Dreyfus and Dreyfus and Indicators of Behavioral Performance: A Study of Measurement Convergence

Sandbox of Competence: A Conceptual Model for Assessing Professional Competence

This article aims to propose a conceptual model for evaluating the knowledge stage of a professional activity. Starting from an integrative literature review, a method that allows us to assess, criticize and synthesize empirical or theoretical knowledge, we explore the evolutions of the model by Dreyfus and Dreyfus (1980). The collection and analysis process followed a six-stage process, starting from a guiding question and proceeding to a literature search, so that data collection and critical analysis of information could be carried out in a structured and codified way, enabling the discussion of results and, finally, the presentation of the review. As a result, we suggest a model capable of classifying a professional competence in accordance with the literature, through a model that considers practice, theoretical/technical knowledge, and attitude as axes for the evolution of learning. The suggested model contributes to the construction of a skills assessment instrument.

Professional Conference Poster Presentation: Innovative Professional Development Assignment in Nurse Practitioner Education

BACKGROUND

This innovative assignment converted a traditional presentation to an assignment that addressed several National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties competencies and the growing trend toward nurse practitioner professional advancement models.

METHOD

The professional conference poster assignment spanned two semesters. The first semester assignment included a focused literature review and abstract development. The second semester assignment included a formal presentation using a digital poster format.

RESULTS

Only three of the 23 respondents indicated ever having developed an abstract or a professional conference poster prior to the assignment. Students identified new skills acquired as a result of the professional conference poster assignment: writing an abstract (78%), writing a biographical statement (87%), constructing a digital poster (91%), speaking at a conference (87%), and searching the evidence (48%).

CONCLUSION

Nurse practitioner students evaluated this assignment highly, learned valuable dissemination skills that met core competencies, and were instilled with a culture of clinical scholarship and dissemination. [J Nurs Educ. 2020;59(6):345-348.].

Assessing Professionalism in Medicine - A Scoping Review of Assessment Tools from 1990 to 2018

BACKGROUND

Medical professionalism enhances doctor-patient relationships and advances patient-centric care. However, despite its pivotal role, the concept of medical professionalism remains diversely understood, taught and thus poorly assessed with Singapore lacking a linguistically sensitive, context specific and culturally appropriate assessment tool. A scoping review of assessments of professionalism in medicine was thus carried out to better guide its understanding.

METHODS

Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) approach to scoping reviews was used to identify appropriate publications featured in four databases published between 1 January 1990 and 31 December 2018. Seven members of the research team employed thematic analysis to evaluate the selected articles.

RESULTS

3799 abstracts were identified, 138 full-text articles reviewed and 74 studies included. The two themes identified were the context-specific nature of assessments and competency-based stages in medical professionalism.

CONCLUSIONS

Prevailing assessments of professionalism in medicine must contend with differences in setting, context and levels of professional development as these explicate variances found in existing assessment criteria and approaches. However, acknowledging the significance of context-specific competency-based stages in medical professionalism will allow the forwarding of guiding principles to aid the design of a culturally-sensitive and practical approach to assessing professionalism.

Development, Implementation, and Satisfaction With a Nurse Practitioner Professional Ladder: A Children's Hospital Experience

This article describes the development and implementation of a nurse practitioner professional ladder (NPPL) at a large freestanding urban pediatric hospital. The NPPL was created to recognize advanced practice registered nurses and differentiate levels of clinical expertise, role development, leadership, and professional contributions into a three-tiered approach, designated as NP I, NP II, and NP III. The results of a nurse practitioner satisfaction survey at Year 2 and Year 4 after the development of the NPPL are summarized. The NPPL helped create an empowering environment for continued nurse practitioner professional growth.