Using communities of practice as a lens for exploring experiential pharmacy learning in general practice: Are communities of practice the way forward in changing the training culture in pharmacy?

Abstract Background Currently, there is little experiential learning in general practice (GP) during UK undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacy education and training. Aim To apply educational theories to explore pharmacy stakeholders’ perceptions of placements in general practice and contribute to the development of a model of experiential learning for pharmacy. Methods Qualitative, semi-structured interviews, conducted as part of two studies exploring experiential learning in general practice, with learners and their GP based supervisors. Interviews explored experiences of learning and practice, and what aided or hindered this. An abductive approach to analysis combined inductive coding with deductive, theory-driven interpretation using Lave and Wenger’s concept of “Communities of Practice”. Results Forty-four interviews were conducted, with learners and placement supervisors. Participants valued placements for providing authentic patient-facing learning experiences in the workplace, facilitated through legitimate peripheral participation by supervisors and supported by the use of pre- and de-briefing. Learners benefitted from support from their supervisor(s) and other staff during their day-to-day learning (informal learning), whilst also having protected time with their supervisors to discuss learning needs or go through workplace-based assessments (formal learning). Lack of clarity regarding which and how competencies should be assessed / demonstrated in general practice challenged monitoring progress from peripheral to full participation. Findings suggest that GP placements provide opportunities for learning about the patient journey between care settings; to work effectively with multidisciplinary teams; and consolidation and application of consultation / communication skills learning. Conclusions The learning culture of GP supports learners’ development, providing time and opportunities for meaningful and authentic workplace learning, with healthcare professionals acting as supervisors and mentors. These findings can usefully inform implementation of meaningful learning opportunities in primary and secondary care for those involved in pharmacy education and training.

Download Full-text

Domestic and International Perspectives on Financing Adult Education and Training

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.1509 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 389-390

Author(s):

Abigail Helsinger ◽

Oksana Dikhtyar ◽

Phyllis Cummins ◽

Nytasia Hicks

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Adult Education ◽

Adult Learners ◽

Low Income ◽

The United States ◽

Education And Training ◽

Technological Advancement ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

And Training

Abstract Adult education and training (AET) over the life-course is necessary to participate in economic, social, and political activities in the time of globalization and technological advancement. However, little research has been done to identify mechanisms to fund AET opportunities among middle-aged and older adults from a comparative international perspective. Our study aimed to identify strategies to finance AET opportunities for middle-aged and older adults through an international lens, to help identify barriers and facilitators in effort to best support adult learners regardless of education background or socioeconomic characteristics. We carried out a descriptive qualitative study to facilitate an in-depth understanding of funding mechanisms available to adult learners in the selected countries, from the perspective of adult education and policy experts. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 61 international adult education experts from government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and education institutions. Our informants represented 10 countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Data included at least one in-depth phone or web-based qualitative interview per informant in addition to information gathered from written materials (e.g., peer-reviewed publications and organizational reports). We identified three financing options that arose as themes: government-sponsored funding; employer-sponsored funding; and self-funding. We found that government-sponsored funding is especially important for low-skilled, low-income older adults for whom employer-sponsored or self-funding is not available. Our results have implications for lifelong AET policy changes, such as adaptations of successful AET funding programs across global communities.

Download Full-text

Education and training: A general practice nurse team review

Practice Nursing ◽

10.12968/pnur.2018.29.9.442 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 29 (9) ◽

pp. 442-445

Author(s):

Lyeanda Berry ◽

Polly Smith

Keyword(s):

General Practice ◽

Practice Nurse ◽

Education And Training ◽

And Training

Download Full-text

PMETB AND Me Or How I Learnt to Stop Worrying and Love Article 14

Bulletin of The Royal College of Surgeons of England ◽

10.1308/147363511x558119 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 93 (3) ◽

pp. 102-103

Author(s):

R Raychowdhury

Keyword(s):

Medical Education ◽

General Practice ◽

Postgraduate Training ◽

Postgraduate Medical Education ◽

General Medical Council ◽

Education And Training ◽

Medical Council ◽

Specialist Training ◽

Medical Education And Training ◽

And Training

The Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) was established by an act of Parliament in 2003, to set standards for postgraduate medical education and training and to ensure that those standards are met. On 30 September 2005 PMETB took over the functions of the Specialist Training Authority and the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice. Under article 14(4) of the regulations governing PMETB, doctors whose training or qualifications and experience, considered together, meet the requirements of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) programme in one of the standard CCT specialties, may apply to PMETB for a statement of eligibility for registration. This in turn allows application to the General Medical Council for admission to the specialist register.

Download Full-text

The reliability of workplace-based assessment in postgraduate medical education and training: a national evaluation in general practice in the United Kingdom

Advances in Health Sciences Education ◽

10.1007/s10459-008-9104-8 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 219-232 ◽

Cited By ~ 43

Author(s):

Douglas J. Murphy ◽

David A. Bruce ◽

Stewart W. Mercer ◽

Kevin W. Eva

Keyword(s):

Medical Education ◽

General Practice ◽

United Kingdom ◽

Postgraduate Medical Education ◽

Education And Training ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Medical Education And Training ◽

Workplace Based Assessment ◽

And Training

Download Full-text

Transforming Middle Leadership in Education and Training Board Post-Primary Schools in Ireland.

International Journal for Transformative Research ◽

10.2478/ijtr-2021-0003 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 20-32

Author(s):

Siobhán Kavanagh ◽

PJ Sexton ◽

Sabrina Fitzsimons

Keyword(s):

Primary Schools ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

Education And Training ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Online Surveys ◽

Combined Training ◽

Learning And Teaching ◽

The Republic ◽

Middle Leaders ◽

And Training

Abstract Distributed Leadership (DL) is a feature of education in many jurisdictions. Similarly, in Ireland the principles of DL have been adopted as part of a quality framework to underpin a system that provides high quality student care, learning and teaching. This model necessitates an alignment of senior leaders (SLs) and middle leaders (MLs) whose actions are informed by the needs and priorities of their particular school. The traditional notion of the ML position as a management position is changing. The evolution requires a reconceptualisation, a transformation of the role and how we support and develop it to ensure that MLs are an integral part of the leadership structure of the school. This pragmatic research explored the PD needs of MLs in Irish, Education and Training Board (ETB) post-primary schools. It involved a mixed-methods, exploratory sequential study. Stage one involved a set of five semi structured interviews with AP I post holders. These were used as an instrument to develop the online surveys. Stage two involved quantitative research. Online surveys were distributed to all ETB schools in the republic of Ireland. In stage three a summary of the findings of the survey were shared with ten AP Is who were subsequently interviewed to gain further insights. The study illustrated that the development of MLs requires the support of SLs, skills development, a supportive school culture and combined training for senior and middle leaders which should be facilitated by an independent person.

Download Full-text

Design and Implementation of an Integrated Competency-Focused Pharmacy Programme: A Case Report

Pharmacy ◽

10.3390/pharmacy7030121 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 121 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Theo J. Ryan ◽

Tamasine Grimes ◽

Martin C. Henman ◽

Eimear Ní Sheachnasaigh ◽

Máire O’Dwyer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Education And Training ◽

Bachelor's Degree ◽

Pharmacy Education ◽

Curricular Integration ◽

National Review ◽

Trinity College Dublin ◽

Design And Implementation ◽

Subsequent Publication ◽

One Year ◽

And Training

This paper describes the design and implementation of elements of an integrated competency-focused pharmacy programme in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SoPPS), Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Ireland. Following a national review of pharmacy education and training in Ireland in 2010, and subsequent publication of legislation in 2014, the School has implemented a five-year integrated programme of pharmacy education and training, leading to the award of a Master’s degree in Pharmacy (M. Pharm.). Curricular integration has been achieved by underpinning the new programme with a national competency framework for pharmacists and through the utilisation of curricular integration themes. Programme integration also encompasses embedded experiential learning placements in Years 2, 4 and 5 of the five-year programme. The new five-year integrated pharmacy programme, which commenced in 2015, replaced the 4 + 1 model of education and training where a four-year Bachelor’s degree was followed by a one-year internship, which was a distinct and separate element of the students’ training.

Download Full-text

A chlamydia education and training program for general practice nurses: reporting the effect on chlamydia testing uptake

Australian Journal of Primary Health ◽

10.1071/py20056 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 36

Author(s):

Anna Wood ◽

Sabine Braat ◽

Meredith Temple-Smith ◽

Rebecca Lorch ◽

Alaina Vaisey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

General Practice ◽

Training Program ◽

Treatment Effect ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Education And Training ◽

Practice Nurses ◽

Chlamydia Testing ◽

Increased Risk ◽

General Practices ◽

And Training

The long-term health consequences of untreated chlamydia are an increased risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancies and infertility among women. To support increased chlamydia testing, and as part of a randomised controlled trial of a chlamydia intervention in general practice, a chlamydia education and training program for general practice nurses (GPN) was developed. The training aimed to increase GPNs’ chlamydia knowledge and management skills. We compared the difference in chlamydia testing between general practices where GPNs received training to those who didn’t and evaluated acceptability. Testing rates increased in all general practices over time. Where GPNs had training, chlamydia testing rates increased (from 8.3% to 19.9% (difference=11.6%; 95% CI 9.4–13.8)) and where GPNs did not have training (from 7.4% to 18.0% (difference=10.6%; 95% CI 7.6–13.6)). By year 2, significantly higher testing rates were seen in practices where GPNs had training (treatment effect=4.9% (1.1 – 8.7)), but this difference was not maintained in year 3 (treatment effect=1.2% (−2.5 – 4.9)). Results suggest a GPN chlamydia education and training program can increase chlamydia testing up to 2 years; however, further training is required to sustain the increase beyond that time.

Download Full-text

“Forgetting the Pain”: Successful Applicants’ Experiences of Attaining a Dietetic Internship Position in Ontario

Critical Dietetics ◽

10.32920/cd.v2i1.780 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 7

Author(s):

Olivia Siswanto ◽

Jennifer Brady ◽

Patricia Alvarenga ◽

Ahuva Magder ◽

Jordana Riesel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lived Experience ◽

Research Team ◽

Online Survey ◽

Current Model ◽

Education And Training ◽

Home Economics ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Survey Item ◽

Dietetic Internship ◽

And Training

This study seeks to explore the lived experience of students who applied to an Ontario-based dietetic internship program and were successful upon their first application attempt. A 32-item online survey was distributed via email to all students who graduated from Brescia University College, Guelph University, and Ryerson University between 2006 and 2011 and to members of the Dietitians of Canada Student Network, Toronto Home Economics Association, and Ontario Home Economists in Business. The final survey item invited respondents to participate in one-on-one interview. The semi-structured interviews focused on participants’ experience of applying to and receiving an internship position. Interviews were conducted either in person or by telephone and were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed by the research team. Of the 82 participants who completed the online survey, 17 respondents participated in a one-on-one interview. Even students who were successful at attaining an internship are negatively impacted by having to compete with peers for an internship spot in Ontario. This research serves as a comparison to previous work examining the experiences of not attaining an internship. Both studies point directly to the changes urgently required to enhance the current model of education and training in Ontario.

Download Full-text