[Autoimmunity accreditation: training, accreditation and maintenance of skills in indirect immunofluorescence]. / Accréditation en auto-immunité : formation, habilitation et maintien des compétences en immunofluorescence indirecte.

The ISO 15189 accreditation of biological analysis needs the validation of the analytical methods allowing the evaluation of their performance including all the factors that could influence the quality of their results. The field of autoimmunity includes many analyses and methods such as the indirect immunofluorescence technique (IIF) and the performance of this technique largely depends on the competency of staff members. For each staff member, the required levels of competency have to be precisely defined and evaluated after a period of formation before the final habilitation for the IIF technique. The French group of the international group called EASI (European autoimmunity standardisation initiative) proposes two habilitation forms to be filled with criteria, evidence and maintenance of target skills for the IIF preparation of slides and reading. These forms could be used as a model for the IIF formation and habilitation and have to be adapted to the routine practice of the laboratories.

Improving the adoption of evidence-based practice through RN-to-BSN education.

BACKGROUND: Although enrollment in RN-to-BSN degree completion programs has grown profoundly, a dearth of literature exists regarding the impact of RN-to-BSN education and the adoption of evidence-based practice (EBP). This study examined the elements of RN-to-BSN education that improve the awareness and adoption for EBP. METHOD: A mixed methods meta-synthesis was conducted using qualitative, textual-narrative, and descriptive research studies. Data from six articles were analyzed, using standardized critical appraisal instruments. RESULTS: Two findings were identified. First, EBP skills for RN-to-BSN students are influenced by exposure to educational partnerships, contextual teaching and learning, and practice experiences. Second, barriers to adoption exist for RN-to-BSN students, which limit advances in nursing practice. CONCLUSION: A variety of contextual teaching and learning strategies can provide empowerment for RN-to-BSN students to adopt EBP in their practice. Forming partnerships in creating EBP experiences may set the stage for RN-to-BSN leadership opportunities in today's health care system.

Returning physicians to the workforce: history, progress, and challenges.

There is growing recognition of the need to reeducate clinically inactive physicians seeking to return to practice and in the facilitation of this return. Physicians seeking to return to practice face many challenges: maneuvering the various requirements of licensing, medical, and credentialing boards; finding an appropriate educational program to become up to date in current practice; paying for the program; and overcoming personal obstacles. Educational programs also face challenges: cost of development and maintenance; allocation of staff and faculty time to reeducate returning physicians alongside other learners; provision of emotional counseling and career guidance; interpretation of varied licensing and board guidelines; and the need to tailor one's program to individual trainees. Despite these challenges, some programs are returning physicians to the workforce. To provide perspective, we review why physicians leave medicine and return. We then discuss challenges for returning physicians and program developers and highlight current educational resources and organizational efforts to facilitate return. We close by offering next steps for programs to facilitate return.

Assessment of an innovative instructional program to return non-practicing physicians to the workforce.

INTRODUCTION: Few formal educational programs are available in the United States to assist physicians wishing to return to medical practice after clinical inactivity. Little published data on physicians who complete these programs exist. We describe the Drexel Medicine Physician Reentry/Refresher course and present our findings on participant demographics, performance, and goal attainment following course completion. METHODS: Physician self-assessment, future career goals, recommendations of referring organizations, and a quantitative assessment of knowledge and skills were used to create individualized learning objectives and physician's curriculum. Initial assessment included demonstration of clinical skills using standardized patients and medical knowledge using the National Board of Medical Examiners Comprehensive Clinical Medicine Self-Assessment Examination. Progress in knowledge and clinical skills was measured by repeat assessment at course completion. We questioned physicians 3 months after course completion to determine if initial goals were attained. RESULTS: Thirty-six physicians completed the program from November 2006 through November 2010. Most physicians demonstrated significant improvement in core clinical skills and knowledge at the end of the course. All physicians who sought employment, hospital privileges, and refreshing skills as initial goals were successful. CONCLUSION: The Drexel Medicine Physician Reentry/Refresher course provides a unique model for successfully returning inactive physicians to clinical practice.

An investigation into the numbers of dentists from 19 European Economic Area (EEA) member states currently registered to work in the United Kingdom and key differences between the practise of dentistry in the UK and their member states of origin.

The aim of this short communication is to highlight the numbers of non-UK EEA qualified dentists currently registered with the General Dental Council (GDC) and to present a brief overview of the systems for the provision of oral healthcare in the non-UK EEA member states identifying differences in practise. The relevant data were gathered for the National Clinical Assessment Service (NCAS) as part of a wider project. It was found that at 31 December 2010, 28% of dentists registered with the GDC had not qualified in the UK. Of these more than 6,300 were European Economic Area (EEA) dentists with non-UK qualifications. The nature of their practise varied widely from member state to member state. The implications of these findings are discussed briefly.

The use of standards for peer review of online nursing courses: a pilot study.

This article describes a pilot study on the use of online course standards for peer review of Web-based nursing courses. A peer review team consisting of a nurse educator and an instructional designer piloted the use of two sets of online course standards in two RN-to-baccalaureate nursing courses. The College of Public Health Online Course Standards and the Quality Matters (QM) Peer Course Review Rubric were used to review the courses. The standards facilitated the peer review process and supplied important criteria for measuring the quality of the courses. Analysis of the rubric scores revealed trends in criteria not met in either course, indicating the need for educational program improvement and faculty training. The QM tool had more consistent results among peer reviewers and was perceived as easier to use. In addition, QM standards provided a useful mechanism for benchmarking against higher education courses throughout the United States.

The Three Cs Model: the context, content, and conduct of nursing education.

The Three Cs Model integrates the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission's accreditation standards. The three major concepts of this model -- Context, Content, and Conduct -- relate to one or more of the accreditation standards. This model has been used to integrate three levels of programs in one nursing department and facilitate the self-study process for ongoing accreditation of each program. The model is used to implement the nursing department's strategic plan, provide a systematic framework for curriculum and program evaluation, design graduate courses, and develop a new doctor of nursing practice program. The Three Cs Model provides an innovative framework that integrates standards to verify, clarify, and amplify excellence in nursing education.

Comparing the academic performance of students in traditional and second-degree baccalaureate programs.

Programs offering accelerated baccalaureate (BSN) curricula to students with bachelor's degrees in other fields are growing in popularity. Such students' academic ability may differ from that of students pursuing the BSN as their first degree, due to academic maturity, greater confidence, and polished study skills. This study directly compared accelerated second-degree BSN and traditional BSN students under controlled conditions matched for identical instruction and performance measures. Outcomes analyzed included class test scores, nationally standardized examination scores, skills laboratory performance, and final course grades. Age, as a possible factor of any such differences, was also analyzed. The accelerated students performed significantly higher on every measure than did the students in the traditional program. Age was not found to be predictive of success in either group. Recommendations include modification of teaching strategies to accommodate accelerated students capable of higher performance.

Maintaining microneurosurgical ability via staying active in microneurosurgery.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of staying inactive for well-trained microneurosurgical hand and to determine the critical time period in the decreasing of this special ability (microneurosurgery). For this purpose we planned a case-based and time-dependent study. This study was done on a microneurosurgeon who previously worked very actively in a department of neurosurgery (at least one operation in a day). He received a new appointment which included staying inactive in another department for a certain period of time, like a medical doctor. He did hand practice everyday and scored his ability in the aspect of total beauty and harmony of the work. The total performance of work was graded as bad, good and excellent. A bad grade was scored as 1 point, a good grade as 2 points, and an excellent grade as 3 points. The inactive time period was divided into three equal periods of 30 days. The total numerical values were calculated and a mean score was estimated for each 30-day period. The differences among the first, second, and third periods were enumerated based on the mean scores. The mean score in the first 30 days was estimated as 2.56+/-0.49, in the second 30 days as 2.16+/-0.37, and in the third 30 days 1.66+/-0.47. The differences between these values were statistically significant. The result of this study revealed that neurosurgeons may gradually lose their well trained microneurosurgical ability through staying inactive from daily practice. The maintenance of trained microneurosurgical ability should be preserved by staying active in neurosurgical operative practice.

Critical thinking ability of associate, baccalaureate and RN-BSN senior students in Korea.

The purpose of this study was to compare the critical thinking ability of students enrolled in associate, baccalaureate, and Registered Nurse-Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-to-BSN) programs in Korea. The participants were 301 undergraduate nursing students. The instrument used for this study was the Watson & Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, and analysis of variance with Scheffe's multiple comparison. The average critical thinking ability score was 41.59. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students scored significantly higher on critical thinking than the other 2 groups. Students < or = 22 years of age scored higher than the other age groups on critical thinking. This study provides preliminary evidence that the length and content of an educational program is as important as its focus on enabling students to develop their critical thinking abilities. This finding suggests a need to infuse critical thinking activities early in existing secondary school curricula as a way of encouraging students to develop their thinking abilities earlier.

Student perceptions of caring in online baccalaureate education.

The concept of caring in nursing education is foundational. Knowledge development regarding caring in face-to-face classroom settings, effective online teaching approaches, differences between online and face-to-face classroom settings, and supporting student success in online settings is extensive. However, the question of whether caring can be effectively conveyed in online nursing classroom settings remains unanswered. This qualitative study explored the perceptions of one cohort of RN to BSN students regarding how instructors convey caring in online education. Thirteen students were emailed surveys consisting of eight open-ended questions; II students responded. Eight themes emerged from the data: frequent feedback, timeliness, reciprocity of caring online, personal connection and empathy, clarity, multiple contact opportunities, second-fiddle worries, and teacher's commitment to learning.