Training infection control and hospital hygiene professionals in Europe, 2010: agreed core competencies among 33 European countries

The harmonisation of training programmes for infection control and hospital hygiene (IC/HH) professionals in Europe is a requirement of the Council recommendation on patient safety. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control commissioned the ‘Training Infection Control in Europe’ project to develop a consensus on core competencies for IC/HH professionals in the European Union (EU). Core competencies were drafted on the basis of the Improving Patient Safety in Europe (IPSE) project’s core curriculum (CC), evaluated by questionnaire and approved by National Representatives (NRs) for IC/HH training. NRs also re-assessed the status of IC/HH training in European countries in 2010 in comparison with the situation before the IPSE CC in 2006. The IPSE CC had been used to develop or update 28 of 51 IC/HH courses. Only 10 of 33 countries offered training and qualification for IC/HH doctors and nurses. The proposed core competencies are structured in four areas and 16 professional tasks at junior and senior level. They form a reference for standardisation of IC/HH professional competencies and support recognition of training initiatives

The Emergence of Rotavirus G12 and the Prevalence of Enteric Viruses in Hospitalized Pediatric Diarrheal Patients in Southern Vietnam

Diarrhea is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in developing countries, and the majority of infections are of viral etiology. We aimed to compare the etiological prevalence of the major enteric viruses in an urban and a rural setting in southern Vietnam. We simultaneously screened fecal specimens from 362 children in Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Thap province that were hospitalized with acute diarrhea over a 1-month-long period for four viral gastrointestinal pathogens. Rotavirus was the most common pathogen identified, but there was a differential prevalence of rotavirus and norovirus between the urban and rural locations. Furthermore, rotavirus genotyping and phylogenetic analysis again differentiated the genotypes by the sampling location. Our data show a disproportional distribution of enteric viral pathogens in urban and rural locations, and we provide evidence of continual importation of new rotavirus strains into southern Vietnam and report the emergence of rotavirus genotype G12

ADAPTAÇÃO CULTURAL E VALIDAÇÃO PSICOMÉTRICA DO QUESTIONÁRIO SELF EFFICIENCY AND PERFORMANCE IN SELF-MANAGEMENT SUPPORT (SEPSS) EM ESTUDANTES DE GRADUAÇÃO EM ENFERMAGEM E MEDICINA DE BANGLADESH

In an aging society, healthcare professionals and students face increasing demands to actively involve patients in the decision-making process regarding their health conditions and lifestyles. Self-management support is considered a best practice that aligns with the patient-centered care paradigm in Bangladesh. However, there is currently no instrument available to assess healthcare professionals’ competencies in this field, particularly during their early education and training period. The aim of this study was to translate the Self Efficiency and Performance in Self-management Support (SEPSS) instrument into Bangla and validate its psychometric properties in a sample of undergraduate healthcare students in Bangladeshi higher education institutions. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and cultural appropriateness of the Bangla version of SEPSS-36 among 486 nursing and medical students. Confirmatory factor analysis was carried out using the chi-square model fit index (CMIN), comparative fit index (CFI), and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) as fit indices. The internal consistency was estimated by the Cronbach alpha coefficient. The results indicate that the CMIN (2.658) and RMSEA (.058) values suggest that the sample data and hypothetical model are an acceptable fit in the analysis, with satisfactory CFI values (.895). The reliability for all SEPSS dimensions was acceptable. The Bangla version of the SEPSS questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument that can assist healthcare educators and researchers in determining students’ competencies within this domain.Numa sociedade envelhecida, os profissionais de saúde e os estudantes enfrentam exigências cada vez maiores para envolver ativamente os pacientes no processo de tomada de decisão em relação às suas condições de saúde e estilos de vida. O apoio à autogestão é considerado uma prática recomendada que está alinhada com o paradigma de cuidados centrados no paciente em Bangladesh. No entanto, atualmente não existe um instrumento disponível para avaliar as competências dos profissionais de saúde nesse campo, especialmente durante o período inicial de educação e formação. O objetivo deste estudo foi traduzir o instrumento Self Efficiency and Performance in Self-management Support (SEPSS) para o bengali e validar as suas propriedades psicométricas numa amostra de estudantes de saúde de graduação em instituições de ensino superior de Bangladesh. Foi realizado um estudo transversal para avaliar a confiabilidade, validade e adequação cultural da versão em bengali do SEPSS-36 entre 486 estudantes de enfermagem e medicina. A análise fatorial confirmatória foi conduzida utilizando o índice de ajustamento do modelo qui-quadrado (CMIN), o índice de ajustamento comparativo (CFI) e o erro quadrado médio de aproximação (RMSEA) como índices de ajustamento. A consistência interna foi estimada pelo coeficiente alfa de Cronbach. Os resultados indicam que os valores de CMIN (2,658) e RMSEA (0,058) sugerem que os dados da amostra e o modelo hipotético têm um ajustamento aceitável na análise, com valores de CFI satisfatórios (0,895). A confiabilidade de todas as dimensões do SEPSS foi aceitável. A versão em bengali do questionário SEPSS é um instrumento válido e fiável que pode ajudar os educadores e investigadores em saúde a determinar as competências dos estudantes nesta área

COMO É QUE OS ESTUDANTES DE MEDICINA E ENFERMAGEM VEEM A TECNOLOGIA DE SAÚDE? UM ESTUDO DE VALIDAÇÃO PSICOMÉTRICA DO QUESTIONÁRIO DE AVALIAÇÃO DE USABILIDADE EM BANGLADESH

The modernization of healthcare delivery is a reality in various international settings. To ensure efficient and safe use of the diverse forms of healthcare technology available, professionals and students must be receptive to incorporating such tools into their practice. Currently, there is no instrument in Bangladesh to assess healthcare students’ technology acceptance. Objective: To translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Usability Evaluation Questionnaire (UtEQ) among Bangladeshi healthcare students. Method: A cross-sectional study with a methodological approach was conducted in two phases. The first phase involved the translation of the UtEQ questionnaire to Bengali, following the six stages proposed by Beaton et al. In the second phase, the psychometric properties of the questionnaire were evaluated using a non-probability sample of 486 undergraduate healthcare students from three higher education institutions in Bangladesh. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed, and the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was estimated to find out the internal consistency. Results: Internal consistency was found to be excellent for all scale dimensions, ranging from 0.88 to 0.92, while confirmatory factor analysis showed adequate goodness-of-fit indicators. Conclusion: The UtEQ-B provides a reliable and valid method for healthcare educators and researchers to assess technology acceptance among healthcare students during clinical training in Bangladesh.A modernização da prestação de cuidados de saúde é uma realidade em vários contextos internacionais. Para garantir a utilização eficiente e segura das diversas formas de tecnologia em saúde disponíveis, os profissionais e estudantes devem estar receptivos à incorporação dessas ferramentas na sua prática. Atualmente, não existe em Bangladesh um instrumento para avaliar a aceitação da tecnologia pelos estudantes de saúde. Objetivo: Traduzir, adaptar culturalmente e validar o Questionário de Avaliação da Usabilidade (UtEQ) entre estudantes de saúde de Bangladesh. Método: Foi realizado um estudo transversal com uma abordagem metodológica em duas fases. A primeira fase envolveu a tradução do questionário UtEQ para bengali, seguindo as seis etapas propostas por Beaton et al. Na segunda fase, foram avaliadas as propriedades psicométricas do questionário usando uma amostra não probabilística de 486 estudantes de graduação em saúde de três instituições de ensino superior em Bangladesh. Foi realizada uma análise fatorial confirmatória e estimou-se o coeficiente alfa de Cronbach para verificar a consistência interna. Resultados: Foi encontrada uma consistência interna excelente para todas as dimensões da escala, variando de 0,88 a 0,92, enquanto a análise fatorial confirmatória mostrou indicadores adequados de ajuste. Conclusão: O UtEQ-B fornece um método confiável e válido para educadores e pesquisadores em saúde avaliarem a aceitação da tecnologia entre estudantes de saúde durante o treinamento clínico em Bangladesh

Supplementation of growing bulls grazing Panicum maximum cv. Coloniao increases average daily gain and does not impact subsequent performance in feedlot phase

ABSTRACT To evaluate the influence of supplementation strategies on the average daily gain (ADG) of cattle in a rotational grazing system of Guinea grass (Panicum maximum cv. Coloniao) pastures during the rainy season. It was further evaluated the residual effects in the feedlot finishing phase. Seventy-five 8 month-old crossbred bull calves averaging 200.1 ± 2.5 kg of body weight (BW) were stratified and grouped in three into 25 blocks according to BW, and then randomly assigned to one of three supplementation treatments: control (no supplement), energy supplement [65 g crude protein (CP)/kg dry matter (DM)] or protein supplement (200 g CP/kg DM) both fed as 6 g/kg BW. All animals composed a single herd and were separated daily according to treatment groups for supplementation. After the grazing phase, all animals were moved to a feedlot and received the same diet up until slaughter. Guinea grass was subjected to rotational stocking with pre- and post-grazing heights of 76 and 43 cm, respectively. Energy and protein supplements provided similar ADG (P > 0.05; 0.94 kg/day) which was greater than for non-supplemented animals during the grazing phase (P ≤ 0.05; 0.74 kg/day), but there was no difference in the subsequent feedlot phase (P > 0.05; 1.45 kg/day). The protein supplement had no incremental effects over the energy supplement on ADG and carcass traits of growing crossbreed bulls during the grazing phase, indicating that either source could be used, and that an energy supplement would lead to more efficient nutrient use coming from the grass