Competencies

[apocalypse]

Hi all,

I know this is a topic thats been up before.
I am preparing my portfolio and I need help with something:

Competences:
Knowledge
Skills
Personal Qualities/Attributes

I need help understanding these things. If I perform a competency I need to show that I can demonstrate the above. Obviously, knowledge - course, pre-reading etc etc. Skills - the ability to perfom the task, Personal Quality - I dont understand that.

Appreciate your help

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[gcoe]

Hi apocalypse

I am not quite sure what Ireland requires re: qualities. However in our part of the world competencies consist of knowledge skills and attitudes - so I would assume attitudes = personal qualities. For example "providing empathy to build rapport in the patient interview" involves a number of communication skills but it is also an attitude )I care and am concerned about you and your problem you are facing) which if one doesn't already possess, can take quite a lot of learning to acquire. Knowledge and skills are relatively easier to acquire whereas attitudes are much harder to teach and learn, and require a good deal of reflection. Attitudes also often have an emotional quality which can be more personally challenging for both educator and learner

Coming back to the "providing empathy to build rapport into the patient interview" example: if one has difficulty with it - the assessor/educator often finds it "jarring" when poorly practised but can be find it difficult to communicate how to improve matters. Often chipping away at the subtle skills involved eg matching eye contact and non verbal behaviour, and giving reassuring indicators to the patient to continue talking, are subtle skills you can acquire that when practised on mass can be ways to acquire the attitude. Punctuality could be another - it may involve time management as a skill but the attitude of caring about the patient or workplace is displayed by you consistently being available at the right time.

knowledge and skills often relate to the clinical competencies one needs to acquire. Whereas skills attitudes may relate generic or professional competencies - that is things that are not unique to physios but are shared by all health professionals: good patient communication, cultural competence, commitment to life long learning etc.

[apocalypse]

Hi apocalypse

I am not quite sure what Ireland requires re: qualities. However in our part of the world competencies consist of knowledge skills and attitudes - so I would assume attitudes = personal qualities. For example "providing empathy to build rapport in the patient interview" involves a number of communication skills but it is also an attitude )I care and am concerned about you and your problem you are facing) which if one doesn't already possess, can take quite a lot of learning to acquire. Knowledge and skills are relatively easier to acquire whereas attitudes are much harder to teach and learn, and require a good deal of reflection. Attitudes also often have an emotional quality which can be more personally challenging for both educator and learner

Coming back to the "providing empathy to build rapport into the patient interview" example: if one has difficulty with it - the assessor/educator often finds it "jarring" when poorly practised but can be find it difficult to communicate how to improve matters. Often chipping away at the subtle skills involved eg matching eye contact and non verbal behaviour, and giving reassuring indicators to the patient to continue talking, are subtle skills you can acquire that when practised on mass can be ways to acquire the attitude. Punctuality could be another - it may involve time management as a skill but the attitude of caring about the patient or workplace is displayed by you consistently being available at the right time.

knowledge and skills often relate to the clinical competencies one needs to acquire. Whereas skills attitudes may relate generic or professional competencies - that is things that are not unique to physios but are shared by all health professionals: good patient communication, cultural competence, commitment to life long learning etc.

GCOE,

You're a legend. Perfect exactly what I wanted and it was in relation to communication also which is a major CPD priority for me.

If you have any more advice, reading material and references to communication especially in relation to my colleagues, conflict, etc - I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks again for your help. I'm delighted.