Self-assessed Competence Research Articles

Knowledge and competences in hematological malignancies amongst radiation oncology residents in Germany-results from anational survey.

Radiation oncology is apivotal modality in the treatment of hematologic malignancies. To enable state-of-the-art patient care, structured education during residency is essential. However, given the lack of detailed data, the scope of educational opportunities available to trainees remains elusive. This prompted our group to perform anational survey amongst radiation oncology residents in Germany assessing the status quo of competences in the treatment of lymphoma and leukemia patients. Furthermore, areas of potential improvement were identified to further the goal of competence-based education for residents. Asurvey-based analysis was conducted to assess the knowledge and competence of radiation oncology residents in Germany regarding hematological malignancies. Adecisive questionnaire covering demographics, self-assessment of competences, and areas for improvement was developed in adaption of asurvey by the Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology and distributed amongst 1439 members of the German Society of Radiation Oncology. Responses were collected anonymously via an online survey tool and analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Atotal of 59complete and 22partial responses were collected, yielding a5.6% response rate. Participants' competence varied, with notable experience gaps in pediatric cases, proton therapy, and large-field techniques like total-skin irradiation or pediatric total body irradiation. While participants felt confident in treatment planning and patient counseling, they showed deficiencies in the definition of the planning target volume for modern involved site radiotherapy. Resources for education included national and international guidelines, scientific reviews, and textbooks. Board-certified radiation oncologists and physicians from specialized lymphoma centers demonstrated higher overall competence levels. This survey highlights the diversity of resident education regarding hematological malignancies in German radiation oncology programs. Knowledge gaps exist in key areas, including pediatric cases and specialized techniques. Competence-based education, interactive teaching formats, and rotations to specialized centers are potential strategies to address these gaps. The study contributes to the understanding of the federal educational landscape, underscoring the need for standardized and comprehensive training to ensure optimal patient care in hematological malignancies within the context of radiation oncology. Further research and collaborations are warranted to enhance training and expertise in this critical domain.

Registered Midwives’ Experiences and Self-Assessed Competence with Sexual Health Counselling

Background: Pregnancy and the postpartum period raise many sexual health concerns for women. Registered midwives (RMs) care for an increasing proportion of Canadian pregnancies. The study objective was to assess RMs’ experiences providing sexual health counselling. Methods: A 22-item questionnaire exploring RMs’ experiences, competence, and comfort, as well as barriers to discussing sexual health, was distributed electronically to British Columbian RMs. Results: Of 330 RMs, 91 (28%) responded. The majority of midwives reported discussing sexual health concerns with greater than 75% of clients (49/91 [53.8%]). Most estimated the time spent was less than 30 minutes over the pregnancy (69/91 [76%]). Common topics were sexual activity postpartum (82/91 [90.1%]), contraception (89/91 [97.8%]), and cervical cancer screening (86/91 [94.5%]). Less than half discussed sexual problems, including pain or low desire. RMs rated themselves highly competent and comfortable addressing sexual health. However, many identified lack of training, time, and cultural differences as barriers. Respondents cited desire for community resources and training in the areas of contraception, pain and, low desire. Conclusions: British Columbian RMs feel confident addressing many sexual health concerns during pregnancy but cited lack of training as a common barrier. Investment in educational resources for RMs may help to improve sexual health care for all Canadian women. This article has been peer reviewed.

A Survey of Algorithmic Methods for Competency Self-Assessments in Human-Autonomy Teaming

Humans working with autonomous artificially intelligent systems may not be experts in the inner workings of their machine teammates, but need to understand when to employ, trust, and rely on the system. A critical challenge is to develop machine agents with the capacity to understand their own capabilities and limitations, and the ability to communicate this information to human partners. Self-assessment is an emerging field that tackles this challenge through the development of algorithms that enable autonomous agents to understand and communicate their competency. These methods can engender appropriate trust and align human expectations with autonomous assistant abilities. However, current research in self-assessment is dispersed across many fields, including artificial intelligence, robotics, and human factors. This survey connects work from these disparate areas and reviews state-of-the-art methods for algorithmic self-assessments that enable autonomous agents to estimate, understand, and communicate valuable information pertaining to their competency, with focus on methods that can improve interactions within human-machine teams. To better understand the landscape of self-assessment approaches, we present a framework for categorizing work in self-assessment based on underlying algorithm type: test-based , learning-based , or knowledge-based . We synthesize common features across these approaches and discuss relevant future directions for research in this emerging space.

Impact of working with Arduino on mathematics and science teacher students’ self-assessment of TPACK and self-efficacy

To prepare mathematics and science teacher students for the implementation of digitally transformed teaching, we are developing and researching a course using the design-based research paradigm at the University of Graz. Based on the findings of curriculum analyses and surveys, we selected two main content areas for the course: digital data acquisition with Arduino and dealing with misinformation. Learning arrangements were developed based on empirical findings and theoretical foundations. The initial implementation of the course took place in the summer semester of 2022 with 17 teacher students. We examined the teacher students’ learning processes and the effectiveness of the learning arrangements in terms of the teacher students’ learning using a mixed-methods design (pretest, posttest, reflection journal, and field observations of course instructors). This article presents the triangulation of the research findings related to the work with Arduino and the derived criteria for redesigning the learning arrangements. The results show that self-assessment of technological competencies and self-efficacy expectations related to working with Arduino differ between teacher students with and without prior programming knowledge. Our findings suggest that there is a need to implement scaffolds that support teacher students as they undertake practical work with Arduino.

Improving self-efficacy in behavioral health through interprofessional education.

Interprofessional education (IPE) is important in preparing health profession students to practice in a workforce dependent on teamwork and collaboration. Many health profession students graduate without ever having active shared learning experiences in the academic setting. Opportunities for students to participate in activities that promote self-efficacy in competencies related to interprofessional collaborative practice are essential. The purpose of the project was to assess health profession students' perception of self-efficacy related to the core competencies of IPE. The project used a pre/post quantitative survey research design comprising a sample of students enrolled in clinical practicums in behavioral health care settings. Using standardized patients, students participated in timed simulated encounters. Participants ( n = 36) completed the 16-item Interprofessional Education Collaborative Competency Self-Assessment Tool on conclusion of the learning activity. Survey responses were scored on a 5-point Likert-type scale, with high scores indicating a stronger level of agreement of perceived self-efficacy. On the postsurvey, most items were rated as "agree" or "strongly agree." Item means ranged from 4.64 to 4.81. A positive association was found between students' self-efficacy and the utilization of standardized patients within an interprofessional experiential learning activity. The intervention contributed to improving self-efficacy in interprofessional competencies related to collaborative interaction and values.

Training Teachers in Vietnam: A Self-Assessment of Competencies By Student Teachers in the Northwest Region

Training Teachers in Vietnam: A Self-Assessment of Competencies By Student Teachers in the Northwest Region

Affective factors, intercultural sensitivity, and willingness to communicate orally outside class: A study with EFL secondary school learners in Poland and Spain

This study examined out-of-school oral willingness to communicate (WTC) in two modes of communication – face-to-face (FtF) and digital – among secondary school students of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Poland and Spain. It also examined the associations between affective factors and intercultural sensitivity with WTC in both settings. A total of 1,480 students from 17 schools in Poland and 1,128 students from 11 schools in Spain participated in this study. The study found that learners from both national contexts shared extremely similar levels of out-of-class oral WTC in the two settings. After controlling for sociodemographic factors (age, gender, socioeconomic status, and relative self-assessed spoken competence), hierarchical regression analyses revealed that Foreign Classroom Language Anxiety (FLCA), Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE), and intercultural sensitivity were predictors of the two communicative settings in both contexts, although the relative importance of predictors differed in each case, as determined by the dominance analyses. Intercultural sensitivity, a factor that has seldom been investigated in relation to WTC, emerged as the most influential predictor for oral WTC in both communication environments within the two study samples. The study also discusses the implications for both research and foreign language pedagogy.

Educator in the game space: game-technical competence of the educator

Introduction. Pedagogy’s interest in game is conditioned by its abilities to achieve the value orientations of modern education and solving actual problems in educational practice. The purpose of this article is to present the results of the theoretical study of concepts in pedagogical discourse regarding the game in the educational process and experimental data on the state of game-technical competence of an educator. Materials and methods. The methods of questionnaire survey (self-assessment of the respondents of the diagnosed positions) and observation of lessons on the application of game technologies were used to identify the state of the educator’s game-technical competence and the influence of the training program on its development. The homogeneity criterion χ2 was used to determine the reliability of the research results. Results of the study. Educators are unanimous in their opinion about the possibilities of games in increasing students’ motivation, improving emotional background, developing communication skills and involving students in the learning process. The group of educators who do not see an opportunity to improve subject educational results in gamification has been identified. The statistically insignificant influence of short-term and time-distributed training on the interest (χ2 exp = 1.627, α=0.05) and focus (χ2 exp =1.962, which is less than χ2 crit = 5.991, at the significance level α=0.05) of educators on the application of gamification was revealed. However, the expansion of the range of game techniques used in lessons was noted (χ2 exp = 7.467 при χ2 crit = 7.815). Educators’ self-assessment of gamification competence revealed that skill level scores exceeded knowledge level scores. Conclusion. The results of the experimental research have revealed both positive attitudes of educators related to the application of the game in the educational process and unevenness of development of structural components of game-technical competence of educators, which can be eliminated by targeted training.

Exploring factors associated with healthcare professionals’ subjective perceptions of complex issues in primary care in Japan: a self-administered survey study on confidence, satisfaction and burden levels

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore factors associated with healthcare professionals’ subjective perceptions of complex issues in primary care settings in Japan.DesignCross-sectional survey conducted through a self-administered web-based...

Virtual Interprofessional Education: Team Collaboration in Discharge Planning Simulation.

This study assessed the effectiveness of a virtual interprofessional education (IPE) discharge planning simulation, focusing on collaborative patient education, and recommendations for hospital discharge. An acute care hospital. The study utilized a virtual IPE discharge planning simulation for health care students from six different programs. The simulation involved prebriefing, icebreaker, team meeting, patient interaction, and debriefing. Assessment included pre- and post-IPE surveys that included the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Competency Self-Assessment Tool, and video analysis using the Modified McMaster-Ottawa Rating Scale. Student participants from diverse health care programs ( n =143) included nursing ( n = 20), occupational therapy ( n = 21), physical therapy ( n = 42), physician assistant ( n = 38), respiratory therapy ( n = 3), and social work ( n = 19). All programs except respiratory therapy showed significant improvement in IPEC Competency scores post-IPE, with positive outcomes for understanding other professions' roles. Students' self-reported perceptions of team performance were rated highly in various categories. Video analysis demonstrated strong interrater reliability for team scores. Effective hospital discharge planning is vital for cost reduction and patient care improvement. IPE emphasizes collaborative learning among health care students. Previous studies highlight positive outcomes from IPE discharge planning, including virtual formats. This virtual IPE discharge planning simulation significantly improved students' understanding and collaboration competencies, evident in increased IPEC scores across five professions.

‘I know that I know nothing’ – the perceptions of remote work competencies of the persons with disabilities

ABSTRACT Remote work arrangements, facilitated through digital entrepreneurship and remote work platforms, represent employment inclusion strategy for persons with disabilities (PWD) who need to possess a certain level of digital entrepreneurial competencies (DEC) and knowledge of remote work platforms to participate in such arrangements. Contemporary academic literature on remote work opportunities for PWD lacks research specifically targeting the competencies required for remote work within this particular group. One approach to measuring the DEC and remote work competencies of PWD is through self-assessment of relevant competencies. Another approach involves assessing their actual competencies through knowledge and ability assessment. This study focuses on the self-assessment of DEC and remote work competencies among a sample of PWD in Serbia (n = 125), and explores their association with various socio-demographic and contextual factors. Statistical analysis included exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and non-parametric tests to compare differences between groups. The results suggest a clear need for capacity building in remote work for PWD. Furthermore, certain socio-demographic and contextual factors were found to have a significant impact on perceptions of PWD remote work competencies.

Follow-up cancer care in Danish general practice: a questionnaire study.

The number of patients who have survived cancer has increased substantially owing to improved cancer treatment. This has reinforced the need for effective strategies for follow-up cancer care in general practice. To investigate the organisation of follow-up cancer care in Danish general practice and to analyse GPs' self-assessment of competences regarding patients who have survived cancer and late effects. A total of 500 Danish general practices were invited to a web-based survey. Questions comprised organisation of follow-up cancer care, and GPs' self-assessment of their competences in follow-up care and evaluation of late effects. Covariates considered included sex, age, seniority, and practice type. Analyses were conducted using descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression models. Some 28% of the GPs reported systematic organisation of follow-up cancer care in their clinic. More than half of the GPs assessed themselves as competent in evaluating mental sequelae, existential considerations, and the impact on comorbidities. In contrast, only 19% and 33% of GPs reported competences in sexual and physical sequelae, respectively. Female GPs were less likely to report competences regarding physical and mental sequelae as well as sexual disturbances, and GPs from partnership practices were more likely to report competence in assessing mental sequelae. Fewer than one in three general practices have organised systematic follow-up cancer care and GPs assess their competence as low with respect to physical sequelae and sexual challenges. This emphasises the need for more systematic organisation and focus on knowledge of late effects in general practice.

Self-efficacy and its miscalibration in cricothyroidotomy training

IntroductionOften, trainers use self-assessed competency, or self-efficacy, as a substitute for objective metrics of ability. However, self-efficacy is subject to several cognitive biases like the Dunning-Kruger effect: the tendency for those unskilled at a task to be unaware of their own incompetence (Kruger & Dunning, 1999). We investigated factors that affect self-efficacy and its calibration with performance. This included examining the role of task knowledge when estimating self-efficacy, using recently proposed analyses to assess the Dunning-Kruger effect (Gignac & Zajenkowski, 2020), and examining how indices of such effects may be partially affected by the simulator one trains with. MethodsWe recruited participants (N = 52) from the local population of a Midwest area in the United States. Using didactic training, a subject matter expert trained participants over a series of trials in a laboratory setting to perform cricothyroidotomy. ResultsResults indicated the presence of one, but not both indices of Dunning-Kruger effects (i.e., heteroscedasticity, but not quadratic regression), unique variance in self-efficacy accounted for by task knowledge after controlling for performance, and that the Dunning-Kruger indices were affected by one's training simulator. ConclusionsThe current study raised issues relating to the nature of Dunning-Kruger analyses, the importance of task knowledge, and how the analyses conducted in the current study can provide trainers and researchers valuable insights to medical trainees. In sum, our results highlight the value in assessing Dunning-Kruger effects in medical training contexts and provide directions for future research on self-efficacy and its calibration with performance.

THE STAGES OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TEACHER'S DIGITAL COMPETENCESELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL IN THE CONTEXT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The article highlights the development and steps of implementing a tool for self-assessment of digital competence of a teacher based on the experience of domestic specialists in the period of 2020- 2023. An analysis of approaches to the development of a self-assessment tool in the international educational community is carried out. Approaches to compiling a survey questionnaire based on the Digital Competence Framework for Educators (DigComp 2.1) are substantiated. The stages of development of a self-assessment tool for the teacher's digital competence are presented: development, improvement, implementation. The procedure for conducting the survey over four years is described. A block diagram of the creation and implementation of a teacher's digital competence self-assessment tool is presented. The principles that contributed to obtaining reliable data during the self-assessment of a teacher's digital competence are substantiated and presented. It is proved that the self-assessment tool of the teacher's digital competence should contain elements of identifying the degree of readiness to use ICT by teachers and educational institutions, which contributes to the development of recommendations and finding solutions to overcome existing problems. The concept of the readiness of teachers to use the tools of the information and educational environment for the implementation of educational activities in quarantine conditions is defined. The main indicators obtained during the all-Ukrainian survey of teachers in the system of general secondary education were analyzed, and the dynamics of the development of digital competence of teachers were revealed. The main content of methodological recommendations for postgraduate education, developed on the basis of the approbation of the self-assessment tool, is presented. The scientific novelty of the presented research lies in the discovery of new approaches, the development of principles and forms of self-assessment of the teacher's digital competence in the conditions of restrictions caused by the long quarantine and wartime in the country. The conclusions regarding the further use of the teacher's digital competence self-assessment tool in the system of postgraduate pedagogical education are substantiated. Prospects for further research are outlined.

Experiences and perceptions of multidisciplinary paediatric teams of blended tube feeding in children.

Background: Blended tube feeding (BTF) is the administration of pureed whole foods via gastric feeding tubes. There is some evidence to suggest that BTF may have clinical and psychosocial benefits when compared to commercial formula, but further investigation of how BTF is understood and recommended by health professionals is needed. This study aims to investigate awareness and knowledge of BTF among multi-disciplinary paediatric staff in Ireland. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among paediatric staff in Children's Health Ireland (CHI). The 16-item anonymous online survey gathered information on awareness of BTF, willingness to recommend BTF, confidence in BTF knowledge, and self-assessed competence in managing BTF. Results: Of the 207 responses, doctors (n68), nurses (n66), and dietitians (n32) provided 80.3% of responses. Two-thirds (n136, 66%) of the total group were aware of BTF. Of these, 68.1% had cared for a child on BTF and 70% (n = 63/90) were willing to recommend BTF. Three in five (n = 39/63, 61.9%) stated they were somewhat confident in their BTF knowledge and one in five (n = 12/56, 21.4%) were not yet competent in managing children on BTF. The most common reasons for recommending BTF were parental desire (n17, 39.5%) and commercial formula intolerance (n15, 34.9%). The most common barrier to recommending BTF was family logistics (n18, 41.9%). The most valuable sources of information on BTF for two-thirds (68.3%) of participants were other healthcare professionals (HCPs) and patients/caregivers. Conclusion: Healthcare settings should provide evidence-based training to HCPs on BTF to optimise the treatment and safety of children under their care.

The Professional Nurse Self-Assessment Scale II - Translation and cultural adaptation for Nordic countries.

It is important to map the clinical competence of newly graduated nurses in Nordic countries. The use of a common Nordic instrument could provide insights into nurses' levels of self-assessed clinical competence and perceptions of their need for professional development. To translate and culturally adapt the original Norwegian version of the Professional Nurse Self-Assessment Scale II (PROFFNurse SAS II) into (1) Danish, (2) Finnish and (3) Icelandic versions. The PROFFNurse SAS II was translated and cross-culturally adapted. This translation was inspired by the process used in the Guidelines for Cross-Cultural Adaptation. The translation and cultural adaptation processes employed the required steps and provided specific details. In addition, practical issues encountered during the translation process while translating and adapting instruments that may influence future translations were revealed. This study found that having a professional bilingual/bicultural agency translator was partly problematic in the process of translation and found that it is important to adjust the translations to each country's specific words used in nursing. Translating the PROFFNurse SAS II instrument into all Nordic languages enables us to use the instrument from a Nordic perspective and across various countries. This is important when comparing self-awareness and reflecting on nurses' clinical competencies. Professional development is central to valuing and developing clinical competence and allowing for the discovery of gaps in clinical competence.

Antibiotic-savvy nursing students? Nursing students’ knowledge and self-assessed competence in antibiotic use and resistance

Antibiotic-savvy nursing students? Nursing students’ knowledge and self-assessed competence in antibiotic use and resistance

Cultural competency of Nurses in a Multi-Cultural Healthcare System in Two Regions of Ghana

BackgroundCultural competency (CC) is imperative in Ghana where a growing multicultural society prevails. Despite Ghana’s increasing multicultural society, cultural competency is poorly understood or appreciated. PurposeThe study aimed to determine the self-assessed CC of nurses from the Western and Ashanti Regions’ using the validated Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society’s Cultural Competence checklist. MethodFrom October to December 2022, an institutional-based cross-sectional study in eight hospitals involving nurses was conducted using a two-stage sampling technique. Simple random sampling and stratified proportional sampling techniques were deployed to select the study hospitals and 759 participants respectively. Data were entered into a spreadsheet and exported to S.P.S.S version 23. Binary and multivariable logistic regressions were used to establish the associations between dependent and independent variables. Outcome variables with a P-value < 0.05 were deemed statistically significant. ResultsA majority of respondents were females (61.4 %; n = 466). The levels of the constructs for CC ranged from high to very high except for Cultural Encounters which was moderate: Cultural Awareness (Mean = 3.43 SD = 0.56), Cultural Skills Mean = 3.65 SD = 0.65), Cultural Knowledge (Mean = 3.53 SD = 0.54), Cultural Encounters (Mean = 3.35 SD = 0.68), Cultural Desire (Mean = 3.49 SD = 0.68), and overall CC score (Mean = 3.49 SD = 0.46). Nurses’ Cultural Skills were inversely associated with traveling outside of Ghana. ConclusionNurses self-rated overall cultural competence as high. However, moderate Cultural Encounters are concerning as Cultural Encounters are the pivotal construct of CC that provides the foundation for the nurses’ journey toward cultural competency. Modification in training is urgently required to increase opportunities for nurses to experience Cultural Encounters.

Navigating challenges in radiography research: radiographers' perspectives in Saudi Arabia.

Radiography is a crucial healthcare specialty that requires ongoing research to advance imaging technologies and techniques. Despite this, radiographers are faced with obstacles such as time constraints, lack of resources, and the need for training on new technologies, which can discourage their research involvement. This study aims to provide a more representative understanding of the radiography research culture in Saudi Arabia, building upon previous studies. Following the approval of an ethics committee at Taibah University (2024/173/302 DRD), a cross-sectional survey was conducted from January to March 2024 among registered radiographers in Saudi Arabia. An online questionnaire was distributed via social media platforms using a snowball sampling strategy to reach a diverse group of radiographers across different regions and institutions. Participants provided informed consent before completing the questionnaire. The questionnaire, originally in English, was translated into Arabic and validated by two bilingual academics. It included sections on demographics, previous research experience, barriers to research involvement, factors encouraging research engagement, and self-assessment of research competencies. Descriptive statistics and Cronbach's alpha were used to analyze the data. A total of 105 radiographers participated in the study, with 41% having prior research involvement. Among those engaged, the most common activity was data collection (65%), followed by preparation of scientific articles (49%). Challenges such as the lack of a research-focused culture (48%), insufficient awareness of opportunities (36%), and time constraints (34%) were prominent barriers to research participation. Encouraging factors included the need for research training (63%), support from research groups (51%), and allocated research time (50%). Respondents assessed their research skills, with confidence varied across skills, with 50% feeling capable of initiating research and 51% of participating, yet a significant proportion expressed uncertainties, especially in statistical knowledge and research methodology. Most of the surveyed radiographers did not engage in research. However, there is a substantial interest in enhancing research involvement, with training, collaborative groups, and organizational support identified as key factors encouraging participation. The findings suggest that addressing these barriers can foster a more robust research culture, leading to improved diagnostic practices.

Model of the Influence of Employee Competencies on Performance Considering Burnout

The study was conducted as part of a current task of studying factors in the development of an organization's human capital that have a direct or indirect impact on employee productivity. The set of such factors includes indicators of the level of development of competencies and the degree of burnout of the individual. The work aims to develop economic and mathematical tools that would quantitatively describe the impact of employee competency values on their key performance indicators (KPIs), taking into account the level of burnout determined by the values of loyalty, involvement, and satisfaction. To achieve this goal, a hypothesis is put forward about the possibility of constructing a tool that makes it possible, based on a fuzzy classification of employees by level of competency development, to construct functional dependencies of KPIs on burnout indicators for each category. The initial data used were the results of a self-assessment of competencies and burnout of employees, mainly working in the areas of IT and HR in seven large Russian companies, calibrated by the immediate supervisors of the respondents, and the actual values of their KPIs. The work proposes an approach that includes two stages. As the first step, a fuzzy model is built that makes it possible, based on a weighted integral indicator of competency development with optimal weighting coefficients, to divide the range of values of the integral indicator into categories of uneven size, with the help of which it is possible to predict the achievement of KPIs. As the second step, an econometric model of the dependence of KPI on employee burnout indicators was built using the weighted least squares method to explain the dispersion of KPI values of employees belonging to individual competency categories in a fuzzy formulation, around the expected KPI value. The proposed tool will make it possible to predict the achievement of KPIs by employees depending on the input values of competencies and the level of burnout. In the future, this will make it possible to form an optimal portfolio of well-being program activities that will influence the development of employee competencies and reduce their level of burnout, and, therefore, contribute to the maximum progress in achieving target KPI values.