Ultrasound Scanning Competencies in Midwifery Education in Zambia: Findings from a Desk Review and Needs Assessment

Introduction: Ultrasound is an essential component of antenatal care. Midwives provide most of the antenatal care but they do not perform ultrasound as it has been beyond their scope of practice. This leaves many women in Low and Middle-Income Countries without access to ultrasound scanning. The aim of this study was to identify competencies in ultrasound scanning in midwifery education. Methods: A desk review and needs assessment were conducted between July and October 2023. Articles and curricula on the internet, Google scholar and PubMed were searched for content on ultrasound scanning competencies. A Google form consisting of 20 questions was administered via email and WhatsApp to 135 participants. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse data. Results: The desk review showed that it is feasible to train midwives in ultrasound scanning. The training programs for midwives in obstetric ultrasound were conducted for 1 week to 3 months with most of them running for 4 weeks. Content included introduction to general principles of ultrasound, physics, basic knowledge in embryology, obstetrics, anatomy, measuring foetal biometry, estimating amniotic fluid and gestational age. Experts like sonographers trained midwives. Theory and hands on were the teaching methods used. Written and practical assessments were conducted. Needs assessment revealed that majority of participants 71 (53%) knew about basic ultrasound training for midwives. All participants (100%) said it is necessary to train midwives in basic ultrasound scan in Zambia. Some content should include, anatomy, measuring foetal biometry, assessing amniotic fluid level, and gestational age determination. Most participants 91 (67%) suggested that the appropriate duration of training is 4 - 6 weeks. Conclusion: Empowering every midwife with ultrasound scanning skills will enable early detection of any abnormality among pregnant women and prompt intervention to save lives.

College English Teaching Based on the Theory of Core Competencies

The core competencies of college students can influence their further learning,employment,and personal development.This paper explores college English teaching from the three aspects of core competencies:cultural foundation,self-development,and social participation.Adapting to the challenges posed by the new era for the cultivation of foreign language talents,the paper aims to improve students’cultural literacy,independent learning,the ability of problem discovery and problem solving,and critical cultural thinking,so as to make them more competitive in employment and entrepreneurship.

Current Status of Key Competencies among Medical Students: A Latent Profile Analysis

The purpose of this study was to understand the overall level of key competencies of medical students and explore the potential profile of key competencies, promoting quality education, and improving the quality talent cultivation in medical colleges. A stratified random sampling method selected 734 medical students from four medical colleges in Chongqing Province of China. A general information questionnaire and a key competencies survey questionnaire were used to conduct the survey. The overall score and scores of each dimension of key competencies were analyzed. Latent profile analysis was conducted to classify the key competencies of medical students and compare the distribution differences of demographic variables among different categories. The results showed that 26% of medical students have never heard of the concept of key competencies, and 59% of them are not familiar with the content related to key competencies. The score of key competencies is 3.66 ± 0.60, with the highest score in the dimension of responsibility and the lowest score in the dimension of humanistic accomplishment. The latent profile analysis classified them into three categories: “low key competencies group (14.71%)”, “medium key competencies group (36.79%)”, and “high key competencies group (48.50%)”. The R3STEP regression analysis results showed statistically significant differences in educational level and whether they served as student cadres among different key competencies categories of medical students. This paper discusses three different potential key competencies categories among medical students, and the overall level of key competencies is relatively good. However, medical students lack a comprehensive and systematic understanding of key competencies. Humanistic accomplishment, healthy living, and practical innovation are the three dimensions with lower scores and should be given more attention. Medical colleges should integrate the concept of key competencies into teaching and implement it in medical practice to cultivate more high-quality medical talents for society.

Analysis of The Impact of The Healthcare Roundtable Model on the Major Disease Perceptions and Competencies of Cardiovascular Medicine Nursing Staff

Objective: To analyze the impact of the healthcare roundtable model on the major disease perceptions and competencies of cardiovascular nursing staff. Methods: Forty female nursing staff working in the hospital from April to June 2023 were selected and were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group, with 20 in each group. For 60 days, the control group used the conventional learning and communication model and the observation group used the medical and nursing roundtable model. The cognitive scores of cardiovascular disease-related knowledge, competency scores, and satisfaction with the learning and communication model before and after the implementation of the model in both groups were compared. Results: After the implementation, the cognitive scores related to cardiovascular disease-related knowledge, competency scores, and satisfaction with the learning and communication model in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The healthcare roundtable model improved the knowledge and competence of cardiovascular internal medicine nursing staff in major diseases, and it is worth popularizing.

Core competencies and perceived training needs of nurses in the background of Internet plus nursing service:a qualitative descriptive study

Background:The Internet plus nursing service program is being piloted in China,which has become a new home nursing service model led by nurses.To enable safe and effective homecare service delivery,nurses working in the program need a high level of competency.However,the content of these core competencies and the training needs of nurses for Internet plus nursing services are still unknown.Aim:To describe nurses’perceptions of core competencies and training needs to work in the Internet plus nursing service program,thereby providing a reference for the development of training programs.Methods:A qualitative descriptive study using semi-structured interviews was conducted on 15 nurses with experience of working in the Internet plus nursing service program.Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim,and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis.Results:Core competencies involved comprehensive assessment competence,direct care practice competence,health education and consulting competence,risk estimation and response competence,and communication competence.Training needs involved complex operational items,knowledge of chronic disease management,professional communication,risk identification and response,nursing standards,norms,and procedures,and utilization of information technology.Conclusions:The training system may be developed based on nurses’core competencies and their training needs to promote professional development of the Internet plus nursing service.

Research on the Integrated Teaching Design of Junior High School English Units Based on the Key Competencies of English Subjects

The overall teaching design for the junior middle school English unit aims to maximize the use of teaching resources by using the unit as the central theme,integrating it throughout all sections and related activities.This approach continually reinforces students’understanding and retention of individual lesson content while fostering their core literacy and skills.It promotes a comprehensive development of students’listening,speaking,reading,and writing skills,allowing them to engage repeatedly with the language materials until they internalize them as part of their language proficiency.

Online International Peer Interaction:An Exploration of Impacts on Comprehensive Competencies,Global Perspectives,and Cross-Cultural Communication Skills

With the increasing trend of globalization and the rapid advancement of information technology,online learning platforms such as Zoom are becoming increasingly influential in the field of education.The focus of this study was the online international peer interaction based on the Zoom platform,detailing how such interaction programs are conducted and exploring in depth the specific impacts of this interaction mode on students’comprehensive competencies,global perspectives,and cross-cultural communication skills.This research not only provides new practical references for online learning and international education but also offers new research perspectives and directions for educators and researchers.

Cultivation of Students’Four Core Competencies in American English Class

In the 21^st century,students’core competencies will be the main competitive factors in a fast-changing society.Stu⁃dents will benefit a lot from them in their future job hunting and life-long learning.Developing their students’competencies be⁃comes a first and foremost task in American English class.

Essential competencies for three grades of midwives in China

Objective:To identify the essential competencies for different grades of midwives in China.Methods:A nationwide modified Delphi process was implemented to amend and screen the indicators.Thirty expert panellists including practitioners (nurse-midwives),clinical managers,academic educators and obstetricians completed a two-round Delphi study through an electronic survey that was supplemented by an expert panel meeting for discussion of comments and suggestions.Results:All panellists completed two rounds of Delphi study and at least 75% of them achieved a consensus on 224 items (W1 =0.150,W2 =0.173).Seven domains were established,namely,'Professional quality','Antenatal care','Intrapartum care','Postnatal care','Neonatal care','Gynaecological care','Public health care & Integrative competency'.Generalised maternal and neonatal knowledge and perinatal care skills were set for'junior'midwives,pathological care for'senior'ones and supervisory abilities and promotion of discipline for'expert'ones.Conclusions:This research developed three grades of essential competencies for midwives in China.The next step will be assessment in clinical settings for further response.The set was in line with the concepts of International Confederation of Midwives under the domestic context.This set could be adopted as a reference in developing normalised midwifery practice,education and certification.

Brazilian questionnaire of competencies of oncology nurses:Construction and test of content validation

Objective: This study aimed to describe construction and content validation of the Brazilian Questionnaire of Competencies of Oncology Nurses.Methods: The methodological research was constructed based on the literature and observation in Brazilian hospitals searching to identify local evidence in the nursing practice.After,the construction of the 30 items distributed in eight sub-dimensions of competencies,the instrument was tested the content validation by 7 experts and 61 oncology nurses.Item responses were analyzed through content validity index and Cronbach's α were used in this test pilot.Results: The content validity index of the scale was 0.90,and the content validity index of each item was 0.80-1.00.The mean of items varied between 4.98 (standard deviation =0.13) and 4.70 (standard deviation =0.53).The Cronbach's α of the instrument was 0.77.The Cronbach's α if each item was excluded ranged from 0.78 to 0.74,indicating consistency between items.Conclusion: The instrument is concise and clear,resulting in a valid content on test pilot in conducting a self-assessment the oncology nurses.It can be used to facilitate decision-making by identifying subdimensions that require attention in nursing education to improve patient care.

Diversified Teaching Methods in Nursing:Using Animal Experimentation to Promote Core Professional Competencies in Basic Nursing Training

Objective： The aim of this project was to train highly professional and specialized nursing students from medical colleges to adapt to bedside clinical care by exploring and discussing various methods of injection and IV infusion in animal experimentation to hone the core professional nursing competencies. Methods： Two classes from the 2012 senior graduating nursing class were randomly selected by a computer to conduct the diversified practical teaching methods based on animal experimentation. A hospital environment was simulated by requiring students to perform different types of injections and practical IV infusion techniques. A comprehensive evaluation of the core professional competencies, as well as other integrated competencies, was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the teaching methods. Results： Two-sampled, pairwise u-tests were performed between the scores of the experimental （nursing class 2） and control （nursing class 1） groups. These findings showed that the overall test scores were significantly higher in the experimental group compared to the control group and that the average P-values for the competencies in various categories were 〈0.01, which indicated statistically significant results. Conclusions： Based on the data from this project, diversified teaching methods for basic nursing training founded on animal experimentation can help nursing students perfect their core professional competencies and improve their overall professional standing. The introduction of animal experimentation requires further verification, and an increased acknowledgement of its benefits through the widespread dissemination of this information.

Exploring internship nursing students’ perception of gerontological nursing competencies: A descriptive study at Cairo University Hospitals

Objective:This research study explores the perceptions of gerontological nursing competencies,attitudes toward older individuals,and the willingness to provide care for the elderly among internship nursing students.Materials and Methods:A convenience sample of 350 internship nursing students from Cairo University Faculty of Nursing participated in the study.Data were collected using a set of comprehensive tools,including personal data and work experience assessment,the Hartford geriatric nurse competency tool,Kogan’s attitudes toward old people scale,and the modified elderly patient care inventory.Results:Descriptive analysis revealed balanced gender representation,with 60%identifying as female.Seventy percent of participants reported prior experience in gerontological care.Self-assessed competency scores indicated moderate proficiency in communication,physiological changes,and functional status assessment.Areas such as pain management and restraint use demonstrated potential gaps in self-perceived skills.Attitudes toward older individuals were predominantly positive,and the willingness to provide care showed positive tendencies,with a minor degree of hesitation noted.Conclusion:The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions in nursing education to address competency gaps,enhance positive attitudes,and alleviate potential hesitations in caregiving for older individuals.As the elderly population continues to grow,nursing education programs must prepare future practitioners to deliver comprehensive and compassionate care tailored to the unique needs of older adults.

Multidimensional Rasch Analysis of Twentyfirst Century Core Competencies--Perspective of University Students in China

This study aimed to explore university students'perceptions on the importance of core competencies for the 21st century.A crosssectional survey research using a self-report questionnaire involving 48 Likert-type items was used to collect data from 869 university students in China who voluntarily participated.Multidimensional analysis with Rasch rating scale model found the data fitted the Rasch model well.The results showed that Chinese university students placed strong importance on the majority of competencies listed in the modified questionnaire of 21st Century Core Competencies for Higher Education,especially in competence groups of Interpersonal Communication and Character and Civic Literacy but less so in those of Creativity and Problem Solving and Global and International Perspective.

Development of Fundamental Competencies for Working Persons Through Project-Based Learning

Universities teach mainly specialized subjects and the liberal arts. Society expects university students to gain certain basic skills important when working for a company. These skills can be divided broadly into action, thinking, and teamwork. The purpose of this paper is to propose a method of project-based education for developing fundamental competencies for working persons. Many studies have been reported on educational methods with project management techniques, but few have considered project-based education aiming at improving fundamental competencies for working persons. If these competencies can be developed through project-based education, it will be possible to develop not only teamwork skills, but also a wide range of skills involving action as well as thinking. The traditional Japanese university curriculum comprises specialized subjects and the liberal arts. The author proposes the addition of project-based education to develop basic skills needed in the workforce. This research proposes an education model for basic competency training and examines the educational outcomes by studying results of a cooking tool project assigned to university students. The model includes Teoriya Resheniya Izobretatelskikh Zadatch （TRIZ, a Russian acronym for the theory of inventive problem solving）, a World Cafe, and the SECI process （a process of knowledge creation comprised of socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization in knowledge management） in the hope that this model will be conducive to implementing effective project-based learning. This research concludes that it is possible to develop the basic skills needed by university students in society through project-based learning under a basic skills education model.

Personal Tacit Knowledge and Global Learning Professional Competencies—Multi-Dimensional Relationships

Global learning professional competencies (GLPCs) are essential for college students to be able to address the impact of globalization in the 21st century. Organizations and society-at-large look to higher education to prepare college students with GLPCs. In addition, there is a body of literature that suggest personal tacit knowledge enhance GLPCs. However, researchers have done little from an empirical perspective to determine the relationship between the use of P-T K and enhancement of GLPCs, hence the purpose of this study. The statistical results revealed significant correlations, p st century knowledge society through use of P-T K.

Project Manager＇s Competencies in Czech Lottery Industry Enterprise

The presented paper analyses competencies of project manager of the enterprises operating on Czech lottery market. The contribution of the paper consists of two parts. The first part focuses on the basic terminology issues and anchors concepts such as project manager and competencies. The second part is dedicated to the analyzing and evaluation of the competencies of ideal project manager of the enterprises operating on Czech lottery market and subsequent presentation and verification. For the analyzing and evaluation of the competencies of ideal project manager, the questionnaire of the scale type with the grade valuation 1-6 was applied within the frame of 20 enterprises operating on the lottery market in Czech Republic. The respondents were from the AG CZ, Ltd. and the competitors of this enterprise. Analyzed data were after the evaluation worked up into the form of graphs. The final output of this paper is the definition of the competencies of ideal project manager operating on Czech lottery market. The paper arose thanks to the project supportted by The Ministry of Education, Slovakia （Project KEGA No. 001DTI-4/2015, proposal of behavior strategies in the difficult social situations in the management of secondary school using the innovative predictive software tools） in cooperation of Dubnicky, Technological lnstitut in Dubnica nad Vahom with AG CZ, Ltd. and The Institute of Technological and Business in Ceske Budejovice.

Comparing Basic Social Competencies among Nursing Students before and during the Pandemic

Background: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the practical curriculum in over 80% of Japanese nursing universities is shorted. The study aimed to clarify the change in basic social competencies among nursing students by comparing their scores before and during the pandemic. Method: Retrospective data from 235 responses from 3rd-grade nursing students were analyzed. The data were separated into two groups—158 respondents before-pandemic and 77 respondents during-pandemic. Respondents were asked to complete a measurement scale two months after the beginning of the 3rd-grade module. Results: Our results showed the during-pandemic group’s averages were higher than the before-pandemic group’s. During the pandemic, nursing students using home-based online learning could not self-evaluate accurately because they could not practice in the field. Conclusion: Nursing students who were studying during the during-pandemic self-assessed themselves higher than those who were studying during the before-pandemic because they could not compare with the other students, and the results showed that misunderstandings may arise.

Developing an Organization Competencies Framework for SME（s） in Thailand

Employee competency is one of the important factors contributing to corporate performance. It is increasingly important and became a major focus on human resources department. Competency within the firms can be either buy or build. Current practice, multinational companies prefer to buy in competency through either buy talents from competitors or merge and/or acquisition with the aim of getting required competency in place. Buy in option might be quick option however SME（s） do not afford to follow this option therefore building competency internally is a favorable choice of option. This paper shows the results of the surveys to 770 SME（s） across three business types： manufacturing, trading and services. The results showed that SME（s） give priority and importance to planning, cultural awareness and decision-making/problem-solving competencies while stakeholder management and leadership competencies are least importance

Transversal Competencies of a Clinical Mentor in Nursing Graduate Studies

Introduction: The focus of clinical mentoring in nursing specialists is to develop both generic or transversal skills, as well as specific skills needed to assess their profile and become a graduate student under the guidance of experts. Objective: The objective of this study is to diagnose the transversal competencies of clinical mentors from the Unique Program of Nursery Specialties (UPNS) in student body training. Method: This study utilized a descriptive and phenomenological interpretative approach. Twelve informants from UPNS participated, and the variables were clinical mentoring and transversal competencies from novice and senior mentors. Two focus groups were conducted for data collection, and data analysis was performed according to Strauss and Corbin. All participants provided signed informed consent. Results: Post-analysis of qualitative data revealed three categories with subcategories. Category 1: Strengths of clinical mentors in three dimensions. Sub-categories: 1.1) PD: Academic and personal companionship;1.2) PD: Guidance with humanist focus and feedback from mentor to student in real scenarios;1.3) PD: Guidance in the teaching-learning process;1.4) DD: Integration of theoretical-practical knowledge and development of advanced abilities in nursing for clinical practice;1.5) CD: Responsibility and commitment from student’s characteristics to group’s general statements. Category 2: Competencies that lead the clinical mentor in pedagogy, discipline and generic dimensions, reported 9 subcategories six of them focused on the didactics of clinical mentors, and three on the interpersonal communication between mentors. Category 3: Opportunity areas to develop by the clinical mentor. From a mentor’s perspective, eight subcategories revealed transversal competencies that define a clinical mentor for UPNS. In this state, competencies are oriented toward the pedagogical and interpersonal communication dimensions, but central aspects are recognized between disciplines, namely, precise theoretical-practical knowledge, clinical experience in the field of specialty, certification as a specialist, and updated knowledge. Conclusions: The profile of clinical mentors from UPNS clearly identifies transversal competencies in clinical teaching and interpersonal communication, both of which are important. In terms of professional competencies, there are leaders in nursing specialty, meaning that these competencies are specific in such cases.

A Holistic Model for the Development of Entrepreneurial Competencies of the Entrepreneur XXI： The Tree Model

In the present article it will be critically questioned the traditional entrepreneurship education approaches based on a narrow conception of competency, and their values. Assuming the perspective that to be an entrepreneur is basically an attitude towards life and the world, there proposed holistic, constructivist and experiential processes and strategies for entrepreneurship education. The ＂entrepreneur XXI＂, must be able to undertake a social function of change, so, an economical and social development more human, ethical and intelligent. Under this assumption, the ＂Tree Model for the Development of Entrepreneurial Competencies＂, that will be discussed globally in the second part of this article, suggests a dynamic and experiential approach ofentrepreneurship education based on the qualification of people＇s behaviour, self-esteem, competencies and experiences; a profile of key behavioural and performance competencies （root）, experimental pedagogical procedures （trunk） and real results within group projects （fruits）. This model has been developed during the last decade （2001-2011）, using a multidisciplinary research-action procedure, within business, education （at different teaching levels） and social project environments.