Correlation between organizational support, self-efficacy, and core competencies among long-term care assistants: a structural equation model.

Introduction: Long-term care assistants are taking on more important roles in the healthcare system. The purpose of this study was to investigate what demographic factors influence the core competencies of nursing assistants, as well as to investigate the levels of organizational support, self-efficacy, and core competencies among nursing assistants in China, to explore the relationship between them. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with prospective data collection based on a self-report questionnaire. A total of 320 long-term care assistants from two healthcare institutions. We collected socio-demographic characteristics and measured their perceived organizational support, self-efficacy, and core competency levels of the participants. Pearson correlation tests were conducted to examine the relationships among three variables, and a structural equation model was developed to test the interrelationships among these variables. Results: The results indicated that age, employment type, licensing status, monthly income, pre-job training, and training methods were associated with core competency, with nursing knowledge identified as a weak area in core competencies. There were significant associations among each dimension of perceived organizational support, self-efficacy, and core competencies (p < 0.01). The structural equation model demonstrated good fit: X 2/df = 2.486, GFI = 0.974, CFI = 0.988, IFI = 0.988, TLI = 0.977, RMSEA = 0.068, SRMR = 0.013. The direct effect of organizational support on core competencies was 0.37, with self-efficacy mediating the relationship between organizational support and core competencies, yielding an indirect effect of 0.122 and a total effect coefficient of 0.492 (all p < 0.001). Conclusion: Training in core competencies should prioritize nursing knowledge. Enhanced perceived organizational support and self-efficacy among nursing assistants were associated with higher core competencies.

The need to identify anatomy-related competencies in medical education.

A profound grasp of anatomy is indispensable for shaping competent and safe medical practitioners. This knowledge acquisition is pivotal in the early stages of medical education and remains crucial throughout clinical training. However, the evolving landscape of medical education has ushered in changes to the anatomy curriculum, marked by a reduction in contact hours and a streamlined content structure to accommodate novel subjects and teaching methodologies. This transformation has precipitated a quandary in defining the essential scope and depth of anatomical knowledge to be imparted. Traditionally, surgeons assumed the role of anatomy instructors until Flexner's recommendations catalyzed the integration of trained anatomists. Nevertheless, the varied backgrounds of anatomists and the heterogeneity in anatomy curricula across institutions have introduced potential disparities in the quality of graduates. Addressing these challenges mandates the identification of key anatomy competencies tailored for undergraduate medical students. The imperative lies in ensuring that these competencies span cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains, offering not only comprehensiveness but also direct applicability to clinical practice. Hence, this viewpoint highlights the necessity of adopting a systematic approach that includes gathering input from various stakeholders in developing and implementing a universal anatomy core competency framework, ensuring graduates are equipped for the multifaceted demands of clinical practice. Overall, the manuscript provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities in anatomy education, with a clear call to action for a transformative approach to meet the evolving needs of medical practice.

Medication Errors as a Marker of Resident Competency.

Introduction Educators continue to evaluate ways to assess resident performance in conjunction with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) general surgery milestones. We investigated whether the rate of medication errors could reflect general surgery resident competency. We hypothesized that the identification of increased medication errors made by general surgery residents could be a potential screening tool to identify residents who are academically at risk prior to their formal biannual milestone evaluation by the clinical competency committee. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study comparing rates of medication ordering errors against ACGME core competency scores over four years in a general surgery residency program at an academic, university-affiliated, level 1 trauma center in the Northeastern United States. Results We identified 95 general surgery residents who inputted 1,164,663 medication orders during the four years studied. There were 1,214 (0.1%) errors identified. Of those, 1,146 (94.4%) were level 3 errors, and 68 (5.6%) were level 4 errors. This represents an error rate of 1.04 errors per 1,000 medication orders. There was a statistically significant decrease in the error rate as the post-graduate year (PGY) level increased (p=0.005). However, there was no correlation between the error rate and individual ACGME milestone competency scores by PGY level. Conclusions We explored whether medication errors may be an early measurement of worsening resident performance as demonstrated by a decrease in ACGME core competency scores. However, the rate of errors did not correlate consistently with these measures. This may underscore that medication errors measure an aspect of resident performance that we do not capture with our current assessments.

A Survey of Post-Graduate Satisfaction With Orthopaedic Residency Training at a Single Institution.

Background: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has called for self-study within residency programs. Post-graduate surveys allow the graduate to reflect upon their residency experience after years of autonomous practice. Despite their potential utility, a standardized assessment of residency training from the perspective of orthopaedic alumni does not exist. In this study, we aimed to create, analyze, and share with our alumni a post-graduate survey based on ACGME core competencies. Methods: The survey was developed by full-time orthopaedic faculty and reviewed by a survey methodologist to ensure clarity and an ideal survey format. In May 2020, the survey was emailed to all 90 graduates from 2000 to 2019. Respondents were polled on current clinical practice and satisfaction with program-specific initiatives, residency requirements, and learning environment issues based on a 7-point Likert scale. Respondents were also given the opportunity to provide open-ended responses. Data were collected within the survey platform and subdivided into 3 cohorts based on years since graduation. Results: The response rate was 71% (64/90). The likelihood of fellowship training increased with recency since graduation. Most respondents are in either private or health-system-owned practice but 23% work in an academic center.The oldest cohort had greater variability in clinical practice. Most program-specific initiatives received high satisfaction scores, but graduates within the past 5 years had the lowest satisfaction scores. Instruction of skills included in ACGME competencies received generally favorable reviews, but professional development skills, such as starting a practice and evaluating job opportunities, received low marks.The overall satisfaction with the program was high (86%) but was lowest among most recent graduates. Conclusion: The post-graduate survey demonstrates areas of strength and weakness and highlights dissatisfaction among recent graduates. The data will drive specific curricular changes within our program. The survey will be shared to promote self-study within other programs.

Undergraduate acute care clinical competencies for managing acute care cases in adult patients within a South African in-hospital environment: A modified Delphi Study.

Introduction: With the increase of global population, there has been an increased demand for acute care services both locally and globally. In the absence of an acute care competency-based curriculum in South Africa, this study sought to identify the core competencies required by undergraduate medical students to safely manage adult patients within an acute care setting in a South African hospital environment. Methodology: The modified Delphi study comprised of three rounds. The traditional Delphi method, which uses the same participants across various rounds, was modified by using different stakeholders across the three rounds. Emergency Medicine (EM) specialist trainees (registrars) generated competencies in round one, which were provided to a multi-disciplinary team with expertise in undergraduate curriculum development in round two, using a 5-point Likert scale for rating their agreement-disagreement. Round three entailed inviting the round one contributors to anonymously comment, via online survey, on the competencies generated in round two. Results: A total of 34 EM registrars participated during round one and 7 curriculum development experts participated during round two. A total of 120 competencies were identified from the 3-round Delphi study; of these 103 (85.8%) were reached by "Strong Agreement"; 16 (13.3%) reached by "Agreement"; and 1 (0.8%) was undecided. Discussion: The results of the modified Delphi study contributed to developing a comprehensive list of undergraduate acute care clinical competencies set in a South African context. The value of engaging with medical practitioners at the forefront of delivering acute care in a South African healthcare environment who are exposed on a daily basis to the healthcare needs of society, became evident. The findings of this study highlight and reinforce the importance of contextual relevance during the curriculum development process. Conclusion: The modified Delphi method, based on three iterative rounds and feedback from experts, was effective in reaching consensus on the competencies required by undergraduate medical students to manage acute care adult patients safely within a South African hospital environment.

Mapping Public Health Nursing competencies: A comparative document analysis of competency frameworks and practice standards in the USA and Ireland.

The Public Health Nursing discipline plays a crucial role in promoting sustainable health services. The establishment of competency frameworks and practice standards pertaining to Public Health Nursing has emerged as a cornerstone for guiding practice, education, and research. This study aimed to identify contemporary Public Health Nursing competency frameworks and practice standards and establish a robust list of competency domains. This will inform a subsequent phase of this project that will conduct a review of recent scholarly literature to discern prevailing research trends and delineate strategic directives and research priorities for the discipline. A systematic search of three databases and a grey literature search was undertaken by incorporating keywords to identify existing Public Health Nursing-specific competency frameworks and practice standards. Through screening and selection based on our inclusion criteria, three documents were analyzed. A comprehensive document analysis was conducted to generate a unified domain list and associated descriptors. Three competency-based frameworks and practice standards emanating from two countries, the United States of America and the Republic of Ireland met the inclusion criteria. The document analysis identified 16 individual domains. There was consistent evidence of similarity across the three documents. There were minimal divergences featured within the frameworks which are discussed and compelling justifications for inclusion as universal domains are provided. This document analysis has generated a list of 16 common Public Health Nursing competency domains which will be utilized in phase two of this project as a foundational framework for the purpose of analyzing research trends, influencing research priorities, and enhancing the focal areas for future research agendas within the discipline.

How are medical students learning to care for patients with intellectual disabilities? A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with intellectual disabilities experience barriers to quality healthcare. To reduce this disparity, equipping medical trainees with the knowledge and skills required for treating this patient population is critical. Our aim is to describe the breadth of instructional interventions and identify gaps in intellectual disability medical education curricula. METHOD: Using scoping review methods, the intellectual disability programmes described in 27 articles were evaluated and their coverage of the six core competencies on disability for health care education was examined. RESULTS: The most frequently represented core competencies were disability conceptual frameworks, professionalism and communication, and clinical assessment, which were, in most programmes, fulfilled by activities involving individuals with intellectual disabilities. Uneven competency coverage warrants consideration. CONCLUSIONS: Considerable variabilities exist in medical school curricula on intellectual disabilities. Using core competencies on disability for health care education for curricular design and evaluation would provide a coherent training experience in this important area.

Influential factors associated with core competencies of diabetes specialist nurses and correlation with self-directed learning ability: A cross-sectional study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the current status of the core competencies and self-directed learning ability of diabetes specialist nurses and to explore the relationship between these core competencies and their self-directed learning ability. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey design was used. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted via a web-based questionnaire platform in China from January 14 to April 24, 2023. The survey included a general information questionnaire, a diabetes specialist nurses' core competencies self-assessment scale, and a nursing staff's self-directed learning ability evaluation scale. The data was collected online. Descriptive, correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted using SPSS 26.0 software. RESULTS: 118 diabetes specialist nurses from 11 cities participated in this study. A positive correlation was observed between the core competencies of diabetes specialist nurses and their self-directed learning ability. The characteristics affecting the core competencies of diabetes specialist nurses included age, participation in external learning and communication and self-directed learning. CONCLUSIONS: The training of diabetes specialist nurses can focus on core competencies, and the ability to self-direct learning can be used as an entry point to customize feasible theoretical and practical courses. The training system can further improve diabetes specialist nurses' core competencies and self-directed learning abilities. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: A reference can be established that nursing managers and nursing educators can use to develop training programs for specialist nurses by validating the link between their core competencies and self-directed learning skills. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Participants were involved solely in the data collection process. No participant contributions were required for the study's design, outcome measurement or implementation.

Public health communication professional development opportunities and alignment with core competencies: an environmental scan and content analysis. / Offres de perfectionnement professionnel en communication en santé publique et correspondance avec les compétences essentielles : analyse contextuelle et analyse de contenu.

INTRODUCTION: Communication is vital for effective and precise public health practice. The limited formal educational opportunities in health communication render professional development opportunities especially important. Competencies for public health communication describe the integrated knowledge, values, skills and behaviours required for practitioner and organizational performance. Many countries consider communication a core public health competency and use communication competencies in workforce planning and development. METHODS: We conducted an environmental scan and content analysis to determine the availability of public health communication professional development opportunities in Canada and the extent to which they support communication-related core competencies. Three relevant competency frameworks were used to assess the degree to which professional development offerings supported communication competency development. RESULTS: Overall, 45 professional development offerings were included: 16 "formalized offerings" (training opportunities such as courses, webinars, certificate programs) and 29 "materials and tools" (resources such as toolkits, guidebooks). The formalized offerings addressed 25% to 100% of the communication competencies, and the materials and tools addressed 67% to 100%. Addressing misinformation and disinformation, using current technology and communicating with diverse populations are areas in need of improved professional development. CONCLUSION: There is a significant gap in public health communication formalized offerings in Canada and many of the materials and tools are outdated. Public health communication professional development offerings lack coordination and do not provide comprehensive coverage across the communication competencies, limiting their utility to strengthen the public health workforce. More, and more comprehensive, professional development offerings are needed.

Exploring variations in IPC competencies: a cross-sectional study among healthcare professionals in Northwest China.

BACKGROUND: This cross-sectional study investigates infection prevention and control (IPC) competencies among healthcare professionals in northwest China, examining the influence of demographic factors, job titles, education, work experience, and hospital levels. METHODS: Data from 874 respondents across 47 hospitals were collected through surveys assessing 16 major IPC domains. Statistical analyses, including Mann-Whitney tests, were employed to compare competencies across variables. RESULTS: Significant differences were identified based on gender, job titles, education, work experience, and hospital levels. Females demonstrated higher IPC competencies, while senior positions exhibited superior performance. Higher educational attainment and prolonged work experience positively correlated with enhanced competencies. Variances across hospital levels underscored context-specific competencies. CONCLUSION: Demographic factors and professional variables significantly shape IPC competencies. Tailored training, considering gender differences and job roles, is crucial. Higher education and prolonged work experience positively impact proficiency. Context-specific interventions are essential for diverse hospital settings, informing strategies to enhance IPC skills and mitigate healthcare-associated infections effectively.

Jordanian Nurses' Perceptions of Disaster Preparedness and Core Competencies.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to identify the Jordanian nurses' perception of their disaster preparedness and core competencies. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional research design was used. The data was collected via an online self-reported questionnaire using the disaster preparedness evaluation tool and the core disaster competencies tool. RESULTS: A total of 126 nurses participated in the study. Jordanian nurses had moderate to high levels of core disaster competencies and moderate levels of disaster preparedness. Core disaster competencies and disaster preparedness levels differed based on previous training on disaster preparedness, and the availability of an established emergency plan in their hospitals. Lastly, a previous training on disaster preparedness and core disaster competencies were statistically significant predictors of disaster preparedness among Jordanian nurses. CONCLUSIONS: Organizational factors and environmental contexts play a role in the development of such capabilities. Future research should focus on understanding the barriers and facilitators of developing core disaster competencies and disaster preparedness among nurses.

Global One Health post-graduate programmes: a review.

BACKGROUND: The One Health (OH) approach recognises that humans, animals, plants, and the environment are interrelated, and therefore seeks to facilitate collaboration, communication, coordination, and capacity building between relevant stakeholders to achieve a healthier ecosystem. This calls for integrating OH into established governance, policy, health, education, and community structures, and requires OH professionals equipped with the necessary inter and trans-disciplinary skillset. Therefore, numerous OH training programmes are currently being offered globally. However, the coordination and contents of some of these trainings have been criticised as inconsistent and inadequately standardised, and therefore could serve as a barrier to OH implementation. In this study, an up-to-date repository of a subset of OH academic programmes offered globally was provided, and their curricula contents was critically assessed. METHODS: Between December 2022 and April 2023, an online search for key terms 'ONE HEALTH MASTERS COURSES', and 'ONE HEALTH MASTERS PROGRAMMES' together with variations of 'AFRICA', 'NORTH AMERICA', 'ASIA', 'AUSTRALIA', 'EUROPE', 'GLOBAL' was conducted. Details about course title, delivery mode, joint administration status, curricula contents, language of instruction, years to completion, host university, country, and continent were collected. RESULTS: Forty-three programmes met inclusion criteria of the study, and almost all (n = 36, 83.7%) were tailored towards infectious diseases and population/global health, compared to the environmental and conservation perspectives. Compiled curricula contents clustered into one of these 12 sub-headings: 'principles and concepts of OH', 'epidemiology and biostatistics', 'major branches of OH', 'internship/externship/research project', 'infectious diseases, zoonoses, and surveillance', 'risk analysis and crises management', 'food safety, microbiology, immunology, and allied', 'communication', 'ethics', 'economics, policy, and management' and 'others. Of these, infectious disease themes were the most common. Regarding geography and organising institutions, North America and Europe, and veterinary institutions, respectively, were the most represented. CONCLUSION: Despite the multi-level diversity observed, uniformity still exists across the programmes which favours interdisciplinary cross-talks. Future pedagogical studies that objectively assess the alignment of module contents with the OH core competencies and the impacts of these OH programmes is recommended. With this study, a critical information gap that has existed for long in the OH field has been bridged.

The core competencies in disaster nursing of new graduate nurses in Guangdong, China: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: This study aimed to assess the level of core competencies in disaster nursing of New Graduate Nurses (NGNs) and explore its influencing factors. BACKGROUND: In recent years, the overall frequency of disasters around the world has been on the rise. As the emerging workforce in clinical settings, NGNs play an integral role in future disaster relief efforts. NGNs' level and influencing impact of core competencies in disaster nursing need to be understood. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design. METHODS: From June to September 2023, the Core Competencies in Disaster Nursing Scale - General Professional Nurse (CCDNS-GPN), designed according to the CCDN V2.0, was used to collect data from NGNs of six nursing schools and 15 hospitals in Guangdong, China. Descriptive analysis was conducted to examine the scores of core competencies in disaster nursing. Furthermore, one-way analysis of variance and multivariate linear regression analysis were used to explore the influencing factors. RESULTS: A total of 607 NGNs participated in this study. The scores of CCDNS-GPN of NGNs were 90.23 (SD 15.09) (score ratio: 51.56%), indicating a low level of core competencies in disaster nursing. The highest competency was the recovery (score ratio: 55.00%), while the lowest competency was the communication (score ratio: 45.44%). The predictor for core competencies in disaster nursing of NGNs were male (ß = 0.091, p < 0.05), below bachelor's degree (ß = -0.109, p < 0.05), had received disaster nursing education at school (ß = 0.087, p < 0.05), had participated in a disaster rescue drill at school (ß = 0.140, p < 0.05), had been to the ICU during internship (ß = 0.135, p < 0.05) and had the intention to be a disaster specialized nurse (ß = 0.114, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The NGNs exhibited insufficient core competencies in disaster nursing in Guangdong, China. Nursing schools and clinical institutions should collaborate and play their respective roles to enhance nurses' core competencies in disaster nursing, ensuring they can timely, safely and efficiently participate in disaster medical relief efforts.

AONN+ Navigation Metrics That Support the Oncology Navigation Standards of Professional Practice.

OBJECTIVES: To offer a comprehensive overview of the critical elements contributing to the achievements of oncology navigation, address challenges in standardized implementation, and examine recent advancements influencing the acknowledgment and reimbursement of navigation services. Lastly, the AONN+ 35 evidence-based navigation metrics will be shared, emphasizing the five core metrics that should be utilized by all navigation models in all settings. METHODS: Employed in this review involves synthesizing information from established oncology organizations, documenting the development of navigator professional standards of practice and navigation metrics that measure patient experience, clinical outcomes, and return on investment, and analyzing outcomes from national studies and collaborations to present a summary of advancements in oncology navigation. RESULTS: The key components vital for ensuring the enduring success of programs encompass the core competencies of navigators, adherence to standards of navigation practice set by the Professional Oncology Navigation Taskforce, and the establishment of well-defined metrics specific to oncology navigation. CONCLUSIONS: Despite these advancements, challenges persist in implementing and recognizing the newly defined standards and metrics. Effective solutions involve aligning navigation programs with leadership, integrating standards into daily practice, defining navigator roles, measuring navigation program outcomes through defined metrics, and leveraging certifications. Standardized measurement and practice are imperative for national policy development and reimbursement models, aligning with the Cancer Moonshot's goal of high-quality, patient-centered, and cost-effective cancer care. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: To contribute to standardizing measurement and practice in oncology navigation for national policy development and reimbursement models.

2022 Shandong Province university medical technical skills competition nursing track: An effective project to improve core competencies of nursing students.

Background: The core competencies of nursing students have gradually become the focus of attention of nursing educators. Nursing skills competitions are an important form of educational and teaching activity in universities and the nursing track at the Shandong Provincial University Students' Medical Technical Skills Competition gives nursing students an opportunity to demonstrate their clinical skills and knowledge. This study aims to describe the organisation and procedures of the nursing track, analyse the competition results and explore the impact the competition has on the core competencies of the nursing students. This will provide new ideas for future nursing professional education. Methods: Statistical analysis of the competition results was performed as a means of understanding the current status of theoretical knowledge and clinical skills of nursing students in Shandong Province. The impact of the competition on the core competencies of participating students was analysed by distributing questionnaires to universities in Shandong Province that participated in the competition. Results: 14 universities with nursing programmes participated in the competition, including eight public universities and six private universities. 220 questionnaires were distributed to nursing students at the participating universities and 218 were ultimately included, demonstrating an efficiency rate of 99.09%. Conclusions: The 2022 nursing track included the addition of a comprehensive written examination as a means of judging the competencies of nursing students in Shandong Province from a variety of aspects. Skills competitions are effective for improving the core competencies of nursing students and they will become an important means for nursing educators to reform education and improve the core competencies of nursing students in the future.

A Multi-center Simulation-Based Emergency Medicine Resident Boot Camp Can Improve Teamwork, Communication, and Clinical Skills.

Boot camps are designed to deliver highly specific education in a short amount of time. Educational boot camps are known to improve confidence in clinical capabilities and medical knowledge and promote teamwork skills. We created an emergency medicine (EM) boot camp with targeted learning objectives based on expected mastery of post-graduate year (PGY)-level educational objectives based on the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) EM milestones. This boot camp included a qualitative assessment, survey-based feedback, and quantitative assessment, which included the team's performance utilizing a validated code team checklist (Cardiac Code Management Assessment Tool). After attending the conference, EM residents felt more confident in achieving the EM ACGME milestones including the ability to provide immediate interventions to a critical patient, effective use of team communication, the ability to switch tasks efficiently, and to provide real-time feedback to their team. Eighty-six percent of residents preferred this teaching modality over other conference-based didactics and would like to see greater incorporation of similar interventions in future conferences.

Why do startups fail? A core competency deficit model.

A growing body of work aims to explore the reasons behind startup failures. However, there is a need for integrative approaches organized around conceptual frameworks to avoid fragmented and perplexing knowledge about these reasons. To our knowledge, no previous research has systematically investigated the role of competency deficits in startup failures, a crucial element of these failures. In our study, we adapted Spencer's behavioral competence model specifically for startups to identify the competencies within startup teams that, according to their Chief Executive Officers, contributed to their downfall. Three coders meticulously analyzed 50 online accounts of startup failures using a modified Critical Incident Technique. This analysis revealed two prominent competency deficits as pivotal determinants of these startups' outcomes: information-seeking and customer service orientation. Additionally, deficits in technical expertise, analytical thinking, and flexibility emerged as significant factors contributing to these failures. The competency deficits identified in this study offer focal points for evaluating and enhancing startup teams, thereby helping to prevent failure.

Status and influencing factors of undergraduate midwifery students' core competencies: A cross sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Midwifery undergraduate students' core competencies directly affect the quality of midwifery services and overall quality of midwifery teams. However, limited research has explored the core competencies of undergraduate midwifery students in China. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe the level of core competencies among undergraduate midwifery students in China and investigated possible associated factors. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: The study population comprised third- and fourth-year undergraduate midwifery students at Zunyi Medical University in Guizhou Province in southwest China (n = 207, response rate 94.1 %). METHODS: Data were collected using an online survey that included a general information questionnaire, a general self-efficacy scale, and a core competencies self-assessment questionnaire for midwifery undergraduates. Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS 18.0. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between self-efficacy and the core competencies. Stepwise multiple linear regression was used to explore influencing factors. RESULTS: The total score for the core competencies among midwifery undergraduates was 118.46 (8.97). The highest mean score was for professional attitude, 4.21 (0.43), and the lowest was for professional skills, 3.70 (0.30). We found a positive association between self-efficacy and core competencies (r = 0.251, P < 0.01). Grade (ß = 0.261, P < 0.01), scholarship (ß = -0.231, P < 0.01), work intention (ß = -0.135, P < 0.05), and self-efficacy (ß = 0.207, P < 0.01) significantly influenced undergraduate midwifery students' core competencies (R2 = 0.189, adjusted R2 = 0.173, F = 11.775, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Undergraduate midwifery students showed moderate core competencies, indicating room for improvement. Fourth-grade midwifery students had higher core competencies than third-grade students. Additionally, scholarship, work intention, and self-efficacy were significant influencing factors. Midwifery educators should examine students' core competencies and explore targeted interventions, particularly for those with low self-efficacy and core competencies.

Infection prevention and control continuous education and training in pre-registration nursing programmes.

BACKGROUND: Infection prevention and control (IPC) education and training in pre-registration nursing programmes are imperative in developing student nurses' clinical aptitudes. The IPC core competencies must be consistent amongst student nurses across different settings, asserting the need for education and training providers to respond. Continuous education and training can improve IPC core competencies through enhanced knowledge, compliance, and attitude in the academic and clinical contexts, impacting future nursing practice and patient safety. OBJECTIVE: This integrative review critically examines the reported IPC core competencies in pre-registration nursing programmes to contribute to future continuous IPC education and training. REVIEW METHODS: An integrative literature review methodology was utilised to conduct a structured literature search within the last five years using CINAHL Plus, EMBASE, ERIC, MEDLINE, and PubMed databases. The following keywords were used: infection prevention and control; pre-registration nursing; higher education; core competencies in the databases. A total of 15 articles were identified under the inclusion criteria of peer-reviewed primary research in English on the pre-registration nurse population and their nursing programmes. RESULTS: The final review of the 15 reports yielded continuous IPC education and training, knowledge, skills, and attitudes, and clinical placements as key components to develop and elevate student nurses' IPC core competencies. CONCLUSION: All reports acknowledged the challenges of maintaining IPC core competencies and seeking diversified strategies to support continuous education and training utilising interactive tools embedded with simulated scenarios and quizzes, translating knowledge and skills to exemplary professional behaviours, and consistent academic and clinical support as the IPC demand intensifies.

A core competency framework for mental health peer supporters of older adults in a Chinese community: cross-culturally informed Delphi study.

AIMS AND METHOD: Non-Western literature on the core competencies of mental health peer supporters remains limited. Therefore, we used a three-round Delphi study with peer supporters, service users (i.e. someone using peer support services) and mental health professionals to develop a core competency framework for peer supporters in the Chinese context. RESULTS: The final framework included 35 core competencies, the conceptual origins of which were local (14.3%), Western (20%) and both local and Western (65.7%). They were grouped into five categories in ascending peer supporter role specificity: (1) self-care and self-development, (2) general work ethics, (3) work with others, (4) work with service users and (5) peer support knowledge. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: A culturally valid mental health peer support competency framework can minimise role confusion and refine training and practice guidelines. In a Chinese context, peer supporters were valued as generic support companions, whereas functions highlighted in the West, such as role modelling, were perceived as less critical.