Changing students’ moral reasoning ability – is it at all possible?

Background. Ethics training at tertiary level is important to facilitate an understanding of patient dignity and respect. Traditionally, ethics has been taught in the form of didactic lectures; however, the authors are of the opinion that practical applications are more useful.Objective. To measure students’ moral reasoning frameworks before and after an intensive course in medical ethics. Methods. The study cohort was given a pre- and post-test of the moral behaviour scale (MBS). The t-test for matched scores was performed to determine the presence of significant differences between the mean pre- and post-test scores for the 5 scales of the MBS.Results. The study showed that there was a change in the students’ moral behaviour when a specific course structure was evaluated.Conclusion. A combination of didactic and Socratic methodology of training had some effect on the moral reasoning ability of healthcare students

Sense of humour and adolescents’ cognitive flexibility

Objective: There is a lack of research on humour among adolescents in South Africa. This article examines cognitive flexibility and humour. The objective was to investigate the roles of gender and language as possible moderating variables in the relationship between adolescents’ cognitive flexibility and sense of humour. Design: A correlational research design was used in which pupils were asked to complete the Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale to assess their sense of humour. In order to determine the cognitive flexibility of the sample group, Martin and Rubin’s Cognitive Flexibility Scale was applied. Setting and subjects: The initial sample comprised 1 203 adolescents (Grade 11 and 12 pupils) randomly selected from the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Mpumalanga. Of these, a final 392 adolescents qualified after eliminating criteria had been applied.Results: No significant correlations were found between the total group or for the two genders. Significant positive correlations were found between cognitive flexibility and two of the scores for humour (creating and expressing humour), as well as for the total score for Afrikaans-speaking participants. Significant negative correlations were found between cognitive flexibility and all five of the scores for humour for the Nguni language speakers. Conclusion: This study recommends that culturally sensitive measuring instruments should be developed.Keywords: sense of humour, cognitive flexibility, adolescents, psychological well-being, language, gende

Job satisfaction amongst teachers at special needs schools

The aim of this study was to establish the level of job satisfaction amongst teachers at special schools. Teachers in special schools need to cope with curriculum changes, the administrative duties that come with these changes, and the learners with their diverse needs. Learners with special needs require a specific educational programme and also schools that cater for the needs of learners with emotional, social, neurological or physical problems. The research group consisted of 101 teachers working at six different special schools situated in various parts of the Bloemfontein area, two in the Mangaung area, and four were situated in suburban areas. The group consisted of English- and Afrikaans-speaking teachers of both genders and from different race groups. The data for this study were compiled by means of a short biographical questionnaire and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. The results indicated that the teachers experienced an average level of job satisfaction. In addition to this finding, differences were also found in the levels of job satisfaction between different races, but not between genders.Keywords: job satisfaction; Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire; South African education; special school

Visions and voices : Jesus’ resurrection and a new socio-scientific epistemology

Abstract: This article appraises current resurrection research methodology in South African New Testament scholarship while suggesting a new epistemology for understanding resurrection appearances. In this paper I critique the traditional/confessional and historical-critical methodologies to expose inherent flaws within them. I then propose that the only type of epistemology that considers the fundamental cultural differences between the western 21st century and ancient Mediterranean where the resurrection visions are concerned is the social-scientific historiography. Notwithstanding the value of social-scientific methodology in general, I contend that there are at least two orientations within the social-scientific epistemologies, one of which is crucial to the understanding of resurrection visions reported by the early church and discourses that they claimed to have had with the resurrected Jesus. My conclusion is that the social-scientific version, which utilizes fieldwork in general and participant observation in particular as envisioned by John Pilch, is the most useful tool in understanding post-resurrection visions. Otherwise, with the current socio-scientific method, resurrection visions and discourses of the post-mortem Jesus remain an alien other, even where ethnocentrism is actively guarded against

High HIV prevalence in an early cohort of hospital admissions with COVID-19 in Cape Town, South Africa

Background. South Africa (SA) has a high prevalence of HIV and tuberculosis. Cape Town was the SA metropole most affected in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Early observational data from Africa may provide valuable insight into what can be expected as the pandemic expands across the continent.Objectives. To describe the prevalence, clinical features, comorbidities and outcome of an early cohort of HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients admitted with COVID-19.Methods. This was a descriptive observational study of an early cohort of adults with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted from 25 March to 11 May 2020.Results. Of 116 patients (mean age 48 years, 61% female) admitted, 24 were HIV-positive (21%). The most common symptoms reported were cough (n=88; 73%), shortness of breath (n=78; 69%), fever (n=67; 59%), myalgia (n=29; 25%) and chest pain (n=22; 20%). The most common comorbidities were hypertension (n=46; 41%), diabetes mellitus (n=43; 38%), obesity (n=32; 28%) and HIV (n=24; 21%). Mortality was associated with older age (mean (standard deviation) 55 (12) years v. 46 (14) years; p<0.01); the presence of hypertension or hypertension along with diabetes and/or obesity; lower partial pressure of arterial oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen ratio; and higher urea level, white cell count, neutrophil count, and C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase and ferritin levels, and high neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio. The overall survival rate for all hospital admissions was 86/116 (73%). In this early cohort, survival was similar in patients with HIV (n=18; 75%) compared with those without HIV (n=67; 75%) (p=1). Of the 74 patients admitted to the wards, 63 (85%) survived, whereas 22 of 42 (52%) admitted to the intensive care unit survived.Conclusions. Patients with HIV infection represented a large proportion of all COVID-19 admissions. The presentation and outcome of patients with HIV did not differ significantly from those of patients without HIV

The hidden curriculum and integrating cure- and care-based approaches to medicine

Although current literature about the “cure versus care” issue tends to promote a patient-centered approach, the disease-centered approach remains the prevailing model in practice. The perceived dichotomy between the two approaches has created a barrier that could make it difficult for medical students and physicians to integrate psychosocial aspects of patient care into the prevailing disease-based model. This article examines the influence of the formal and hidden curricula on the perception of these two approaches and finds that the hidden curriculum perpetuates the notion that “cure” and “care” based approaches are dichotomous despite significant changes in formal curricula that promote a more integrated approach. The authors argue that it is detrimental for clinicians to view the two approaches as oppositional rather than complementary and attempt to give recommendations on how the influence of the hidden curriculum can be reduced to get a both-cure-and-care-approach, rather than an either-cure-or-care-approach

Ethical dilemmas experienced by occupational therapy students – the reality

Background. Ethics training strives to facilitate critical thinking, objective analysis and clinical  reasoning skills to equip students with the ability to make an impartial and unbiased decision in different contexts and diverse client populations. This enhances students’ learning experiences. Occupational therapy (OT) students are expected to work in a variety of contexts. They experience many sources of conflict in their fieldwork practice on a daily basis, while at the same time upholding professional values, responsibilities and duties.Objectives. To determine the issues that students face in their fieldwork practice and address these in an ethical manner.Methods. Qualitative research was done among fourth-year OT students by means of an open-ended questionnaire.Results. Three major themes relevant to ethical issues were identified: professional-student  relationship; professional boundaries; and disclosure of information and keeping information confidential.Conclusion. The salient themes identified reflect the primary ethical tensions in the international literature from the UK and Canada, but little evidence has been reported from South Africa. Taking cognizance of this, those who are involved in the training of healthcare professionals should incorporate the identified issues in the class discussions. For many students their fieldwork practice may be their first experience with some of the aforementioned issues. Alluding to these in a safe environment (class situation) and equipping the students with a framework of analysis are very important