APA-approved sponsors of continuing education in psychology.

The Sponsor Approval System, approved in 1979 by the APA Council of Representatives, was developed in response to an increasing emphasis on more formalized continuing education programs for psychologists, with the accompanying need for methods of recognizing qualified providers. The system provides national standards for continuing education in psychology, a computerized APA Continuing Education (CE) Registry, and a calendar/clearinghouse. Sponsor applications are evaluated according to the established criteria and standards, which are available from the Continuing Education Program Office. The continuing education activities of approved sponsors are entered into the CE Registry, which provides a means for psychologists to maintain a centralized record of continuing education credits earned in activities offered by approved sponsors. The "CE Calendar" of approved sponsors' activities is published bimonthly in the APA Monitor. This article provides a list of continuing education activities which have been approved by the Subcommittee on CE Sponsor Approval. Programs that have not applied for approval, programs whose applications are in process, and programs approved since October 31, 1981, are not included. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

APA-Approved Sponsors of Continuing Education in Psychology.

The Sponsor Approval System, established in 1979 by the APA Council of Representatives, was developed in response to an increasing emphasis on more formalized continuing education programs for psychologists, with the accompanying need for methods of recognizing qualified providers. The system provides national standards for continuing education in psychology, a computerized APA Continuing Education (CE) Registry, and a CE calendar/clearinghouse. A list is provided of organizations that have been approved by the Subcommittee on CE Sponsor Approval to offer continuing education activities for psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

APA-approved sponsors of continuing education in psychology.

The Sponsor Approval System, established in 1979 by the APA Council of Representatives, was developed in response to an increasing emphasis on more formalized continuing education programs for psychologists, with the accompanying need for methods of recognizing qualified providers. The system provides national standards for continuing education in psychology, a computerized APA Continuing Education (CE) Registry, and a CE calendar. This article provides a listing of the organizations that the Subcommitte on CE Sponsor Approval has approved to offer the education activities for psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prevention of infection in the immunocompromised host

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc, is accredited as a provider of continuing education in nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. This learner-paced study package is designated for 1.1 contact hours. APIC's California nursing provider number is CEP 7146. This continuing medical laboratory education activity is recognized by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists as meeting the criteria for 1 CMLE credit hour. ASCP CMLE credit hours are acceptable to meet the continuing education requirements for the ASCP Board of Registry Continuing Competence Recognition Program. (See the instructions and examination at the end of the article.)Infectious diseases represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Infectious complications are often predictable and may be preventable. This article is an overview of practical considerations in the care of immunocompromised patients. Recognizing the compromised host, identifying and correcting risk factors in advance, and reducing sources of infection all play a role in prevention. Topics were chosen to include the areas of care that differ from the immune competent patient, such as diet, pet therapy, handwashing, immunizations, augmentation of host resistance, prevention of pneumonia, and antibiotic prophylaxis. National practice guidelines are cited when possible; evidence-based literature review and experience are applied to situations lacking consensus statements. Treatment decisions are made in areas for which information is often incomplete. A systematic approach to care of the immunocompromised host, tailored to the individual patient's needs, should reduce the risk of infection.     

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.     

Focus group interviews: assessment of continuing education needs for the advanced practice nurse

This article reports the use of focus group interviews to promote the development of continuing education programs that meet the needs of advanced practice nurses (APNs). The three major needs identified were: a) enhancement of clinical practice skills and knowledge in specialty areas, b) education about future changes in the APN role, and c) education in management strategies for the changing health care delivery system. A summary of the investigation and implications for continuing nursing education departments are also presented.     

Continuing education in psychology: Patterns of participation and aspects of selection.

Why do psychologists choose particular continuing education (CE) programs? Is the selection of CE programs a rational or a random process? Is it based on thoughtful deliberation regarding interests and workplace needs, or simple accessibility, cost, or convenience? Findings from a survey of 6,095 licensed psychologists across North America provided a glimpse into the most common topics that respondents completed for CE, as well as some of the elements driving their selection of particular CE programs. Programs on ethics, anxiety disorders, and assessment were among the most frequently completed CE programs. But the pattern of CE participation differed substantially across different workplace settings, suggesting that psychologists varied their CE selections to fit their professional needs and interests. Topical interest, cost, and convenience were identified as important considerations in the selection of CE programs. Findings are reviewed in relation to the evolving movement toward evidence-based CE and underscore the importance of better understanding the variables that underlie the selection of CE programs in the ongoing development of professional competencies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of a high dependency unit continuing education program on nursing practice and patient outcomes

Most evaluation studies of continuing education (CE) programs have concentrated on the assessment of learner knowledge and satisfaction and/or learner perceptions of change in professional competence and patient care, rather than on actual changes in nursing practice and patient outcomes. This study aimed to measure and compare frequency of nursing interventions and patient outcomes before and after a high-dependency (HD) CE program. A retrospective review of all HD patient records (n = 92) over the same 2-month periods in 1994 (n = 39) and 1995 (n = 53) was undertaken. Outcome variables were measured by assessing the incidence of cardiorespiratory complications, HD patient admission rates to critical care areas and process measures of nursing interventions with predetermined practice patterns. The before and after groups of patients were similar in age (mean 69 years), severity of illness (mean APACHE II = .12) and HD length of stay (mean 2.6 days). While the average number of critical events per patient was similar in both groups (before 2.03; after 1.96), complications resulting from critical events were 8 per cent fewer in the after group. The implementation and documentation of appropriate nursing interventions improved by 30 per cent following the introduction of the CE program (chi 2 = 25.53, df = 1, p < 0.001, 95 per cent CI 0.1804 to 0.4196, point estimate 0.3). The study revealed that there was a strong association between implementing the HD CE program and improved nursing practice. This may be related to the observed improvement in patient outcomes.     

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.     

"Current topics in health sciences librarianship": a pilot program for network-based lifelong learning

The long-term objective of this project is to make health sciences librarians more effective in their role by using emerging technologies to deliver timely continuing education (CE) programs to them regardless of their physical location. The goals of the one-year planning project at the William H. Welch Medical Library are to plan, implement, and evaluate a pilot CE program that includes (1) a three-day general-interest session organized in four tracks: Market Forces and Management, Information Technology and the Internet, Publishing and Copyright, and Education; (2) a one-day special topic session on the Informatics of the Human Genome Project; and (3) an electronic poster session in parallel with the general-interest session. The program will be offered in three simultaneous formats: (1) on-site, in a distance-learning classroom in Baltimore; (2) as a telecourse, in a similar classroom outside Washington, DC; and (3) online, via the World Wide Web. An electronic proceedings of the entire program will be published on the Web to serve as a continuously available CE resource for health sciences librarians. This paper gives an overview of the planning process, presents a status report on the programmatic and technical implementation of the pilot project at its midpoint, and discusses future directions for the program.     

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)     

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.     

Mandatory continuing education for licensed psychologists: Its rationale and current implementation.

We review literature on effectiveness of continuing education (CE) in enhancing quality of services in health professions. We conclude that if CE is properly implemented, health care can be positively impacted. Two examples of effective CE programs are described. We also review current status of mandatory CE (MCE) in health fields, especially psychology. Most MCE systems do not meet criteria of good CE systems. The profession of psychology is encouraged to shift to more effective systems of MCE. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Medical information on the Internet

Connecting to the Internet allows health care professionals to access medical information at computer sites worldwide, to search databases, communicate with peers, obtain continuing education, retrieve images and software, obtain drug information and access statistical data. Users can access sites with "virtual patients," search library catalogs, locate jobs and post resumes, and explore conference sites and topics. Rural health care professionals can have access to medical information equivalent to their urban peers. Information is usually available over the Internet much more rapidly than through traditional print methods.     

What do psychologists think about mandatory continuing education? A survey of Pennsylvania practitioners.

Would psychologists voluntarily participate in continuing education (CE) if it were not mandatory to do so? Does CE help make psychologists more effective clinicians? These and other aspects of mandatory CE were explored in a survey of 168 licensed psychologists in Pennsylvania. Although 75% of respondents were in favor of mandatory CE, the sample was divided over the question of whether they would obtain the required credits if not mandatory. Forty-five percent of respondents reported that attendance at CE programs often increases their clinical effectiveness, whereas 41% reported this as occurring sometimes, and 11% as only rarely. Because this survey was conducted in Pennsylvania, the results are discussed in light of varying CE requirements in other states. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Menstruation, menarche, and sexuality in the public school curriculum: school nurses' perceptions

Nurses employed by schools and health departments have varying responsibilities for curricula related to menstruation, menarche, and sexuality. Nevertheless, the school nurse is usually a source of information on these subjects whether employed full-time in school health or also participating in other nursing roles in the community. This survey examines the involvement of school nurses in curricula related to human reproduction including contraception. Data about their involvement in these classroom topics provides a basis for evaluating their roles and making recommendations for subsequent continuing education programs for school health nurses.     

Mandated continuing education: Impact on Maryland psychologists.

71% of Maryland's 1,001 certified psychologists returned a questionnaire describing their continuing education (CE) activities and attitudes before and after the state mandated CE for recertification. Results suggest that psychologists vary greatly in the amount and kind of CE activity they pursue; they value most highly activities relevant to their specific interests; amount and type of CE are influenced by work setting and job activities, and mandated CE is associated with significant but nondramatic changes in patterns of CE activities. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychometric evaluation of the Program Evaluation Instrument

Most continuing education program evaluations are developed informally with little attention paid to psychometric properties. Rigorous evaluation of continuing education programs should measure quality and allow valid comparisons across programs. The Program Evaluation Instrument (PEI), which evaluates continuing education programs, was tested in this study to further evaluate its psychometric properties. The 19-item instrument consists of four theoretical subscales: program objectives, learner objectives, teacher behavior, and program satisfaction. Participants (N = 566) completed the instrument after a variety of hospital continuing education programs. Principal components factor analysis with Varimax rotation revealed two interpretable factors, Preparation and Presentation, and Usefulness. Coefficient alphas for the two factors were .94 and .70 respectively. The findings suggest item revision and further psychometric evaluation.     

The Internet for healthcare professionals

The Internet is a useful clinical tool for information and communication. Resources that are available on the Internet include the Medline index, full-text articles, patient handouts, discussion lists, continuing education, medical and pharmaceutical texts, and case studies. This article summarizes the different types of resources available and teaches the basic skills for using the Internet to find medical information. Otolaryngology sites are listed and described.     

Healthy endings. A collaborative health promotion project for the elderly

This article describes a collaborative health promotion project between a graduate nursing program at a state university and a small community hospital. The Healthy Endings program provided health promotion education to groups of older adults at a local senior center. Health promotion in this population is vital to prevent complications and decrease risks that affect quality of life. Health promotion programs were designed to be accomplished through three major components: education, health screenings/services, and the referral process. Specific project objectives focused on safety, sensory deprivation, exercise, screening, compliance with medications, and a variety of psychosocial issues. Graduate nursing students functioning proactively in a senior center on a consistent basis were viewed as valuable by both members and staff.