Purpose:e Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada undertook a review of its Clinician Investigator Program (CIP), 13 years a er launching the program in response to shortages in clinical investigators. e primary study goals were to determine the outcomes, impact, strengths and weaknesses of CIP.Methods: Focus groups and telephone interviews with current and past program directors (PD) and a detailed survey of current and former trainees were conducted.irteen PD and 45% of current and former trainees from 10 CIP participated.Results: Since 1995, 12 CIP have been accredited and 553 residents have enrolled in CIP, with 194 completing CIP and residency training by 2008. PD recognized CIP as an excellent program that produces highly quali ed clinical investigators; important for faculty renewal. Both trainees and PD identi ed the need to improve CIP funding. Most (84%) CIP trainees did not have prior graduate degrees. Most alumni had completed Masters (58%) or Doctoral (39%) programs during CIP and published on their CIP research (97%). Among alumni who completed CIP and residency, many obtained an academic appointment with protected time for research, with 39% receiving an external career award. Many (60%) alumni reported no drawbacks to CIP and recognized the added values included Royal College recognition, structured training, pursuit of graduate studies, integration of clinical/research training and enhanced mentorship.
Conclusion:Since the progam's inception, the number of CIP in Canada has grown. CIP are recognized as important mechanisms for integrating clinical and research training during residency to produce highly quali ed clinician investigators.
TRAINEE SECTION
A study conducted in Sunderland investigated how staff in a private sector care home manage pressure ulcer prevention and what staff perceive to be the reasons why residents in their care develop pressure ulcers. It also identified how using a collaborative action research study design (utilizing an action research cycle with collaborative focus groups) can bring about an improvement in practice, by allowing the staff to reflect on and analyse the way they work and develop and implement strategies to provide solutions to the problems they identify.
It is recognised that early intervention in healthcare workers’ education is important in terms of embedding effective infection prevention and control knowledge into practice. One of the most important aspects of this education is hand hygiene compliance and technique expectations. This small study was undertaken in collaboration with the University of Dundee, School of Nursing and Midwifery and NHS Tayside. It explored the differences in knowledge, attitudes and practice towards hand hygiene among second and third year student nurses with the aim of reviewing and informing the development of future educational material at undergraduate level in order to continually enhance knowledge and skills and bridge the theory–practice gap. This study concluded that third year student nurses did have a slightly better knowledge base than the second years and that although knowledge, attitudes and practice were reported to be of a good standard overall, there were still some important issues that must be addressed.
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