Domains, tasks, and knowledge for health informatics practice: results of a practice analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a comprehensive and current description of what health informatics (HI) professionals do and what they need to know. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six independent subject-matter expert panels drawn from and representative of HI professionals contributed to the development of a draft HI delineation of practice (DoP). An online survey was distributed to HI professionals to validate the draft DoP. A total of 1011 HI practitioners completed the survey. Survey respondents provided domain, task, knowledge and skill (KS) ratings, qualitative feedback on the completeness of the DoP, and detailed professional background and demographic information. RESULTS: This practice analysis resulted in a validated, comprehensive, and contemporary DoP comprising 5 domains, 74 tasks, and 144 KS statements. DISCUSSION: The HI practice analysis defined "health informatics professionals" to include practitioners with clinical (eg, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy), public health, and HI or computer science training. The affirmation of the DoP by reviewers and survey respondents reflects the emergence of a core set of tasks performed and KSs used by informaticians representing a broad spectrum of those currently practicing in the field. CONCLUSION: The HI practice analysis represents the first time that HI professionals have been surveyed to validate a description of their practice. The resulting HI DoP is an important milestone in the maturation of HI as a profession and will inform HI certification, accreditation, and education activities.

A Competency Framework for the Practice of Psychology: Procedures and Implications.

OBJECTIVE: Several competency models for training and practice in professional psychology have been proposed in the United States and Canada. Typically, the procedures used in developing and finalizing these models have involved both expert working groups and opportunities for input from interested parties. What has been missing, however, are empirical data to determine the degree to which the model reflects the views of members of the profession as a whole. METHOD: Using survey data from 466 licensed or registered psychologists (approximately half of whom completed one of two versions of the survey), we examined the degree to which psychologists, both those engaged primarily in practice and those involved in doctoral training, agreed with the competency framework developed by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards' Practice Analysis Task Force (Rodolfa et al., 2013). RESULTS: When distinct time points in training and licensure or registration were considered (i.e., entry-level supervised practice in practicum settings, advanced-level supervised practice during internship, entry level independent practice, and advanced practice), there was limited agreement by survey respondents with the competency framework's proposal about when specific competencies should be attained. In contrast, greater agreement was evident by respondents with the competency framework when the reference point was focused on entry to independent practice (i.e., the competencies necessary for licensure or registration). CONCLUSION: We discuss the implications of these findings for the development of competency models, as well as for the implementation of competency requirements in both licensure or registration and training contexts.

Competencies in hand therapy.

The Hand Therapy Certification Commission, Inc., in consultation with the Professional Examination Service, completed a practice analysis of hand therapy in 2001. One goal was to obtain information about the competencies shown by therapists at specific points of experience. Six competency areas were identified and included in the final survey: scientific knowledge, clinical judgment/clinical reasoning, technical skills, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and resource management. Certified Hand Therapists (CHTs) in the United States and Canada participated in the survey. All six competencies were rated moderately or highly critical to professional effectiveness. Thirty hypothesized behavioral progressions (from novice to expert) were included; 27 were validated by the results, indicating that CHTs show competence that is unique and increases over time. Potential uses of these results by CHTs and hand therapy organizations are proposed, especially in regard to candidate eligibility, self-assessment by CHTs, and planning for continuing education.

A new practice analysis of hand therapy.

The Hand Therapy Certification Commission, Inc. (HTCC) conducted a role delineation in 2001 to characterize current practice in the profession of hand therapy. Building upon previous HTCC studies of practice (i.e., Chai, Dimick & Kasch, 1987; Roth, Dimick, Kasch, Fullenwider & Taylor, 1996), subject matter experts identified the clinical behaviors, knowledge, and technical skills needed by hand therapists. A large scale survey was conducted with therapists across the United States and Canada who rated the clinical behaviors, knowledge, and technical skills in terms of their relevance to practice, and provided information about their own patient populations. A high survey return rate (72%) was indicative of the professional commitment of CHTs to their profession. Results of the survey are discussed and practice trends are identified. A new test outline for the Hand Therapy Certification Examination was created based on the results of the survey, and the 1987 Definition and Scope of Hand Therapy was revised.