Educational interventions and their effects on healthcare professionals' digital competence development: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: The digitalisation of healthcare requires that healthcare professionals are equipped with adequate digital competencies to be able to deliver high-quality healthcare. Continuing professional education is needed to ensure these competencies. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aimed to identify and describe the educational interventions that have been developed to improve various aspects of the digital competence of healthcare professionals and the effects of these interventions. METHODS: A systematic literature review following the Joanna Briggs Institute's guidelines for Evidence Synthesis was conducted. Five electronic databases (CINAHL, PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus and Medic) up to November 2023 were searched for studies. Two researchers independently assessed the eligibility of the studies by title, abstract and full text and the methodological quality of the studies. Data tabulation and narrative synthesis analysis of study findings were performed. The PRISMA checklist guided the review process. RESULTS: This review included 20 studies reporting heterogeneous educational interventions to develop the digital competence of healthcare professionals. The participants were mainly nurses and interventions were conducted in various healthcare settings. The length of the education varied from a 20-minute session to a six-month period. Education was offered through traditional contact teaching, using a blended-learning approach and through videoconference. Learning was enhanced through lectures, slide presentations, group work, case studies, discussions and practical exercises or simulations. Educational interventions achieved statistically significant results regarding participants' knowledge, skills, attitudes, perception of resources, self-efficacy or confidence and output quality. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this review suggest that digital competence education of nurses and allied health professionals would benefit from a multi-method approach. Training should provide knowledge as well as opportunities to interact with peers and instructors. Skills and confidence should be enhanced through practical training. Adequate organisational support, encouragement, and individual, needs-based guidance should be provided.

Clinical psychiatric assessment of patients with burning mouth syndrome resisting oral treatment.

Of 100 consecutive patients referred for investigation of symptoms related to oral galvanism, 18 with persisting symptoms of burning mouth syndrome (BMS) remained after investigation and treatment (Hugoson 1986). In addition to the oral and medical treatment, 16 (14 women, 2 men) of these patients underwent psychiatric investigation. The results of this investigation are presented in this report. The psychiatric investigation was performed as a semistructured interview, elucidating current symptoms, the patient's opinion as to the onset and causes, previous illnesses and psycho-social conditions. Two hours were reserved for each patient interviewed with the aim of obtaining a holistic picture of each individual. The patients with refractory burning mouth syndrome did not differ from the others with respect to oral status, salivary secretion or calculated galvanic currents. No patient had burning mouth as the only symptom, all reporting many symptoms from different organs. Three patients had had symptoms for at least 20 years, 9 for 5-10 years and 4 patients for less than 4 years. Seven patients related the onset of symptoms to oral treatment. Thirteen of the patients reported one or more medical diagnoses and 10 patients were taking 1-3 medicines. Ten patients reported significant negative experiences in connection with previous contacts with the health services and several considered themselves wrongly diagnosed and treated. Most of the patients had experienced catastrophes in their lives in the form of stillborn children or children born with various handicaps, children injured in accidents or prolonged social problems. One patient was judged to have somatic causes of the symptoms, 8 patients somatic and psychological causes, 6 patients psychological causes and in 1 patient the cause was unknown. Three cases are presented in more detail.