The fifth International Day of Education was celebrated on the 24th of January this year under the theme ‘to invest in people, prioritise education’. The day was first proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2018 to celebrate the role of education for peace and development.
The International Day of Education was created to direct attention towards the most important changes that have to be made in the world so that everyone’s fundamental right to education can be realised and so people can facilitate a future that is more inclusive, peaceful, and sustainable. This is why the main purpose of the day is to campaign for education improvement reforms, as well as a better access to education for everyone.
As providers of professional healthcare training courses, we at HCPI fully realise the major importance that health education in particular holds for cultivating community wellness.
This is becoming increasingly obvious as we keep facing a growing shortage of experienced and appropriately trained staff within the healthcare field. According to reports, there is currently a shortage of about 4,200 full-time equivalent GPs, which is expected to rise to around 8,900 in 2030/31 (relative to the number of GPs needed to meet the growing demand for care).
As we have mentioned before, one of the proposed strategies for coping with the shortage is by introducing healthcare professionals such as pharmacists to patient-facing roles, expanding the role of nurses within general practice, etc. However, in order for this strategy to be patient-safe and effective, it must be ensured that these professionals have acquired the needed competencies and skills as part of their continuous professional education.
Furthermore, as the healthcare field is constantly growing and evolving, techniques and technologies considered ‘best practice’ can vary dramatically from decade to decade. This is why continuous education is not only pivotal for healthcare staff looking to expand their practice, but for absolutely all healthcare professionals.
A good example to support both points outlined above is the practice of earwax removal. As the service is no longer offered at GP practices, more and more people are turning to healthcare providers such as nurses and pharmacists for advice and treatment. However, to ensure these professionals are able to carry out the procedures up to the required standard, they need to undergo adequate training.
This is especially true since there are no official regulations to say who’s allowed to perform the treatments and who’s not, which can easily result in unsafe practice, creating an even stronger need for continuous professional education in this area of healthcare.
Earwax removal is also a good example of an area in healthcare which utilises technology and techniques that are constantly changing and evolving, requiring the professionals involved to continuously update their skillsets.
Water irrigation, for example, which is one of the available methods for removal of wax, used to be performed using a jet of water to flush the earwax out. Now, however, the method is carried out using an updated and much safer version of the tool called an ear irrigator, which controls the temperature and flow of the water for additional precision.
International Day of Education 2023’s theme calls out for prioritising education as a means of investing in people. Indeed, prioritising your education is not only a way to invest in others and benefit society, but it is also one of the best ways in which you can invest in yourself as an individual.
If you are a healthcare professional who’s passionate about continuous education and would like to expand your skillset and expertise, why not have a look at Healthcare Professional Institute’s range of training courses? They are carried out by expert trainers and combine theoretical and hands-on learning to make your educational experience as comprehensive and effective as possible.
Click the button below to browse our range!
As a healthcare professional, have you ever considered the impact that being able to take ear impressions could have on your practice? Whether you’re an
We are excited to announce a significant change at the Healthcare Professional Institute (HCPI). Formerly known as Meduc8ion, we have changed our name to better
