Search Results (16)

Background: Violence against healthcare professionals is a growing public health concern. In Spain, the National Observatory of Aggressions recorded 16,866 cases in 2024, marking a 103.06% increase since 2017. This phenomenon has intensified in recent years, with serious repercussions for both the physical and psychological well-being of healthcare workers, as well as for the quality of care provided. Objectives: This descriptive study examines the knowledge, perceptions, and experiences of workplace aggression among undergraduate students at the University School of Nursing of the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria University Hospital. Materials and Methods: A self-administered ad hoc questionnaire was distributed to 266 students across all academic years to assess their knowledge and to explore their perceptions and experiences of aggression witnessed or experienced during clinical placements. This study was guided by the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. Results: The findings revealed significant educational gaps among students regarding how to manage aggressive situations, as well as high levels of concern and an aggression exposure rate exceeding 30%. A statistically significant association was also observed in relation to the academic year. Conclusions: This study provides a foundation for the development of specific training programmes tailored to the needs identified and for enhancing occupational safety in healthcare settings. Full article

Background: Ensuring the safety of patients in the operating room, through the monitoring and prevention of adverse events is a central priority of healthcare delivery. In the professionalization of operating room nurses, the processes of identifying, assessing, developing, monitoring, and certifying transversal competencies are crucial. While national and international frameworks have attempted to define such competencies, they often vary in scope and remain inconsistently integrated into education and clinical practice. There is, therefore, a need for a comprehensive and structured identification of transversal competencies relevant to both perioperative and perianesthesiological nursing roles. Objectives: To formulate a validated and structured repertoire of transversal competencies demonstrated by operating room nurses in both perioperative and perianesthesiological contexts. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was adopted, combining shadowed observation with Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA). A convenience sample of 46 participants was recruited from a university and a public hospital in Italy. Data were collected between September 2021 and June 2023 and analyzed using content analysis and data triangulation. Results: Through a qualitative, inductive and iterative approach the study identified 15 transversal competencies, 50 sub-competencies, and 153 specific tasks and activities. Specifically, operating room nurses working in perioperative and perianesthesiological roles presented the following transversal competencies: communication and interpersonal relationships, situation awareness, teamwork, problem solving and decision-making, self-awareness, coping with stressors, resilience and fatigue management, leadership, coping with emotions, task and time management, ethical and sustainable thinking, adaptation to the context, critical thinking, learning through experiences, and data, information and digital content management. Each competency was associated with specific tasks observed. Conclusions: This framework complements the existing repertoire of technical-specialist competencies by integrating essential transversal competencies. It serves as a valuable tool for the assessment, validation, and certification of competencies related to patient and professional safety, emotional well-being, relational dynamics, and social competencies. The findings underscore the need for academic institutions to revise traditional training models and embed transversal competencies in both undergraduate and postgraduate nursing education. Full article

Background: Untreated impacted wisdom teeth can lead to complications, including delayed healing and inferior alveolar nerve damage. Delayed management is further complicated by age-related comorbidities. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the management of impacted wisdom teeth in a teaching dental hospital and identify challenges faced by dental care providers. Materials and Methods: A retrospective radiographic study was conducted using data from electronic medical records and panoramic radiographs of patients. Independent variables included demographics and clinical details of wisdom teeth, such as type and presence of impaction, associated pathology, nerve proximity, second molar resorption, and extraction difficulty. The study assessed the evaluation of dental care provider practices in managing impacted wisdom teeth. Chi-square tests analyzed relationships between management type, provider level, and extraction difficulty. Results: Data from 270 panoramic radiographs and dental records were analyzed. Most cases were not managed (n = 216, 80%), irrespective of extraction difficulty or care provider level (undergraduate vs. graduate). There was no significant association between care provider levels and the type of management or between impaction difficulty and management type (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The findings highlight a lack of proper evaluation and management of impacted wisdom teeth, regardless of the provider’s experience. In hospital settings, all care providers should ensure the timely evaluation and management of impacted wisdom teeth to prevent complications. Full article

Technological advancement alongside global epidemics stimulated the widescale implementation of e-learning. However, it is reported that e-learning is in the experimental phase and still requires fundamental improvements, particularly in disciplines that go beyond theoretical knowledge. The current study examines the nexus between e-learning readiness, psychological motivation, technological skills, and employability skills among hospitality management undergraduates. It also explores the moderating effects of student engagement on the linkages among these variables. To that end, this study adopted a quantitative approach and used a self-administered questionnaire survey to collect primary data. The sample included a total of 428 participants who were recruited from undergraduates of hospitality management programs in Egyptian universities using the convenience sampling technique. Data analysis included performing PLS-SEM using Smart PLS 3.0 software. The results confirm the positive effects of psychological motivation and technological skills on both e-learning readiness and the employability skills of hospitality management undergraduates. The study also underscores the mediated role of e-learning readiness in the linkages between study predictors and outcomes. Additionally, the findings highlight the moderating effect of student engagement in supporting e-learning readiness and eventually employability skills. This study adds to the hospitality management body of knowledge and provides valuable insights for education institutions and policymakers to optimize e-learning experiences. Full article

Assessing knowledge, attitudes and practices towards evidence-based practice (EBP) is a challenge for healthcare professionals. However, the existing literature focuses on nurses working in acute hospital settings, with nurses working in community and primary healthcare settings receiving comparatively less attention. The purpose of the study was to explore factors that related to attitudes, knowledge and practice of community nurses toward EBP. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of community nurses in Greece. Community nurses around the country were invited to complete an online questionnaire during the period of February to April 2022. To measure nurses’ attitudes, practices and knowledge/skills regarding EBP, the Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire was used. A total of 164 nurses took part in the study. The mean age of nurses was 41.6 years, with 42.7% having either an MSc or a PhD degree. The overall internal consistency for the EBPQ questionnaire was 0.91. The sample demonstrated a high level of knowledge/skills (mean score of 5.5 on a 7-point scale) and positive attitudes (mean score of 5.5 on a 7-point scale) towards EBP, while the level of EBP practice was moderate (mean score of 4.5 on a 7-point scale). A higher educational level showed a positive relationship with the “practice of EBP” subscale (p = 0.005) and the “knowledge/skills about EBP” subscale (p = 0.003). Additionally, an increase in the knowledge/skills score was associated with a more positive attitude towards EBP (p < 0.001) and better practice of EBP (p = 0.003). The identification of educational level as the main factor related to the knowledge/skills and implementation of EBPs in community nurses emphasizes the necessity for educational initiatives in EBP at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Informed nurses who are familiar with current guidelines and evidence can effectively train patients about chronic disease management and prevention. Additionally, creating incentives to motivate participation in lifelong learning programs can indeed play a crucial role in enhancing the proficiency of community nurses in evidence-based practice. Full article

As new graduates are crucial in providing healthcare services in rural areas, this study aimed to identify and describe the rural facility attributes that attract medical students to apply for rural internships. A literature review and focus groups informed a discrete choice experiment conducted amongst graduating medical students at one public university in South Africa. One main effect using a mixed logit model and another main effect plus interaction model was estimated. Females (130/66.33%) of urban origin (176/89.80%) with undergraduate exposure to rural facilities (110/56.12%) were the majority. The main effects only model showed advanced practical experience, hospital safety, correctly fitting personal protective equipment, and the availability of basic resources were the strongest predictors of rural internship uptake. Respondents were willing to forgo 66% of rural allowance (ZAR 2645.92, 95% CI: 1345.90; 3945.94) for a facility offering advanced practical experience. In contrast, increased rural allowance and housing provision were weak predictors of rural work uptake. Based on the interaction model, females and those not intending to specialise preferred hospital safety compared to advanced practical experience. To improve internship recruitment, rural facility managers should provide staff with supervision, safety, and protection from occupational exposure to contractible illnesses. Full article

The photovoice literature has focused mainly on research collaborations between researchers in academia and community partners. There is limited evidence of undergraduate students facilitating photovoice research projects with underserved Black, Indigenous, and persons of color (BIPOC). Students’ participation in photovoice research increases their understanding of local issues and can empower them to engage with local communities to create change. This qualitative study explored students’ experiences facilitating photovoice research with BIPOC older adults and frontline healthcare workers. In this study, we trained college students in photovoice methodological skills by introducing photovoice as a participatory qualitative methodology, explained ethics issues and the informed consent process, and clarified the steps and requirements for the photovoice project. Students were paired with BIPOC older adults and frontline healthcare workers. They facilitated the photovoice research project in four stages. Throughout the study, students critically reflected and wrote about the various aspects of their experience facilitating the photovoice research activities based on weekly structured reflection questions. In their weekly journal, student facilitators commented on how both older and younger BIPOC participants were friendly and kind, flexible with the research activity scheduling, inspiring with their stories, and selfless. Students’ reflections indicated that their participants experienced greater emotional and psychological burdens during the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbated by the long-standing epidemic of systemic racism. Student facilitators overwhelmingly recognized participants’ resilience and perseverance despite these life challenges. Our findings highlight the importance of photovoice in developing and strengthening college students’ qualitative research skills and stimulating critical thinking and creativity, a sense of critical consciousness about social issues and society, and a sense of empowerment. Our results will be relevant to hospital/long-term care managers, policymakers, and researchers. Full article

Trauma injuries are an important healthcare problem and one of the main leading causes of death worldwide. The purpose of this review was to analyze current practices in teaching trauma management using simulations, with the aim of summarizing them, identifying gaps and providing a critical overview on what has already been achieved. A search on the Web of Science website for simulation-based trauma training articles published from 2010 onwards was performed, obtaining 1617 publications. These publications were screened to 35 articles, which were deeply analyzed, gathering the following information: the authors, the publication type, the year of the publication, the total number of citations, the population of the training, the simulation method used, the skills trained, the evaluation type used for the simulation method presented in the paper, if skills improved after the training and the context in which the simulation took place. Of the 35 articles included in this review, only a few of them had students as the target audience. The more used simulation method was a high-fidelity mannequin, in which the participants trained in more technical than non-technical skills. Almost none of the studies introduced an automated evaluation process and most of the evaluation methods consisted of checklists or questionnaires. Finally, trauma training focused more on treating trauma patients in a hospital environment than in a pre-hospital one. Overall, improvements in the evaluation method, as well as in the development of trauma training on undergraduate education, are important areas for further development. Full article

Ensuring an adequate preparation for undergraduate students transitioning to pharmacy school is challenging. A significant barrier is changing from a subordinate to a critical thinking mindset while self-identifying as a professional. Here, we aimed to (1) determine whether our prepharmacy program called “Professional Identity and Me” (PRIME) could enhance learners’ self-awareness of their professional identity and (2) compare the effectiveness of the in-person and online versions of PRIME. PRIME introduced prepharmacy students to aspects of pharmacists’ professional identity including community, hospital, and interprofessional work, as well as mental health, wellness, and time and stress management skills, Top-200 drugs, prerequisite foundational sciences, and calculations. Concepts of professionalism, graduate writing, and ownership were also presented. Bridging exercises were introduced to exemplify application. We used a mixed-methods approach to assess the outcomes. The average performance in knowledge-based assessments increased before and after the PRIME program from 53.8 to 74.6% and from 47.7 to 75.9%, while the difference in the test scores was statistically significant, with a 21% increase (p < 0.001, 95% CI 15–26%) and a 28% improvement (p < 0.001, 95% CI 23–34%) for face-to-face versus virtual PRIME. The results of a student perception survey revealed PRIME was equally effective as a virtual program during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting transferability to other pharmacy programs. Full article

Purpose: To assess whether a clinical simulation-based obstetric blood loss quantification workshop for medical undergraduate trainees improves theoretical–practical knowledge, along with self-assurance and self-confidence. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental pre-post learning study conducted at the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Unit of the Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain. Participants were volunteer students in their fourth year of a 6-year degree course in Medicine. The study period was divided into the stages: pre-workshop, intra-workshop, 2 weeks post-workshop and 6 months post-workshop. In the pre-workshop stage, students completed a brief online course in preparation for the workshop. The effectiveness of the workshop was assessed through multiple choice tests and self-administered questionnaires. Data were compared between time-points using statistical tests for paired samples. Results: Of the 142 students invited (age 21.94 ± 3.12 years), 138 accepted the offer of the workshop (97.2%), and 85.4% had no experience in managing blood loss. Between the stages pre- and 2 weeks post-workshop, significant improvements were observed in theoretical–practical knowledge (μ = 1.109), self-assurance and self-confidence. At the 6 months post-workshop stage, theoretical–practical knowledge diminished compared with 2 weeks post-workshop, returning to pre-workshop levels, while self-assurance and confidence failed to vary significantly in the longer term. Conclusions: The obstetric workshop improved theoretical–practical knowledge and the self-assurance and confidence of the medical students. Results 2 weeks post-workshop were maintained up until 6 months after the training intervention. The clinical simulation-based workshop was perceived by the students as useful and necessary. Full article

Background and Objectives: There is some evidence that knowledge and understanding of ME among doctors is limited. Consequently, an audit study was carried out on a group of hospital doctors attending a training event to establish how much they knew about ME and their attitudes towards it. Materials and Methods: Participants at the training event were asked to complete a questionnaire, enquiring about prior knowledge and experience of ME and their approaches to diagnosis and treatment. A total of 44 completed questionnaires were returned. Responses were tabulated, proportions selecting available options determined, 95% confidence limits calculated, and the significance of associations determined by Fisher’s exact test. Results: Few respondents had any formal teaching on ME, though most had some experience of it. Few knew how to diagnose it and most lacked confidence in managing it. None of the respondents who had had teaching or prior experience of ME considered it a purely physical illness. Overall, 82% of participants believed ME was at least in part psychological. Most participants responded correctly to a series of propositions about the general epidemiology and chronicity of ME. There was little knowledge of definitions of ME, diagnosis, or of clinical manifestations. Understanding about appropriate management was very deficient. Similarly, there was little appreciation of the impact of the disease on daily living or quality of life. Where some doctors expressed confidence diagnosing or managing ME, this was misplaced as they were incorrect on the nature of ME, its diagnostic criteria and its treatment. Conclusion: This audit demonstrates that most doctors lack training and clinical expertise in ME. Nevertheless, participants recognised a need for further training and indicated a wish to participate in this. It is strongly recommended that factually correct and up-to-date medical education on ME be made a priority at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It is also recommended that this audit be repeated following a period of medical education. Full article

Background: Can we create a technological solution to flexibly self-manage undergraduate General Surgery practices within hospitals? Before the pandemic, the management of clerkships was starting to depend less on checkerboards. This study aims to explore undergraduates’ perceptions of doing rotations in teaching hospitals using different teaching styles and elicit their views regarding the options of managing practices to design a mobile app that substitutes for checkerboards. Methods: In this sequential exploratory mixed methods study, 38 semi-structured interviews at a teaching hospital were conducted. The data was used to survey 124 students doing their rotations in four teaching hospitals during the first wave of COVID-19. Results: 21 themes highlighted concerns related to the practices, the teacher involvement in the students’ education, and the students’ adaptation to clinical culture. The students reported positive perceptions concerning self-managing and organizing practices via a mobile application. However, problems emerged regarding transparency, the lack of feedback, and the need for new tools. Regarding the teaching styles, the facilitator and personal models were perceived as optimal, but the personal style had no effect on using or not using a tool. Conclusions: A mobile-learning application designed like an educational opportunities’ manager tool can probably promote self-directed learning, flexible teaching, and bidirectional assessments. However, teachers who employ a personal teaching style may not need either checkerboards or a tool. This solution supports teaching at hospitals in pandemic times without checkerboards. Full article

Workforce shortages in the field of public health and healthcare are significant. Due to the limitations of career opportunities and compensation, rural hospitals and healthcare centres usually have on-going career openings for all departments. As a result, university departments of public health and healthcare management, and rural hospitals and health centres may need to establish internship and training programmes for undergraduate senior-year students in order to provide opportunities and human resource opportunities for both students and public health professions. The research examined the performance, feedback, and opinions of a university-based one-year-long on-site internship training programme between a university public health and healthcare undergraduate department and a regional hospital and healthcare centre in a rural region in the United States. Individual interview data were collected from management trainees and focus group activities data were collected from hospital departmental supervisors who have completed this one-year-long on-site internship training programme. The results offered an assessment of performance and evaluation of how a one-year-long internship programme could be beneficial to hospitals and health centres in the areas of human resources, manpower management, and skill training to prospective professionals in rural and regional communities. Also, the study provided a blueprint and alternative for universities and partnered sites to redesign and improve their current internship programmes which may better fit their needs for their actual situations. Full article

Background: Health care-associated infections (HAIs) result in treatment delays as well as failures and financial losses not only to patients but also to the treating hospital and overall health-care delivery system. Due to hospital-acquired infections, there are problems of increase in morbidity and mortality, additional diagnostic and therapeutic interventions and ultimately antimicrobial resistance. Proper understanding among health-care workers about the ill effects of HAIs is very important to address this issue. The present study is a qualitative exploration aimed at understanding various aspects of hospital environmental hygiene and Infection prevention control program, by exploring the staff perception regarding the challenges, facilitators and barriers as well as feasible measures towards improvement in a rural tertiary teaching hospital in central India. Method: A qualitative study was conducted using 10 focus group discussions (FGDs) among five different professional groups, which included hospital administrators, doctors, nurses, environmental cleaning staff, and undergraduate medical students. The FGD guide included the following topics: (1) opinion about the status of cleanliness, (2) concepts and actual practices prevailing of hospital environmental hygiene, (3) Barriers, constraints, and problems in maintaining hospital environmental hygiene, (4) Suggestions for improvements. The data were analyzed manually using the content (thematic) analysis method. Results: Two themes were identified: Theme 1: “Prevailing practices and problems related to hospital surface/object contamination and hospital infection control”. Theme 2: “Measures suggested for improving hospital cleanliness within the existing constraints”. The participants emphasized the influence of resource constraints and needed inputs. They brought up the consequent prevailing practices and problems related, on one hand, to various stakeholders (service consumers, hospital personnel including the management), on the other, to specific infection prevention and control processes. They also suggested various measures for improvement. Conclusions: The study has revealed prevailing practices, problems, and suggested measures related to hospital environmental hygiene, particularly hospital cleanliness and HAI prevention and control processes. These insights and assertions are important for developing future behavioral and structural interventions in resource-limited settings. This study recommends a nationwide reliable HAI surveillance system and a robust infection prevention and control program in each health-care institution. Full article

The purpose of this study was to develop e-learning activities that could facilitate the integration of sustainability concepts and practices in engineering and chemical education. Using an online learning management system (LMS), undergraduate students in an applied chemistry program at a public university in Zimbabwe participated in an online discussion on the role of chemical reaction engineering in achieving environmental sustainability goals. In the second activity, the students were instructed to prepare a design report for a cost-effective and innovative wastewater treatment plant for a rural hospital. The design report was evaluated through peer review online. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed on the two online activities to evaluate student engagement, quality of responses and the incorporation of sustainability into their learning. In the online discussion, 97 comments were made averaging 120 words per comment. Furthermore, the students averaged 3.88 comments, with the majority of comments exhibiting simple and complex argumentation, a deep reflection and widespread use of terms associated with sustainability such as recycling, pollution, waste and the environment. Furthermore, the evaluation of peer reviews revealed that participants demonstrated they could identify the strengths and shortcomings in the design reports. Therefore, this study demonstrated that e-learning, particularly peer review and online discussion, could help chemistry and engineering students appreciate the need for chemical and engineering activities that encourage sustainable development. Full article