Feasibility study of a telehealth school-based behavioral parent training group program for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of Telehealth Behavioral Parent Training (T-BPT), a school telehealth group intervention for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with a companion training program for school clinicians. METHODS: T-BPT was developed in an iterative three-phase design in partnership with community stakeholders during the COVID-19 pandemic. School clinicians (N = 4) delivered T-BPT over 8 weeks to parents (N = 21, groups of 5-6 per school) of children (Grades 2-5) with ADHD while simultaneously receiving training and consultation from PhD-level study trainers. A single-arm open trial was used to assess feasibility, engagement, and preliminary efficacy. RESULTS: Parents and school clinicians endorsed high feasibility, acceptability, and usability of T-BPT. Parent attendance was high (M = 94.6%) and a majority of parents (66.7%) attended all eight sessions. Preliminary outcomes indicate moderate to large reductions in parent-reported ADHD symptoms (ω2 = .36), functional and clinical global impairment (ω2s= .21 and .19, respectively), and distance learning challenges (ω2 = .22). CONCLUSIONS: Results were in line with in-person delivery, indicating promising feasibility of school telehealth BPT groups. This study also provided further support for the feasibility of the remote training model for school clinicians. Implications of the commonly endorsed barriers and benefits beyond COVID-19 and relevance to under resourced communities are also discussed.

A psychometric evaluation of inter-professional education competency tool in nursing and medicine students.

INTRODUCTION: Collaboration between nurses and doctors is necessary for offering care to patients. Using team performance assessment tools and surveying them can be effective in promoting inter-professional collaboration, and the lack of a credible tool to assess inter-professional collaboration competency between the two groups is a major challenge in the healthcare sector. The present study aimed to translate and conduct a psychometric investigation on the inter-professional education collaboration (IPEC) tool for the students of medicine and nursing. METHODS: The present study was a cross-sectional one conducted as a psychometric investigation of the IPEC tool at the Iran University of Medical Sciences in 2022. The initial tool contained 42 items developed according to a 5-point Likert scale, which was translated into Persian with the consent of the original researcher. The validity index and the content validity ratio were investigated by a panel of 11 specialists in medical and clinical education, and its construct validity was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis. Also, the second population of the study included medical and nursing students of Iran University of Medical Sciences and simple random sampling method. Moreover, the reliability of the instrument was investigated using internal consistency, Cronbach's Alpha, and test-retest methods. RESULTS: Based on the indicators calculated to perform a psychometric investigation over the above tool, it had acceptable reliability and validity according to the specialists. The tool evaluates inter-professional collaboration competency between the students of medicine and nursing across four areas (values and ethics, roles and responsibilities, inter-professional communication, and team-based care and teamwork). Moreover, Cronbach's Alpha coefficient for the tool was determined at 0.84. CONCLUSION: The results of the study showed that the above tool could evaluate inter-professional competency as a valid and reliable questionnaire, and its results could be utilized in planning and education.

The effectiveness of faculty development programs for training university professors in the health area: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The growing discussion on teacher development focuses on diversified educational skills that promote knowledge and innovation in the teaching, learning and assessment process. With the Covid-19 scenario, this picture of necessary changes has become more evident, demonstrating the need for professional preparation to work in teacher development. The aim of the study was to analyze the effectiveness of teacher development programs for the training of university teachers in the health area, through a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: The systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and involved searching five databases - PubMed-Medline, Education Resource Information Center (ERIC), SCOPUS, Embase and Web of Science. The review included randomized clinical trials and cohort studies that addressed the effectiveness of teaching professionalization in the health area for university professors. The quality of the selected studies was assessed based on the evaluation criteria of the Joanna Briggs Institute tool. The random effects meta-analysis method was used to explain the distribution of effects between the studies, using Stata® software (version 11.0) and publication bias was examined by visual inspection of the graphs and Egger's test. RESULTS: We included 12 studies in the systematic review and 8 in the meta-analysis. These studies were published between 1984 and 2022 in 14 countries. Significant changes were reported in teachers' behavior to stimulate and encourage students, improvement in the quality of teaching and teaching staff, as well as improvement in skills such as leadership and self-evaluation. Furthermore, the result of the meta-analysis showed that there is evidence of the effectiveness of the positive effects of teacher development programs after their implementation, with this effect being 1.70% and an increase of 4.75 in the effect of these teacher development programs. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that development programs have been implemented in different countries and contexts, all of which have proven to be effective in the short, medium and long term. We recommend that future research focus specifically on the different competencies that have been acquired following the implementation of these programs.

[Evaluation of BIZI, a new Spanish-language online program for community-based suicide preventionAvaliação do BIZI, um novo programa on-line em espanhol para prevenção de suicídio com base na comunidade]. / Evaluación de BIZI, nuevo programa en línea en español para prevenir el suicidio desde la comunidad.

Objective: To evaluate the BIZI program, a Spanish-language gatekeeper training program with a novel online self-learning format that is brief and open-access. It was developed as part of the suicide prevention strategy in Euskadi (Spain) to improve community-based suicide prevention. Methods: A group of experts from different fields created the program and tested its usability in a preliminary phase. A single-group design was used for the evaluation, with repeated measurements (before, immediately after, and after three months). Online questionnaires were used to evaluate the program's impact on core competencies for gatekeepers, as well as adherence to content and user satisfaction. Community agents (educators and social workers, among others) who responded to an invitation sent by regional public health coordinators were included in the study. Results: In total, 728 people accessed the training, and 86% completed it; 569 people completed the assessment (81.2% women, mean age 41.4 years). The core gatekeeper competencies of attitude, self-efficacy, and knowledge improved significantly, and improvement was sustained ≥3 months in a subsample (P = 0.0001). Conclusions: The results are promising and suggest that BIZI is useful in improving the capacity and willingness of community agents to identify people at risk and refer them to specialized resources. Its novel format gives it important advantages over other more common gatekeeper training programs, facilitating its dissemination in low-resource environments. It is the first program of its kind whose effectiveness has been demonstrated and also the first available in Spanish.

Objetivo: Avaliar o Programa BIZI, um programa de capacitação de gatekeepers em espanhol com um formato inovador on-line autoinstrucional, breve e de livre acesso, desenvolvido como parte da estratégia de prevenção de suicídio em Euskadi (Espanha) para melhorar a prevenção de suicídio em ambientes comunitários. Métodos: O programa foi desenvolvido por um grupo multidisciplinar de especialistas, e sua usabilidade testada em uma fase preliminar. Para a avaliação, foi utilizado um delineamento de grupo único e medidas repetidas (antes, imediatamente após e aos três meses). Foram utilizados questionários on-line para avaliar o impacto sobre as competências básicas do gatekeeper, a adesão ao conteúdo e a satisfação. Fizeram parte do estudo os agentes comunitários (educadores e assistentes sociais, entre outros) que responderam a um convite enviado pelos coordenadores de saúde pública da comarca. Resultados: O programa de capacitação foi acessado por 728 pessoas e concluído por 86% delas. Um total de 569 pessoas concluiu a avaliação (81,2% do sexo feminino, idade média de 41,4 anos). As competências básicas do gatekeeper relativas a atitude, autoeficácia e conhecimento melhoraram significativamente, e essa melhoria se manteve em uma subamostra por um período de 3 meses ou mais (P = 0,0001). Conclusões: Os resultados são promissores e indicam a utilidade do BIZI para melhorar a capacidade e a disposição dos agentes comunitários para identificar pessoas em situação de risco e encaminhá-las para recursos especializados. Seu formato inovador confere vantagens importantes em relação a outros programas de gatekeeper mais comuns e facilita sua disseminação em ambientes com poucos recursos. Esse é o primeiro programa desse tipo com eficácia comprovada, além de ser o primeiro disponível em espanhol.

Factors influencing nurses' satisfaction to online learning approach: a cross ICU analysis.

BACKGROUND: Given the increasing complexity of illnesses and rapid pace of technological advancements in professional training, it is vital to offer nurses ample opportunities to hone their clinical expertise and skills, particularly in ensuring the delivery of premier medical care. This study aimed to determine the factors and predictors influencing nurses' satisfaction with adopting mobile learning approaches in intensive care unit healthcare settings. Additionally, it sought to investigate the applicability of the technology acceptance model in explaining their inclinations and validating the measurement scales employed in the research. METHODS: The study employed a cross-sectional survey research design, utilizing a technology acceptance questionnaire and a learning satisfaction questionnaire. The survey was conducted in six intensive care unit departments. A total of 212 participants completed the survey as the primary instrument. Rigorous assessments were conducted to establish the content validity and ensure instrument reliability. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated that perceived usefulness was the most influential factor affecting nurses' intentions to embrace mobile learning approaches, with perceived ease of use emerging as the principal determinant of perceived usefulness. CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating mobile learning methodologies is paramount to increasing the calibration of professional nursing education programs. By effectively integrating digital information technology and tools, nursing educators can overcome teaching challenges, deliver innovative clinical nursing education content through mobile learning approaches, and foster optimal development in the field.

Health sciences graduates: perception of their professional training and job placement.

BACKGROUND: The follow-up of health sciences graduates is relevant due to the commitment of universities to train professionals who contribute to solve the country's health problems. The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) has health sciences graduates who join the workforce every year. OBJECTIVE: To identify the perception of health sciences graduates regarding the curriculum and their incorporation into the labor market from 1994 to 2015, and compare it according to the degree program and campus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Observational, cross-sectional, comparative, quantitative study. The sample of 26,866 graduates was obtained from information of three decades of the institutional questionnaire for graduates applied by the General Directorate of Planning of the UNAM. RESULTS: Most graduates were females (68.4%), with admission to the degree course at between 19 and 20 years of age (65.4%). At least 47% had a job; incorporation into the labor market depended on not having an income, a higher grade point average, not having presented extraordinary exams, or failed subjects, among others. CONCLUSIONS: Adequate job insertion is associated with starting the degree course at age 18, having financial support, having an average of 8.1 or higher and perceiving low academic and teaching training.

ANTECEDENTES: El seguimiento de egresados en ciencias de la salud es de relevancia debido al compromiso de las universidades de formar profesionales que contribuyan a resolver los problemas de salud del país. La Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico (UNAM) cuenta con egresados en ciencias de la salud que cada año se incorporan al campo laboral. OBJETIVO: Identificar la percepción de los egresados de ciencias de la salud de 1994 a 2015 respecto su formación académica y su incorporación laboral, y compararla según licenciatura y plantel. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio observacional, transversal, comparativo y cuantitativo. La muestra de 26 866 graduados se obtuvo de la información de tres décadas del cuestionario institucional para egresados de la Dirección General de Planeación de la UNAM. RESULTADOS: La mayoría de los egresados fue del sexo femenino (68.4 %), con ingreso a la licenciatura entre los 19 y 20 años (65.4 %). Al menos 47 % trabajaba; la incorporación laboral dependió de no contar con ingresos, mayor promedio, no haber presentado exámenes extraordinarios ni recursado materias, entre otros. CONCLUSIONES: La inserción laboral adecuada se asocia a iniciar la licenciatura a los 18 años, contar con apoyo económico, tener promedio de 8.1 o más y percibir la formación académica y docente baja.

The Talent Training Model of Forensic Medicine in Japan and Its Reference.

The quality of Japanese forensic experts has been widely recognized around the world, which cannot be separated from the "ripple effect" caused by the rapid rise of the modern forensic education in Japan. By continuously adopting foreign forensic education resources and teaching experience, it has finally formed a forensic professional talent training model with a clear hierarchy of basic education and professional training, as well as classroom teaching and case studies complementing each other; and it continuously improves the comprehensive quality of practitioners through domestic training and international exchange and cooperation, providing talented professionals for the development of the Japanese forensic industry. In this context, this article takes the development history of Japanese forensic medicine as the starting point to study how it gradually formed the embryonic form of forensic education in modern times. Based on this, it analyzes the characteristics of Japan's modern forensic medicine talent training model, summarizes excellent experiences for localized transformation, such as emphasizing the role of practical teaching, exerting the effectiveness of vocational skills training, and promoting international exchange and cooperation, to provide reference and inspiration for the training of relevant professional talents in China.

[Professional health literacy among nurses in Germany: Results of a quantitative, cross-sectional survey]. / Professionelle Gesundheitskompetenz bei Pflegenden in Deutschland.

Professional health literacy among nurses in Germany: Results of a quantitative, cross-sectional survey Abstract. Background: Little is known about the professional health literacy (HL) of nurses, i.e., how well they are able to promote patients' HL. Existing studies have focused on personal HL, which does not entirely align with professional HL. Therefore, a new concept and questionnaire for professional HL have been developed and implemented for the first time. The results obtained for nurses in Germany are analysed with this article. Research question: It is asked how professional health literacy (HL) is distributed among nurses and which factors are associated with it. Methods: Data were collected through an online survey where nurses were asked about the difficulties they encounter in managing tasks in four dimensions: (1) information and knowledge management, (2) explaining and conveying information, (3) patient-centered communication, and (4) professional digital health literacy. Descriptive and multivariate, linear regression methods were used for analysis. Results: The 624 respondents rated the fourth dimension as the most difficult. The first and second dimensions were rated as similarly difficult, while the third dimension was considered least difficult. Higher professional HL is linked to better self-assessed training and framework conditions. Conclusion: Despite a relatively positive self-assessment, the results indicate areas that require improvement and should be addressed urgently.

Advancing Proficiencies for Health Professionals in the Treatment of Tobacco Use Among Marginalized Communities: Development of a Competency-Based Curriculum and Virtual Workshop.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco-related disparities are a leading contributor to health inequities among marginalized communities. Lack of support from health professionals is one of the most cited barriers to tobacco cessation reported by these communities. Improving the proficiencies with which health professionals incorporate social and cultural influences into therapeutic interactions has the potential to address this critical barrier. In general, training to improve these proficiencies has shown promise, but the specific proficiencies required for treating tobacco use among marginalized communities are unknown. This project aimed to develop a competency-based curriculum to improve these proficiencies among health professionals with experience and training in the evidence-based treatment of tobacco use, and then pilot test the content delivered via an expert review of a virtual, self-paced workshop. METHODS: We used the Delphi Technique to systematically identify the specific competencies and corresponding knowledge and skill sets required to achieve these proficiencies. Educational content was developed to teach these competencies in a virtual workshop. The workshop was evaluated by 11 experts in the field by examining pre- and post-training changes in perceived knowledge, skill, and confidence levels and other quantitative and qualitative feedback. Repeated measures analysis of variance and paired sample t-tests were used to examine pre-post training differences. RESULTS: Six competencies and corresponding skill sets were identified. After exposure to the virtual workshop, the experts reported significant increases in the overall proficiency for each competency as well as increases in nearly all levels of knowledge, skill, and confidence within the competency skill sets. Qualitative and quantitative findings indicate that content was relevant to practice. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide preliminary support for 6 competencies and skills sets needed to improve therapeutic interpersonal interactions that recognize the importance of social and cultural influences in the treatment of tobacco use.

Evaluation and guide for embedding opioid use disorder education in health professions' curricula.

BACKGROUND: Morbidity and mortality from Opioid Use Disorder is a health crisis in the United States. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a devastating increase of 38.4% in overdose deaths from the 12-month period leading up to June 2019 compared with the 12-month period leading up to May 2020, primarily driven by synthetic opioids. Buprenorphine is an effective medication for opioid use disorder but uptake is slow due in part to lack of provider knowledge, confidence, and negative attitudes/stigma toward patients with OUD. Addressing these barriers in academic training is a promising approach to building workforce able to effectively treat opioid use disorder. METHODS: Our university developed a training for pre-licensure physicians, physician assistants and psychiatric nurse practitioners that included the DATA Waiver training and a shadowing experience. Expected outcomes included improved knowledge, skills and attitudes about persons with OUD and buprenorphine treatment, plans to provide this treatment post-graduation, for pre-licensure learners to have completed all requirements to prescribe buprenorphine post-graduation, and for the training to be embedded into school's curricula. RESULTS: Results were positive overall including improved knowledge and attitudes toward persons with OUD, better understanding of the benefits of this treatment for patients, increased confidence and motivation to provide this treatment post-graduation. The training is now embedded in each program's graduation requirements. CONCLUSION: Developing a didactic and experiential training on buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder and embedding it into medical, physician assistant, and psychiatric nurse practitioner licensure programs can help prepare future providers to treat opioid use disorder in a range of settings. Key to replicating this program in other university settings is to engage faculty members who actively provide treatment to persons with OUD to ensure shadowing opportunities and serve as role models for learners.

[Addressing Child Sexual Abuse: A Call to Action for Providers in Latin AmericaAbordagem da violência sexual infantil: um chamado à ação para os profissionais da América Latina]. / Abordaje de la violencia sexual infantil: un llamado a la acción para los profesionales de América Latina.

The objective of this communication is to outline the key elements required to train health care providers in various occupations (medicine, psychology, dentistry, nursing, social work, nutrition, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, chemistry, pharmacy, and obstetrics, including midwifery, among others) to address child sexual abuse (CSA) and develop care protocols grounded on evidence-based practices, as well as provide resources to optimize both processes. Training on child and adolescent sexual abuse is an essential component of facing this major challenge in Latin America and allowing health care personnel to fulfill their role of safeguarding the security and well-being of children and adolescents. Developing protocols helps health care staff define the roles and responsibilities of individual members, summarize potential red flags of CSA, and describe strategies to best identify and address the health and safety needs of patients and their families, which should include a trauma-informed approach. Future work should focus on developing and evaluating new strategies to increase the capacity of the health sector to care for children experiencing CSA and optimizing ways to train staff. Further aims should also include improving research and evidence generation on the epidemiology and care of CSA in Latin America, including of male children and adolescents, minorities, and priority groups (e.g., migrant children, children with disabilities, street children, youth deprived of liberty, indigenous communities and the LGBTQI+ community).

O objetivo desta comunicação é delinear os elementos-chave da capacitação em violência sexual infantil (VSI) para profissionais de saúde de diferentes disciplinas ­ medicina, psicologia, odontologia, enfermagem, serviço social, nutrição, fisioterapia, terapia ocupacional, química, farmácia e obstetrícia (incluindo parteiras), entre outros ­ e o desenvolvimento de protocolos de atendimento construídos sobre práticas baseadas em evidências, bem como fornecer recursos para otimizar ambos os processos. A capacitação sobre violência sexual contra crianças e adolescentes é fundamental para enfrentar esse grande desafio na América Latina e permitir que os profissionais de saúde cumpram seu papel na defesa da segurança e do bem-estar das crianças e adolescentes. O desenvolvimento de protocolos ajuda a equipe de saúde a definir as funções e responsabilidades dos membros da equipe, resumir potenciais indicadores de VSI e descrever estratégias para melhor identificar e atender as necessidades de saúde e segurança do paciente e de sua família, o que deve incluir uma abordagem informada pelo trauma. O trabalho futuro deve se concentrar na elaboração e avaliação de novas estratégias para aumentar a capacidade do setor da saúde de atender crianças que sofrem VSI e otimizar as formas de capacitar o pessoal. Também é necessária uma melhor geração de pesquisas e evidências sobre a epidemiologia e atenção à VSI na América Latina, incluindo crianças e adolescentes do sexo masculino, e grupos minoritários e prioritários (por exemplo, crianças migrantes, com deficiência, em situação de rua, privadas de liberdade, pertencentes a comunidades indígenas e à comunidade LGBTQI+).

[Mapping public health training in Latin America: perspectives for training institutionsMapeamento da formação em saúde pública na América Latina: perspectivas para as instituições formadoras]. / Mapeo de la formación en salud pública en América Latina: perspectivas para las instituciones formadoras.

Objective: Map the public health training courses and programs offered in Latin America, and identify regional training strategies and competencies developed in health workers. Methods: An internet search was conducted to identify public health training courses and programs offered by Latin American institutions. The following data were collected: name, country, and province/state of the training institution; course name; type of institution; educational level; modality; accreditation; year first offered; periodicity; and contact information. The programs and curricula on offer were analyzed by training level using descriptive content analysis, and the main competencies developed were identified. Results: The mapping identified 2 296 public health training opportunities in all Latin American subregions, distributed across 29 of the Region's 33 countries; these were fairly heterogeneous, both conceptually and programmatically, with uneven geographical distribution within and between countries. In the analysis of curricula and programmatic contents, a need for greater linkage with essential public health functions was detected. Conclusion: It is necessary to adapt the competencies and skills developed by the courses and programs to the demands of users of the regional health services, programs, and systems in order to achieve programs aimed at tackling the socio-environmental determinants of health and the production and reproduction of inequalities.

Objetivo: Mapear os cursos e programas de formação em saúde pública oferecidos na América Latina e identificar estratégias de formação e competências desenvolvidas na formação regional de profissionais de saúde pública. Métodos: Foi realizada uma busca na internet para identificar cursos e programas de formação em saúde pública oferecidos por instituições latino-americanas. Foram coletados os seguintes dados: nome, país e estado ou província da instituição formadora; nome do curso; característica da instituição; nível de formação; modalidade; acreditação; ano da primeira turma; regularidade e detalhes de contato. Em seguida, os programas e currículos oferecidos foram analisados por nível de formação, por meio da técnica descritiva de análise de conteúdo, e foram identificadas as principais competências desenvolvidas. Resultados: O mapeamento permitiu identificar 2 296 ofertas de formação em saúde pública em todas as sub-regiões da América Latina, distribuídas em 29 dos 33 países da Região. As ofertas identificadas foram bastante heterogêneas, tanto do ponto de vista conceitual como programático, e com uma distribuição geográfica desproporcional nos países e entre as sub-regiões. A análise dos currículos e conteúdos programáticos detectou a necessidade de um maior vínculo com as funções essenciais da saúde pública. Conclusão: Observou-se a necessidade de adequar as competências e habilidades desenvolvidas pelos cursos e programas às demandas dos usuários dos serviços, programas e sistemas regionais de saúde, a fim de concretizar programas voltados para o enfrentamento dos processos de determinação socioambiental da saúde e de produção e reprodução de desigualdades.

Influence of COVID-19 on the next generation of nurses in the United States.

AIMS/OBJECTIVES: Examine the affective state (anxiety, depression), life satisfaction, stress and worry, media consumption and perceptions of pursuing a career in nursing amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. BACKGROUND: Nursing students worldwide have reported increased stress, fear and anxiety amidst challenges and risks associated with COVID-19. It remains unclear what impact COVID-19 will have on nursing students in the United States (US) as they prepare to enter the workforce. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of undergraduate nursing students at one university in the Northeastern United States. METHODS: Students (N = 161) completed an online survey (July 2020) about health and life satisfaction, affective state (depression, anxiety), stress and interest in pursuing nursing. Descriptive statistical analysis described sample and quantitative data. Linear regression was used to examine whether media consumption, stress, affective states predicted interest in pursuing a nursing career. Qualitative thematic analysis was applied to the open-ended question, 'How has COVID-19 influenced your interest in pursuing a nursing career?'. The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) checklist was used to evaluate methodological quality. RESULTS: Mean stress score was 56.6 (range 0-100), 55.6% of respondents felt unsettled about the future, and 68.2% reported feeling overwhelmed. 18.7% of students reported moderate to severe anxiety, 19.8% reported moderate to severe depression and 54.4% reported that COVID-19 influenced their interest in nursing. Six themes emerged from qualitative analysis: no change, reaffirming/confirmatory, importance of nursing, reality check, positive influence and negative influence. CONCLUSIONS: Universities/colleges and nursing faculty should prioritise universal mental health assessment for nursing students and enhance mental health services to support and monitor this population. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Mental health services to support nursing students are warranted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Reduction in nursing workforce may have significant impacts on staffing ratios, patient outcomes, nurse burn-out and other aspects of clinical care.

Mandibular third molar extraction: perceived surgical difficulty in relation to professional training.

BACKGROUND: Establishing the level of surgical difficulty pre-operatively is an essential step in ensuring correct treatment planning. This study set out to determine whether the knowledge and experience acquired by dentists who had received different levels of training influenced, firstly, the perceived levels of difficulty of a variety of cases of mandibular third molar (MTM) extraction and, secondly, the perceived difficulty deriving from a series of factors (patient-related factors, anatomical and radiographic factors, operative factors). METHODS: This cross-sectional, descriptive, observational study took the form of a survey. Using a visual analog scale (VAS), participants evaluated both the perceived difficulty of 30 cases of MTM extraction described by means of digital panoramic radiographs and the perceived difficulty deriving from a series of factors conditioning MTM extraction. The results underwent statistical analysis with SPSS Statistics 28.0 software. Non-parametric tests (Mann Whitney test for independent samples and the Kruskal-Wallis test) were applied. RESULTS: A total of 389 surveys were available for analysis. Dental practioners with no surgical training saw the intervention as presenting greater difficulty. Professionals with postgraduate training in oral surgery considered patient-related factors more important than operative factors, in contrast to dentists who had not received oral surgery training. CONCLUSIONS: Dental training has a signficant influence on the perceived difficulty of MTM extraction and also affects opinions about which factors have greater or lesser influence on surgical difficulty.

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF MASTERS OF DENTISTRY WITHIN QUARANTINE RESTRICTIONS AND MARTIAL LAW: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF EDUCATIONAL PROCESS.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To present a comparative analysis of the educational technologies effectiveness that were used in the process of professional training of masters of dentistry during quarantine restrictions and martial law. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: To perform the set tasks, the following the empirical methods of scientific research were used: quantitative data were collected based on analyzing the results of students' educational achievements, as well as implementing special questionnaire that was sent to the students of the Faculty of Dentistry of NMU; qualitative data were collected with the help of several focus groups formed from students and teachers of the faculty. Analysis was undertaken using statistical methods (Pearson's test), and qualitative data were analyzed descriptively. RESULTS: Results: This paper analyzes the effectiveness of educational technologies used during quarantine restrictions and martial law, the role of phantom classes in providing professional training of dentistry specialists, summarizes the results of a comprehensive analysis of scientific literature, teaching experience at the dental faculty and the results of sociological research (student surveys, discussion in focus groups). CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the full-scale war unleashed by the russian federation in Ukraine forced to quickly find and implement mixed forms of teaching future masters of dentistry, which, in combination with digital technologies, enables implementing high-quality and effective training.

Specifics of and training needs in the inter-professional home care ofpeople with dementia.

Introduction: Successful home care for people living with dementia (PLwD) allows them to live in their own home environment for as long as possible. Current findings indicate a need for further development of medical and nursing knowledge and skills in evidence-based collaborative care for these patients. Aim: To identify specifics of inter-professional care for PLwD and training needs of home care nurses and general practitioners involved in care. Method: A multi-perspective qualitative study was conducted, comprising focus groups as well as individual interviews. Focus groups and interviews followed a semi-structured topic guide. Interview data was digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim, followed by a thematic framework analysis. Results: The sample consisted of nine nurses, one medical assistant, three general practitioners and nine family caregivers of PLwD. Five themes related to inter-professional home care were inductively developed: challenges in outpatient dementia care, challenges in collaboration, insufficient healthcare infrastructure, competencies needed in dementia care, and training requirements. Challenges were a lacking flow of information as well as continuity and organization of care. Home care nurses and family caregivers complained about missing communication skills in health professionals involved in the care of PLwD. Conclusions: The interviews revealed heterogeneous training needs of home care nursing staff and general practitioners that can be addressed by an inter-professional training course.

Instructors' self-efficacy, perceived benefits, and challenges in transitioning to online learning.

Drawing on social cognitive theory, this study investigated instructors' online teaching self-efficacy during the sudden, COVID-19-induced transition to online teaching. The pandemic has forced instructors to shift to online teaching, arming them with valuable hands-on experience in this alternative teaching mode. This study examined instructors' online teaching self-efficacy, perceived benefits, intention to implement online teaching strategies in their future teaching, and the challenges encountered during this transition. A total of 344 instructors completed the developed and validated questionnaire. The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression modeling, using the stepwise estimation technique. The findings demonstrate that affiliated universities, the quality of online learning, and previous use of learning management systems (LMS) are significant predictors of instructors' online teaching self-efficacy. Online teaching self-efficacy, along with gender, quality of online learning, and professional training are significant predictors of the perceived benefits of online learning during emergencies. Meanwhile, the quality of online learning and professional training are significant predictors of instructors' intention to implement online teaching strategies and learning technology tools. Instructors ranked remote assessment as the most challenging factor in online teaching during emergencies, and internet access or internet speed as the first and most complicated hindrance for students in this transition. This study helps in understanding instructors' online teaching self-efficacy during the sudden transition and the positive consequences of shifting to the online mode due to the COVID-19 pandemic on the higher education field. Recommendations and implications are discussed.

[Medical charity: participation of non-profit organizations in the field of medical scientific research].

The article examines the practice of medical charity as a virtuous activity in the field of medical care. The main attention is paid to non-profit organizations that, in accordance with the legislation, have the status of non-governmental organizations or non-governmental organizations. An overview of the main activities of NGOs with an emphasis on participation in the organization and financing of medical research is presented.

[On the question of the content of the concept of «professionalism¼ in relation to workers in the field of medicine and healthcare].

The article presents an overview of foreign publications reflecting approaches to the definition of the essence of the concept of «professionalism¼ in relation to representatives of the field of health and medicine. The main personal and professional qualities of the doctor, which are associated with the concept of «professionalism¼ in patients, are noted. It is noted that the formation of professional behavior is influenced not only by the personal qualities of a medical worker, but also by the working environment of the medical organization in which he carries out professional activities. It is concluded that the formation of the professionalism of a medical worker should be carried out with the participation of both the employee himself and the public health system and the system of medical professional education.

[The application of digital technologies in professional education].

The article presents review of foreign publications reflecting application of digital technologies in medical professional education. The most common pedagogical innovations are considered: digital textbooks and multimedia, simulation modeling, virtual learning environment and augmented reality, cloud technologies, gamification and artificial intelligence. It is noted that application of digital technologies is seen as constant of future professional education. However, current practice of digitization of educational process of training medical personnel is ambiguous and requires careful study and constant monitoring in order to determine main advantages of digital technologies, methods, didactic practices and other elements ensuring quality and effectiveness of the educational process.