Attitudes of undergraduate nursing students toward Objective Structure Practical Examination: An Exploratory study

Background: Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) is a method of assessment of clinical competence. The examination is conducted at multiple stations. Besides practical and problem-solving skills, theoretical knowledge is also tested. OSPE can be traced back more than 40 years. OSPE has been included more than two decades, as a part of assessment in the College of Nursing, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. Objectives: This study was carried out to determine nursing students' attitudes towards OSPE as an assessment tool. Participants: The responses of all the 252 Undergraduate nursing students studying at the College of Nursing, AIIMS were obtained for this study (77 from B.Sc.(H) Nursing first year, 61 from the second year, 69 from the third year and 45 from the fourth year). Methods: The students attitudes towards OSPE were assessed by using a validated questionnaire containing 28 item statements on Likert's 5-point scale (LS) and 11 bipolar adjectives on Osgood's 7-point Semantic' Differential Scale (OSDS). Result: Most of the students approved of OSPE and felt that it was fair, useful, good, effective, exciting, interesting, practical, skill oriented but also taxing. The study also revealed that amongst the second years' students there was a strong correlation between Overall Rank in the Class and Assessment of OSPE. Conclusion: The study supports the introduction of OSPE as one of the methods of assessment of B.Sc. (Hons.) Nursing students. Keywords: Attitude of nursing students, Undergraduate nursing students, Objective Structured Practical Examinatio

Sleep seizures versus wake seizures: A comparative hospital study on clinical, electroencephalographic and radiological profile

Background: Epileptic seizures, predominantly or exclusively during sleep had been the focus of attention for many electroencephalographers. Though few epileptic syndromes are associated with sleep seizures (SS) its frequencies in Indian patients is still unknown. Aim: To find out the patterns of epilepsies in patients having SS and compare them with patients having wake seizures (WS). Setting and Design : Open label hospital based study. Materials and Methods: One hundred and forty-four (13%) patients having predominantly SS were compared with 976 (87%) patients of WS by various clinical, electrophysiological and radiological factors. Statistical Analysis: Chi square test and student T test, using software SPSS (version 10, 1999) was applied to compare various parameters. Relative risk was calculated by 2 x 2 contingency table. Results: The seizure semiology was better defined in patients with WS and GTCS was more common in SS ( P = 0.001). Wake-electroencephalogram (EEG) was abnormal in significantly ( P = 0.001) higher number of patients with WS. Symptomatic etiologies were found in more than half patients. Left lobe involvement was more common in patients having SS ( P = 0.000). After symptomatic, idiopathic generalized and frontal lobe epilepsy were most frequent with SS. Undetermined epilepsy was found in 37 (25.7%) patients with SS. Conclusion: Epilepsies associated with SS were less frequent and had symptomatic cause in most cases. Left hemispherical and frontal lobe lesion were more commonly associated with SS. Frontal lobe and idiopathic generalized epilepsy was most frequent in patients of SS. Sleep EEG should always be done in patients with sleep seizures

Intubating conditions, onset, duration and side effects with rocuronium and atracurium: A comparative

Objective(s): To compare the intubating conditions, onset and duration of action, side effects and complications with rocuronium bromide and atracurium besylate. Material and Method: This prospective, randomized double blind study was conducted with a sample size of 100 patients. After standard general anaesthesia technique group I received IV. rocuronium bromide 0.6 mg/kg and group II received iv. atracurium besylate 0.5 mg/kg. Laryngoscopy was attempted60 sec after administration of NMBA and thereafter every 30 sec till good or excellent intubating conditions were achieved. Intubating condition was scored on fourpoint scale (0-3). Intubating conditions, onset and duration, side effects and complications were observed and recorded. Result: Overall intubating condition was acceptable (excellent + good) in 50(100%) patients in group I and 47(94%) patients in group II. It was excellent in 45(90%) and 16(32%) patients in group I and II respectively. Good intubating condition was found in 5(10%) and 31(62%) patients in group I and II respectively. Fair intubating condition was found in 3(6%) patients in group II. None of the patients had poor intubating condition in either group. Cutaneous flushing was found in 4% cases in group II. No other side effects and complications were observed. Conclusion: Rocuronium with its faster initial response and possibly early laryngeal muscle paralysis provides better intubating conditions in shorter duration of time than atracurium

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Not AvailableThe primary objective of this study was to identify natural isolates of fluorescent pseudomonads with superior antagonistic activity towards plant parasitic nematodes. Nematicidal potential of eighteen isolates of fluorescent pseudomonads were compared against peanut root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne arenaria. Cell-free culture filtrate of DAPG-producing isolates of Pseudomonas putida caused significantly higher mortality of M. arenaria (J2) with highest in isolate DAPG3 (87.36%), followed by DAPG1 (84.16%) compared to other isolates of fluorescent pseudomonads, i.e., P. gessardii BHU1 and P. aeruginosa BM6 after exposure period of 72h at 100% concentration. The selected DAPG-producing isolates of P. putida caused significant inhibition in egg hatching. The lowest cumulative per cent hatch of M. arenaria was observed in the isolate DAPG3 (17.84%) followed by DAPG1 (18.10%). The isolates DAPG1 and DAPG3 also inhibited the nematode invasion in the roots of peanut by 41.30% and 36.34%, respectively. Significant reduction in number of galls/plant in peanut roots was recorded. The maximum reduction (51.30%) in root galling was recorded with combination of seed treatment and soil application of P. putida DAPG1 followed by 41.73% in combined treatment of seed treatment and soil application of P. putida DAPG3. The levels of Peroxidase (POD), Catalase (CAT) and Polyphenol Oxidase (PPO) were non-significant in the leaves of peanut in the treatment that received P. putida DAPG1 and DAPG3, either as seed treatment and/or soil application, compared to inoculated and un-inoculated control. However, significantly enhanced phenol content was recorded in the leaves of peanut in the treatment that received combination of seed treatment and soil application of P. putida DAPG1 and seed treatment alone.Not Availabl

Long Sudarshan Kriya Yoga enhances cardiovascular and respiratory synchronization: An observational study

Background: Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY – a rhythmic cyclic breathing) is known to produce several physiological changes in human body. Earlier it has been reported that SKY improves cardiovascular modulations, namely increase in heart rate variability. Objective: To observe the synchronization in oscillatory modulations in cardiac autonomic tone and ventilatory exchange during Long Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (LSKY). LSKY is a sequential combination of pranayama in ujjayi breath, bhastrika, and cyclic rhythmic breathing followed by yog-nidra. Methods: Regular LSKY practitioners from the Art of Living community with more than two years of experience participated in the study (n = 22; age 40.09 ± 12.68). The Electrocardiogram (ECG), respiration, oxygen saturation, and concentrations of oxygen and carbon-di-oxide from exhaled air were recorded before and during LSKY. The time domain parameters of heart rate variability (HRV) were calculated from ECG. All parameters were compared and correlated at each stage of LSKY. Results: Highly significant reciprocal correlation was found between HRV parameters and respiration rate during LSKY. Both O2 consumption and CO2 production increased significantly during three stages of pranayama and decreased towards the end of cyclic breathing. We also saw increased SPO2 simultaneously. Conclusion: The autonomic parameters exhibited reciprocal response to respiratory rate and correlated well to the ventilatory parameters. Further during LSKY we observed enhanced synchronization. In conclusion the LSKY has a potential to influence cardiorespiratory parameters for improving the performance of both systems. LSKY - enhances oscillations in HRV that resets the autonomic system, indicative of better cardiac health and prepares body for better metabolic response. Such changes are capable of inducing resilience along with physiological, psychological relaxation and emotional well-being

TFM classification and staging of oral submucous fibrosis: A new proposal

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