COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF COMPETENCE LEVEL OF TRANSPORT SYSTEM EXPERTS

The paper deals with the comparative assessment of competence level of transport system experts. The high level of competence of the experts is the premise to ensure the quality of the expertise of the systems insufficiently formalized from a mathematical point of view and characterized with a high degree of uncertainty. Six factors for assessing the competence of transport system experts were summarized. The values of the priority vector of the competence factors were established with the application of the Saaty algorithm and scale in nine points by the method of comparisons in pairs. The value of the concordance ratio of the experts' opinion for the prioritization matrix was calculated. The comparative competence coefficient of the experts in transport systems was calculated and the hierarchy of experts was established according to the value of the nominal coefficient.

Future palliative competence needs – a qualitative study of physicians’ and registered nurses’ views

Background Globally, the need for palliative care will increase as a result of the ageing of populations and the rising burden of cancer, non-communicable diseases as well as some communicable diseases. Physicians and registered nurses working in palliative care should have a sufficient level of education and competence in managing the changing needs and requirements of palliative care. There is, however, need for evidence-based palliative care training and education of physicians and registered nurses. The purpose of this study was to describe the views of physicians and registered nurses regarding future competence needs within palliative care. Methods The study was conducted through use of a cross-sectional qualitative design. A total of 54 physicians and 110 registered nurses completed an open-ended questionnaire about the future competence needs of palliative care. The data were analyzed using inductive content analysis. Results The results revealed four main competence needs within palliative care for the coming decade: palliative care competence at all levels within healthcare and social welfare services; individualized palliative care competence; person-centered encounters competence; and systematic competence development within palliative care. Conclusions The results offer cues for education and professional development, which can be used to support physicians and registered nurses when future palliative care competences are included in educational programs. Seamless cooperation between palliative care services and educational institutions is recommended to ensure that undergraduate and postgraduate education is based on a continuous assessment of competence requirements within the field of palliative care. Therefore, online multi-professional simulations, for example, could be used to enhance future competencies within palliative care; undergraduate medical, nursing and allied healthcare students as well as postgraduate palliative care professionals and experts of experience could work together during simulations.

Consensus on Training and Assessment of Competence in Performing Chorionic Villus Sampling and Amniocentesis: An International Delphi Survey

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> The aim of this study was to obtain expert consensus on the content of a curriculum for learning chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis (AC) and the items of an assessment tool to evaluate CVS and AC competence. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We used a 3-round iterative Delphi process. A steering committee supervised all processes. Seven international collaborators were identified to expand the breadth of the study internationally. The collaborators invited fetal medicine experts to participate as panelists. In the first round, the panelists suggested content for a CVS/AC curriculum and an assessment tool. The steering committee organized and condensed the suggested items and presented them to the panelists in round 2. In the second round, the panelists rated and commented on the suggested items. The results were processed by the steering committee and presented to the panelists in the third round, where final consensus was obtained. Consensus was defined as support by more than 80% of the panelists for an item. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Eighty-six experts agreed to participate in the study. The panelists represented 16 countries across 4 continents. The final list of curricular content included 12 theoretical and practical items. The final assessment tool included 11 items, systematically divided into 5 categories: pre-procedure, procedure, post-procedure, nontechnical skills, and overall performance. These items were provided with behavioral scale anchors to rate performance, and an entrustment scale was used for the final overall assessment. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> We established consensus among international fetal medicine experts on content to be included in a CVS/AC curriculum and on an assessment tool to evaluate CVS/AC skills. These results are important to help transition current training and assessment methods from a time- and volume-based approach to a competency-based approach which is a key step in improving patient safety and outcomes for the 2 most common invasive procedures in fetal medicine.

Determining Competency for Entry to Nursing Practice: A Grounded Theory Study

<p>Critical Comparative Nursing Assessment (CCNA) is a theory about how the competence of completing Bachelor of Nursing students in New Zealand is determined. Semi-structured, audio-taped interviews and field notes were used to collect data from twenty-seven nurses with experience in undertaking competency assessment. A Glaserian grounded theory approach was used to guide the data collection and analysis. This utilised the processes of constant comparative analysis, theoretical sampling and saturation to generate a middle range substantive grounded theory. This is presented as a model consisting of four emergent categories that explain how nurses formulate professional judgements about competence. These are a) gathering, which describes the processes used to collect evidence of practice to inform decisions; b) weighing up, which explains how evidence is analysed using the processes of benchmarking and comparative analysis; c) judging brings into focus the tensions inherent in making professional judgements about competence and how nurses formulated these, and d) moderating, which describes the processes nurses use to validate decisions and ensure that professional responsibilities and public safety are upheld. The basic social psychological process of comparing integrates these categories to explain how nurses resolve the tensions associated with making decisions about competence. This research presents a new way of viewing and understanding how nurses assess competence. It identifies where the challengers and tensions related to the assessment of competence lie and suggests strategies that if implemented could further enhance the validity and reliability of assessment outcomes.</p>

Determining Competency for Entry to Nursing Practice: A Grounded Theory Study

<p>Critical Comparative Nursing Assessment (CCNA) is a theory about how the competence of completing Bachelor of Nursing students in New Zealand is determined. Semi-structured, audio-taped interviews and field notes were used to collect data from twenty-seven nurses with experience in undertaking competency assessment. A Glaserian grounded theory approach was used to guide the data collection and analysis. This utilised the processes of constant comparative analysis, theoretical sampling and saturation to generate a middle range substantive grounded theory. This is presented as a model consisting of four emergent categories that explain how nurses formulate professional judgements about competence. These are a) gathering, which describes the processes used to collect evidence of practice to inform decisions; b) weighing up, which explains how evidence is analysed using the processes of benchmarking and comparative analysis; c) judging brings into focus the tensions inherent in making professional judgements about competence and how nurses formulated these, and d) moderating, which describes the processes nurses use to validate decisions and ensure that professional responsibilities and public safety are upheld. The basic social psychological process of comparing integrates these categories to explain how nurses resolve the tensions associated with making decisions about competence. This research presents a new way of viewing and understanding how nurses assess competence. It identifies where the challengers and tensions related to the assessment of competence lie and suggests strategies that if implemented could further enhance the validity and reliability of assessment outcomes.</p>

Mnenje vzgojiteljic in vzgojiteljev o kompetentnosti za vodenje gibalnih dejavnosti predšolskih otrok, upoštevajoč lastno gibalno dejavnost

The purpose of the study was to determine whether the regular leisure-time physical activity of preschool teachers (n = 177) is associated with their self-perceived competence for leading physical activities among preschool children. For the data collection on self-assessed physical activity and the subjective assessment of competence for leading the process of physical activities among preschool children, we used a questionnaire. We can conclude that the leisure-time physical activity of preschool teachers is associated with their subjective perception of competence for leading the process of physical activity among preschool children.

Partial Ideas for Improving the Legal Regulation of Assessment of Competence to Work

This paper deals with medical examination of employee’s ability to work. Although from a legislative-technical point of view, this regulation is considered to be successful, in practice it causes major problems in the area of assessment care, which is evidenced in particular by the case law. Referencing to practice, we can state that the idea of the occupational health services provider as professional assistant of the employer in providing for the protection of employees’ occupational health has not taken hold at all. Employers justifiably ask why they should pay for a medical report giving them no legal certainty. Employers, on the other hand, want to pay for services that give them a solid basis for further action against employees. From the analysed regulations, it is clear that the issue of health assessment and medical reports remains in some respects still gaping, both in terms of the nature of the medical report and in terms of accepting the lack of work capacity of providers of occupational health services.

Sykepleierstudenters erfaringer med Respons – et nytt lærings- og vurderingsverktøy i praksisstudier

Vurdering av kompetanse i praksisstudier er en kjent utfordring i sykepleierutdanninger både i Norge og internasjonalt. Denne studien utforsker sykepleierstudenters erfaringer med det nye lærings- og vurderingsverktøyet Respons. Studien har en kvalitativ tilnærming med et beskrivende og utforskende design. Det var 27 sykepleierstudenter fra tre læresteder som deltok i utprøving av det nye verktøyet, 21 av disse møtte til påfølgende intervju i fokusgrupper. Dataanalysen er gjennomført i tråd med prinsipper for kvalitativ innholdsanalyse og ledet til to kategorier: Styrket eierskap og framdrift i læringsprosessen og Økt tillit til vurderingens kvalitet. Mange av informantene beskrev en mer aktiv holdning til egen læring og tettere samhandling med sine praksisveiledere. Flere var opptatt av at Respons i større grad enn tidligere vurderingsverktøy bidro til løpende vurdering. Informantene la også vekt på at Respons sikrer en felles standard for vurdering. Studien understøtter behovet for å utforske hvordan læringsutbyttestyrt pedagogikk utspiller seg i praksishverdagen. Abstract Assessment of competence in clinical studies is a well-known challenge in nursing education both in Norway and internationally. The aim of this study was to investigate nursing students' experiences with the new learning and assessment tool Response. The study has a qualitative approach with a descriptive and exploratory design. The new tool was tested by 27 nursing students. The following interviews in focus groups included 21 students. A process of content analysis identified two categories: Strengthened ownership and progress in the learning process and increased confidence in the quality of assessment. The findings revealed experiences of a more active attitude to the students’ own learning process and a closer interaction with their supervisors. Furthermore, the students reported that the new assessment tool contributed to ongoing assessment and ensured a common standard for assessment. Finally, the study supports the need to explore how learning outcome-driven policy unfolds in everyday practice.