Continuous professional development echocardiography training in South Africa

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Date
2017
Authors
Van Schalkwyk, Marizaan
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University of the Free State
Abstract
English: Echocardiography is recognised as a highly valuable diagnostic tool, and a vast amount of information can be gathered using the procedure. The field of echocardiography has enjoyed rapid technological advances over the last few decades. The operatordependent nature of the technique and the comprehensive knowledge needed to perform a complete and clinically useful study requires maintenance of skills to ensure competence in performing the procedure. In South Africa, the requirements for continuous development (CPD) only specify CPD in general and not field-specific CPD, although the HPCSA recognises and endorses CPD as a means of ensuring provision of best possible practice to the public. This lack of fieldspecific CPD for echocardiography provided evidence for the need to investigate the possible prerequisites for CPD of echocardiography training in South Africa. The overall goal of the study was to determine what is needed to implement echocardiography-specific CPD, and how it can be implemented. A literature study was done to gain a deeper understanding of CPD with reference to health professionals and specifically echocardiography. A questionnaire was compiled, considering some barriers that were identified and which affect compliance with CPD regulations. The questionnaire was compiled electronically and printed in a hard copy using the Evasys system. The target population was echocardiographers who attend the annual New Horizons in Echocardiography congress during 2016, and echocardiography practitioners who were involved through reference from the attendees of the New Horizons in Echocardiography congress. The study revealed that improved communication and access to continuous professional development activities, with specific reference to practical hands-on activities, were the main needs of echocardiographers. It also revealed that formal accreditation and training needs to be monitored more closely and that most echocardiographers did not feel up to date with the latest technology and procedures in the field. Although there were some limitations during this study, it was evident that CPD accreditors, and CPD service providers need to plan, organise and provide information in advance for echocardiography practitioners to plan and be able to attend the CPD activities. Addressing the needs of echocardiography practitioners with regard to CPD will contribute positively not only towards the workplace and profession, but to the community at large.
Afrikaans: Eggokardiografie word erken as 'n waardevolle diagnostiese hulpmiddel waardeur 'n groot hoeveelheid inligting versamel kan word. Die veld van eggokardiografie het oor die afgelope aantal dekades vinnige tegnologiese vordering ervaar. Die operateurafhanklike aard van die tegniek en die omvattende kennis wat vereis word om 'n volledige en klinies nuttige studie uit te voer vereis dat eggokardiograwe hulle vaardighede op datum moet hou om te verseker dat hulle bevoeg is om die prosedure uit te voer. In Suid-Afrika spesifiseer die vereistes vir voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling (VPO) net VPO in die algemeen, en nie veldspesifieke VPO nie, hoewel die Raad vir Gesondheidsberoepe in Suid-Afrika (RGBSA) VPO as 'n manier om te verseker dat die bes moontlike diens aan die publiek gelewer word, onderskryf. Hierdie gebrek aan veldspesifieke VPO vir eggokardiografie het bewys gelewer van die behoefte om die moontlike voorvereistes vir VPO in eggokardiografie-opleiding in Suid-Afrika te ondersoek. Die oorhoofse doel van die studie was om te bepaal wat nodig is ten einde eggokardiografiespesifieke VPO te implementeer, en hoe om dit te implementeer. 'n Literatuurstudie is uitgevoer om 'n dieper begrip van VPO soos dit verband hou met gesondheidsorgprofessies, en eggokardiografie in die besonder, te onwikkel. 'n Vraelys is opgestel om ondersoek in te stel na hindernisse wat geïdentifiseer is en wat nakoming van VPO-regulasies beïnvloed. Die vraelys is deur middel van die Evasys stelsel in elektroniese formaat opgestel en in hardekopie uitgespeel. Die teikenpopulasie was eggokardiograwe wat in 2016 die jaarlikse New Horizons in Echocardiography kongres bygewoon het, en eggokardiografiepraktisyns wat deur mense wat die New Horizons in Echocardiography kongres begewoon het, voorgestel is. Die studie het gevind dat eggokardiograwe se behoeftes veral beter kommunikasie oor en toegang tot VPO-aktiwiteite, spesifiek praktiese aktiwiteite, behels het. Die deelnemers het ook aangedui dat formele akkreditasie en opleiding meer noukeurig gemoniteer moet word. Die meeste eggokardiograwe was van mening dat hulle kennis van die jongste tegnologie en prosedures wat in die veld gebruik word nie op datum is nie. Hoewel hierdie studie sekere beperkinge gehad het, was dit duidelik dat VPOakkrediteerders en VPO-diensverskaffers moet beplan en organiseer en betyds inligting moet verskaf sodat dit vir eggokardiograwe moontlik is om te beplan om VPO-aktiwiteite by te woon. Indien die behoeftes van eggokardiografiepraktisyns ten opsigte van VPO aangespreek word, sal dit nie net 'n positiewe bydrae in die werkplek en professie maak nie, maar ook in die gemeenskap.
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Keywords
Continuing professional development, Echocardiography, Health Professions Council of South Africa, Dissertation (M.HPE. (Health Professions Education))--University of the Free State, 2017
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