The Journal of continuing education in the health professions
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J Contin Educ Health Prof · Jan 2012
Judicious use of simulation technology in continuing medical education.
Use of simulation-based training is fast becoming a vital source of experiential learning in medical education. Although simulation is a common tool for undergraduate and graduate medical education curricula, the utilization of simulation in continuing medical education (CME) is still an area of growth. As more CME programs turn to simulation to address their training needs, it is important to highlight concepts of simulation technology that can help to optimize learning outcomes. ⋯ It provides support from a cross section of simulation training domains for determining the appropriate levels of fidelity, and it offers guidelines for creating an optimal balance of skill practice and realism for efficient training outcomes. After defining fidelity, 3 dimensions of fidelity, drawn from the human factors literature, are discussed in terms of their relevance to medical simulation. From this, research-based guidelines are provided to inform CME providers regarding the use of simulation in CME training.
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J Contin Educ Health Prof · Jan 2012
Impact of interprofessional education on collaboration attitudes, skills, and behavior among primary care professionals.
Care for the frail elderly is often provided by several professionals. Collaboration between them is essential, but remains difficult to achieve. Interprofessional education (IPE) can improve this collaboration. We developed a 9-hour IPE program for primary care professionals from 7 disciplines caring for the frail elderly, and aimed to establish whether the program improved professionals' interprofessional attitudes and attitudes toward collaboration, collaboration skills, and collaborative behavior. We also evaluated learners' reactions to the program. ⋯ A brief IPE program can improve interprofessional attitudes, collaboration skills, and collaborative behavior. That such a program allows professionals to get acquainted with each other and each other's viewpoints appears to be as important as the educational content.
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J Contin Educ Health Prof · Jan 2012
Development of a competency framework for quality improvement in family medicine: a qualitative study.
The aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive framework of quality improvement competencies for use in continuing professional development (CPD) and continuing medical education (CME) for European general practice/family medicine physicians (GPs/FDs). ⋯ We believe that the framework can serve as a useful tool for identifying gaps in knowledge and skills and guiding the development of CPD and CME curricula for GPs/FDs not only in Europe but also in other regions, including the United States and Canada, on the assumption that many of the core tasks of quality improvement would be relevant across multiple contexts.
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J Contin Educ Health Prof · Jan 2012
An exploratory study of factors influencing resuscitation skills retention and performance among health providers.
Resuscitation and life support skills training comprises a significant proportion of continuing education programming for health professionals. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and attitudes of certified resuscitation providers toward the retention of resuscitation skills, regular skills updating, and methods for enhancing retention. ⋯ The study findings highlight the importance of access to update methods for improving providers' confidence and abilities, and the need for emphasis on teamwork training in resuscitation. An eclectic approach combining methods may be the best strategy for addressing the needs of health professionals across various clinical departments and geographic locales.
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J Contin Educ Health Prof · Jan 2011
Teaching tobacco cessation skills to Uruguayan physicians using information and communication technologies.
Since 2004, with the ratification of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Uruguay has implemented a wide range of legal restrictions designed to reduce the devastating impacts of tobacco. This legal process generated an increase in demand for tobacco cessation treatment, which led to the need to train a large number of physicians. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are evolving constantly, creating new opportunities to make online education more interactive. The evolution of ICTs presents an opportunity to develop innovative continuing medical education (CME) experiences to meet the increasing demand for this topic. ⋯ The need to train physicians on tobacco cessation skills can be addressed via ICTs and educational activities that include participant interaction.