African Journal of Health Professions Education最新文献

{"title":"Navigating the troubled waters of higher education – a phenomenological study on the needs and challenges of first‐year clinical associate students in South Africa","authors":"C. Nel, MPhysT J E BPhysT, Wolvaardt, M. P. P. P. H. D. BCur, Toit, B. Ba","doi":"10.7196/ajhpe.2024.v16i1.847","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/ajhpe.2024.v16i1.847","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000Background. Clinical associates (ClinAs) are educated in decentralised learning platforms where they gain skills and a concrete understanding of the fundamental challenges of healthcare in remote and poverty-stricken districts of South Africa. Due to the decentralised nature of the programme, these students seldom have access to ‘on-campus’ academic and psychosocial support. A peer mentorship programme has proved useful in this regard in other settings.\u0000Objective. To explore the unique academic and psychosocial challenges and needs of first-year clinical associate (ClinA) students and describe the views of the research participants on the perceived enablers and constraints of a ClinA peer mentorship programme.\u0000Methods. A phenomenological research design was used. The population included ClinA students and academic members of staff. Five appreciative inquiry interviews and two focus group discussions were conducted.\u0000Results. Four themes were identified: (i) flailing like a fish out of water (challenges experienced by ClinA students); (ii) floating devices (benefits of peer support programmes); (iii) the life saver (perceived enablers of peer support programmes); and (iv) rip currents (perceived constraints of peer support programmes).\u0000Conclusion. Unique challenges identified were: (i) the teaching and learning strategy implemented by the facilitator of the programme; (ii) the decentralised learning platforms; and (iii) the absence of institutional support at clinical learning centres. All participants agreed that peer mentor support is beneficial and essential for ClinA students, but that the peer mentor programme needs to be bespoke to address the limited access to academic and psychosocial on-campus support and the profile of the students, who are of rural origin and first-generation students.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000","PeriodicalId":503156,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Health Professions Education","volume":"27 47","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140696909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Engagement of stakeholders in the development of generic medical and nursing curricula in Tanzania through media outlets and social media","authors":"D. Mloka, E. Tarimo, N. Sirili, PhD A Kulanga, O. Nyongole, H. Mtui, A. Mteta, MMed Bartlett, S. Mshana, PhD E Kaaya, PhD M Moshi, PhD BPharm","doi":"10.7196/ajhpe.2024.v16i1.828","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/ajhpe.2024.v16i1.828","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000Background. The Catholic University of Health and Allied Health Sciences, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College and Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences teamed up to address gaps in the training curricula for medical doctors and nurses with the aim of developing harmonised curricular templates that would be comprehensive and suit national objectives.\u0000Objectives. To share experiences and lessons learned in engaging stakeholders using social media as an additional method to collect information on curricular gaps and ideas to develop harmonised medical and nursing curricula.\u0000Methods. Pictures, newsprint extracts, and videos of face-to-face events in the curriculum development process and project and a curriculum advert were posted on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and used to engage stakeholders, including regulatory bodies, health professional councils, graduates, students, practitioners, health training institutions, private and public employers, internship supervisors, faculty and the public. Reactions, comments and post insights from stakeholder postings, in both Swahili and English, were analysed manually and categorised into four types of messages: congratulatory, comments on the process and expected outcomes, curricular gaps, and faculty development needs to implement new curricula.\u0000Results. A total of 69 290 stakeholders were engaged via Facebook and 229 via Twitter. A total of 13 553 (19.6%) Facebook and 179 (78.2%) Twitter comments were directly related to gaps in current curricula and graduate competencies. Other inputs received through social media were on faculty development needs to implement harmonised curricula and the project in general.\u0000Conclusion. This was the first attempt to engage curriculum stakeholders using social media for the development of harmonised curricula in Tanzania. The impact of social media in providing relevant inputs for curriculum development was significant. Use of social media, with multiple language options, is an economical and efficient way to reach a large number of stakeholders for curriculum quality improvement.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000","PeriodicalId":503156,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Health Professions Education","volume":"21 25‐26","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140697512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Postgraduate Master of Medicine student perspectives on data access and record-keeping for research","authors":"S. Prahladh, J. M. V. Wyk, PhD D MEd, Naidoo, PhD Masters OT","doi":"10.7196/ajhpe.2024.v16i1.829","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/ajhpe.2024.v16i1.829","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000Background. Registrars in specialisation training programmes encounter numerous difficulties in completing the research component of the Master of Medicine degree. Poor patient record-keeping hinders the research process.\u0000Objectives. To investigate current types of medical patient record-keeping systems (electronic v. paper) in training health facilities, and the effect data accessibility has on specialist training and research.\u0000Methods. This was a mixed-methods study that included both descriptive and analytical components. Of 610 postgraduate students enrolled in the University of KwaZulu-Natal College of Health Sciences Master of Medicine programme, 168 completed a cross-sectional survey to collect data and 11 did follow-up interviews. The survey and interviews explored issues related to medical record-keeping in the participants’ department or hospital, emphasising their experiences with data access while conducting research. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and the qualitative data were analysed thematically. Ethical approval was obtained from the institution’s Biomedical Research Ethics Committee.\u0000Results. Of the 168 participants, 94 (56%) reported that problems with data access hindered their research, while 56 (33%) indicated that data access did not affect their research. Only 30 participants (18%) had no difficulty in obtaining data for their research, while the rest (n=138; 82%) experienced varying degrees of difficulty. A total of 110 participants (65%) indicated that paper-based record-keeping was mainly being used in their department or hospital, while electronic record-keeping was reported by the rest (n=58; 35%). Many (n=125; 74%) expressed the need to improve hospital data management practices, and 39 (23%) reported that plans were being implemented to improve these practices. Participants expressed frustration with regard to accessing data even in departments that used electronic systems, and they raised concerns regarding data security.\u0000Conclusion. The migration to electronic patient record-keeping has not yet been implemented in many hospitals, with poor patient record-keeping affecting training and research.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000","PeriodicalId":503156,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Health Professions Education","volume":"353 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140698038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring medical curriculum leadership and management training: Perspectives of doctors and medical educators in Botswana","authors":"A. Turner, D. Prozesky, M. Kebaetse, J. Wolvaardt","doi":"10.7196/ajhpe.2024.v16i1.851","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/ajhpe.2024.v16i1.851","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000Background. The University of Botswana Faculty of Medicine (UB FOM) is the only medical school in Botswana, and was opened to address shortages that other workforce strategies were not achieving at a sufficient rate. The UB FOM programme involves early patient contact at all levels of healthcare. Newly-graduated doctors are expected to perform managerial responsibilities, a role which few medical curricula include formal training for.\u0000Objectives. To explore the perceptions of graduates and medical educators (MEs) on the leadership and management training in the medical curriculum in Botswana.\u0000Methods. A non-theory driven qualitative study using thematic analysis was conducted. Twelve MEs and graduates from UB FOM were interviewed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted until data saturation was reached. Data were transcribed and analysed.\u0000Results. Two themes were developed: Starting small to be tall and Planting the seeds. Theme 1 describes the explicit messages of being future managers and leaders unaccompanied by formal training. Theme 2 acknowledges the insufficient training and describes the call for scaffolded longitudinal leadership and management teaching, and enhanced interprofessional education.\u0000Conclusion. Elements of leadership and management training are already included within the curriculum. The health system expectation that these graduates will immediately assume leadership and management responsibilities necessitates the strengthening of these aspects. The inclusion of critical content and further expansion of interprofessional education can be considered. The UB FOM is in a position to actualise its identified leadership and management competencies to serve the needs of its graduates and those in their care.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000","PeriodicalId":503156,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Health Professions Education","volume":"5 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140696351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The use of the Delphi technique as part of the process of developing a tool to evaluate physiotherapy clinical education programmes","authors":"V. Naidoo, PhD A Stewart, PhD D Maleka","doi":"10.7196/ajhpe.2023.v15i4.1670","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/ajhpe.2023.v15i4.1670","url":null,"abstract":"Objectively evaluating the quality and effectiveness of a physiotherapy clinical education programme has been unsuccessful to date, due to its complexity and the lack of a standardised tool. We undertook to develop a standardised programme evaluation tool and used the Delphi method to obtain consensus (set at 80%) to determine the face and content validity of the items and domains of the tool, the scoring system and a name for the tool. Academics, clinical physiotherapists and clinical physiotherapy educators participated in the Delphi rounds. Three Delphi rounds ensued: in Delphi round 1, a 71% response rate was obtained and 49 questions obtained 80% consensus. In Delphi round 2, a 91% response rate was obtained and 59 questions obtained 80% consensus. In Delphi round 3, a 42% response rate was obtained, several names were suggested, and the scoring system was established. The provisional tool of 85 items ultimately emerged as the Vaneshveri Naidoo Clinical Programme Evaluation Tool (VN-CPET).","PeriodicalId":503156,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Health Professions Education","volume":"77 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139164187","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Early Online Issue 4","authors":"J. H. Irlam, A. Dreyer, G. Filies, L. Govender, N. Jacob, J. Jayakumar, C. L. Lokotola, R. Naidoo, S. Reid, H-A Rother","doi":"10.7196/ajhpe.2023.v15i4.326","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/ajhpe.2023.v15i4.326","url":null,"abstract":"Background. Climate change and environmental degradation have severe public health impacts. Education about planetary health (PH) and sustainable healthcare (SH), or the interdependence of health and healthcare and planetary ecosystems, is developing globally to enable health professionals to protect public health from these threats, and to build sustainable healthcare systems. Objective. To assess the status of PH and SH in health professions education in South African (SA) faculties of health sciences as a foundation for future work. Methods. Educators at all 24 SA faculties of health sciences were surveyed regarding undergraduate and postgraduate faculty courses with PH- and SH-related learning objectives and outcomes, learning activities and assessments. Pivot tables were constructed to analyse their responses. Results. Forty-one responses were received, representing 9 health professions from 15 of 24 faculties of health sciences in SA (62.5%). More than half (53.7%) were unaware of any courses with PH and SH content at their faculties. Nineteen respondents from 11 faculties reported 44 courses and provided data on 18 non-duplicate courses. Learning activities included advising patients about environmental and health co-benefits of their lifestyle choices (33.3%); written assignments (38.9%); oral presentations (55.6%); and community-based research (38.9%). Nine courses (50%) reported PH- and SH-related assessments, most commonly oral presentations (88.9%); reflective essays (77.8%); multiple-choice or short assessment questions (55.6%); and research outputs (55.6%). Conclusion. Education about PH and SH is starting to develop in SA faculties, although with a limited variety of learning activities and assessments. This study provides a useful baseline for curriculum development and assessment of progress.","PeriodicalId":503156,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Health Professions Education","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139318202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Early Online: Issue 4","authors":"R. Prakaschandra, R. Meyer, R. Bhagwan","doi":"10.7196/ajhpe.2023.v15i4.830","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/ajhpe.2023.v15i4.830","url":null,"abstract":"Background. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant influence on all spheres of society. This influence was particularly apparent in healthcare and in the training of health professionals within an already resource-constrained country such as South Africa. The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges and opportunities for learning from the point of view of students undertaking the Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) in Clinical Technology programme, which is a specialised and distinctive field, as well as the academics involved in this programme. Objective. To explore how the clinical training practice component of the undergraduate programme was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. A qualitative, exploratory research design was used. A non-probability purposive sampling method was selected. Students and academics were recruited and sampled. The first sample comprised 15 students from each of the 17 clinical departments where clinical training was undertaken. The second sample included 4 academics who were involved in teaching and supervising the placement of students at various healthcare institutions. Data were gathered using in-depth, semi-structured interviews on an adapted version of Gibbs’ cycle of reflection. Six questions were presented to each participant, underpinned by the findings from the literature review and modified specifically to the context of this study. Results. Four broad themes emerged: support for teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic; impact of the pandemic on students’ mental wellbeing; transitioning to the online learning space; and finding opportunities in the time of crisis. Conclusion. This study highlights the issues of preparedness for crisis situations by higher education institutions, academics and students and underscores the need for curricula to be more responsive to student and societal needs.","PeriodicalId":503156,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Health Professions Education","volume":"89 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139320969","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}