Start With The End In Mind: Experiences Of Accelerated Course Completion By Pre-Service Teachers And Educators

In response to changes government funding and policies over the past five years, the Australian tertiary sector has entered an increasingly competitive climate. This has forced many universities to become more strategic in attracting increased numbers of PSTs. Providing accelerated learning opportunities for PSTs is viewed as one way to gain greater market share. Accelerated learning programs are one of the fastest growing transformations in Australian higher education over the past five years. There is limited research that investigates the effectiveness of accelerated programs and the ways in which PSTs experience them. This preliminary study investigates the experiences of pre-service teachers and educators, via a purpose built instrument, of an accelerated learning program in Australia. The study found that PSTs were strongly motivated by such factors as early course completion and greater study plan flexibility. This study contributes to the emerging field of accelerated learning design in the tertiary sector

Assessment of nurses’ perceptions and adherence to five moments of hand hygiene in selected units at a University Teaching Hospital in Rwanda

Background: About 1.4 million people worldwide are affected by hand hygiene-associated infections from healthcare providers, and altered perceptions might be the contributory factor.Objective: To assess nurses’ perceptions and adherence to the “five moments of hand hygiene” in selected units at a University Teaching Hospital in Rwanda.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. A sample size of 84 nurses was selected using convenience sampling. The perceptions survey questionnaire and the observation checklist was used to collect data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data.Results: Sixty-nine (82.1%) had a positive perception of susceptibility and severity, and 75 (89.2%) had a positive perception of the benefits of hand hygiene. All 84 (100%) and 67 (79.8%) had a negative perception of perceived barriers and action (cues) to hand hygiene; respectively. Highest adherence rate (82.1%) was after body fluid exposure risk, lowest before touching a patient (27.4%), with an average adherence rate of 53.6% to the “five moments.” Qualification was associated with nurses’ perceptions (p =.002) and department of work with adherence to hand hygiene (p =.001).Conclusion: The overall perceptions of nurses were negative with inadequate adherence to hand hygiene practices. Therefore, this necessitates new strategies and reinforcement of hand hygiene among the nurses.Keywords: Hand hygiene, perceptions, nurses, adherence, five moment

Neonatal Outcomes from Mothers with Hypertension Disorders of Pregnancy: A Retrospective Study at a Referral Hospital in Rwanda

Background Globally, maternal hypertensive disorders in pregnancy significantly increase both maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Maternal hypertension affects 14 percent of pregnancies. Eearly detection and management are critical for improving the health outcomes of both mother and neonate. Objective To assess the association between maternal hypertension disorders in pregnancy and immediate neonatal outcomes at a University Teaching Hospital in Rwanda. Methods A retrospective study of maternal files with hypertension disorders was conducted from January 1, 2016, to March 31, 2019. A census sample of 114 records and pretested checklist was used to collect data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze associations between maternal factors and immediate neonatal outcomes. Results Neonatal outcomes included low birth weight (75.4%), prematurity (59.6%), admission to neonatal intensive care unit (50.4%), intrauterine growth restriction (32.4%), and neonatal death (22.8%). Nearly two-thirds (62%) of mothers had preeclampsia. Significant associations with immediate neonatal outcomes included gestational age, medical history, delivery mode, maternal referral status, preterm birth, prematurity, and abortion. Conclusion Maternal hypertensive disorders were significantly associated with adverse neonatal outcomes in our study population in Rwanda. Improving early detection, health education, and management of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy is critical to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2020;3(2):193-20

Talking career across disciplines: Peer group mentoring for women academics

This paper presents the lived experiences of eight women academics who were members of a Women’s Group Mentoring Program during a period of rapid change in a university environment. Using a qualitative approach integrated with a participatory action research method, data was generated through the narratives of the group members. The analysis identified diversity in strategies used by the women to navigate their career pathways. The findings contribute to the dialogue in universities and similar organisations to attract and retain quality staff in an era of skills shortage created by a workforce close to retirement age

Taming hazardous chemistry in flow: The continuous processing of diazo and diazonium compounds

The synthetic utilities of the diazo and diazonium groups are matched only by their reputation for explosive decomposition. Continuous processing technology offers new opportunities to make and use these versatile intermediates at a range of scales with improved safety over traditional batch processes. In this minireview, the state of the art in the continuous flow processing of reactive diazo and diazonium species is discussed

Use of insect repellents for dispersing defending honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Some ecotypes of the honey bee, Apis mellifera L., show excessive levels of colony defense that have occasionally resulted in human and animal deaths. In cases where death has occurred, the victim, animal or human, has often been confined or panicked into an area from which it cannot escape. Our study was done to evaluate the use of repellents to reduce the severity of the stinging during accidental disturbances of excessively defensive colonies. Three mosquito repellents (diethyl-meta-toluamide, 2-ethyl-1,3-hexandiol, and dimethyl phthlate) and 2 odiferous compounds known to be repellent to honey bees (benzaldehyde and menthol) were tested in European (Texas) and Africanized (Mexico) apiaries by victims in protective clothing. When sprayed as an aerosol at the defending worker bees, all the compounds significantly reduced the number of bees around the victim and the number of stings in a patch of suede exposed during the test. DEET was consistently the most effective repellent. A number of materials could be developed as repellents for emergency use by individuals that are at high risk of encountering wild honey bee colonies in the course of their daily activity

Clinical learning environment and supervision: satisfaction levels of University of Rwanda Students

Background: Nursing and midwifery students need to learn theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Students are satisfied with a clinical education program when the environment is conducive to acquiring the knowledge, skills and professional attitude essential for their career.Objective: To assess the level of satisfaction with the clinical learning environment among nursing and midwifery students at the University of Rwanda.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to assess 280 undergraduate nursing and midwifery students. The study used the instrument entitled, the ‘Clinical Learning Environment Supervision and Nurse Teacher Tool’ (CLES+T). Data analysis used descriptive statistics.Results: The majority of participants were highly satisfied with the clinical learning environment (58%), ward atmosphere (54%), the leadership of ward manager (58%) and supervisory relationship (62%). Chi-square results showed a significant association between class level (p=0.001) and last clinical placement (p=0.000). Some students (7%) were dissatisfied with the supervisory relationship.Conclusion: Most nursing and midwifery students were satisfied with the clinical learning environment. However, the reported levels of dissatisfaction showed that improvements are needed to attain a quality education and meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Four: to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.Keywords: Clinical placement, learning,student, satisfaction, nursing, midwifer

Anxiety and depression among cancer patients: prevalence and associated factors at a Rwandan referral hospital

Background: Cancer patients frequently experience psychological problems related to reactions of cancer diagnosis, cancer type, treatment effects, recurrence, fear of end-of-life, survivorship, and financial burden. Psychological assessment has been integrated into cancer care in some countries, but there is limited knowledge about the practice in Rwanda.Objective: To assess the prevalence and associated factors of anxiety and depression among patients with cancer attending a private referral hospital in Rwanda.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) instrument to assess cancer patients. A probability systematic random sampling technique was used to recruit 96 patients. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics to determine the association of variables with anxiety and depression.Results: The majority of cancer patients had depression (67.7%) and anxiety (52.1%). Anxiety was associated with employment status (p=0.02), cancer stage (p=0.02), weight loss (p=0.00) and depression (p=0.00). Depression was associated with cancer stage (p=0.02), pain (p=0.03), weight loss (p= 0.03), cancer treatment (p=0.02) and anxiety (p=0.001).Conclusion: Anxiety and depression were reported in over half of the study population indicating a need to create and integrate psycho-oncology into standard oncology care.Keywords: Cancer, anxiety, depression, prevalence, associated factor