RESUMO
PURPOSE: This article examines factors within the long-term-care work environment that impact the effectiveness of continuing education. DESIGN AND METHODS: In Study 1, focus group interviews were conducted with staff and management from urban and rural long-term-care facilities in southwestern Ontario to identify their perceptions of the workplace factors that affect transfer of learning into practice. Thirty-five people were interviewed across six focus groups. In Study 2, a Delphi technique was used to refine our list of factors. Consensus was achieved in two survey rounds involving 30 and 27 participants, respectively. RESULTS: Management support was identified as the most important factor impacting the effectiveness of continuing education. Other factors included resources (staff, funding, space) and the need for ongoing expert support. IMPLICATIONS: Organizational support is necessary for continuing education programs to be effective and ongoing expert support is needed to enable and reinforce learning.
Assuntos
Educação Continuada , Assistência de Longa Duração , Técnica Delphi , Grupos Focais , Avaliação de Programas e Projetos de SaúdeRESUMO
The Thames Valley Children's Centre, a regional Children's Rehabilitation Centre, was determined to assess the extent to which its Vision ("Our Clients at Their Best") was being achieved. With a sample of 50 former clients, and utilizing a specially constructed survey tool based on the important life outcomes literature, they found that they were attaining their vision for a significant proportion of the participants. They also learned about the differing expectations of the role which the Centre should play.
Assuntos
Benchmarking , Crianças com Deficiência/reabilitação , Avaliação de Resultados em Cuidados de Saúde , Qualidade de Vida/psicologia , Centros de Reabilitação/organização & administração , Adolescente , Atitude Frente a Saúde , Criança , Crianças com Deficiência/psicologia , Feminino , Pesquisas sobre Atenção à Saúde , Humanos , Masculino , Ontário , Objetivos Organizacionais , Satisfação Pessoal , Centros de Reabilitação/normas , AutoeficáciaRESUMO
PURPOSE: This review of the literature examines the effectiveness of continuing education programs in long-term care facilities. DESIGN AND METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was made for evaluation studies and included computerized bibliographic databases, manual searches of journals, the bibliographies of retrieved articles, and information from key informants. RESULTS: Forty-eight studies met our selection criteria. Rigorous research in this area has been limited. Because of the lack of follow-up evaluation, there is minimal evidence that knowledge gained from training programs is sustained in the long term. Most studies do not consider organizational and system factors when planning and implementing training initiatives. This may account for difficulties encountered in the sustained transfer of knowledge to practice. IMPLICATIONS: There is a need for further rigorous research on the effectiveness of continuing education in long-term care, with systematic attention to the role of organizational and system factors.
