Methodological approaches to estimating of professional competence of laboratory specialists at medical and preventive organizations and the federal service for supervision of consumer protection and welfare (Rospotrebnadzor) for microscopic detection of agents of zoonotic helminthosis in biological material
Based on the results of microscopic detection of zoonotic agents using virtualization preparations of distance education technologies the laboratory specialists of medical and preventive organizations of the Ministry of Health of the RF and Centers for Hygiene and Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor discuss methodological approaches to the estimation of their professional competence in laboratory diagnostic of parasitic diseases in human. The estimation of the above mentioned competence is possible when the following issues are solved: - methods and techniques for assessment of formed competencies; - requirements for assessment tools used for the determination of results’ validity; - methodological basis for assessment of formed professional competencies from the viewpoint of integration of education with practical health care regarding the application of knowledge, skills and abilities in the process of conducting a complex of measures in the forming and functioning foci of zoonotic helminth infections. Based on the above a question arises sharply in relation to assessment criteria for professional competence of laboratory specialists working in the field of microscopic diagnosis of zoohelminthosis. That is shown at the example of quality assessment in the determination of 9 species of the most spread agents of zoonotic helminthosis (of two taxonomic groups) in virtual drugs of distance learning technologies. The specialists of 757 laboratories of medical and preventive organizations as well as hygiene and epidemiology centers of various regions of Russian Federation are involved in this research study. Only 57 % of 7849 processed answers related to the determination of zoonotic agents contained correct diagnoses. The other 43 % of the answers were incorrect. The results point at the insufficient competence of laboratory specialists of medical and preventive organizations and centers for hygiene and epidemiology who are involved in microscopic determination of zoonotic helminthosis agents in biological material (feces). It should be pointed out that the competence of the above mentioned category of specialists is constantly decreasing. A complex of emergency measures is required to improve the pregraduate and postgraduate education in specialty «Parasitology» as well as to develop the methodological approaches for estimating specialists’ competence. A four- level evaluation of competence along with the specification of characteristics of each level has been suggested.