Evidence-based healthcare competence of social- and healthcare educators: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: The purpose of the study was to describe social and healthcare educators' evidence-based healthcare competence and explore the associated factors. DESIGN: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out. METHODS: The research spanned 5 universities, 19 universities of applied sciences, and 10 vocational colleges in Finland from September to December 2022. Social and healthcare educators (n = 256), of which 21 worked at universities, 176 worked at universities of applied sciences, and 49 worked at vocational colleges. Data collection employed a self-assessed instrument that was designed to measure evidence-based healthcare competence based on the JBI Model of Evidence-based Healthcare. Competence profiles were formed using K-cluster grouping analysis. RESULTS: The educators' self-evaluations of their level of evidence-based healthcare competence were generally at a satisfactory level, with subsequent analyses identifying four distinct profiles of evidence-based healthcare competence. The profiles demonstrated statistically significant differences in terms of evidence synthesis and evidence transfer competencies. The factors associated with evidence-based healthcare competence included level of education, the year in which a professional had obtained their highest degree, current organization of employment, and participation in continuing education. CONCLUSIONS: Educators require various types of support for developing high levels of evidence-based healthcare competence. The identification of distinct competence profiles can be pivotal to providing educators with training that is tailored to their exact needs to provide an individualized learning path. WHAT PROBLEM DID THE STUDY ADDRESS?: Educators value the role of evidence in teaching, which reinforces the need to integrate aspects of the JBI Model of evidence-based healthcare into educators' competencies. Aspects of the JBI Model of evidence-based healthcare have not been holistically measured, with only certain components of the model considered separately. Educators need to better understand the global healthcare environment so they can identify research gaps and subsequently develop healthcare systems through their educational role. Higher academic education, work experience, organizational support, and continuous education play essential roles in the development of educators' evidence-based healthcare competence. WHAT WERE THE MAIN FINDINGS?: Educators generally have high levels of competence in evidence-based healthcare. Educators have mastered the different components of the JBI model of evidence-based healthcare but need to improve in areas such as the transfer and implementation of evidence. WHERE AND ON WHOM WILL THE RESEARCH HAVE AN IMPACT?: Determining evidence-based healthcare competence profiles for educators can be used to provide individualized learning paths for the development of evidence-based healthcare competence. Educators need to further develop their competence in evidence-based healthcare to ensure successful implementation and high-quality education in the future. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Advanced practice nurses' evidence-based healthcare competence and associated factors: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based healthcare (EBHC) enables consistent and effective healthcare that prioritises patient safety. The competencies of advanced practice nurses (APNs) are essential for implementing EBHC because their professional duties include promoting EBHC. AIM: To identify, critically appraise, and synthesise the best available evidence concerning the EBHC competence of APNs and associated factors. DESIGN: A systematic review. DATA SOURCES: CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, Medic, ProQuest, and MedNar. METHODS: Databases were searched for studies (until 19 September 2023) that examined the EBHC competence and associated factors of APNs were included. Quantitative studies published in English, Swedish and Finnish were included. We followed the JBI methodology for systematic review and performed a narrative synthesis. RESULTS: The review included 12 quantitative studies, using 15 different instruments, and involved 3163 participants. The quality of the studies was fair. The APNs' EBHC competence areas were categorised into five segments according to the JBI EBHC model. The strongest areas of competencies were in global health as a goal, transferring and implementing evidence, while the weakest were generating and synthesising evidence. Evidence on factors influencing APNs' EBHC competencies was contradictory, but higher levels of education and the presence of an organisational research council may be positively associated with APNs' EBHC competencies. CONCLUSION: The development of EBHC competencies for APNs should prioritise evidence generation and synthesis. Elevating the education level of APNs and establishing a Research Council within the organisation can potentially enhance the EBHC competence of APNs. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION: We should consider weaknesses in EBHC competence when developing education and practical exercises for APNs. This approach will promote the development of APNs' EBHC competence and EBHC implementation in nursing practice. REGISTRATION, AND REPORTING CHECKLIST: The review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021226578), and reporting followed the PRISMA checklist. PATIENT/PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: None.

Ethical and cultural competence of social- and health care educators from educational institutions - Cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The international mobility has increased cultural diversity in social- and health care. As such, ethical and cultural competence is an essential skill among educators. They are promoting the ethical and cultural competence and professional growth of students with diverse backgrounds and, therefore, must be ethically and culturally competent. AIM: The aim of the study was to identify distinct ethical and cultural competence profiles of social- and health care educators and explore the associated factors. RESEARCH DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used to collect quantitative observational data in 2020-2021. Competence profiles were identified by K-means clustering based on answers to an instrument focussing on educators' ethical and cultural competence. PARTICIPANTS AND RESEARCH CONTEXT: Participants (N = 1179, n = 243) were social- and health care educators based at 10 universities of applied sciences and 10 vocational colleges in Finland. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: The research adhered to good scientific practice. A research permit was received from each educational institution that participated in the study. The privacy of the participants was protected throughout the study. RESULTS: The analysis identified three profiles of educators (A, B, C) based on self-assessed ethical and cultural competence. Profile A educators demonstrated high scores across all three competence areas. Profile B educators had high scores for ethical knowledge and intermediate scores for other competence areas. Profile C educators demonstrated intermediate scores across all three competence areas. An educator's pedagogical education was found to significantly influence which profile they belonged to. CONCLUSIONS: The educators generally evaluated their ethical and cultural competence highly. Educators understand the importance of professional ethics in their work, but they need additional support in developing ethics skills in their daily work. Among all educators, there is a need for developing international and culturally diverse collaboration.

Evidence-based healthcare competence of social and healthcare educators: A systematic review of mixed methods.

BACKGROUND: Social and healthcare operating environments are constantly evolving, so educators have major responsibility for ensuring that Evidence-Based Healthcare is included in the education of future healthcare professionals and applied in their practice. A holistic understanding and implementation of evidence-based healthcare competence is critical to the delivery of appropriate, relevant, and effective healthcare. AIM: To identify and describe social and healthcare educators' EBHC competence according to the five main components of the JBI model and associated factors to it. METHODS: A mixed-methods systematic review was conducted, with inclusion and exclusion criteria identified according to PICo and PEO inclusion criteria for qualitative and quantitative studies, respectively. Five databases-the CINAHL (EBSCO), PubMed, Scopus, Medic and ProQuest databases- were searched in June 2020. In total, 12 original studies (qualitative and quantitative) were included for quality appraisal, data extraction and narrative synthesis. RESULTS: Key competence areas addressed in the selected studies were integrated into the four components of the JBI model of EBHC (evidence generation, synthesis, transfer, and implementation, and focus on its ultimate goal: global health). In the majority of chosen studies', it was found that educators had a positive attitude towards EBHC and wanted to stay up-to-date in the areas of global health and collaboration. Educators demonstrated their abilities to locate, appraise, and interpret the best current relevant evidence. They knew how to integrate EBHC into their teaching and had strong communication skills in evidence transfer. Their EBHC competence was strongest in the educational context and educators could transfer evidence when teaching but were not able to translate it into how to implement EBHC in clinical care. In addition to higher academic education and work experience, organizational support and continuous education reportedly play essential roles in development of educators' EBHC competence. CONCLUSION: Measures are needed to maintain and improve social and health educators' EBHC competence and develop robust methods to reliably assess it.

Social, health and rehabilitation sector educators' competence in evidence-based practice: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: The purpose of the study was to identify and describe the characteristic profiles of evidence-based practice competence of educators in the social, health and rehabilitation sectors and to establish relevant background factors. DESIGN: This study was carried out as a descriptive cross-sectional study. METHODS: Data were collected from social, health and rehabilitation sector educators working in the 21 Finnish universities of applied sciences and seven vocational colleges (n = 422; N = 2,330). A self-assessment instrument measuring evidence-based practice competence was used. Competence profiles were formed using a K-cluster grouping analysis. RESULTS: Three distinct competence profiles were identified and delineated. Most educators feel that they can guide students' critical thinking and are able to seek and produce scientific knowledge. Evidence-based practice competence was explained by background factors such as year of graduation (for higher degree), level of education, job title, current employer and current field of work.

Assessment of nursing students' competence in clinical practice: A systematic review of reviews.

BACKGROUND: The assessment of nursing students' nursing competence is a matter of concern worldwide and the complexity of assessing students' clinical competence has challenged educators for decades. It has been recognized that there is inconsistency among assessment methods and tools between countries and institutions. OBJECTIVE: To identify the current best evidence on the assessment of nursing students' competence in clinical practice. DESIGN: Systematic review of reviews. DATA SOURCES: The electronic databases CINAHL, PubMed, Eric, Medic and the JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports were searched in autumn 2018. REVIEW METHODS: Two researchers independently assessed the eligibility of the studies by title, abstract and full-text, and then assessed the methodological quality of the included studies. Analysis of study findings was conducted using the thematic synthesis approach. RESULTS: Six reviews were included following critical appraisal. Assessment tools used to assess students' nursing competence commonly focus on the domains of professional attributes, ethical practices, communication and interpersonal relationships, nursing processes, critical thinking and reason. Clinical learning environments and mentoring provide important support structures and guide the learning of students. The availability of assessment tools and criteria along with providing individualized feedback and time for reflection strengthen the objectivity and reliability of assessment. CONCLUSIONS: There continues to be a need to develop consistent and systematic approaches in assessment, and to use reliable and valid instruments in assessment. Mentors find assessment of students' competence to be particularly challenging and emphasize the importance of clear assessment criteria, support from nurse educators and further education on assessment. Further development in feedback practices and providing students with opportunities for reflection are important in supporting the continuous learning process of students.