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At least 721 records · Page 40Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Modifications to the National Dental Examining Board of Canada's certification process.

Following a lengthy and intense consultation with stakeholders, and an analysis of the present certification process, the National Dental Examining Board of Canada (NDEB) and the 10 provincial licensing authorities recently approved major changes to the certification process for dental licensure in Canada. As of January 1997, graduates of dental programs accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (ADA Commission) must complete successfully the same examinations as graduates of programs accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) to be licensed to practice in Canada. In addition, NDEB's examination system for graduates of dental programs that are not accredited by CDAC or the ADA Commission (i.e. international programs) will be discontinued on December 31, 1999. As of January 1, 2000, graduates of non-accredited programs will be required to complete a CDAC accredited, university-based qualifying program to be eligible to participate in the same certification process as graduates of ADA Commission and CDAC accredited dental programs.

Accreditation↗
PubMed1995

Audit of death certificates.

Information on the number and causes of death is one of the basic components of a country's health information system. Data are usually derived from death certificates and health facility discharge summaries. There are usually several causes of error in the routine collection of this information. A criteria audit of death certificates is presented to assess these sources of error in Papua New Guinea. This procedure involved the systematic and critical analysis of hospital mortality as reported in death certificates. The audit is simple, cheap and useful for monitoring the quality of the mortality information which will be used in health planning and management. Quality criteria are defined and the completeness and relevance of the data audited are discussed. Recommendations for the improvement of the health information system are made.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Certification of professional competence in critical care. Opinion survey].

This article gathers the results and conclusions derived from a survey performed by the Work Group of the SEEIUC dedicated to the development of the Professional Certificate in Intensive Care. The survey was carried out with the aim of obtaining the opinion of nursing professionals who work in Intensive Care Units, about the training and requirements which are necessary to work in these units. The questionnaires were sent to all the members of the SEEIUC and to a great number of mixed, surgical, trauma and coronary ICUs all over the country. Among the opinions which were collected, the following ones must be pointed out: specific nursing knowledgement is necessary to work in Intensive Care; experience is essential to acquire confidence and good command of the job; nursing professionals need mechanisms which help their professional development; and the Certificate Programme is accepted as a valid system which certificates professional competence.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1998

Nurse practitioner certification: benefits and drawbacks.

This article discusses the history of certification process and distinguishes and analyzes past and present uses of the certification process. It explores changes in the regulatory process and the impact on nurse licensure and evaluates past, present, and future uses of certification related to advanced practice, credentialing, and the scope of nursing practice.

Certification↗
PubMed2003

Sick-leave certificates granted to psychiatric outpatients with major depression.

We investigated to what extent and for what reasons depressive outpatients are given certificates for sick-leaves and whether there are particular factors associated with the given sick-leaves. Our retrospective case note study was based on 213 adult psychiatric outpatients with first-time documented DSM-III-R major depression. Several sociodemographic, clinical, and treatment characteristics were detected during the follow-up of 3 months' medical care. This information was related to official registers of granted sick-leave certificates with a follow-up time of 30 months for the study patients. Sick-leave certificates were granted to 61% of patients. The mean duration of time off work due to documented illness was 142 days. Eighty-seven percent of the total sum of sick-leave days was for depressive disorders. Living with someone else, being employed, and early recognition of the illness were associated with the granted sick-leaves.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Measurements for certification of chlortetracycline reference materials within the European Union Standards, Measurements and Testing programme.

The experimental design of a material certification programme is described. The matrix reference materials (RMs) comprised chlortetracycline (CTC)-containing and CTC-free lyophilised porcine liver, kidney and muscle produced under the European Commission's Standards Measurements and Testing (SMT) programme. The aim of the certification programme was to determine accurately and precisely the concentration of CTC and 4-epi-chlortetracycline (epi-CTC) contained in the RMs. A multi-laboratory approach was used to certify analyte concentrations. Participants (n = 19) were instructed to strictly adhere to previously established guidelines. Following the examination of analytical performance criteria, statistical manipulation of results submitted by 13 laboratories, (6 withdrew) allowed an estimate to be made of the true value of the analyte content. The Nalimov test was used for detection of outlying results. The Cochran and Bartlett tests were employed for testing the homogeneity of variances. The normality of results distribution was tested according to the Kolmogorov-Smirnov-Lilliefors test. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to calculate the within and between-laboratory standard deviations, the overall mean and confidence interval for the CTC and epi-CTC content of each of the RMs. Certified values were within or very close to the target concentration ranges specified in the SMT contract. These studies have demonstrated the successful production and certification of CTC-containing and CTC-free porcine RMs.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Certification of trace and major elements and methylmercury concentrations in a macroalgae (Fucus sp.) reference material, IAEA-140.

A marine reference material, IAEA-140, prepared with a macroalgae (Fucus sp.) was recently produced by the International Atomic Energy Agency and certified for trace and major elements and for methylmercury (MeHg). Certification of this material was achieved as an outcome of an international analytical intercomparison study which resulted in 116 independent sets of results reported by participants from 54 countries. The statistical evaluation of the collected data and the criteria used for assignment of the mean and uncertainty values are described. The analysis of data allowed to certify concentration values for 24 elements and MeHg, and to provide information values for another 10 elements. Regarding the elements which could be given certified values, between two and eight different instrumental methods were used to measure metal concentrations, and four independent analytical procedures were used to measure MeHg concentrations. In order to assess the results of the certification procedure, a comparison was made between the certified values obtained from the world-wide intercomparison results and the values obtained from a small subgroup of well-qualified laboratories. The means and 95% confidence intervals for reference values obtained by the two methods are similar for most elements showing that the usual method of certification used by the IAEA, based on large groups of participants, is indeed pertinent.

Environmental Pollutants↗
PubMed2001

An alternative method for the certification of the sulfur mass fraction in coal Standard Reference Materials.

The S mass fractions of coal SRMs 2682b, 2684b, and 2685b are certified by direct comparison with coal SRMs 2682a, 2684a, and 2685a, respectively, using high-temperature combustion analysis with infrared (IR) absorption detection. The S mass fractions of the "a" materials used for calibration were previously determined by means of isotope-dilution thermal-ionization mass spectrometry (ID-TIMS). Therefore, the comparisons performed with the combustion-IR absorption method establish direct traceability links to accurate and precise ID-TIMS measurements. The expanded uncertainties associated with the certified S mass fractions are of approximately the same magnitude as would be expected for the ID-TIMS methodology. An important aspect of these certifications is that each "b" material is essentially identical with the corresponding "a" material, because both were produced from the same bulk, homogenized coal. As a test of the efficacy of the new certification approach when calibrant and unknown are not identical, the S mass fraction of coal SRM 2683b has been determined by direct comparison to coal SRM 2683a. These two coals, which have both previously been analyzed with ID-TIMS, are different in terms of S content and other properties. Whereas the S mass fraction for SRM 2683b determined with the new methodology agrees statistically with the ID-TIMS value, there is reason for caution in such cases. In addition to the usefulness of the alternative approach for certification activities within NIST, this approach might also be an excellent way of establishing NIST traceability during the value assignment process for reference materials not issued by NIST. Further research is needed, however, to understand better the scope of applicability.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Preparation and certification of a reference material on PCBs in pig fat and its application in quality control in monitoring laboratories during the Belgian "PCB-crisis".

In this article, the production and validation of a new certified reference material "PCBs in animal fat" for the control of the maximum level of 200 ng/g setup by the European Communities for veterinary products from Belgium is described. Three materials are established: a blank, one material with about 100 ng/g and one with about 200 ng/g (sum of seven PCBs). Data on the production and certification are given. Additionally, this material was used as an unknown test material in the quality assurance program of the Belgium meat monitoring system (before the certification of the material). While the certification was performed with an uncertainty of less than 10%, the round robin exhibited larger deviations. However, these deviations were less than 20% for most of the 30 participating laboratories. Only two had significantly higher deviations.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Certification of a long-term sampling system for PCDFs and PCDDs in the flue gas from industrial facilities.

AMESA (adsorption method for sampling of dioxins) is a fully automatic system for long term monitoring of dioxin emissions from industrial processes based on the adsorption method. The system has been tested and undergoing a certification procedure according to the German guidelines for certification of systems for continuous monitoring of special substances. The certification covered parameters such as disposability of the system, reproducibility of the results and comparability of the sampling method with German and European standard methods. Furthermore break through, blanks and sample storability were investigated. The results prove that AMESA is a state of the art sampling system for continuous monitoring of dioxin/furan emissions.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2003

Certification of the European Reference Soil Set (IRMM-443--EUROSOILS). Part II. Soil-pH in suspensions of water and CaCl2.

IRMM-443 re-groups a set of six European Reference Soils (EUROSOILS), which had been certified for their adsorption coefficients for atrazine, 2,4-D and lindane (Certification of the European Reference Soil Set (IRMM-443-EUROSOILS)-Part I. Adsorption coefficients for atrazine, 2,4-D and lindane. Sci Total Environ, in press). The certification of these parameters was complemented by an additional certification of pH in suspension as well by the determination of indicative values for total nitrogen, organic and total carbon content. While Part I explained the principles of the value assignment process and discussed their application to the adsorption coefficients, Part II presents the certified values for pH as well as the indicative values for N(tot), C(tot) and C(org). In addition, the assessment of uncertainty components for stability and homogeneity, which have been included in the final uncertainty budget, is discussed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Factors associated with CPR certification within an elderly community.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of CPR certification amongst residents living within a predominantly elderly community and examine the perceived barriers to learning basic CPR and factors associated with intent to become certified. METHODS: A household survey was sent with a community newsletter to each home of a non-gated elderly community that requires one member of each household to be at least 55 years of age. The community consists of 2488 homes (approximately 4000 residents). Thirteen Yes/No questions were asked in a skip-pattern based upon the question: "Are you CPR certified?" Data analysis included univariate, bivariate, and logistic regression. RESULTS: 947 participants with a mean age of 69 completed and returned the survey. Forty-eight percent of the participants had received prior training in CPR. Eighty-four percent were not currently certified in CPR, and top reasons cited were: 'don't know why' (36%), 'lack of interest' (20%), 'concerned about health risks' (17%). Forty-six percent of those not certified desired certification. Increasing age was inversely associated with CPR certification status and the desire to be certified. CONCLUSION: Almost half of the residents in this predominantly elderly community had received prior training in CPR, although most were not currently certified and cite significant specific and non-specific reasons and obstacles. Improved survival requires targeted interventions to achieve higher proportions of CPR-competent individuals in such high-risk communities.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Epidemiological function of BD8 certification.

The quality of information collected during certification for blindness and partial sight was assessed using a combination of review of the literature on registration and analysis of 17,695 BD8 certificates received by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) between June and November 1990. Three problems were identified which affect the epidemiological function of these data: interpretation of the definitions of blindness and partial sight has changed over time; the degree of under-certification is unknown (although it could be as high as 64% for blind and 77% for partially sighted people); and the cause of visual disability recorded by the ophthalmologist may not always be adequately transmitted into the statistical analyses. Guidelines for completion of part 5 of the BD8 form need to be developed. Strategies for improving the quality of these data are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Ochratoxin A in wheat: certification of two reference materials.

The preparation of two wheat reference materials and the certification of their ochratoxin A content is described. The materials were prepared and certified within the European Commission. Measurements and Testing Programme (M&T). The first and second phases of this project, two intercomparisons of procedures for the determination of ochratoxin A in wheat, at levels of approximately 13 micrograms/kg, and 7 micrograms/kg, respectively have already been reported. This paper describes the work carried out in certification of the ochratoxin A content (mass fraction) of two wheat reference materials: a blank wheat CRM 471, and a contaminated wheat, CRM 472. These materials were prepared for use in the second intercomparison referred to above and reported previously. Reference material CRM 472 was prepared from naturally-contaminated wheat blended with the blank wheat (CRM 471). Details are given of the milling, blending and packaging procedure, and the checks to ensure homogeneity and stability of the material. The certification exercise was carried out by 15 laboratories using a variety of extraction and clean-up procedures, and the certified ochratoxin A content (mass fraction) of CRM 471 was < 0.6 microgram/kg. The value for CRM 472 was 8.2 micrograms/kg with an uncertainty of 1.0 microgram/kg.

Calibration↗
PubMed2001

Internet Program Development Leading to Certification in Substance Abuse Prevention.

The purpose of this project was to develop a multidisciplinary educational program that would provide information needed to work more efficiently in substance abuse prevention and prepare the learner for certification examination. Because prevention service providers are scattered throughout the state, country, and global community, an educational program had to be easily accessible. The solution was to develop a web-based curriculum that could be accessed anywhere in the world. One that would meet not only state requirements, but also would conform to international certification criteria. Qualitative analysis was used to categorize broad content areas of university course offerings, core functions considered vital by the state, and various educational programs in substance abuse throughout the country. As themes and subthemes emerged, clusters of essential components were retrieved and divided into four groupings. These groupings later translated into four distinct modules, each containing four to six components of study. A pilot group of 17 people were recruited throughout the state. These service providers took the web-based program over a period of 3 months and then participated in a special administration of an international certification exam. Results showed a 94% pass rate for the pilot group as compared with a national 32%.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Certification of highly complex safety-related systems.

The BIA has now 15 years of experience with the certification of complex electronic systems for safety-related applications in the machinery sector. Using the example of machining centres this presentation will show the systematic procedure for verifying and validating control systems using Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and microcomputers for safety functions. One section will describe the control structure of machining centres with control systems using "integrated safety." A diverse redundant architecture combined with crossmonitoring and forced dynamization is explained. In the main section the steps of the systematic certification procedure are explained showing some results of the certification of drilling machines. Specification reviews, design reviews with test case specification, statistical analysis, and walk-throughs are the analytical measures in the testing process. Systematic tests based on the test case specification, Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI), and environmental testing, and site acceptance tests on the machines are the testing measures for validation. A complex software driven system is always undergoing modification. Most of the changes are not safety-relevant but this has to be proven. A systematic procedure for certifying software modifications is presented in the last section of the paper.

Electronics↗
PubMed2003

Sickness certification practices of physicians: a review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: In most Western countries the responsibilities of physicians include assessing work ability and issuing certificates for sickness absence and disability pension. These tasks often have a substantial impact on the lives of patients and constitute a financial burden on employers, insurance companies, and communities. AIM: The aim was to review scientific studies on sickness certification practices of physicians published in English, Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish. METHOD: Analyses were carried out of studies searched for through literature databases, reference lists, and personal contacts. RESULTS: Twenty-six publications fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Most of these were published in the last decade. The studies focused on physicians, and occasionally on physicians and patients, but never on interaction between them. Data had generally been collected using questionnaires, some including case vignettes. There was a large variation in how long different physicians sickness-certified similar patients. Three comprehensive categories of studies were identified dealing with the following: (1). how physicians certify sickness; (2). factors that might affect the certification process; (i.e. elements related to the patient, to the physician, or to restrictions in insurance legislation); and (3). studies concerning attitudes. No studies were found that took into account the work conditions of the hospital or health-care organization in which the physician works. CONCLUSIONS: The research problems were seldom medical in nature but were instead carried out within the realm of behavioural science and should preferably be conducted using theories from behavioural, social, and public health scientific theories. Furthermore, factors such as gender, ethnicity, and power should be taken into consideration in studies on this complex phenomenon.

Disability Evaluation↗
PubMed1995

The use of case histories to explore concepts of disease, illness and sickness certification.

A questionnaire with 12 case histories was constructed to investigate views on sickness certification and concepts of disease and illness among GPs and laymen. It was mailed to random samples of 436 Norwegian GPs and 600 Norwegians, stratified for gender, age and residence. Response rates were low, 44% for doctors, and 54% for laymen, probably indicating that the method was more suitable for smaller surveys. Case histories could be used to compare views of GPs and laymen on the concepts of disease and illness. They were also useful in examining views on sickness certification, but, in that case, they probably only reveal what respondents thought should be done. From this study it was not safe to conclude how often, and for what medical conditions doctors would issue sickness certificates in practice. ICPC was useful for coding diagnostic suggestions, set by GPs, but will be more useful after inclusion of criteria and more extensive synonym lists.

Abstracting and Indexing↗