Assessment of Tobacco Cessation Competency in Select US Healthcare Programs

Audience: Healthcare educators and providers would benefit from this examination of tobacco dependence education (TDE) and discussion or expected levels of clinical competency graduates should be able to demonstrate upon graduation.

Key Points:

This presentation will:

1) Review the assessment of tobacco treatment competency levels from two national surveys in dental hygiene and physician assistant programs. To assess these levels, a 51 question survey was mailed to all accredited dental hygiene programs (283) between 2007 and 2008. An adaptation of the dental hygiene survey was sent to all accredited physician assistant programs (141) between 2008 and 2009.

 2) Explore the competency level of tobacco dependence treatment healthcare students should be able to demonstrate upon graduation. Levels of Competency were defined as: Minimal (1-3 minutes: Ask, Advise, refer to quitline); Moderate (5-15 minutes: 5A’s and 5R’s); Intensive (20+ minutes: multiple sessions, 5A’s and 5R’s). Though minutes spent on specific topics varied between the dental hygiene and physician assistant programs, respondents consistently expected their graduating students to be able to competently provide a moderate level of tobacco dependence treatment.

Educational Experience: Following a review of the survey results using a lecture format, the audience will be encouraged to explore and discuss appropriate levels of clinical competency healthcare providers should be able to demonstrate upon graduation as well as needed curricular changes to reach that goal.

Benefits: An awareness of desired expectations when assessing didactic goals and clinical competencies may prove beneficial for healthcare faculty and adjunct clinicians when crafting future tobacco dependence educational curricula.