Department of Family Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.
S Afr Fam Pract (2004). 2024 Aug 7;66(1):e1-e7. doi: 10.4102/safp.v66i1.5963.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic triggered unprecedented disruptions to continuing professional development (CPD) activities, which are essential for healthcare professionals (HCPs) to stay abreast on best practices, current knowledge and emerging technologies, ultimately enhancing patient care. Audiologists encountered multiple challenges during the pandemic, necessitating adaptations and innovations in their CPD practices. While literature was published during the pandemic on shifting education systems to online platforms, little is known about its impact on the CPD of young audiologists working in the private sector.
A descriptive, qualitative research design was adopted to collect rich data from 11 audiologists using online semi-structured interviews which were thematically analysed using Braun and Clark's steps.
COVID-19 brought about both positive adaptations and negative disruptions to the CPD activities of young audiologists. Eight major themes were identified in this study. These include (1) the adoption of online learning, (2) improved flexibility, (3) cost-effectiveness, (4) diverse learning opportunities, (5) keeping current, (6) isolation and networking, (7) limited interactivity and (8) uncertain quality assurance.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a considerable influence on the CPD activities of young audiologists in the private sector. While presenting significant challenges, including disruptions to traditional learning modalities, the pandemic also catalysed innovation and adaptation within the profession.Contribution: This study highlights the resilience exhibited by young audiologists towards their CPD and also provides actionable insights for informing professional development initiatives, tailored to the evolving needs of audiologists in the post-COVID-19 era.
2019 年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行导致继续教育（CPD）活动出现前所未有的中断，这对于医疗保健专业人员（HCP）跟上最佳实践、当前知识和新兴技术至关重要，最终提高患者护理水平。听力学家在大流行期间遇到了多种挑战，需要对其 CPD 实践进行调整和创新。虽然在大流行期间有文献发表了关于将教育系统转移到在线平台的内容，但对于在私营部门工作的年轻听力学家的 CPD 影响知之甚少。
采用描述性、定性研究设计，通过在线半结构化访谈从 11 名听力学家那里收集丰富的数据，使用 Braun 和 Clark 的步骤对主题进行分析。
COVID-19 给年轻听力学家的 CPD 活动带来了积极的适应和负面的干扰。本研究确定了 8 个主要主题。这些包括：（1）采用在线学习；（2）提高灵活性；（3）成本效益；（4）多样化的学习机会；（5）保持最新；（6）隔离和网络；（7）有限的互动性；（8）质量保证不确定。
COVID-19 大流行对私营部门年轻听力学家的 CPD 活动产生了重大影响。虽然带来了包括传统学习模式中断在内的重大挑战，但大流行也推动了该行业的创新和适应。贡献：本研究强调了年轻听力学家在 CPD 方面表现出的弹性，也为制定专业发展计划提供了可行的见解，以满足 COVID-19 后时代听力学家不断变化的需求。
