Continuous professional development echocardiography training in South Africa

[摘要] English: Echocardiography is recognised as a highly valuable diagnostic tool, and a vast amountof information can be gathered using the procedure. The field of echocardiography hasenjoyed rapid technological advances over the last few decades. The operatordependentnature of the technique and the comprehensive knowledge needed toperform a complete and clinically useful study requires maintenance of skills to ensurecompetence in performing the procedure.In South Africa, the requirements for continuous development (CPD) only specify CPD ingeneral and not field-specific CPD, although the HPCSA recognises and endorses CPD asa means of ensuring provision of best possible practice to the public. This lack of fieldspecificCPD for echocardiography provided evidence for the need to investigate thepossible prerequisites for CPD of echocardiography training in South Africa.The overall goal of the study was to determine what is needed to implementechocardiography-specific CPD, and how it can be implemented.A literature study was done to gain a deeper understanding of CPD with reference tohealth professionals and specifically echocardiography. A questionnaire was compiled,considering some barriers that were identified and which affect compliance with CPDregulations. The questionnaire was compiled electronically and printed in a hard copyusing the Evasys system. The target population was echocardiographers who attend theannual New Horizons in Echocardiography congress during 2016, and echocardiographypractitioners who were involved through reference from the attendees of the NewHorizons in Echocardiography congress.The study revealed that improved communication and access to continuous professionaldevelopment activities, with specific reference to practical hands-on activities, were themain needs of echocardiographers. It also revealed that formal accreditation and trainingneeds to be monitored more closely and that most echocardiographers did not feel upto date with the latest technology and procedures in the field. Although there were somelimitations during this study, it was evident that CPD accreditors, and CPD serviceproviders need to plan, organise and provide information in advance forechocardiography practitioners to plan and be able to attend the CPD activities.Addressing the needs of echocardiography practitioners with regard to CPD willcontribute positively not only towards the workplace and profession, but to thecommunity at large.

[发布机构] University of the Free State