Continuous professional development PDF

Preview

Summary

High Distinction...

Description

Continuous professional development (CPD) refers to the process of tracking and documenting the skills, knowledge and experience that professionals gain both formally and informally as they work. Its importance lies in that it aids in maintaining competence within a profession, keeping the standard of service very high, and delivering the best possible benefits to the individual, the profession and the public (Morgan, 2019). The Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) defines CPD as “to promote, encourage, cultivate and maintain the highest principles of practise and proficiency of medical radiation science, always mindful that the welfare of the patients should be at the centre of everything we do” (ASMIRT, 2020). They first introduced the CPD program in 1999 and made it compulsory for all their registered members in 2005 after evaluating the benefits it brought to the professionals and the profession, though it only covered professionals of medical radiation and radiation therapy. Finally, in 2012, with the introduction of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme, CPD became a mandatory regulation requirement for all medical radiation practitioners currently registered in Australia (Morgan, 2019). So, how does CPD influence the practice of the medical radiation science professionals? There is a national organisation called Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, or AHPRA, which is responsible for implementing the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (the National Scheme) across Australia. As per their requirements, MRS practitioners must complete 60 hours of CPD activities over a three-year cycle, with at least 10 hours per year and 35 of these hours are to include substantive CPD activities (MRPBA, 2015, p. 2). It has been studied by Sadler-Smith et al. (2000) that CPD has three functions that bring great benefits to MRS practitioners and they are maintenance, survival and mobility. As a practitioner, maintenance is to pursue life-long learning, survival is to show competence and mobility is to increase one’s employability. By undertaking CPD activities that are relevant to one’s field and scope of practise, it aids to maintain, develop, update and enhance knowledge, skills and performance. Reflecting upon this increased knowledge, skills and performance enables MRS practitioners to gain understanding and insights about their practise and bring them greater assurance of delivering safe health services to their patients. There are many types of CPD activities and the majority of activities in which MRS professionals participate are categorised as substantive which is compliant with AHPRA requirements. Examples of such activities are taking part in annual conferences and attending workshops run by professional organisations such as AHPRA or ASMIRT. Undertaking research and writing an article or peer reviewing articles related to one’s field of profession. Undergoing accredited training for learning a computer technique to acquire more diagnostic x-ray images or learning to work in a new radiation modality. Other activities include attending court to provide observations in case a radiographic image may become evidence in court of law, presenting your case studies at workplace meetings, and mentoring or supervising students (Giles, 2014). In conclusion, undertaking CPD activities and reflecting on them enables MRS practitioners to provide and deliver their best care to patients. It also enables a practitioner continuous learning and engagement with new developments in one’s respective field, and a competent practitioner will provide quality health care services.

References

ASMIRT. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.asmirt.org/about Giles, E. (2014). How do Medical Radiation Science educators keep up with the [clinical] Joneses? Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 61(2), 102-111. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmrs.53 Medical Radiation Practise Board of Australia. (2015). Continuing Professional Development Registration Standard. Retrieved from https://www.medicalradiationpracticeboard.gov.au/Registration-Standards.aspx Morgan, T. (2019). Continuing professional development: a complete review of the Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy program. Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 66(S1), 3-35. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmrs.324 Sadler-Smith, E., Allinson, C. W., & Hayes, J. (2000). Learning Preferences and Cognitive Style: Some Implications for Continuing Professional Development. Management Learning, 31(2), 239-256. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350507600312006...