Search

Copyright of Canadian Oncology Nursing Journal is the property of Pappin Communications and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper is the second in a two-part series reporting results from the 2018 Curriculum Study. The 2018 study is the fifth installment of a decades-long research project that captures descriptive snapshots-in-time of TR curricula. The intent of this curriculum study was to capture an in-depth, descriptive snapshot of TR educational programs in the U.S. and Canada as of 2018. The study results described TR curricula in five areas: (a) accreditation, (b) curriculum/internship, (c) university and unit, (d) faculty, and (e) student characteristics. This paper, Part B, reports on: (a) accreditation and (b) curriculum/ internship characteristics portions of the research. A 64-item online survey was sent to 91 TR program directors with 67 usable surveys returned (73.6% return rate). Half of the responding TR educational programs were accredited by either COAPRT or CARTE. The National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC™) standards continued to be the most important driver of curricular changes. Curriculum changes included adding more TR specific courses, more assignments with courses, more TR credit hours, and more internship requirements and assignments, in addition to assessing specific student outcomes. Recommendations are made for future curricular studies and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: HPV vaccine has been described as a very efficacious and safe vaccine, making it highly acceptable for the prevention of potential cervical cancer. However, rejection of vaccine use is on the rise. This paper aims to showcase the benefit of educational intervention as an avenue to increase the rate of vaccination among the high-risk population. Hypothesis: Parental education on HPV vaccine will improve the rate of vaccination acceptance. Methods: Databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, Science-Direct and Web of Science were searched for studies pertaining to the effects of educational intervention on HPV vaccine receipt. Results: A total of 11 articles were included in this review. Eight studies targeted high-risk minors of recommended ages for the HPV vaccine. The parents of these minors were then assessed pre- and post-intervention to study the effect of educational intervention on intent to vaccinate against HPV. Three studies focused on the effect of educational intervention targeted to adolescents and young adults ages 18-22 on intent to vaccinate against HPV. Results compared the intent to vaccinate in groups exposed to the educational intervention versus groups without intervention. Percentage increase in the intent to vaccinate was reported for all groups exposed to educational intervention versus groups without intervention. Conclusion: The increase in the percentage of participants with intent to vaccinate reflects the importance of individual knowledge. Future studies should focus on methods that improve dialogue and acceptance with groups of different ethnicity and cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the impact of a 2-day, in-person interprofessional palliative care course for staff working in long-term care (LTC) homes. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study design was employed. LTC staff who had participated in Pallium Canada's Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care LTC Course in Ontario, Canada between 2017 and 2019 were approached. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, using an online videoconferencing platform in mid-2021 in Ontario, Canada. These were done online, recorded, and transcribed. Data were coded inductively. Results: Ten persons were interviewed: four registered practical nurses, three registered nurses, one nurse practitioner, and two physicians. Some held leadership roles. Participants described ongoing impact on themselves and their ability to provide end-of-life (EOL) care (micro-level), their services and institutions (meso-level), and their healthcare systems (macro-level). At a micro-level, participants described increased knowledge and confidence to support residents and families, and increased work fulfillment. At the meso-level, their teams gained increased collective knowledge and greater interprofessional collaboration to provide palliative care. At the macro level, some participants connected with other LTC homes and external stakeholders to improve palliative care across the sector. Training provided much-needed preparedness to respond to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including undertaking advance care planning and EOL conversations. The pandemic caused staff burnout and shortages, creating challenges to applying course learnings. Significance of results: The impact of palliative care training had ripple effects several years after completing the training, and equipped staff with key skills to provide care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Palliative care education of staff remains a critical element of an overall strategy to improve the integration of palliative care in LTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the colonization of Canada, Metis have faced many political and socioeconomic challenges, one of which is the lower educational achievement of Metis students vs other Canadian students. In this study, we examined whether full-time kindergarten (FTK) vs half-time kindergarten (HTK) was associated with improved educational outcomes for Metis students in Manitoba using linked, population-based administrative data from 1998/99-2012/13. The cohort included 271 FTK and 405 HTK Metis students. We used generalized linear models with binomial distribution to calculate predicted probabilities and risk ratios for the outcomes (assessments of numeracy and literacy in Grades 3, 7 and 8; student engagement in Grade 7; high school graduation). However, we observed no significant differences in outcomes between FTK and HTK students, suggesting that FTK is not sufficient to overcome the structural barriers to academic success Metis students may face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how staff working for one Ontario school board perceive two distinct approaches to school discipline policy: the Safe Schools Act (Bill 81) and Progressive Discipline and School Safety (Bill 212). The more centrally controlled and rigid Safe Schools Act was criticized by interviewees and cited for human rights violations. However, the inherent flexibility and vagueness of the Progressive Discipline policy that replaced it was seen to lead to inconsistent policy implementation and unequal outcomes for students. This paper considers the broader implications of policies that are "tightly coupled" or "loosely coupled" in terms of teachers' professional discretion, accountability, and student outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An essential component of becoming a professional nurse is a perspective of global health issues and an awareness of diverse populations. Collaborative online international learning (COIL) using digital technologies, offers meaningful and rewarding opportunities to develop international partnerships between nurses from other countries, without economic, organisational or geographical barriers. Despite reported advantages of using COIL, few COIL interventions have been identified in the nursing literature. The aims of this study are to develop, implement and evaluate a COIL program between Australian and Canadian pre-registration nursing students. Methods: The study will utilize a mixed methods approach incorporating pre and post-test surveys, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews of key stakeholders. The design will adhere to The State University of New York (SUNY) COIL's criteria for intercultural/international learning opportunities. Participants will be recruited from nursing programs at an Australian Training and Further Education Institute and a Canadian college. Bennett's stages of intercultural competence will provide the theoretical framework for the research. Four specific research interventions will be developed for this project. For students, there will be an online virtual community to allow students and teachers to communicate, socially connect and share resources with each other. Virtual reality simulations will be employed within a virtual global classroom to promote collaborative, intercultural learning. For faculty, a virtual community of practice will provide a platform for faculty to share education and research ideas and participate in collaborate research opportunities. Discussion: This study will evaluate the outcomes of a nursing COIL program. It will measure participants' views on COIL, its contribution to student learning, changes in cultural awareness, organisational impact and research productivity. It will provide nursing students with the opportunity to become global leaders in nursing care and for faculty to develop international research skills and outputs. The findings from the study will allow further refinement of future nursing COIL programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health issues continue to present barriers for Canadian children, in terms of both psychological and academic outcomes. Growing numbers of students are placed "at risk" as a result. A mental health promotion approach suggests that students can develop a number of skills and competencies, namely those related to social-emotional learning (SEL), which can reduce their chance of developing mental health difficulties. In Canada, a wide range of curricula, frameworks, initiatives, and programs have been put in place that address elements of SEL. In this paper, a sampling of these drawn from across the country is described. The emphasis on SEL apparent in many provinces and territories is evidence of the shared understanding of its importance with respect to improving student outcomes. However, a lack of evidence to support these approaches, inconsistencies in terms of terminology and practices, the lack of alignment between SEL and academics, and the piecemeal approach adopted within some provinces leave SEL and mental health promotion approaches vulnerable to being labelled "add-ons" and becoming transient initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health professionals working in oncology face the challenge of a stressful work environment along with impacts of providing care to those suffering from a life-threatening illness and encountering high levels of patient loss. Longitudinal exposure to loss and suffering can lead to grief, which over time can lead to the development of compassion fatigue (CF). Prevalence rates of CF are significant, yet health professionals have little knowledge on the topic. A six-week continuing education program aimed to provide information on CF and support in managing grief and loss and consisted of virtual sessions, case-based learning, and an online community of practice. Content included personal, health system, and team-related risk factors; protective variables associated with CF; grief models; and strategies to help manage grief and loss and to mitigate against CF. Participants also developed personal plans. Pre- and post-course evaluations assessed confidence, knowledge, and overall satisfaction. A total of 189 health professionals completed the program (90% nurses). Reported patient loss was high (58.8% > 10 deaths annually; 12.2% > 50). Improvements in confidence and knowledge across several domains (p < 0.05) related to managing grief and loss were observed, including use of grief assessment tools, risk factors for CF, and strategies to mitigate against CF. Satisfaction level post-program was high. An educational program aiming to improve knowledge of CF and management of grief and loss demonstrated benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Oncology Nursing Journal is the property of Pappin Communications and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the existing Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy [BSc (Pharm)] curriculum at Qatar University College of Pharmacy (QU CPH), for addressing international prescribing competencies. Methods: The Australian National Prescribing Service (NPS MedicineWise) Competencies Required to Prescribe Medicines framework (the Prescribing Competencies Framework) was used in the BSc (Pharm) curriculum mapping process. The NPS MedicineWise Prescribing Competencies Framework outlines seven competency areas that are essential for pharmacist prescribing. The first mapping activity assessed the learning outcomes (LOs) of 62 courses within the BSc (Pharm) curriculum for covering and addressing the NPS MedicineWise competencies. The second mapping activity involved matching the LOs identified to address the NPS MedicineWise prescribing competencies, to the 2017 Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada (AFPC) educational outcomes, on which the QU CPH BSc (Pharm) program is based. The AFPC educational outcomes address seven key program-level learning outcomes. Results: The QU CPH BSc (Pharm) curriculum addresses most of the prescribing competencies listed in the NPS MedicineWise Prescribing Competencies Framework. However, gaps were identified in the curricular content and in the LOs that were related, but not restricted, to the following: electronic prescribing, physical examinations/preparing patients for investigations, and policies/procedures and quality assurace related to prescribing. Other gaps identified include legislative and workplace requirements for obtaining consent to access confidential patient's health information. Conclusion: The curriculum mapping exercise provided evidence that, for the most part, the existing BSc (Pharm) curriculum at QU CPH prepares pharmacy graduates for prescribing. However, there are areas that need better alignment between the taught curriculum and training on prescribing in practice. The results of this study are important to consider if pharmacist prescribing is to be implemented in Qatar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Faculties of Pharmacy worldwide have to adapt their curriculum to accreditation criteria. The present study explored how the Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada’s (AFPC’s) 2010 Educational Outcomes are perceived and taught at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy (LDFP). These outcomes were adapted from the CanMeds Physician Competency Framework which describes both medical expert and non-expert roles.Methods: We wondered if pharmacy would struggle, as medicine has, to integrate these roles into curricula in meaningful ways, given the absence of previous studies from Pharmacy. We conducted an exploratory interview study with 10 core faculty members in charge of courses where non-expert roles were taught. Data were analysed using conventional content analysis.Results: Faculty members understood that the AFPC Outcomes are important for students, patients, and the profession of pharmacy, and some saw the roles as knowledge-based and teachable using content from academic disciplines. However, most saw them as skills taught informally or through clinical experience. They used the roles as a framing device to legitimize their course content and relied on informal role modelling to do most of the teaching. The few faculty members who taught content related to these roles had postgraduate education in a social science or humanities discipline.Discussion: Similar to studies of Faculties of Medicine, our study highlights the difficulty of translating a role-based, competency framework into concrete, integrated curricula for students. Competency development should be explicitly embedded into the curriculum and cannot be left to individual instructors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the formation of the International Pharmacists-as-Immunizers Partnership (IPIP), an international network of pharmacy practice researchers with an interest in pharmacist-administered immunizations. Using funds obtained from a university-sponsored grant, a two-day meeting was held at the University of Waterloo in Canada to discuss published and in-progress research on the topic, identify gaps and priorities for future research, and share implementation strategies used in different jurisdictions. Twelve researchers from five countries attended this initial meeting, identified from both personal networks and from authorship lists from published research. Small- and large-group discussions addressed a number of themes, including: clinical, economic and educational outcomes of the service; the perspectives of pharmacists, patients, and other health professionals; operational and policy factors influencing uptake; safety; and the immunizing pharmacist's role in disaster preparedness. Feedback on our first meeting and outcomes achieved were evaluated on the basis of participant feedback. Key components of the meeting that were considered successful and important lessons learned are summarized, so that other like-minded researchers with a shared pharmacy practice research interest could consider leveraging funding opportunities to establish other international pharmacy practice research networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]