Training Practices (training + practice)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Design of a virtual environment aided by a model-based formal approach using DEVS,

CONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 11 2009
Azzedine Boukerche
Abstract Virtual environment (VE) is a modern computer technique that aims to provide an attracting and meaningful human,computer interacting platform, which can essentially help the human users to learn, to play or to be trained in a ,like-real' situation. Recent advances in VE techniques have resulted in their being widely used in many areas, in particular, the E-learning-based training applications. Many researchers have developed the techniques for designing and implementing the 3D virtual environment; however, the existing approaches cannot fully catch up the increasing complexity of modern VE applications. In this paper, we designed and implemented a very attracting web-based 3D virtual environment application that aims to help the training practice of personnel working in the radiology department of a hospital. Furthermore, we presented a model-based formal approach using discrete event system specification (DEVS) to help us in validating the X3D components' behavior. As a step further, DEVS also helps to optimize our design through simulating the design alternatives. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Development and implementation of new educational concepts in a dental curriculum

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, Issue 1 2007
H. W. Kersten
Abstract, The Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam introduced a fully renewed 5-year dental curriculum in September 2003. In this article, the educational principles and didactic choices that form the basis of the curriculum development are presented and attention is given to the process of development and the implementation strategy that constitute such an important part of the success of introducing a new curriculum. Special characteristics of the new curriculum are the clinical training practice, professional conduct, the elective profiles and academic education. In clinical practice, groups of students from different levels run a group practice in which they learn to work together, delegate tasks, solve clinical problems and apply evidence-based dentistry. In the new curriculum students learn to conduct themselves as professionals. In the third and in the fifth year, students choose an elective profile oriented, respectively, on research and on clinical knowledge and skills. Academic education is an important spearhead in this curriculum in which students not only learn why research is important to dentistry but also how dentists can use research to their own benefit. In development and implementation, a stepwise approach was used in which as many people as logistically possible were involved. [source]


Prostate-specific antigen testing: uncovering primary care influences

BJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 5 2006
Gerard J. Gormley
OBJECTIVES To examine influences on the behaviour of General Practitioner (GP) in relation to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing. SUBJECTS AND METHODS In Northern Ireland in 2003,2004, all GPs (1067) were invited to complete a self-administered postal questionnaire survey that was then matched with a regional PSA-testing database. The main outcome measures were individual GP responses for demographic, practice and training characteristics, PSA testing behaviour and perceived influences, matched against GP-initiated first PSA tests performed in 2003 and 2004 (22 207 tests). RESULTS In all, 704 GPs (66%) responded and 49% of these reported awareness of the national guidelines, which was highest among those attending postgraduate meetings. PSA tests were more likely to be ordered by full-time male GPs who had attended a local postgraduate urology meeting; ran a ,well-man' clinic; tested men with unrelated complaints; and were not in a training practice. Testing levels were highest among GPs who had been practising for 21,30 years and those in rural practices. Awareness of national guidelines or having had a postgraduate post in urology did not affect testing behaviour. After adjusting for gender, working hours, duration in practice and urban/rural setting, independent influences increasing testing behaviour were: testing men with a positive family history or unrelated complaints; testing any man who requests it; and previous experience of prostate cancer being detected in an asymptomatic patient by PSA testing. Working in an accredited training practice was associated with lower testing levels. CONCLUSION There are complex influences on the PSA testing behaviour of GPs; addressing these influences could contribute to the rationalization of testing. A low awareness of national guidelines indicates a need for new strategies to disseminate and implement guidelines. The influence of local educational meetings on PSA testing is an unharnessed force. [source]


Evaluation of emergency medicine trainees' ability to use transport equipment

EMERGENCY MEDICINE AUSTRALASIA, Issue 3 2009
Manoj Samuel
Abstract Objective: To assess the skills of advanced emergency medicine trainees in the use of commonly used transport equipment and to determine what teaching has been undertaken and what level of confidence trainees have in their ability to use the equipment tested. Methods: This is a prospective multicentre observational study examining equipment use. Three pieces of equipment were examined: the infusion pump, defibrillator-monitor and transport ventilator. A questionnaire and a series of practical tasks were used. Advanced trainees from Victorian ED were enrolled as participants. Outcomes included proportion of participants able to perform all tasks successfully, subjective registrar confidence with use of equipment and departmental training practices. Eleven ED were represented, covering metropolitan tertiary, metropolitan peripheral and regional hospitals. Results: There were 47 participants enrolled in the study. The range of advanced training years of participants was 1,5+. Of the 47 participants, 39 (83%; 95% CI 72.2,93.7%) had been involved as medical escorts. Eighteen participants (38.3%; 95% CI 24.4,52.2%) described some form of teaching for equipment use. The median level of confidence of participants (on a 5-point scale) was 4 (25,75% interquartile range 3,4), which correlates with a moderate degree of confidence. Of 47 participants, 7 (14.9%; 95% CI 4.7,25.1%) rated themselves as not confident or somewhat under-confident (i.e. 1 or 2 on the scale). Of 47, 12 passed overall (25.5%; 95% CI 13.1,38%) and 8 completely failed (17.0%; 95% CI 6.3,27.8%) the skill testing. Conclusion: When tested in isolation, there appears to be deficits in the equipment skills of advanced ED trainees who are expected to be proficient in transport medicine. [source]


The matrix model for clinical psychology: A contextual approach

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 9 2005
Stanley Sue
The four level matrix model proposed by C.R. Snyder and T.R. Elliott (this issue) is a bold attempt to provide a coherent philosophy and model to guide the training of clinical psychologists. Shortcomings of current training practices, such as a focus on individuals rather than community dynamics and on pathology rather than strengths, are addressed in the proposed model. Difficulties in the implementation of the model are discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol. [source]


Pediatric hospital medicine core competencies: Development and methodology

JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL MEDICINE, Issue S2 2010
Erin R. Stucky MD
Abstract Background: Pediatric hospital medicine is the most rapidly growing site-based pediatric specialty. There are over 2500 unique members in the three core societies in which pediatric hospitalists are members: the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Academic Pediatric Association (APA) and the Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM). Pediatric hospitalists are fulfilling both clinical and system improvement roles within varied hospital systems. Defined expectations and competencies for pediatric hospitalists are needed. Methods: In 2005, SHM's Pediatric Core Curriculum Task Force initiated the project and formed the editorial board. Over the subsequent four years, multiple pediatric hospitalists belonging to the AAP, APA, or SHM contributed to the content of and guided the development of the project. Editors and collaborators created a framework for identifying appropriate competency content areas. Content experts from both within and outside of pediatric hospital medicine participated as contributors. A number of selected national organizations and societies provided valuable feedback on chapters. The final product was validated by formal review from the AAP, APA, and SHM. Results: The Pediatric Hospital Medicine Core Competencies were created. They include 54 chapters divided into four sections: Common Clinical Diagnoses and Conditions, Core Skills, Specialized Clinical Services, and Healthcare Systems: Supporting and Advancing Child Health. Each chapter can be used independently of the others. Chapters follow the knowledge, skills, and attitudes educational curriculum format, and have an additional section on systems organization and improvement to reflect the pediatric hospitalist's responsibility to advance systems of care. Conclusion: These competencies provide a foundation for the creation of pediatric hospital medicine curricula and serve to standardize and improve inpatient training practices. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2010;5(4)(Suppl 2):82,86. © 2010 Society of Hospital Medicine. [source]


Core competencies in hospital medicine: Development and methodology

JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL MEDICINE, Issue S1 2006
Daniel D. Dressler MD
Abstract BACKGROUND The hospitalist model of inpatient care has been rapidly expanding over the last decade, with significant growth related to the quality and efficiency of care provision. This growth and development have stimulated a need to better define and characterize the field of hospital medicine. Training and developing curricula specific to hospital medicine are the next step in the evolution of the field. METHODS The Core Competencies in Hospital Medicine: A Framework for Curriculum Development (the Core Competencies), by the Society of Hospital Medicine, introduces the expectations of hospitalists and provides an initial structural framework to guide medical educators in developing curricula that incorporate these competencies into the training and evaluation of students, clinicians-in-training, and practicing hospitalists. This article outlines the process that was undertaken to develop the Core Competencies, which included formation of a task force and editorial board, development of a topic list, the solicitation for and writing of chapters, and the execution of multiple reviews by the editorial board and both internal and external reviewers. RESULTS This process culminated in the Core Competencies document, which is divided into three sections: Clinical Conditions, Procedures, and Healthcare Systems. The chapters in each section delineate the core knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for effective inpatient practice while also incorporating a systems organization and improvement approach to care coordination and optimization. CONCLUSIONS These competencies should be a common reference and foundation for the creation of hospital medicine curricula and serve to standardize and improve inpatient training practices. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2006;1:48,56. © 2006 Society of Hospital Medicine. [source]


Training and Low-pay Mobility: The Case of the UK and the Netherlands

LABOUR, Issue 2009
Dimitris Pavlopoulos
This paper investigates the effect of training on low-pay mobility in the UK and the Netherlands. We contribute to the literature by estimating the ,true' effect of training correcting for measurement error and transitory fluctuations , random shocks , of earnings. This is accomplished by using a random-effects multinomial logit model with a latent structure to take account of the measurement error. Our results indicate that although the countries have rather different training practices, training increases the likelihood for moving from low to higher pay and reduces the likelihood for a transition from higher pay to low pay. However, in the UK, contrary to what we expected, work-related or firm-specific training programmes but not general training programmes pay off better for the intermediate- and the higher-educated workers. No effect of training is found for the low-educated workers. The lower-skilled seem to gain less than the high-skilled from firms' investments in human capital in the UK. [source]


Training the trainers: do teaching courses develop teaching skills?

MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 8 2004
Joyce Godfrey
Objective, This paper reports on consultants' self-assessed changes in their teaching and training practices over an 8,10-month period. It compares the changes between a group undergoing a 3-day teaching course (participants) and a sample group taken from the course waiting list (controls). Method, A questionnaire listing 18 teaching skills was given to the participants immediately prior to the course and 8,10 months later, and to the controls at the same time intervals. Respondents were asked to rate their ability, frequency of use of each skill, as well as their teaching confidence and effectiveness. Additionally, the second questionnaire asked respondents to identify changes they had made to their teaching. A total of 63% (54) of participants and 51% (23) of controls completed both questionnaires. Changes of 2 + on the rating scales were seen as genuine. The number of such changes was calculated for each individual and on each skill for the 2 groups. Data were analysed using a Mann,Whitney U -test. Results, The majority of course participants reported positive changes in teaching ability on a significantly greater number of skills than did the control group. As a group, changes in ability in 16 of the teaching skills were significantly greater for the participants than for the controls. Increased ability resulted in participants' increased frequency of use of only 4 of the teaching skills. The majority in the participant group reported changes to their teaching. Only a minority in the control group reported such changes. These changes were consistent with course topics and the teaching skills needed to meet General Medical Council recommendations for the education of new doctors. Conclusions, The teaching course is an effective vehicle for increasing consultants' teaching skills. [source]


Management and organisational barriers in the acquisition of computer usage skills by mature age workers

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL ON AGEING, Issue 3 2009
Mark KeoghArticle first published online: 30 AUG 200
Aim:, To investigate workplace cultures in the acquisition of computer usage skills by mature age workers. Methods:, Data were gathered through focus groups conducted at job network centres in the Greater Brisbane metropolitan region. Participants who took part were a mixture of workers and job-seekers. Results:, The results suggest that mature age workers can be exposed to inappropriate computer training practices and age-insensitive attitudes towards those with low base computer skills. Conclusions:, There is a need for managers to be observant of ageist attitudes in the work place and to develop age-sensitive strategies to help mature age workers learn computer usage skills. Mature age workers also need to develop skills in ways which are practical and meaningful to their work. [source]