Patient Wait Time at the Emergency Department of a Rural Hospital in Saskatchewan

Context & Rationale Emergency department wait times have been a great challenge to healthcare service delivery in most emergency departments across Canada and a challenge to healthcare managers and provincial governments. This study sought to determine how long patients have to wait to see a physician and the total time spent to complete an ER visit at the Meadow Lake Hospital (MLH) emergency department. It examines various factors that could be responsible for the variation in both wait time and total length of stay at the ER, and the characteristics of patients that left the ER without being seen by a physician. Methods This is a retrospective study reviewing medical records of patients attending the Meadow Lake hospital ER for medical services. A total of 778 visits were considered for analysis after records were consecutively reviewed without randomization, for a total of four weeks, one week each during winter, spring, summer, and fall in the year 2015. Results Results showed that more than half (54%) of the ER users were females; about 80% of patients using the MLH ER arrived by walking, 10% by ambulance. Most of them presented with either less urgent (48%), or non-urgent (28%) medical conditions. A majority (about 80%) of patients were seen and discharged home; only about 8.3% were admitted to the hospital and 7.4% left without being seen by the ER physician. Patients wait an average of about 86.41 minutes (1.44 hours) before being attended to by the ER physicians, and the average total length of stay at the ER was about 163.3 minutes (2.72 hours). Time until physician assessment (wait time) was found be influenced by a patient’s mode of arrival, day of arrival, time of arrival, season of arrival and CTAS level. Total time spent to complete an ER visit was dependent on the patient’s day of arrival, time of arrival, season of arrival, severity of medical condition (triage level), need for investigation, monitoring, and consultations with specialists in other health facilities. Conclusion Most patients presenting to the Meadow Lake hospital ER were not meant to be seen at the ER, since larger proportions of patients seen and those that left without being seen presented with either less or non-urgent medical conditions. Both wait time and total ER length of stay at the Meadow Lake hospital ER is shorter than the Canadian average for most urban hospital emergency departments

Theoretical Modelling Of Thermal-Hoop Stress Around The Tooth Of A Spur Gear In A Filler Machine

The study employed the finite element method to develop a validated theoretical model to investigate the distribution of thermal hoop stress around the teeth of a spur gear operating in a filler machine. Three cases of temperature distribution along the radius of a gear tooth were assumed and investigated. The outcome showed that the maximum effective stress occurs at the tip of the gear tooth and decreased circumferentially deep into the gear material. The results also demonstrated that a nonlinear distribution of the temperature around the gear teeth makes the gear material susceptible to penetrating stress and therefore increase the tendency of fatigue failure

Thinlayer Chromatography (TLC) and GC-MS Analysis of Somes Medicinal Plants Used in the Treatent of Haemorrhoids

Medicinal plant is one in which, one or more of its organs contains substances that can be used for therapeutic purposes or which are precursors for the synthesis of useful drugs The present study aimed at investigating the lipid composition of Axonopus compressus, Anogeiessus leiocarpus and Senna fistula commonly used in the management of haemorrhoids. The lipid analysis of the three plants was determined by TLC and GC-MS and the GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of some saturated fatty acids such as myristic, palmitic, linoleic, stearic, oleic and lauric acid in all the three extracts. In addition A. compressus contained linoleic and palmitoleic acids, S. fistula contained linolenic acid and A. leiocarpus contained linoleic, linolenic and behenic acids. However, palmitic (C16:0)) and stearic acid (C18:0) were observed to be the predominant fatty acids present in all the three plan extracts. The results showed that many active principles are present in the three plants which could contribute to their usefulness in the management of haemorrhoids. Keywords: Haemorrhoids,Medicinal plants,lipids, TLC,GC-M

Assessment of the Financial Information Disclosures of Pension Fund Administrators in Nigeria

The study investigates extent of compliance of Pension Fund Administrators in Nigeria with PENCOM financial information disclosures guidelines with a view to ensuring that there is transparency and accountability in the management of the contributory pension schemes. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were sourced from four hundred (400) respondents that are retirees under the contributory pension scheme through administration of questionnaire while secondary data were gathered from the annual reports of eleven (11) Pension Fund Administrators that were purposively selected based on size of fund under management and number of contributions. Primary data were analysed using descriptive statistics while secondary data were analysed using disclosure index to measure the extent of compliance. The study found that 9 out of the 11 sampled Pension Fund Administrators did not achieve 100% compliance on disclosure of financial information in their annual reports in accordance with PENCOM guidelines. Also, the channels of communication of accounting information to members of contributory pension plans in Nigeria on the performance of the fund under management of the PFAs are not meeting members' information needs. Furthermore, result showed that contributors displayed lack of knowledge of contributory pension schemes investment activities and risks. It was recommended that PENCOM should ensure compliance with the PENCOM financial reporting guidelines by the Pension Fund Administrators to enhance prudency and transparency in the management of contributory pension fund in Nigeria. Although annual reports are used by several users, yet contributors to contributory pension schemes as principals of the PFAs in agency relationship should be given more considerations in the choice of channels of communicating financial information to meet their information need and expectations

Determinants of Utilization of Nursing Process Among Nurses in University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Poor utilization of nursing process can lead to poor quality of nursing care, disorganizarion of the service, conflicting roles, medication error, poor diseases prognosis, readmission, dissatisfaction with the care provided and increased mortality. Therefore, this study assessed determinants of nursing process utilization in University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan. This study adopted a descriptive research design. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted to select 296 respondents from all the thirty-two (32) wards at UCH while the sample size was determined using Slovin’s formula. Data were collected using the self-structured questionnaire developed by the researcher for the purpose of this study. Five research questions were raised to guide this study and tested at 0.05 level of significance using of simple percentages and Multiple Regression Analysis. The findings indicated that knowledge level of nurses on nursing process was high and adequate (86.3%) while nurses' utilization of nursing process was 56.2%. This study showed that attitudinal (R =.347, R2 = .120, Adj. R2 = .117, f(1,277) = 37.797; P = .000), institutional (R =.285, R2 = .081, Adj. R2 = .078, f(1,277) = 37.797; P = .000) and nurses' knowledge of nursing process (R =.194, R2 = .038, Adj. R2 = .034, f(1,277) = 10.830; P = .001) are determinants of the utilization of nursing process among nurses. Also, the nurses' age, gender, professional qualifications, professional cadre, and years of working experience failed to significantly influence the utilization of nursing process. The study concluded that nurses’ knowledge, attitude and institutional factors are core issues in the proper utilization of nursing process. Therefore, Effective and efficient implementation of the nursing process directly contributes to the quality of healthcare and the patients’ health outcomes. Keywords: Determinants, nursing process, utilization DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/70-05 Publication date: January 31st 202

Effect of frozen period on the chemical, microbiological and sensory quality of frozen tilapia fish (Sarotherodun galiaenus)

The study was designed to investigate the effect of duration of frozen storage on the chemical, microbiological and sensory profile of Tilapia fish (Sarotherodun galiaenus) collected from a research pond of the Agricultural Development Project, Akure, Nigeria and were subjected to sixty days of frozen storage and analyzed at intervals of ten days. Protein content (%) ranges from 43.70 &#177 1.17-60.65 &#177 2.40. Protein decreases with increasing duration of frozen storage with the fresh samples (not frozen) having the highest protein content (60.65 ± 2.40) while the least (43.70 &#1771.17) was recorded for fish samples that were frozen for sixty days. Similar results were obtained for the fat content (%) where the highest fat content (9.72 &#177 0.25) was recorded for the fresh samples and the least value was recorded for those stored for sixty days. Ash content (%) and moisture content (%) do not show any significant change during storage. Mineral composition (Fe, Ca, Mg, P and Zn in mg/100g) and iodine content (µg/100g) of the samples showed a slight change with respect to duration of storage. pH values ranges between 5.20-6.90 while the total coliform count range was between 3.0 x103-7.5 x 106 with increasing values, as the duration of torage increases. Sensory evaluation of the fish samples on storage revealed that quality of the fish samples with respect to taste decreases with increasing duration of storage with the best quality (texture, odor and color) when freshly prepared; and that better quality during storage is obtainable during the first ten days of storage. These, by implication simply mean that fish should be stored for a short period of time to retain the taste, and provide both the protein and fat at optimal level. Key words: Frozen period, chemical, microbiological, sensory quality, tilapia fish.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (8), pp. 852-85

Relative Contributions of Talent, Interest and Exposure to Artistry

This research sets out to find the relative contributions of Talent, Interest and Exposure, three important artistic factors, to artistry.  The experiment was applied to students of Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo, Nigeria who did not have prior knowledge of Fine and Applied Arts but were offered admission to study the course as a beginners-course in the college. 20 students were randomly selected from the 2007/2008 set. Five drawings and five paintings of each student were chronologically selected from their first semester. Another set of five drawing and painting was selected at the end of their course in 2009/2010. Standard coefficient was used to, first, weigh the composite contributions of the independent variables (talent, interest and exposure) to the dependent variable (artistry).  A sociometric marking of the works were done by 3 teachers of art. The result showed that the joint contribution of the independent variables to the dependent variable was significant and that other variables not included in this model may have accounted for the remaining variance. The result of the sociometric marking showed that the students have developed almost professional artistic skills compared to when they were admitted. The standard regression coefficients was used to determine the relative contributions of the independent variables for the explanation of the dependent variable, Interest, (B=0.446, t=4.064, P<0.05) is the most potent contribution to the prediction, followed by Talent (B=0.373, t=2.718, P<0.05) and Exposure (B=0.0397, t=0.436, P>0.05) in that order. Keywords: Fine and Applied Arts, Talent, Interest, Exposure, Artistr

Forensic Investigation of a Failed Intermediate Starwheel Spur Gear Tooth in a Filler Machine

determine the root cause of failure and how to prevent subsequent failures. Thus, the study focused on the analysis of a failed intermediate star wheel spur gear tooth using metallographic observations. Three (3) different failed gear teeth were selected and prepared as metallographic samples. Each of the samples were observed under the optical microscope at different magnifications, ranging from 10, 40 and 100 μm. Further to this, the samples were subjected to visual observation. The result obtained from the microstructures were further analysed using 3D surface analyser. The result of visual observations revealed the presence of wear debris around the failed teeth, while the optical micrographs depicted the occurrence of pitting corrosion, Also, observed were regions that show zones of high stress raisers. The results from the 3D surface analyser further demonstrates the occurrence of variation in wear distribution with some zones under higher intensity of material erosion. This may be due to the presence of backlash during the meshing of the gears. The pattern of the results is therefore suggestive of the fact that the gear material was not properly matched with the operation environment. The study also looked at the economic effect of the downtime which the gear failure poses on the productivity of the filler machine

Predictive Modelling of a K-Unit Bottling Plants for Reliability Improvement

espective hour of operation. The series network framework consists of a rinser machine, filler machine, capping machine, labeling machine and coding machine. The reliability of each system was evaluated by assuming a failure rate, to each subsystem and the mean time to failure was equally evaluated. Based on the calculation using the predicted model, at a mission hour of 24,168,312 and 456 hours, the respective reliabilities were; 0.3829, 0.0012, 0.0000038 and 0.000000012. The result showed that the reliability of the system decreases drastically with increasing mission time. Based on this result, the productivity of the plants is expected to be very low, hence the need to improve the reliability. The result also showed that the predicted model is good and efficient in predicting and improving plant performance. Further to this results, the reliability of the bottling machines can be improved by applying the developed model

Influence of Oral Administration of Peppermint Tea on Biochemical and Histological Markers of the Liver of Wistar Rats

Reports have linked the consumption of peppermint tea to improve liver cell functioning and the consumption of peppermint tea has been on the increase. The aim of this experiment was to assess the influence of the oral administration of peppermint tea on the liver of Wistar rats using biochemical and histological findings. 20 male Wistar albino rats were grouped into 4, consisting of 5 rats in each group. They were given 10mg/kg b.wt, 30mg/kg b.wt and 50mg/kg b.wt concentration of peppermint tea in tap water for 4 weeks. The first group was on normal diet and received tap water instead of tea. Their blood samples were analyzed for alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, total protein, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase,albumin, glucose and lactate dehydrogenase. The liver tissues were also processed for histological examination. The liver tissues were essentially normal and similar to the control tissues. The biochemical parameters studied were also normal and similar to the results obtained from the control animals. The consumption of peppermint tea days has no effect on the liver biomarkers and the histology of the liver of Wistar rats which confirmed the safety in the consumption of the studied. Keywords: Peppermint, Tea, Wistar rats, Live