Evidence Based Practice: Assessing the educational outcome

Healthcare providers and patients strive for optimal outcomes with a growing trend to embed the principles of evidence-based practice (EBP) into mainstream care delivery by practicing dentists. The foundations of future best practice are built at dental school. How do we evaluate the outcome of an EBP syllabus? This study describes the use of the KACE assessment tool to assess the learning outcomes of final year DDS students who had completed an EBP program. The use of a validated instrument to measure four dimensions, knowledge, attitudes about it, familiarity with sources for accessing evidence and confidence in critical appraisal skills can be an important outcomes assessment tool. 90 dental students from the final year completed the questionnaire in 2016. 84% demonstrated good knowledge of evidence hierarchy. 92% agreed of the value to future practice and improvement in quality of patient care with 88% agreeing with the value of it as an integral part of a dental school curriculum. Students demonstrate confidence in appraising study design, recognizing bias, generalizability and value of the research report. However, even with electronic access to databases, when it came to accessing evidence over 75% would ask a friend with less than 25% consulting the Cochrane Database. The outcome of the training had been positive in providing the skills for EBP. The use of a validated tool ensured the graduating students received a good foundation to provide their future patients with the best clinical evidence for optimal and cost-effective dental care

In our own hands: SWAA-Ghana champions the female condom

This issue of Quality/Calidad/Qualité describes the vital role played by the Ghana branch of the Society for Women and AIDS in Africa (SWAA) in introducing the female condom, the only female-controlled method for protection from HIV. By addressing issues of gender inequity and communication within relationships, SWAA used the female condom to empower women to regain control of their bodies. Also in this issue are profiles of three other approaches to programming for the female condom from Brazil, South Africa, and Zimbabwe

Underhull Material Transport Rig: Aircraft Carrier Maintenance Processes

The clearance under a ship in the Newport News Shipbuilding dry dock is approximately 62 inches. As a result, workers are either crouched or hunched over as they carry materials and equipment underneath the ship to their work zone. This can cause physical strain on workers’ bodies, leading to safety and health problems. This design project solves the problem by creating a transport system that uses a cart suspended from two trolleys that ride on a track attached to the bottom of the hull. A working prototype was built, demonstrated, and tested. This prototype cart maneuvered through a straight and a 90 degree curved section of rail. Scaffolding was built to simulate the bottom of the ship\u27s hull. The main constraints for this system included - setup time, ground clearance, and load capacity. The setup time could not exceed 8 hours, the lowest point of the system must be at least two feet off the ground, and it must be able to carry a load of 150 lbs, with a factor of safety of 2.5. The approach taken was to suspend the system from the bottom of the hull. Design decisions included the type of track or rail, the type of trolley, the cart design, the connection of the cart to the trolley, and cart stabilization methods. A successful prototype of this design was built and tested. The prototype meets all of the design specifications. Two improvements that could be made to the design include a way to move the cart without manually pushing it and a way to switch the cart between different tracks. This project impacts Newport News Shipbuilding by creating a safe and efficient way to transport materials while under the hull of a ship.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/capstone/1127/thumbnail.jp

Charles W. Bolen Faculty Recital Series: Dazzling Divas, November 3, 2009

Center for the Performing ArtsNovember 3, 2009Tuesday Evening8:00 p.m