Autonomy in practice: are nurse practitioner students being prepared for reality?

This article reports on a study examining the relationship between nurse practitioner students' expectations of future professional autonomy and the level of autonomy experienced by certified nurse practitioners. The findings indicate that practicing nurse practitioners experience a greater sense of autonomy than student nurse practitioners perceive. As autonomy is an issue of continuing importance in nursing, and for advanced practice, further research is needed to assist schools of nursing in devising reality-based curricula for nurse practitioner programs.     

A study of hospital nurses' attitudes toward continuing education in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

The purpose of this study was to investigate hospital nurses' attitudes toward continuing education. Continuing education was defined as non-credit organized educational programs designed for nurses by hospitals, nursing institutions, or other related organizations to maintain or improve professional competence. It included "in-service education", "on-the-job training", and other synonymous educational activities. Six hundred and seventy-four randomly selected hospital nurses in Kaohsiung City participated in this study. The data was collected by delivering a 34-statement questionnaire through the directors of nursing. Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient was applied to determine the reliability with a value of 0.79. Factor analysis and a group of experts' suggestions were applied to determine the validity. Frequency distribution, Analysis of Variance, Scheffe' test, and Multiple Regression Analysis were conducted to analyze the research questions. The level of significance was set at 0.05 or less. The results indicated that the majority of nurses (92.65%) hold positive attitudes toward continuing education (M = 86.32). Nurses' attitudes toward continuing education were related to selected personal and professional characteristics, and hospital policies regarding continuing education. To maintain nurses' positive attitudes and to develop positive attitudes for those who hold negative attitudes, some strategies for continuing education should be considered by nursing administrators.     

Life-long learning for psychologists: Current status and a vision for the future.

As a profession we are committed to maintaining and enhancing our competence as psychologists in order to most effectively serve the public throughout our careers. While this is a widely shared commitment among psychologists, there is considerably less consensus regarding how best to accomplish this goal. This dilemma is examined from the ethical, educational and legal perspectives. The American Psychological Association (APA) Ethics Code clearly articulates that competence is an ethical duty, although there is little guidance provided in the code as to how to meet this standard. As a profession we have tended to focus on the construct of life-long learning and we have incorporated this principle into our education and training standards. In fact, APA accreditation requires that doctoral programs inculcate this value into our foundational training. The majority of Psychology Licensing Boards have addressed this issue through the endorsement of mandatory continuing education requirements that primarily focus on hours and the content or structure of approved programs. Potential limitations to our ability to effectively self-assess our professional training needs are discussed and several innovative models are presented for integrating effective self-assessment and continuing education. Three invited experts provide commentaries that further explore the challenges and dilemmas posed by the ethical, legal and professional duty to maintain and enhance competence throughout our professional careers. These commentaries broaden the considerations, provide practical suggestions from other professions and provide a vision for the future. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Computer-assisted learning in dentistry. A view from the UK

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this paper are to review the development and impact of computer assisted learning (CAL) in dentistry with emphasis on the UK. DATA SOURCES: This is a wide ranging review of dental, medical and technical literature. STUDY SELECTION: An attempt has been made to evaluate present knowledge in an objective manner and to make some prediction as to the future development and use of computer-based teaching methods in dentistry. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of computers as an educational tool in dentistry and the provision of CAL is having an impact not only on how dentists are trained but also on the skills they will need to acquire in the future to keep pace with this new technology. It is suggested that there is a great potential for computer-based continuing professional education for dental practitioners, and that the Internet will provide access to such material.     

Continuing competence in the health professions

The health professions are confronted with external pressures to assure the public of the continuing competence of health care providers and internal pressures for self-regulation. This article describes the forces driving continuing competence, the difficulty defining the scope of professional competencies for experienced practitioners, the difficulty creating valid measures to evaluate continuing competence, and the need for shared responsibility and collaboration among regulatory boards, professional associations, and specialty certification programs. The article presents findings from the Study of Professions, which was based on literature review, document review, and telephone interviews with key informants from 13 regulated health professions.     

Interferon-gamma upregulates the stromelysin-1 gene expression by human skin fibroblasts in culture

Beliefs about human nature, adult education, adult learners, and moral commitment are at the heart of the educator-learner agreement. In continuing nursing education, it is the point where professional values, morals, and ethical principles meet. Using Husteds' bioethical decision-making model, the values, beliefs, and actions within the educator-learning agreement are identified and organized by the bioethical standards. By relating the bioethical standards to practice, continuing nurse educators can find their own basis for practice and work toward attaining a consistent professional ethical orientation.     

Chiral separations by capillary electrophoresis in process chemistry

BACKGROUND: Conducting research in clinical settings can be problematic for many nurses in practice due to lack of experience and support. METHOD: Research collaboration between clinical nurse specialists and staff nurses in clinical settings can promote development of their research process skills. RESULTS: Strategies identified can be applied by clinical nurse specialists involved in continuing education and staff development in clinical practice through further research development. CONCLUSION: Collaboration among clinical nurse specialists and staff nurses provides a unique and strong link that transcends degrees and roles to make substantial contributions to professional nursing practice.     

Clinical experience with recombinant factor VIIa

This paper will critically review the factors that influence the teaching of theory and research to mental health nurses. Following a brief historical review it is asserted that current educational approaches fail to address the complexity and context-dependent nature of mental health nursing practice. The author then argues for a radical approach to education which will enable students and practitioners to engage critically in deconstructing and developing theories that illuminate and help us understand the multiple realities of our post-modern professional world. In conclusion, the author provides an example of a casework-based curriculum that emphasizes the ways in which clinical experience with clients in a range of contexts should be the main focus of knowledge and skill development for the emerging profession of mental health nursing.     

Educating the 21st Century Construction Professionals

Traditionally recognized construction professionals such as architects, engineers, and surveyors occupy segregated roles in the construction industry. With the rapidly growing complexity and ever increasing sophistication in project procurement and construction, new disciplines have been added to the traditional construction professions. The characteristics and the roles of the different disciplines in the construction industry are becoming less clear-cut. Specialism within the different disciplines and the working relationship among them are also not easily defined. Transprofessional practice among the several disciplines of construction professionals is commonplace. The skills needed by each discipline and the education structure required to develop those skills cannot be usefully examined on a discipline-by-discipline basis. This paper, based on a research study carried out with a questionnaire survey, aims to investigate these phenomena in professional practices within the construction industry and to develop cogent and sustainable directions for the education of construction professionals in the new millennium. Results from the study suggest that the demands of a transprofessional discipline practice call for construction professionals to critically reexamine their professional skills and realistically evaluate the professional demands made on them by the ever-increasing complexity and technological sophistication in construction and project procurement. The work concludes that the curricula for educating aspiring construction professionals should embrace a multidisciplinary and an integrative-professional approach. Such an approach should be implemented in curricula designed for undergraduates and for the continuing professional education of practitioners.     

Self-assessment in clinical health psychology: A model for ethical expansion of practice.

Society expects autonomous professions to ensure the competency of its practitioners, and professions should facilitate the continuing education and training of its members. Given the shift from psychology as a mental health profession to that of a health profession, the authors propose a self-assessment model for the individual practitioner to gauge his or her readiness to provide professional services in expanded areas of practice. This model could also be useful to the American Psychological Association, state psychological associations, and other purveyors of continuing education programs in systematically developing postgraduate experiences. A template for self-assessment that reflects well-accepted core domains of knowledge and skills is presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Continuing education of health professionals: proposal for a definition of quality

The present reality of continuing education of health professionals is briefly reviewed: what it can and cannot do and how it differs from preparatory professional education. It is hoped that the application of educational theory and the analysis of the successes and failures of continuing education of the past will result in continuing education being an effective bridge between academia and practice. From a study of educational theory, of adult learning, of management, and of past experience, a model was developed. The model describes quality continuing education and encourages the health professional to assume personal responsibility for learning. The listed elements of quality can be used to introduce a measure of quality to the planning and implementation of continuing education activities. Agencies responsible for the quality of continuing education activities can use the elements to assess activities, products, and services.     

Unintended Consequences: Ventures and Misadventures in the Education of Professional Psychologists.

Increasing professionalization of psychology, accelerated by expansion of professional schools, has evoked concern among critics, who claim that many practitioners ignore scientific research and engage in practices that are demonstrably useless or harmful. Recent data on admissions to professional schools and performance of professional school graduates show cause for concerns of the critics. If psychology is to maintain its stature as a profession, exclusionary controls as well as hortatory requirements for the practice of psychology and the education of practitioners must be established and enforced. Before more stringent standards can be imposed, convincing means for evaluating competence in professional work and quality in professional education must be developed. Local and institutional actions to advance those aims are proposed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Continuity of care: a challenge for ambulatory oncology nursing

Continuity of care has many facets and challenges both as a philosophy and in practice. In an abstract sense, it represents an ideal to which health care professionals strive. It is becoming a professional and consumer expectation that each health care professional contribute to continuity of care. Although a variety of organizational models for providing continuity of care have been established in which nursing plays a prominent role, recent research suggests that some frontline nursing personnel may not fully understand their responsibility to continuity of care. There is a need for nursing curricula in both basic and continuing education programs to address continuity of care concepts, models, and methodologies to strengthen awareness of patient care needs across the disease continuum and across care settings. Performance expectations that include professional accountability for continuity of care also encourage greater attention to this issue.     

An educational initiative in anaesthetic nursing practice

The National Board for Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors in Northern Ireland (NBNI) has adopted the principles of the UKCC's recommendations for specialist nursing practice and Incorporated these within their continuing education framework. Stage two of this framework decrees the standard required for specialist nursing practice (NBNI, 1995) and, as a result, a specialist anaesthetic nursing course has been instigated. The course extends over 44 weeks and includes 8 weeks of consolidation practice, comprising seven modules at degree and diploma level. The course gives the students an opportunity to deepen their knowledge, skills and attitudes in the field of anaesthetic nursing. Nurses were taught the necessary skills to work in collaboration with other professionals, patients and families in order to coordinate a patient-centred approach to perianaesthetic care. The role of the anaesthetic nurse specialist should be viewed as complementary to that of the anaesthetist. This course facilitates and encourages practitioners to move beyond registered practice on qualifying to a more specialized role where care is delivered in an innovative and creative manner.     

Continuing education of the intensive care units nursing staff in the city of Sao Paulo]

This study is part of a project about ICU's characteristics in S?o Paulo city. This article describes the continuing education programs for nursing staff. 43 ICUs were analysed and the questionnaire answered by the ICU nurse coordinator was used to collect data. Results showed that 34 (79.1%) of the ICUs have initial program for training each nursing staff category and 18 (41.9%) had regular continuing education program focusing primarily on nursing procedures and routines and the update in pathologies. Continuing education programs are developed primarily by ICU's nurses. 50.2% of the nurses answered that they attended specialisation/extension courses too, in Medical Surgical Nursing or in other areas or in both areas. Due to this result and the development of the ICU's nurses as specialists, some suggestions are presented to improve the continuing education program in these Units.     

Continuing education needs in school psychology.

A continuing education survey sent to 250 school psychologists in upstate New York investigated interest in professional development programs, appropriate formats for continuing education, and opinions on topical priorities. Results from 138 respondents show that 95% of them would attend a continuing education institute if it were in an area of interest. Practitioners' specific format preferences for professional development programs are outlined. The topic priorities appear to conform to skill needs created by federal legislation affecting special education, thus supporting the contention that continuing education needs in school psychology may be a widespread phenomenon. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Postdoctoral training in geropsychology: Guidelines for formal programs and continuing education.

Clinical geropsychology is a relatively new practice area. Inherent in the emergence of a new professional specialty is the development of standards for training. In this study, a qualitative analysis of 8 Veterans Affairs postdoctoral fellowship programs was completed. Results suggest a coalescence of training experiences leading to skill and knowledge competencies requisite for geropsychology expertise. Breadth of training, including assessment and intervention across multiple contexts, appears to be a key feature. The role of research and education and the problem of balancing generalist vs specialist goals are discussed. Also presented are applications of these findings to practitioners seeking additional proficiency in geropsychology through continuing education. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Developing continuing education for contact hour approval: an update

Developing quality nursing continuing education for contact hour approval requires a basic understanding of the nursing continuing education system and the application process. The Approver Unit of the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (NAON) helps providers (i.e., members, chapters, corporations) develop educational activities and grants contact hour approval. This article provides the latest information on nursing continuing education terminology and the application process for contact hour approval through NAON.     

Course in Professional Practice Issues

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and practitioners recognize professional practice issues as important in undergraduate civil engineering education. This paper describes a creative approach for incorporating professional practice issues into the civil engineering curriculum through a course entitled “Civil Engineering Practice.” This course has the following advantages: (1) It encourages active learning via activities as opposed to a traditional seminar; (2) forms long-term teaching partnerships with engineering professionals; (3) offers a venue where important yet distinct topics can be presented systematically; (4) provides the local engineering community with the opportunity to share its accomplishments and to further continuing education credits; (5) reinforces the professional practice elements of the capstone design project; and (6) supplies structured time where students can interact with potential employers and vice-versa. The course feedback from students, faculty, engineering professionals, and ABET evaluators has been overwhelmingly positive.     

Continuing education: A new challenge for psychology.

Notes that pressures are mounting from within and from outside psychology for the demonstration of continued professional competence. The need for systematically available continuing education opportunities for both the practicing professional and the teacher-scientist is great. It is suggested that some services can be provided centrally by the American Psychological Association which will facilitate the development of a continuing education network for all psychologists. The following services are proposed: consultation on the development of programs, a resource center, a registration service, publication of a calendar, and a self-assessment examination system. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)