Self-perceived Competence Research Articles

Knowledge, attitudes and self-perceived competencies on palliative care among medical officers at National Cancer Institute, Sri Lanka.

Though palliative care is an essential component in the continuum of cancer care, it is still at an evolving phase in Sri Lanka. To identify knowledge, attitude, self-perceived competencies in practicing palliative care and factors associated among medical officers in National Cancer Institute, Sri Lanka. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among doctors in National Cancer Institute in 2020/21 using self-administered questionnaire to assess knowledge, attitudes and self-perceived competencies on palliative care. Doctors worked less than 3 months and directly not involved in patient care were excluded. Scoring systems were used to assess knowledge, attitudes and self-perceived competencies. A descriptive analysis of data was done using SPSS 21 using median scores, frequencies and chi- square test. Ethical clearance was taken from the Ethical Review Committee, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo. Out of 120 doctors included in the study, 83 (69.3%) were females and 37 (30.7%) were males. Majority 101(84.2%) were Sinhalese. Sixty (60%) were 31-40 years. Eleven (9.2%) had training in service. Five (4.2%) had a percentage score for knowledge ≤50 while 57 (47.5%) had > 75. Only 3 (2.5%) had a percentage score for attitudes of 51-75 while 116 (96.7%) had > 75. For competency level 57 (47.5%) had percentage score ≤50 while 23 (19.2%) had > 75. Ethnicity, age, work experience, receiving undergraduate training were not significantly associated with knowledge, attitudes and practices (p > .05). Though level of knowledge and attitudes were high, self -perceived competencies were low which highlights the need of training in palliative care. Eg: undergraduate curricular and in-service.

HOTS-Oriented TPACK Survey Validation

This study aimed to validate a TPACK scale which was Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS)-oriented, engaging 145 in-service teachers in assessing their self-perceived technological competence in teaching. The AMOS application was used for the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis and the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) computation. The results demonstrated that the survey questions were valid and reliable (five validity indicators categorized as ‘fit’ and CFA Construct Reliability = 0.85).

Self-perceived competences in evidence-based practice of clinical-teaching nurses versus clinical nurses

AimTo compare the evidence-based practice (EBP) self-perceived competences of clinical teacher nurses (CTN) versus clinical nurses (CN) to detect areas for improvement in practical training. MethodA cross-sectional study by means of a self-assessment questionnaire sent to nurses of two public hospitals of Castilla y León was performed, between February to May 2020. Variables included competences in evidence based practice (EBP) - attitude, knowledge, skills and use-, sociodemographic, job, academic, teaching relations and training in investigation methodology and/or EBP. A validated questionnaire EBP-COQ prof© of 35 questions with answers type Likert (1, very disagree-5, very agree) was used. Data analysis (descriptive and bivariate) was performed by means SPSS v.24 program. Results171 questionnaires were answered by nurses. CN 52%, CTN 48%. There were no significant differences between both groups regarding sociodemographic variables. Mean age was 43.6 ± 9.9 and 42.9 ± 8.5 for CN and CTN, respectively. Total sample showed a mean EBP competency score of 3.54 ± 1.00 (attitudes: 4.40 ± 0.60; knowledge: 3.08 ± 0.94; skills: 3.57 ± 0.66; utilization: 3.36 ± 0.75). The CTN group obtained higher mean scores in knowledge dimension, compared with CN (P = .02) and with total sample (P = .02). There were no significant differences in other dimensions. ConclusionCTN showed better self-perceived competences scores only in the knowledge dimension compared with CN. Taking in account the level of responsibility they support in their daily practice, it would be advisable to design management strategies in order to improve attitudes, skills and utilize EBP, acting as professional role models for students and peer mentors.

Mindfulness and foreign language learners’ self-perceived proficiency: the mediating roles of anxiety and burnout

ABSTRACT Mindfulness has been overlooked in previous studies of second or foreign language learning. This study aims to explore the relationship between mindfulness, anxiety, burnout and self-perceived foreign language proficiency among a sample of 492 learners. Further, it seeks to make up for the deficiency in the current empirical literature regarding the mediation roles of anxiety and burnout in the relationship between mindfulness and students’ self-perceived foreign language competence. The findings were as follows: (1) students have a moderate level of mindfulness and foreign language anxiety, low level of perceived proficiency and foreign language learning burnout; (2) an increased level of mindfulness was associated with higher perceived foreign language competence and lower levels of anxiety and burnout; (3) anxiety and burnout mediated the relationship between mindfulness and students’ self-perceived FL proficiency. It is suggested in the implications that school administrators and policymakers might need to provide space and time to integrate mindfulness practices into the curricula. Language instructors could also incorporate brief and accessible interventions in classrooms to enhance students’ level of mindfulness. Limitations and future directions are discussed for further investigations.

Self-perceived competency of midwives in Kenya: A descriptive cross-sectional study.

Midwifery competence is demonstrated in the context of midwifery education, regulation and practice to support the quality delivery of care to women. Midwives with appropriate competencies can deliver up to 80% of maternal health services. The pre-service education programmes in Kenya offers different midwifery competencies for the various programmes, influencing expected outcomes in practice. This study aimed to assess midwives' perceived level of competence based on the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) standards in Kenya. The study was conducted in selected public health facilities in Kenya. An observational cross-sectional design was used. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select the counties and health facilities and random sampling to determine 576 midwives. Data were collected using a self-administered assessment tool adopted from the ICM competency domains. A total of 495 (85.9%) midwife respondents participated in this study, of which 389 (78.6%) respondents in all training categories were highly competent in the four ICM domains. The midwives' qualifications and facility level were associated with their self-perceived competence during practice. Those trained in the direct-entry midwifery programme were more competent, p = 0.016 (Kruskal wallis H = 8.432). Midwives' competence was influenced by the level of education and facility where they practice. All pre-service midwifery programme graduates must meet the essential ICM competencies and need to enhance continuous professional development (CPD) programmes and facility-based mentorship for the midwives.Contribution: To optimise midwifery-led practice in primary health care, midwifery competence should be enhanced in pre-service and in-service education for improved health outcomes.

Contribution to the Validation of the Expectancy-Value Scale for Primary School Students

Grounded in ‘expectancy-value’ theory, this paper reports on the psychometric properties of an instrument intended to measure students’ motivation in mathematics. The participants were 2045 third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students from Estonia, Finland, Norway, Portugal, Serbia and Sweden. The Expectancy-Value Scale (EVS) was found to be suitable for early grades of primary education in measuring competence self-perceptions and subjective task values relative to the mathematics field. The results indicate a good model fit aligned with the expectancy-value theory. The EVS dimensions showed good reliability, and scalar invariance was established. However, findings also indicated high correlations between some of the EVS dimensions, which is well documented for students at this age. The findings are discussed relative to the ‘expectancy-value’ theory framework and students’ age.

Design thinking competence as self-perceived by nursing students in Taiwan: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundCompetence in design thinking plays a pivotal role when undertaking innovative problem-solving. Our knowledge on nursing students' self-perceived design thinking competence, however, is noticeably lacking, particularly in Taiwan. ObjectTo examine Taiwanese nursing students' self-perceived competence in design thinking. DesignDescriptive, cross-sectional, quantitative study. ParticipantsOne hundred and one nursing students enrolled in the interdisciplinary capstone courses, which were jointly offered to industrial design students, as part of a 4-year nursing program at a science and technology university in northern Taiwan. MethodsSelf-reported questionnaire data were collected from students, including their demographics and self-perceived competence in design thinking as measured by the Creative Synthesis Inventory and the Design Thinking Traits Questionnaire between January 2020 and January 2021. ResultsDistinctive and reliable individual differences were found in nursing students' self-perceived competence in design thinking. In addition, students perceived a significantly higher creative synthesis skill of discovery in developing an understanding of potential users and a significantly lower design thinking trait of optimism, not backing down from challenging problems. Finally, greater perceived competence in creative synthesis skills were significantly correlated with greater perceived competence in all design thinking traits, except the trait of optimism. ConclusionsResults indicated that significant individual differences exist in Taiwanese nursing students' self-perceived design thinking competence, suggesting opportunities for helping students with lower perceived competence. Overall, Taiwanese students believed themselves to be less skilled in visualization, prototyping, and evaluation as well as lacking an attribute of optimism when encountering challenging problems. Therefore, as informed by the design thinking framework, nursing schools should focus on developing strategies through training and practice to foster creative synthesis skills and designer traits in students, particularly targeting those who self-perceived as less competent and those skills and traits self-perceived as weaknesses.

Perception of Current Educational Environment, Clinical Competency, and Depression among Malaysian Medical Students in Clinical Clerkship: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the educational environment of medical students in clinical clerkship, with potential impacts on clinical competency and reported increased prevalence of depression. This study aimed to determine the relationship between the perception of the educational environment, self-perceived clinical competency, and depression among them. Subjects (N = 196) at the National University of Malaysia participated through convenience sampling in an online survey including sociodemographic data, COVID-19-related stressors, Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM), self-perceived clinical competency, and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The cut-off point for depression was a PHQ-9 score ≥ 15. Multiple logistic regression followed bivariate analyses to identify factors for depression. The participants (mean age: 23.2 years, SD ± 0.98 years) were mainly female (71.9%) and Malay (59.2%). The prevalence of depression was 17.4% (95% CI: 12.3-23.4%). Most participants perceived the educational environment positively. In logistic regression, ethnicity (Adjusted OR = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.2-8.1) and DREEM score were significantly associated with depression, whereas self-perceived clinical competency was not. A higher DREEM score indicating a better perception of the educational environment was linked to a lower likelihood of depression (p = 0.046). Besides ethnicity, perception of the educational environment emerged as a factor associated with depression. This relationship between the educational environment and mental well-being warrants further exploration.

Understanding the Relationship between Communication Competence and Social Media Use

ABSTRACT In the last couple of years, a high number of employers started raising concerns about the lack of soft skills in recent college graduates. Many have pointed to social media as hurting our face-to-face communication. Following these concerns, the purpose of our study was to examine the relationship between communication competence and social media use. One hundred and eighty-nine adults, ages 18 to 73, completed a survey rating their social media use and self-perceived communication competence. We measured communication competence using McCroskey and McCroskey scale, which measures communication competence in a variety of settings. The results showed that Instagram and Facebook were used for social compensation purposes, especially among participants who perceive themselves to have low communication competence skills. Generation-wise, older individuals were more competent when communicating in a variety of settings.

Assessing counseling student self-reported competencies in primary care behavioral health.

Professional counselors are becoming increasingly represented in the Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) workforce. Accordingly, models for training these professionals to work in integrated health care settings are needed. This article presents the results of 34 master's level counseling students' self-reported competencies in PCBH as a result of a PCBH training program. Results indicated that students' self-perceived competence across all domains increased over time. Implications for the function of self-reported skill development in students training as behavioral health consultants in primary care are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Students' Willingness to Communicate in EFL Context

Willingness to communicate is a recently emerged concept in applied linguistics which is believed to interrelate with many other important concepts like motivation, anxiety, self-perceived communicative competence, self-confidence, international posture, and language proficiency. It is such an individual variable which help the language learners acquire better communicative skills in using a foreign language. Therefore, willingness to communicate is regarded as an important variable that facilitates the process of foreign language learning in such a way that predicts the flow of language communication. As such, it influences how frequently the learners actively engage in foreign language communication. Keywords: willingness to communicate, foreign language, communication

Health disparities early learner simulation to improve interprofessional competencies

To date, interprofessional simulation has predominantly focused on advanced learners and practicing providers with a focus on application of medical knowledge. Our study sought to create and evaluate an interprofessional simulation for early learners in an experiential setting. First-year medical and pharmacy students, and second-term accelerated undergraduate nursing students participated in a face-to-face simulation focused on health disparities to improve interprofessional teamwork and communication skills. Student self-perceived competence was measured through completion of the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey-Revised (ICCAS-R) (1 = poor; 3 = good; 5 = excellent), which was administered after simulation completion in a retrospective pre-/post-test manner. Activity assessment questions and students’ comparative ability to collaborate interprofessionally were also evaluated at the conclusion of the simulation. A total of 351 students participated in the simulation (178 medical, 41 accelerated undergraduate nursing, and 132 pharmacy). A significant increase in mean total (SD) ICCAS-R scores was seen in all students from 3.3 (0.6) to 4.0 (0.6) ( p < 0.001). Analysis of the six mean subscale scores (communication, collaboration, roles and responsibilities, patient-centered care, conflict management, and team functioning) for all student disciplines revealed a significant increase in self-reported interprofessional competencies ( p < 0.001 for all subscales). When asked to compare one's ability to collaborate interprofessionally now compared to prior to the simulated learning activity, 83% of students reported their ability as somewhat better or much better now. Medical, accelerated undergraduate nursing, and pharmacy student participation in an early learner simulation activity focused on teamwork, patient-centered care and health disparities, led to significant increases in self-reported interprofessional competencies.

Physician Assistants' Training and Self-Perceived Competencies to Work with Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence.

The purpose of this research was to assess physician assistant (PA) education and training on the diagnosis, management, and treatment of survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV), as well as perceived current vs. desired skills in tasks related to the management and treatment of IPV. Participants in 2 studies included a convenience sample of attendees at an annual PA conference (study 1) and PAs in the United States who were randomly selected to be administered an online survey related to their PA practice (study 2). In 2 studies, PAs reported low perceived competence to treat and manage patients who are survivors of IPV. More than half of the respondents (51.2%) had received training to work with survivors of IPV. Almost 3 in 5 indicated that they felt adequately prepared, and almost 3 in 10 regularly asked patients about IPV. Gaps between current and desired perceived skills to treat and manage survivors of IPV were larger among PAs who had previous training related to IPV compared with PAs with no prior training. Guidance for PA educators may improve PA education and increase competencies among new PAs. Without more substantial guidance from an accrediting body, PA programs are left responsible for implementing IPV curriculum. Professional associations as well as constituent and specialty organizations that provide continuing medical education have an equally important role in strengthening skills and abilities among PAs.

An exploration of the self-perceived nutrition competencies of pharmacists

BackgroundPharmacists are integral members of healthcare teams, providing accessible nutrition care to patients, carers and health professionals. However, little is known about nutrition competence among pharmacists. ObjectiveThe aim of the study is to determine the self-perceived competence in providing nutrition care among pharmacists in Ireland. MethodsThis cross-sectional study used a mixed methods design consisting of an online survey delivered to pharmacists in Ireland. The pharmacists' self-perceived competencies according to confidence in knowledge, skills, communication and counselling, and attitudes in nutrition care were assessed using the validated NUTCOMP questionnaire. Qualitative responses in relation to nutrition knowledge were also gathered. Questionnaire responses were analysed using descriptive statistics and free text narratives were coded into themes and subthemes. ResultsA total of n = 557 (74% (n = 413) female; 24.1% (n = 134) male) respondents completed the questionnaire providing a 14.9% response rate. Confidence in nutrition knowledge (mean score (SD) 21.6 (±4.31) out of a maximum of 35 points), nutrition skills (mean score (SD) 31.8 (±7.74) out of a maximum count of 55) and nutrition related counselling and communication (mean score (SD) 29.8 (±6.35) out of a maximum of 45 points) were limited. Most respondents had completed a programme with some nutrition content (60.8%) either formally or informally. Previous nutrition education was positively associated with greater scores in knowledge, skills, communication/counselling and attitudes towards nutrition care (p = ≤0.001). Over three-quarters of respondents (78.1%) agreed that they would like further nutrition education to support themselves in their roles as pharmacists. Thematic analysis highlights the role of interprofessional nutrition care, barriers to providing nutritional care in practice and opportunities for improving nutrition training. ConclusionsMost pharmacists reported being somewhat confident in their nutrition knowledge, skills and attitudes and are willing to participate in further nutrition education to support their patients. The findings suggest that there are other barriers to providing nutrition care in the pharmacy setting such as time, renumeration and lack of community dietitians.

Improving performance and self-efficacy of novice nurses using hybrid simulation-based mastery learning.

Acute chest pain is a commonly encountered symptom in hospital medical/surgical units; however, almost half of nurses in their second year of clinical experience in our facility have reported struggling to care for acute chest pain patients. We developed, implemented, and examined the effectiveness of a simulation-based, mastery learning clinical nursing educational program to improve self-efficacy and performance in caring for patients with acute chest pain. The study adopted a single-site, single-cohort design using simulation-based performance assessment and self-efficacy surveys on a convenience sample of 37 second-year clinical nurse participants in multi-stage hybrid mastery learning educational intervention using asynchronous e-learning, and hands-on simulation training and assessment with feedback on caring for chest pain patients. Performance assessments and self-efficacy surveys were administered pre-, post-, and 5 months post-intervention. Clinical performance on the post- and 5 months follow-up assessments were significantly higher than those for the pre-test (P < .0001). The self-efficacy scores for the post- and the 5 months follow-up assessments were significantly higher than the pre-course scores (P < .0001). Participants' self-efficacy perceptions were positively correlated with their performances at 5 months post-intervention. Performance and self-efficacy of novice nurses in caring for acute chest pain patients improved significantly with the multi-stage hybrid mastery learning educational intervention, with improvements retained 5 months post-intervention. The results suggest the applicability of simulation-based mastery learning in a clinical setting for novice nurses to attain specific skills, and raise their self-perception of competence to care for patients in acute settings.

ISPO: A Serious Game to train the Interview Skills of Police Officers

The Interview Simulation for Police Officers (ISPO) is a serious game developed to train police officers in communication competencies related to the interview of victims, witnesses and suspects. It was developed by Gameware Europe in collaboration with the Portuguese Police (Policia Judiciaria) within the RAGE project. The ISPO serious game was created using the modern methodologies and practices that are used in real-life police interviews. The focus of the game is on the training of communication competencies regarding gathering information from both victims and offenders.&#x0D; In order to evaluate the training effectiveness of the game, we conducted a study with 194 participants where general subjective learning effectiveness, using the Perceived Competence subscale of the IMI questionnaire, and domain-specific subjective learning effectiveness using the Police Interview Competency Inventory (PICI) were measured. Overall, ISPO improved the self-perceived competence of its players. Additionally, participants changed their opinion about the attitude to conduct a successful interview. Participants’ level of importance attributed to being dominant diminished and the level of importance attributed to being more benevolent and communicative during police interviews increased. Effects were stronger in inexperienced users leading us to believe that the game is an added value for use in a police officer school.

Gender and contextual variations in self-perceived cognitive competence.

School performance and cognitive competence can be conceptualized as social and relational constructs. Thus, we expect their association to vary as a function of other socially-embedded variables which have proven meaningful in the academic domain. The present study takes a critical theory approach to assess gender-related and contextual variability in the association between peer-assessed school performance and self-perceived cognitive competence. The sample consisted of 719 preadolescents (M age = 9.5 years, range = 9 to 12.5 years) living in lower- and upper-middle-class neighborhoods in Montreal, Canada and Barranquilla, Columbia. Multigroup comparisons revealed that (a) peer-assessed school competence was more strongly associated with self-perceived cognitive competence for upper-middle-class than lower-middle-class participants from Barranquilla, whereas the opposite pattern was observed with Montreal participants, and (b) that the association between communal orientation and self-perceived cognitive competence was stronger for girls than for boys across the sample, especially in the upper-middle-class school in Montreal. These findings highlight the nuanced degree of gender differences in preadolescents' perceived academic competence and emphasize the role of SES in shaping self-perceptions.

Point-of-Care Ultrasonography for Advanced Practice Providers: A Training Initiative

The objective of this initiative is to determine the efficacy of a rigorous point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) training program for nurse practitioners (NPs) in the domain of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Two NPs and 1 physician assistant completed online and didactic training. Training was evaluated using multiple modalities. Assessment scores and self-perceived competency ratings improved in all aspects of the TTE examination after training. Hands-on supervision augmented the efficiency of training in study acquisition. A multifaceted approach to POCUS training is effective for NPs with optimal methodologies including didactic learning and supervised hands-on training for image acquisition.

Attitude changes following short-form opioid overdose video education: a pilot study

BackgroundOpioid overdose response training (OORT) and the need for its rapid expansion have become more significant as the opioid epidemic continues to be a health crisis in the USA. Limitation of funding and stigmatization often hinders expansion of OORT programs. Primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been widespread transition from in-person to virtual communication. However, OORT programs may benefit from long-term use of this modality of education if it can be as effective.ObjectiveTo measure the change in participant attitude after a brief, virtual OORT.MethodsA 6.5-min OORT video explained recognition of opioid overdose, appropriate response and proper administration of intranasal naloxone. Pre- and post-video scores from a 19-item survey were used to determine the video's impact on participants’ self-perceived competence and readiness to administer naloxone to a person with a suspected opioid overdose. Paired t tests were used in the analysis of pre- and post-video scores. Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis H testing were used to compare variance between several demographic subgroups of interest.ResultsA sample of 219 participants had a significant mean difference of 15.12 (SD 9.48; 95% CI 13.86–16.39, p < 0.001) between pre- and posttest scores. Improvements were found to be greatest in content-naïve participants with lower levels of education and non-health care-related jobs than participants endorsing previous content awareness, formal naloxone training, masters, doctorate or professional degrees and health care-related jobs.ConclusionThis pilot study demonstrated encouraging evidence that a brief, virtual, pre-recorded educational intervention improved participant-rated competence and readiness to administer intranasal naloxone in a suspected opioid overdose. Due to scalability and ability to overcome common healthcare accessibility barriers, short-form videos focused on key facts about naloxone and the benefits of its use could be part of a strategy for rapid expansion of OORT programs to mitigate opioid overdose fatalities.

Empowering Clinical Students Through Peer Learning in a Medical Program: What Works?

Background: Peer learning has shown to be beneficial among other teaching and learning modalities to encourage learners to achieve these expected attributes. “Consultoid” is a peer-assisted and student-directed proctoring program to improve clinical competencies. Objectives: This paper focuses on the participants’ self-perceived impact of “Consultoid” and additional factors required to create a sustainable framework. Methods: A mixed-method analysis was utilized. Thematic analysis was used as a qualitative method that features open comments based on four factors to determine the outcome of its execution: Timing of activities allowing adaptability, peer teachers’ ability to engage with the learners, promoting participants’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and relevance of program content. The quantitative method involved the five-point Likert scale in which participants assessed their self-perceived clinical competencies pre- and post-self-assessment, with 1 being unconfident and 5 being most confident. Paired t-test was used to make the comparison between the two tests. Results: The thematic responses generated were condensed into global themes to reach a conclusion. The results, such as relevance to clinical practice and encouraging team-based reciprocal learning while allowing high flexibility and accountability, fit into the proposed framework of the Consultoid program. Students reported a higher confidence level in their overall clinical competency from the pre-and post-test evaluation (peer learners, P = 0.02 and peer teachers, P = 0.12). Conclusions: The Consultoid program encourages participation, motivation, and team building and has shown to be highly adaptive.