Improving influenza vaccination rate among primary healthcareworkers in Qatar

The purpose of this study was to improve influenza vaccination, and determine factors influencing vaccine declination among health care workers (HCW) in Qatar. We launched an influenza vaccination campaign to vaccinate around 4700 HCW in 22 Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) centers in Qatar between 1st and 15th of November, 2015. Our target was to vaccinate 60% of all HCW. Vaccine was offered free of charge at all centers, and information about the campaign and the importance of influenza vaccination was provided to employees through direct communication, emails, and social media networks. Staff were reported as vaccinated or non-vaccinated using a declination form that included their occupation, place of work and reasons for declining the vaccine. Survey responses were summarized as proportional outcomes. We exceeded our goal, and vaccinated 77% of the target population. Only 9% declined to take the vaccine, and the remaining 14% were either on leave or had already been vaccinated. Vaccine uptake was highest among aides (98.1%), followed by technicians (95.2%), and was lowest amongst pharmacists (73.2%), preceded by physicians (84%). Of those that declined the vaccine, 34% provided no reason, 18% declined it due to behavioral issues, and 21% declined it due to medical reasons. Uptake of influenza vaccine significantly increased during the 2015 immunization campaign. This is attributed to good planning, preparation, a high level of communication, and providing awareness and training to HCW with proper supervision and monitoring. 1 2017 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Acknowledgments: We would like to thank all staff for participation in the 2015 influenza vaccination campaign at the PHCC. Members of the Health protection at MoPH and PHCC communicable disease control team are highly acknowledged for assistance with implementation. This Study was funded by the Ministry of Public Health.Scopu

Wiedza, postawa i zasady postępowania pielęgniarek wobec chorych na padaczkę

Background: This work handled three aspects: to assess the nurses’ knowledge and practice with regard to patients with epilepsy, to study the outcome of training of nurses regarding epilepsy. Material and methods: The study conducted at the Department of Neurology at Assiut University Hospital. Data collected from all nurses (n = 35) working at the Department of Neurology. The following tools were used for data collection; a pre-/post-test questionnaire sheet for the assessment of the nurses’ knowledge of epilepsy, an observation checklist sheet for nurses, and the patient’s assessment sheet to assess the nurses’ practice. The work involved nine sessions, each about 30 minutes long, applied to teach nurses about all data necessary for the patients with epilepsy. Results: A good improvement in the mean knowledge and practice scores observed following the implementation of the designed nursing protocol. A significant decrease in complication rate which resulted from bad practice during fit following the implementation of the designed nursing protocol. A reduction in seizure-related complications reported after the training of nurses with the designed nursing protocol which acts as an additional advantage. Conclusion: Improving the nurses’ knowledge and practice with regard to patients with epilepsy will lead to the improvement the health and social conditions of patients with epilepsy.Wprowadzenie: Autorzy opracowania przeanalizowali stan wiedzy i praktykę pielęgniarek w odniesieniu do pacjentów z padaczką, a także wyniki odbytego przez pielęgniarki szkolenia na temat padaczki. Materiał i metody: Badanie przeprowadzono na Oddziale Neurologii Szpitala Uniwersyteckiego w Assiut. Dane zebrano od wszystkich pielęgniarek (n = 35) pracujących na oddziale. Do zbierania danych wykorzystano następujące narzędzia: kwestionariusz przed i po wprowadzeniu programu edukacyjnego służący do oceny stanu wiedzy pielęgniarek na temat padaczki, listę obserwacyjną dla pielęgniarek, formularz oceny stanu pacjenta w celu oceny praktyki pielęgniarek. Szkolenie przeprowadzono w dziewięciu 30-minutowych sesjach, w trakcie których pielęgniarki uzyskały wszelkie informacje potrzebne do opieki nad chorymi z padaczką. Wyniki: Zaobserwowano wyraźną poprawę średniej stanu wiedzy i wyników praktyki pielęgniarskiej po wdrożeniu programu opieki pielęgniarskiej, jak również znaczny spadek liczby powikłań spowodowanych nieprawidłowym postępowaniem z pacjentem podczas napadów padaczkowych. Ponadto stwierdzono zmniejszenie liczby zgłaszanych powikłań ponapadowych po wdrożeniu programu opieki pielęgniarskiej, co stanowi dodatkową jego zaletę. Wnioski: Poprawa stanu wiedzy oraz praktyki pielęgniarek w odniesieniu do chorych na padaczkę doprowadzi do poprawy stanu zdrowia i warunków życia osób z padaczką

Carbon supported ternary layered double hydroxide nanocomposite for Fluoxetine removal and subsequent utilization of spent adsorbent as antidepressant

Abstract Fluoxetine (FLX) is one of the most persistent pharmaceuticals found in wastewater due to increased use of antidepressant drugs in recent decades. In this study, a nanocomposite of ternary ZnCoAl layered double hydroxide supported on activated carbon (LAC) was used as an adsorbent for FLX in wastewater effluents. The nanocomposite was characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and surface area analysis (BET). The adsorption investigations showed that the maximum removal capacity was achieved at pH 10, with a 0.1 g/L adsorbent dose, 50 mL volume of solution, and at a temperature of 25 °C. The FLX adsorption process followed the Langmuir–Freundlich model with a maximum adsorption capacity of 450.92 mg/g at FLX concentration of 50 µg/mL. Density functional theory (DFT) computations were used to study the adsorption mechanism of FLX and its protonated species. The safety and toxicity of the nanocomposite formed from the adsorption of FLX onto LAC (FLX-LAC) was investigated in male albino rats. Acute toxicity was evaluated using probit analysis after 2, 6, and 24 h to determine LD50 and LD100 values in a rat model. The FLX-LAC (20 mg/kg) significantly increased and lengthened the sleep time of the rats, which is important, especially with commonly used antidepressants, compared to the pure standard FLX (7 mg/kg), regular thiopental sodium medicine (30 mg/kg), and LAC alone (9 mg/kg). This study demonstrated the safety and longer sleeping duration in insomniac patients after single-dose therapy with FLX-LAC. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like FLX were found to have decreased side effects and were considered the first-line mood disorder therapies