Biomedical subjects

A E de Looy

Publications and source records attributed to A E de Looy.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Monitoring the development of clinical skills during training in a clinical placement.

BACKGROUND: The education and training of health care practitioners has undergone recent reform, and indicate that curricula should place emphasis on the development of clinical skills and attitude. The purpose of this study was two-fold: to define the key skills necessary for a competent dietetic student practitioner and to devise a reliable assessment tool to measure and track performance in these key skill areas throughout the period of clinical placement. METHODS: Key clinical skills were identified by a concensus group of experienced dietitians and academic practitioners. An assessment tool was then developed to measure these attributes in 43 students undertaking clinical placement at a number of training centres in Scotland. Development of skills was tracked for the entire duration of placements using the novel assessment tool. The assessment tool used a visual analogue scale (VAS) as the measuring score. RESULTS: A high level of skill attainment was equated with high VAS scores. Performance in three of the four key skills (written skills: r = 0.762, P </= 0.001; interviewing skills: r = 0.697, P < 0.001; and dietary assessment technique: r = 0.697, P </= 0.001) showed impressive correlation co-efficients, indicating a striking and significant positive correlation with the length of training. A high skill performance level attainment was achieved by week 16/17 of training. CONCLUSION: The authors are confident that the assessment tool is valid and reliable and measures skill performance objectively. A high level of skill attainment was observed in most students by about the mid-point in training: this allows the student to consolidate these skills in the latter stages of training which is in keeping with educational and practice philosophy of placement learning outcomes.

Clinical Competence↗

PubMed2004

The testing of clinical skills in dietetic students prior to entering clinical placement.

BACKGROUND: One of the most important requirements for contemporary education of a health care professional is to develop a framework for theory and practise which results in attainment of professional competencies suitably robust for a lifetime of practise (Howe, 2002). In the context of those educating preregistration dietitians, this offers the challenge of presenting the student with innovative curricula designed to deliver the appropriate level of knowledge and understanding together with emphasis on skill and attitude development. The purpose of this study was to allow preregistration students the opportunity to practise key clinical skills prior to clinical placement and test skills acquisition using the model of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). METHODS: The learning experience of the student was altered to accommodate a more conceptually-driven, problem-centred, case-based approach. The curriculum was adjusted to incorporate a short clinical skills programme where emphasis was deliberately placed on skill acquisition. At the conclusion of this clinical skills programme, and prior to the students entering clinical placement, skill performance by students was tested using the OSCE. The method of testing was also evaluated by students. RESULTS: The OSCE was delivered to 37 preclinical students. Four of the test candidates (11%) failed in at least one of the skill areas: these students performed similarly during clinical placement. Twenty-one (57%) students returned the post-OSCE questionnaire. Twenty (95%) students reported a positive experience; 20 (95%) students reported initial anxiety that diminished as the test progressed. CONCLUSION: The Project Team was confident with the novel approach taken in re-designing the curriculum: to include a dedicated clinical skills programme, together with addition of the testing of clinical skills using the OSCE model. These curriculum changes were deemed to be highly appropriate additions to the student experience in determination of skill performance of students prior to clinical placement.

Clinical Competence↗

PubMed2001

Weight loss in overweight subjects following low-sucrose or sucrose-containing diets.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the response by overweight individuals, counselled in a work environment, to energy-reduced diets in which the amount of sucrose-containing foods is varied. DESIGN: Two energy-reduced diets were designed as a weight-reducing programme. A low-sugar diet (LSD) providing 5% of its energy from sucrose and a sugar-containing diet (SCD) providing 10% of its energy from sucrose incorporated as sweet foods were devised. Both diets were constructed to contain about 33% of the energy from fat. The diets, designed to provide a deficit of 2.51 MJ/day (600 kcal/day) per individual, were randomly allocated to subjects in an 8 week parallel design study. SUBJECTS: Ninety-five subjects were recruited from a large service industry if they were more than 7 kg (1 stone) in weight above body mass index (BMI) 25 kg/m(2). Sixty-eight subjects completed the programme. MEASUREMENTS: Fortnightly body weight measurements were taken using calibrated scales; BMI at baseline and week 8; and nutrient intake using 2 day food record diaries at baseline and weeks 2, 4 and 8. RESULTS: Weight loss over the 8 weeks was 2.2 kg (LSD) and 3.0 kg (SCD). BMI changed from 29.2 on the LSD and 30.1 kg/m(2) SCD at baseline to 28.2 and 28.8 kg/m(2) at week 8 respectively. The actual prescribed commercially added sucrose intakes were 5% energy (LSD) or 10% energy (SCD). Reported percentage energy from fat was significantly lower on the SCD (and would seem to support the theory of an inverse relationship between fat and sugar) than on the LSD, where there was seen to be no significant reduction. There was no evidence of micronutrient dilution that could be directly attributed to the sucrose content of the diets. CONCLUSION: These results provide no justification for the exclusion of added sucrose in weight-reducing diets.

Body Mass Index↗

PubMed1992