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Continuous Professional Development (continuous + professional_development)
Selected AbstractsCompetencies and skills for remote and rural maternity care: a review of the literatureJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 2 2007Jillian 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] A critical essay on professional development in dietetics through a process of reflection and clinical supervisionJOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 5 2000S. Burton Background The concept of clinical supervision is well known within the nursing profession though numerous definitions and theoretical models proposed for implementation have led to a degree of confusion. The debate within dietetics is just beginning, with the recent formation of a BDA working group seeking to clarify clinical supervision for the profession. Aims This essay provides an overview of clinical supervision together with reflection which is considered to be integral to the process and proposes that clinical supervision can provide a vehicle for supporting continuous professional development for all dietitans. It is perhaps unfortunate that the descriptive ,clinical' is used throughout the literature as this often leads to an incorrect assumption that the scope of the process is limited to acute services. However, as patient care takes many forms within a range of environments, the broader meaning of ,clinical' as pertaining to ,patient care' needs to be acknowledged. Caution in choosing a model for the profession is advised, as any model needs to fit the practice and not vice versa. [source] University postgraduate training in implant dentistry for the general dental practitioner,AUSTRALIAN DENTAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2010S Ivanovski Aims of This Paper This paper aims to: (1) Describe the educational requirements of general practitioners who want to safely and effectively introduce implant dentistry procedures to their practice. (2) Define the necessary competencies and level of complexity that would need to be attained in a postgraduate implant dentistry programme for general dental practitioners. (3) Discuss the programme structures which universities can utilize in order to provide quality education in implant dentistry for general practitioners. (4) Provide guidelines for the resources, content, course format and instructional methods which could be well suited to the educational requirements of such programmes. The authors intend to produce a headline reference guide to outline the necessary educational structures for postgraduate pathways aimed at facilitating the continuous professional development of general practitioners within implant dentistry. This paper does not address issues concerning specialist training or higher research degrees. [source] Teachers making connections: Online communities as a source of professional learningBRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Jennifer Duncan-Howell The impact of the Internet on our lives has been pervasive. People are increasingly turning to the social interaction available on the Internet to satisfy their needs, whether these are professional or personal. The Internet offers users fast access to social contacts such as online chat groups and discussion lists, helping us to make connections with others. Online communities are being increasingly used by teachers for professional support, guidance and inspiration. These are often organised around subject areas and offer teachers opportunities to develop both personally and professionally. Online communities may present as a source of continuous professional development for teachers as they are able to deliver authentic and personalised opportunities for learning. This paper will present the findings of a study that was conducted on three online communities for teachers. It will explore the nature of online community membership and offer some conclusions regarding their potential as a source of professional learning for teachers. [source] |