			Home About us Contact

Skills Courses (skill + course)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	88%

Selected Abstracts

Evaluation by dental students of a communication skills course using professional role-players in a UK school of dentistry

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, Issue 1 2005
P. Croft
This paper reports student (n = 180) feedback on the role-play teaching methodology used in behavioural sciences teaching at The School of Dentistry in Birmingham (UK). The feedback received on this well-established (since 1995) educational programme was collected via questionnaire (100% response rate), requiring Likert scale and free text responses. Generally students reported that they had enjoyed and valued the session. Over two-thirds (69.7%) of students rated the role-players as ,very real' and over three-quarters (78.9%) rated their feedback as ,very fair'. The data collected from this study will inform future curriculum development. Student feedback was very positive and demonstrated that the cohort (86% of all students studying in years 1, 2 and 3) found the use of professional role-players involved in behavioural sciences teaching to be both acceptable and valuable. [source]

Evaluation of a clinical examination skills training course in an undergraduate pharmacy programme

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACY PRACTICE, Issue 4 2008
Dr. Andy Wearn senior lecturer, director
Objective To introduce and evaluate a short clinical examination skills course in a BPharm programme. The study objectives were to assess needs, explore attitudes, record perceived competence requirements and assess the value of physical examination skills learning. Setting BPharm programme in Auckland, New Zealand. Participants were students enrolled in years 3 and 4 of the programme (2003). Method The design was a longitudinal, dual cohort, educational intervention evaluation using a self-completed questionnaire. An examination skills component was added to the fourth year of the pharmacy programme. Year 3 and 4 students were recruited, and completed the questionnaire at two points. Year 3 students were sampled one year before and soon after the skills sessions. Year 4 students were sampled after the sessions and 18 months later (once registered). The questionnaire sought their attitudes towards clinical skills training and practical relevance for future practice, and evaluated their learning experience. Key findings Response rates at the four points were 42,67%. Year 3 students identified a similar set of appropriate skills to those actually taught in year 4. Overall, attitudes to introducing examination skills learning were positive at all points. At follow-up, both cohorts agreed more strongly that examination skills training should be core (significantly for registered pharmacists versus year 3, P < 0.006). Measuring manual blood pressure was deemed the most difficult skill. All taught skills were used in practice except for respiratory rate; most used were body mass index (BMI), temperature and peak flow measurement. Conclusions There was a close correlation between what was offered in the course, what students felt they needed to learn and what was relevant in practice. Once registered, pharmacists were aware of their limitations and level of competence in relation to clinical skills. The small changes in attitudinal scores appear to reflect maturity and experience. The study design allowed us to adapt the educational component to student need. Health professional educators need to be aware of and respond to changes in professional scopes of practice. [source]

A needs-based study and examination skills course improves students' performance

MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 5 2003
Lutz Beckert
Background, Adult learning theory suggests that learning is most effective when related to need, when driven by the learner and when it is flexible. We describe the effect of an educational intervention that was driven by student need, and largely designed by students. Methods, We undertook a needs assessment of fifth year medical students' study needs. Based on this, we helped them design a course to meet these needs. This was predominantly related to study skills and a practice objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). We evaluated the course by asking for student opinion and by measuring the effect on student performance in a high stakes medical school examination (written examination and OSCE). Findings, Despite the course being run voluntarily and in after-hours sessions, 80,90% of the medical student class attended each session. Student performance on the end of year examinations was significantly enhanced in the year of the intervention, compared with previous years and with students from other schools sitting identical examinations in the same year. Interpretation, Learning activities that are directly based on student needs, that focus on study and examination techniques, and that are largely student-driven, result in effective and valuable outcomes. [source]

The value of laparoscopic skills courses

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 3 2009
George CONDOUS
Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of ,hands-on' laparoscopic skills course. Methods: A prospective observational study conducted between May 2005 and June 2006. All gynaecologists who attended ,hands-on' laparoscopic skills course held over a five-day period were assessed initially and at the end of the intensive course. Subjective assessment involved each attendee self-scoring their own knowledge in laparoscopy in different fields; this was done using visual analog scoring (VAS). Objective assessment was done through multiple choice questions (MCQs) and motor skill tasks. The difference between the performances of each of the candidates at pre- and post-course periods was evaluated using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. P -values < 0.05 represented statistical significance. Setting: Centre for Advanced Reproductive Endosurgery (CARE), Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. Results:, Twenty-four consecutive gynaecologists have been enrolled in the study , 14 were specialists and ten were obstetrics and gynaecology trainees. Mean age was 44.4 years (range 35,58 years). Pre- and post-course subjective assessment measuring VAS improved significantly for all variables. Objective measurements of pre- and post-course mean MCQ results also improved significantly from 71% to 84.5%, respectively (P -value < 0.0001). There was dramatic improvement in the performing of motor skills in the dry laboratory. Conclusions: Laparoscopic skills workshops can improve both knowledge base and motor skills. Such courses result in a short-term measurable improvement. Future studies should focus on assessing the impact of such ,hands-on' courses to see if these skills are transferred to the operating room. [source]

Procedural skills quality assurance among Australasian College for Emergency Medicine fellows and trainees

EMERGENCY MEDICINE AUSTRALASIA, Issue 3 2006
David McD Taylor
Abstract Objective: Presently, no objective quality control mechanism exists for monitoring procedural skills among Australasian College for Emergency Medicine trainees. The present study examined trainee and fellow procedural experience and perceived competency, participation in accredited training courses and support for a procedural logbook. Methods: A cross-sectional mail survey of Australasian College for Emergency Medicine advanced trainees and fellows was performed. Experience and perceived competency in 23 common and important ED procedures were examined. Results: In total, 202 fellows and 264 trainees responded (overall response rate 39.0%). Overall, fellow procedural experience and perceived competency were reasonable. However, some fellows had never performed a number of procedures including some common procedures (e.g. nasal packing, fracture reduction) and there were reports of ,very poor' competency for 17 (73.9%) procedures. Trainee experience and perceived competency were less than the fellows but showed similar patterns. Perceived numbers of each procedure required to achieve competency varied considerably between the procedures and among the respondents. However, there were no significant differences in the perceived numbers reported by the trainees and the fellows (P > 0.05). Variable proportions of trainees and fellows had undertaken courses that incorporated procedural skills training. More fellows (75.7%, 95% confidence interval 69.1,81.4) than trainees (59.9%, 95% confidence interval 53.6,65.8) supported the use of a procedural logbook (P = 0.003). Conclusions: Lack of experience in some procedures among some fellows, especially commonly performed procedures, might represent a deficiency in existing quality assurance mechanisms for procedural skills training. Greater participation in skills courses, to improve experience in difficult and uncommonly encountered procedures, is recommended. Improved quality assurance mechanisms, including a procedural logbook, should be considered. [source]

Continuing professional development , global perspectives: synopsis of a workshop held during the International Association of Dental Research meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden, 2003.

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, Issue 2 2005
Part 1: access, funding, participation patterns
There appears to have been little previous research interest in continuing professional development* (CPD) of dentists and the oral health team. This paper presents data and information on the following aspects of CPD in 17 countries in Asia, Australasia, Europe and North America: availability of different types of CPD, its providers, data on uptake of CPD courses and activities, and funding of CPD. The results indicate that lectures and hands-on skills courses were held in all 17 countries but the use of the Internet to deliver CPD was by no means universal. CPD was funded from a variety of sources including universities, governments and commercial companies. However, the only universal source of funding for CPD was dentists themselves. Data on participation were available from only three countries. Research issues based on these results will be listed in a second paper. [source]

An Interactive Reading Journal for All Levels of the Foreign Language Curriculum

FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS, Issue 4 2005
Article first published online: 31 DEC 200, Jennifer Redmann
Abstract: This article introduces an innovative approach to teaching texts at every level of the foreign language curriculum through the use of an interactive reading journal. The article describes how the journal can address the interpretive communication standard at the secondary level, as well as the challenges of integrating lower-level "skills" courses with upper-level "content" courses at the post-secondary level. The journal format itself is discussed in detail, along with examples of how it can be implemented with specific texts at the intermediate and advanced levels. The conclusion offers student reactions and suggestions for putting the interactive reading journal into practice. [source]

Competencies and skills for remote and rural maternity care: a review of the literature

JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 2 2007
Jillian Ireland
Abstract Title. Competencies and skills for remote and rural maternity care: a review of the literature Aim., This paper reports a review of the literature on skills, competencies and continuing professional development necessary for sustainable remote and rural maternity care. Background., There is a general sense that maternity care providers in rural areas need specific skills and competencies. However, how these differ from generic skills and competencies is often unclear. Methods., Approaches used to access the research studies included a comprehensive search in relevant electronic databases using relevant keywords (e.g. ,remote', ,midwifery', ,obstetrics', ,nurse,midwives', education', ,hospitals', ,skills', ,competencies', etc.). Experts were approached for (un-)published literature, and books and journals known to the authors were also used. Key journals were hand searched and references were followed up. The original search was conducted in 2004 and updated in 2006. Findings., Little published literature exists on professional education, training or continuous professional development in maternity care in remote and rural settings. Although we found a large literature on competency, little was specific to competencies for rural practice or for maternity care. ,Hands-on' skills courses such as Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics and the Neonatal Resuscitation Programme increase confidence in practice, but no published evidence of effectiveness of such courses exists. Conclusion., Educators need to be aware of the barriers facing rural practitioners, and there is potential for increasing distant learning facilitated by videoconferencing or Internet access. They should also consider other assessment methods than portfolios. More research is needed on the levels of skills and competencies required for maternity care professionals practising in remote and rural areas. [source]