas of increasing team competencies, and areas of staff development in the sector shortly, contributing to the recovery from the pandemic crisis. Raising the competencies and qualifications of employees is perceived as one of the most powerful tools for overcoming the pandemic crisis, obtaining 68% positive indications among CEOs in Poland, 77% indications in Hungary, and 84% in Ireland. In all analyzed countries, the meetings industry is indicated as a strategic product of the tourist market. Among the planned long-term actions aimed at overcoming the pandemic crisis, increasing employee competencies is perceived as an opportunity for the companies operating the meetings industry sector (90% in Poland, and 80% in Hungary and Ireland). AcknowledgmentThis study was done in frames of the project “Vocational competences in MICE sector” co-financed in frames of European Union program Erasmus + as part of the program The Dialog for Transformation, Erasmus+, 2020–2021.

Self-assessment of competences and their impact on the perceived chances for a successful university-to-work transition: the example of tourism degree students in Poland

Competences are the most important career capital a university graduate can have. The objective of the paper is to determine which competences acquired at tourism degree programmes affect students’ self-assessment regarding their own competitive advantage on the labour market. The data was collected during a nationwide diagnostic survey (N = 476) carried out at ten Polish universities among students finishing their tourism degree courses. Principal component analysis allowed us to identify a set of competences that have a significant impact on the students’ perception of their chances of finding employment in the tourism industry. These are: ability to cope with challenges and stress; writing and speaking skills in a foreign language; public speaking; planning and implementation of subject-specific projects; ability to conduct subject-specific research and perseverance. The higher the assessment of each of the above, the more confident of their competitive advantage on the labour market the students were.

Enhancing social and health care educators’ competence in digital pedagogy: A pilot study of educational intervention

The purpose of this pilot study was to explore connection of an educational intervention on the competence of health care educators and educator candidates (n=11) in digital pedagogy as a part of national TerOpe project. An educational intervention, Basics of Digital Pedagogy was developed by the TerOpe project’s experts. The participating educators and educator candidates of the educational intervention were recruited from the universities and university of applied sciences, which were involved in TerOpe project. All the participants of the educational interventions were invited to take part in this study. The educational intervention was conducted during spring 2019. Pre- and post-tests were implemented digitally by using an Educators’ and Educator Candidates’ Competence in Digital Pedagogy self-assessment instrument (OODI), which was developed for this study. The OODI includes 32 items divided in six digital competence areas professional engagement, digital resources, teaching and learning, assessment, empowering learners and facilitating learners’ digital competence. The data was analysed statistically. The self-assessed level of overall competence in digital pedagogy and competence in all competence areas of digital pedagogy increased statistically significantly during the intervention. The educational intervention used in this study seems to increase educators’ self-assessed competence in digital pedagogy. We recommend that all educators be encouraged to conduct continuous education on the basics of digital pedagogy.

Development and evaluation of an interprofessional community health course in Zambia

ABSTRACT Persistent global health inequities and workforce shortage require innovative strategies to prepare professionals for teamwork in a global context. Over two years, students (n = 33) from education, nursing, occupational therapy, public health, and physical therapy participated in a course in Zambia that emphasized interprofessional collaborative practice (IPP), cultural fluency, and understanding ecological approaches to health. Faculty measured the learning outcomes of the course using the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Competency Self-Assessment Tool (pre and posttest), and a focus group to gain a deeper understanding of the student experience and course effectiveness. The Beliefs, Events and Values Inventory (BEVI) was used post trip to determine feasibility of distribution and response of the tool via e-mail. These preliminary results suggested that students developed skills and knowledge related to IPP, cultural fluency, and ecological approaches to health. Specifically, students acknowledged growth in their ability to communicate more effectively with other health professions, and ability to evaluate personal assumptions and biases toward health, healthcare, and cultural practices. The method of developing this course could be a model for other institutions wanting to grow IPP experiences for their students.

Effectiveness of a combined web-based and simulation-based continuing education on home-care professionals' competence to evaluate older people's acute care needs in Finland.

Home-care professionals need competences to ensure that they evaluate their older peoples' health conditions, especially in acute care situations. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of combined web-based and simulation-based continuing education on home-care professionals' competence regarding evaluating older people's needs for acute care. A quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test study was conducted with home-care professionals who were working in older people's care in Finland. Home-care professionals (N=254) had participated in combined web-based and simulation-based continuing education in 2017-2019. Data were collected using a questionnaire developed for this study before (n=171) and after (n=83) the education. The data were analysed statistically. The mean competence score was 3.22±0.51 before the education and 3.92±0.57 after the education. Improvements were detected in overall competence and in all eight subscales. Improvements were highest in health assessment and consultation and the lowest in type 2 diabetes, but this was already the highest level of self-assessed competence in the pre-test assessment. The combined web-based and simulation-based continuing education was effective in increasing the home-care professionals' competence in evaluating older people's needs for acute care. Evaluating older people's needs for acute care should be embedded in curricula and continuing education programmes.

The Interprofessional Education Exchange: The Impact of a Faculty Development Program in Interprofessional Palliative Oncology Education on Trainee Competencies, Skills, and Satisfaction.

Background: The interprofessional education exchange (iPEX) provides education, training, and mentoring to select interprofessional faculty trainee teams for development and implementation of interprofessional education (IPE) in palliative oncology.Objective: To evaluate the impact of the iPEX project on trainees' self-efficacy in IPE skills and IPE competencies.Design: A pre-/post-test design was used to evaluate trainees' progress. Trainees rated project components and developed IPE curricula in palliative oncology.Setting/Subjects: Sixteen United States-based faculty teams consisting of four to five members representing three or more disciplines completed the one-year faculty development project consisting of webinars, online interactive modules, a face-to-face workshop, mentoring, and assistance. The exchange of ideas, means for overcoming obstacles, collaborative teaching techniques, and curriculum development guidelines were integrated into the program.Measurements: Standardized measures of self-efficacy in IPE skills (Interprofessional Facilitation Skills Checklist) and IPE competencies (Core Competencies for Interprofessional Practice Individual Competency Assessment Tool) were used. Trainees rated the effectiveness of the project components on a scale of 1–5 (1 = not at all effective, 5 = extremely effective) and reported their plan for IPE palliative care curricula at their home institution.Results: Pre and post-paired samples t-test scores (n = 78) on both standardized instruments for IPE skills and competencies were significantly different (p < 0.001). Ratings of project components ranged from 3.97 to 4.90. Each team successfully developed a unique plan for IPE in palliative oncology.Conclusions: Multimodal faculty development and mentoring are successful means for improving self-assessed IPE skills and competencies.

Impact of school closures on the health and well-being of primary school children in Wales UK: a routine data linkage study using the HAPPEN Survey (2018–2020)

ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore the relationship between initial school closures and children’s health by comparing health and well-being outcomes collected during school closures (April–June 2020) via HAPPEN (the Health...

Are rare diseases overlooked by medical education? Awareness of rare diseases among physicians in Poland: an explanatory study

BackgroundDuring their studies, future physicians are often taught that while evaluating a patient they should first consider a common diagnosis and not a rare one. Consequently, although most physicians will face the diagnosis or treatment of a rare disease (RD) at some point in their professional lives, many assume that they might never meet a patient with a specific RD. Moreover, many physicians lack knowledge about RDs and are not prepared for caring for RD patients. Thus, the aim of this paper was to assess the awareness of RDs among Polish physicians.MethodsThe study was conducted among 165 medical doctors taking their specialization courses at the Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland. The questionnaire assessed physicians’ knowledge about the number, examples, etiology and estimated frequency of RDs. It also checked the self-assessment of physicians competence in RDs, as well as their opinions about university curricula in this respect.ResultsThe study shows that while most physicians lacked basic knowledge about the etiology, epidemiology and prevalence of RDs, many had also problems with separating RDs from more common disorders. Moreover, 94.6% of physicians perceived their knowledge on RDs as insufficient or very poor and less than 5% feel prepared for caring for patients with RDs. Simultaneously, while over 83% of physicians believed that RDs constitute a serious public health issue, 17% were of the opinion that mandatory courses on RDs are not necessary in medical curricula and 6.7% were not interested in broadening their knowledge of such diseases. Most respondents derived their knowledge on RDs from university courses, scientific literature and research, as well as from the Internet.ConclusionSince the study shows that there is a urgent need to fill the gap in physicians’ knowledge on RDs, it seems advisable that extra courses on these diseases should be added to medical curricula and physicians’ postgraduate training. Furthermore, as the Internet is the main source of information on RDs, e-learning programs and courses for all medical professionals should be organized.

Nursing students' competence profiles in gerontological nursing-A cross-sectional study.

AimThe study aimed to describe and explain the self‐assessed gerontological nursing competence levels of Finnish nursing students and factors relating to it.DesignA cross‐sectional study design, reported by The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology guidelines.MethodsData were collected with the GeroNursingCom instrument, which features 53 items relating to 11 competence factors. The K‐clustering technique and the Chi‐squared, Kruskal‐Wallis and Mann Whitney tests were used to analyse the data.ResultsSeven hundred and ninety‐nine nursing students from nine randomly selected higher education institutions were invited to participate in 2019. Three distinct student profiles were identified according to the data (N = 274): Profile A—lower intermediate competence (23.1% of students), Profile B—intermediate competence (45.8%) and Profile C—high competence (31.1%). The strongest competence area for all students was appreciative encounter and interaction, and the weakest was supporting the older person’s sexuality. Nursing students have diverse backgrounds and their overall competence in gerontological nursing is shaped in part by their previous education, motivations and work experience.Relevance to clinical practiceRecognizing students’ different gerontological nursing competence profiles enables the implementation of targeted education to improve competence in clinical practice.

Developing an integrated curriculum for patient safety in an undergraduate nursing program: a case study

BackgroundNursing students’ practical training should begin when students can apply core knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to patient safety. This necessitates an integrated curriculum in nursing education that links practice to the theory concerning patient safety to enhance patient safety competencies and quality in nursing care. This study aimed to develop an integrated curriculum that incorporates patient safety factors in the existing curriculum to increase patient safety competencies in nursing students.MethodA case study approach was adopted to explain the development processes of a new curriculum integrating patient safety in the existing outcome-based curriculum of a nursing college. Based on the existing outcome-based curriculum of a nursing college, a four-step process was performed to integrate patient safety component, including quality improvement, into the curriculum: 1) literature review, 2) analysis of course syllabus, 3) selection of courses related to patient safety topics, and 4) development of evaluation tool.ResultsThe integrated patient safety curriculum was based on six topics: patient safety principles, teamwork, communication, patient engagement, risk management and, quality improvement, and International Patient Safety Goals. Based on the characteristics of the course according to the level of students in each year, the curriculum was integrated to address patient safety topics in seven courses (four theoretical and three practical). A Patient safety Competency self-assessment checklist was developed for students to naturally acquire patient safety competencies in clinical settings.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that patient safety topics should be addressed in both theoretical and practical settings across the entire nursing curriculum per the continuity and sequence of education principles.

Integrated Cadaveric Nail Surgery Course Improves Self-Assessed Knowledge and Competency of Dermatologists

Introduction: Dermatologists see many patients with nail disorders requiring surgical interventions. However, nail surgery is often found to be difficult by dermatologists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated nail surgery course. Methods: A nail surgery course model, combining anatomy, pathology, and dermatology with theoretical lectures and hands-on training on fresh-frozen cadaver, was designed for dermatologists. Before and after the course, the participants were asked to complete a questionnaire in which they assessed their knowledge and competence levels. Results: Twenty-eight dermatologists completed the questionnaires. The majority of the dermatologists (79.6%) had limited nail surgery experience, previously. The most commonly cited reasons for lack of knowledge or low or moderate theoretical and/or practical level of knowledge of nail surgery were not having received theoretical and practical education during dermatology residency. The median scores of self-assessed knowledge and competency improved significantly after the course (p < 0.001). The majority (82.1%) of the participants were “quite” or “very” well satisfied. Conclusion: An integrative nail surgery course model seems beneficial and encouraging for dermatologists. Organizing this type of nail surgery course, especially in medical schools using fresh-frozen cadavers, may significantly improve dermatologists’ knowledge and skills.

Abstract 64 - Contemporary trends for urological training and management of stress urinary incontinence in Ireland

The aim of this study is to evaluate the trends in stress urinary incontinence (SUI) surgery since the 2018 pause on use of the polypropylene (PP) mid-urethral sling (MUS) and to quantify the effect this has had on surgical training. Two anonymous surveys were sent to all current urology trainees and to all consultant surgeons who specialise in stress urinary incontinence surgery. Prior to the pause, 86% (6 out of 7) of consultant urologists and 73% (11 out of 15) of consultant gynaecologists would “always”/“often” perform MUS for SUI. After that, 100% (22 out of 22) of consultants reported that they “never” perform MUS. There has been a modest increase in the use of urethral bulking agent (UBA) procedures among urologists, with 43% (3 out of 7) now “often” performing this, compared with 71% (5 out of 7) “never” performing it pre-2018. Trainee exposure to SUI surgery reduced by 75% between 2016 and 2020. Despite a ten-fold increase in UBA procedures logged by trainees, the decline in MUS has resulted in a major reduction in total SUI surgeries. Coinciding with this decrease in surgeries, there was a 56% reduction in trainees’ self-assessed competence at SUI surgery. Thirteen percent of trainees are interested in specialising in Female Urology and those trainees had significantly greater exposure to SUI procedures during their training than those who did not (p = 0.0072). This study has identified a downward trend in SUI surgery, which is concerning for the undertreatment of females with SUI. A decline in SUI surgery training has resulted in reduced trainee confidence and interest in this subspecialty.

Pediatric palliative care: Competency and educational needs assessment in pediatricians of a developing country

Pediatric Palliative Care (PPC) is a nascent subspecialty that aims on achieving the best possible quality of life for children with life-threatening illnesses. To attain this goal in a developing country, Pediatricians require adequate knowledge and skill in this subject. Assessment of competency and educational needs in Pediatricians is the first step towards this aim. A multi-center, self-reported, cross-sectional, online survey was conducted among Pediatric residents and junior staff pediatricians from various teaching hospitals in Pakistan. Data were analyzed in terms of descriptive statistics using SPSS 16. Total 284 Pediatric residents and junior staff pediatricians from 4 different training programs and 13 different teaching hospitals of Punjab, Pakistan recorded their responses. The mean age of respondents was 30.19 years (+2.67 SD) with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1.2. Regarding self-assessment of competency in end-of-life clinical skills, low or below average competence (Mean < 2.55) was reported in assessment and management of terminal delirium, agitation, and anxiety; use of adjuvant analgesics, discussing treatment withdrawal, use of parenteral opioid analgesics, and developing family-centered goals of care. Improved competence was observed with the increasing years of training/experience. Regarding interest(s) in learning about end-of-life clinical topics, all of the 10 topics included in the survey reached a significant level of interest (Mean > 2.5) while the top 3 recommended topics were: Pain assessment and management, assessment and management of terminal delirium, agitation, anxiety, and assessment and management of terminal dyspnea. Pediatricians in a developing country are eager to learn more about PPC but significant gaps exist in current training in PPC in our country that need to be bridged.

Developing students’ digital competences through collaborative game design

BackgroundThis exploratory study engaged teams of elementary and middle school students in the collaborative design of digital games. Game design is theoretically examined in this study as a form of knowledge-creating learning that is characterized by collaborative efforts to advance a shared object of activity, i.e., the game being designed. Using mixed methods, we examined how students experienced the game design project and how the project fostered connected learning, that is, integration of students’ personal interests and supportive peer relations with their schoolwork, and how their self-assessed digital competences developed. MethodsThe digital competences of 98 comprehensive school students across Finland were traced using pre- and post-questionnaires. The post-questionnaire also included validated measures on connected learning. Quantitative methods were used to analyze structured measures, and qualitative methods were used to analyze open-ended measures. FindingsStudents experienced game design as an inspiring, challenging activity. Game design engaged student teams in sustained, collaborative efforts to create shared digital artifacts. Their efforts involved a great deal of mutual support and knowledge sharing. Participation also improved students’ self-reported technical and artistic digital competences. The game design project fostered informal, interest-driven, sociodigital participation; inspired learning engagement; and improved schoolwork practices. ContributionThe game design project appeared to be a pedagogically meaningful way of engaging students in knowledge-creating learning and of connecting students' formal and informal learning. The project sparked students’ motivation to learn, fostered digital competences, and enriched the learning environment.

Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Slovenian version of the nurse professional competence scale

BackgroundThe competency-based approach to the assessment of nursing practice has been adopted as a key policy in the developed world. The continual self-assessment of competence gives nurses the opportunity to reflect on their competencies and has a significant impact on the quality of nursing practice and patient safety. The study was designed to describe the process of cross-cultural adaptation and to assess the psychometric properties of the Slovenian version of a short form of the Nurse Professional Competence scale (NPC-SF) and to evaluate the efficacy of this instrument in a sample of registered nurses.MethodsA cross-sectional and validation study was conducted in 425 registered nurses to test the psychometric properties of the Slovenian version of a short form of the scale and to evaluate nurses’ professional competence. A multilevel approach was used: Translation, back-translation, language validity, face and content validity, construct validity, and reliability of the Slovenian version of the scale were analysed respectively. Participants completed an online survey, with the data being collected between April and July 2020.ResultsFactor analysis showed that the Slovenian version of the scale could be used in four dimensions explained with 65 % of the variance. Cronbach’s α was 0.972. The four-factor model fit the data (RMSEA = 0.083, CFI = 0.731). Self-reported competence was high and rated higher by nurses employed at the tertiary level of healthcare, followed by nurses employed at the secondary and primary, and from social care institutions. Nurses with more years of experience assessed their competence higher.ConclusionsThe NPC-SF helps understand and identify nurses’ self-reported core competencies in clinical settings, thereby providing an important predictor of the professional development of nursing. The Slovenian version of the scale demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties and may be used in research and clinical practice to evaluate nurses’ professional competence.

Editor's Spotlight/Take 5: What is the Interobserver Reliability of an Ultrasound-enhanced Physical Examination of the Hip in Infants? A Prospective Study on the Ease of Acquiring Skills to Diagnose Hip Dysplasia.

Editor's Spotlight/Take 5: What is the Interobserver Reliability of an Ultrasound-enhanced Physical Examination of the Hip in Infants? A Prospective Study on the Ease of Acquiring Skills to Diagnose Hip Dysplasia.

Efficacy of Using Interprofessional WIC Community Visits to Increase Cultural Competence

Abstract Date Presented 04/12/21 OT and physical therapy students visited Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) centers to educate families on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Milestone Tracker app. A pretest-posttest design using an adapted version of the Cultural Competence Self-Assessment Checklist (N = 40) was utilized. The results indicated that while students perceived the experience as a positive one that increased their knowledge of WIC, the experience did not significantly alter self-perceptions of their cultural competence. Primary Author and Speaker: Kate Barlow Contributing Authors: Chelsea Patton, Rachel Holliday, Kassidy Abel, Ashley Abbott, Sydney Liu, Sarah Stevenson, Jalisa Mosley, Sydney Higgs, and Kaitlynn Bennett

Development and psychometric testing of the nursing faculty competencies self-assessment scale

BackgroundAlongside the promotion of faculty development, further clarification on the vital faculty competencies is critical. ObjectivesTo develop and test the psychometric properties of the Nursing Faculty Competencies Self-Assessment Scale. DesignA cross-sectional study. Participants1299 faculty members of 68 nursing universities throughout Japan. A total of 333 returned completed questionnaires, of which 326 provided valid data for analysis. MethodsTo investigate the reliability and validity of the Nursing Faculty Competencies Self-Assessment Scale, a questionnaire containing this scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and questions regarding personal background was mailed to the participants. Using their responses, the reliability of the scale was analyzed in terms of internal consistency and stability. Further, scale validity was used to examine construct validity and perform criterion-related validity tests. ResultsAfter item analysis, exploratory factor analysis returned 82 items loaded onto 11 factors. Cronbach's α coefficients for each factor ranged from 0.86 to 0.98. Meanwhile, correlation coefficients based on the test-retest method ranged from 0.57 to 0.80. Correlation coefficients between the Nursing Faculty Competencies Self-Assessment Scale scores and the General Self-Efficacy Scale ranged from 0.25 to 0.42. ConclusionsThe Nursing Faculty Competencies Self-Assessment Scale comprises 82 items and 11 subscales. The scale has adequate internal consistency and stability, and construct validity. However, additional investigation of criterion-related validity is essential for improving the scale's validity.