Asadoorian Joanna, Locker David
School of Dental Hygiene, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
J Dent Educ. 2006 Sep;70(9):965-71.
Quality assurance (QA) and continuing competence (CC) programs aim to ensure acceptable levels of health care provider competence, but it is unknown which program methods most successfully achieve this goal. The objectives of the study reported in this article were to compare two distinct QA/CC programs of Canadian dental hygienists and assess the impact of these two programs on practice behavior change, a proxy measure for quality. British Columbia (BC) and Ontario (ON) were compared because the former mandates continuing education (CE) time requirements. A two-group comparison survey design using a self-administered questionnaire was implemented in randomly selected samples from two jurisdictions. No statistical differences were found in total activity, change opportunities, or change implementation, but ON study subjects participated in significantly more activities that yielded change opportunities and more activities that generated appropriate change implementation, meaning positive and correct approaches to providing care, than BC dental hygienists. Both groups reported implementing change to a similarly high degree. The findings suggest that ON dental hygienists participated in more learning activities that had relevancy to their practice and learning needs than did BC subjects. The findings indicate that the QA program in ON may allow for greater efficiency in professional learning.
质量保证（QA）和持续能力（CC）计划旨在确保医疗保健提供者的能力达到可接受水平，但尚不清楚哪种计划方法最能成功实现这一目标。本文所报告研究的目的是比较加拿大牙科保健员的两种不同的QA/CC计划，并评估这两种计划对实践行为改变的影响，实践行为改变是质量的一种替代指标。对不列颠哥伦比亚省（BC）和安大略省（ON）进行了比较，因为前者规定了继续教育（CE）的时间要求。采用自我管理问卷的两组比较调查设计在来自两个司法管辖区的随机抽样样本中实施。在总活动、改变机会或改变实施方面未发现统计学差异，但与BC省牙科保健员相比，安大略省的研究对象参与了更多能产生改变机会的活动，以及更多能带来适当改变实施的活动，即提供护理的积极且正确的方法。两组报告的改变实施程度相似。研究结果表明，与BC省的研究对象相比，安大略省的牙科保健员参与了更多与其实践和学习需求相关的学习活动。研究结果表明，安大略省的QA计划可能会提高专业学习的效率。
