Nurses' knowledge, attitude, practice and barriers towards the use of evidence based nursing practice (EBNP) at government Hospital in Malaysia

In the nursing profession, EBNP makes a positive contribution to healthcare outcomes, care delivery, clinical teaching and research. The research objective was to determine the nurses’ knowledge, attitude, practice of EBNP and barriers to adopt EBNP in four hospitals in Malaysia, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (Hospital USM), Hospital Pulau Pinang (HPP), Hospital Sultan Abdul Halim (HSAH) and Hospital Seberang Jaya (HSJ). A cross-sectional study was conducted from January until December 2012 among nurses working in all disciplines, on shift or day time duties in four selected hospitals. The questionnaire was adapted from a Singapore study. The data were analysed with SPSS version 21.0, using descriptive statistics, Independent T-Test, One- Way ANOVA and Multi-Factorial ANOVA. Results showed that among the nurses working in four different Malaysian hospitals, nearly 50% knew what the evidence based practice meant. The items assessing the attitude showed a large number nurses responding that they did neither agree nor disagree with statements provided. The majority of the remaining nurses tended to show a rather positive attitude except when asked about how the workload interfered with their EBP practice. Most nurses recognized there were many barriers to EBP in their working place. The significant mean differences of practice on EBNP between senior and junior nurses were observed for the statements 1, 2, and 3 (p=<0.001), (p=0.005) and (p=0.028) respectively. Multifactorial ANOVA analysis used to determine the effect of academic qualification, working place, working experience and training on nurses’ knowledge towards EBNP. In conclusion, this study may have helped to increase understanding of knowledge, attitudes, practice and barriers to adopt EBNP to the utilization of research by nurses through an exploration of perceived barriers and facilitators on the part of nurses

Influence of Seaweed Liquid Extracts on Growth, Biochemical and Yield Characteristics of Cyamopsis tetragonolaba (L.) Taub.

Seaweed liquid extracts of marine alga Stoechospermum marginatum significantly enhanced the growth, biochemical and yield of the cluster plant when treated as soil drench. Seaweed Liquid extracts (SLE) at lower concentration (1.5%) was found to have maximum influence on growth parameters viz., shoot length, root length, fresh weight, dry weight, leaf area and moisture content. Moreover, biochemical parameters such as photosynthetic pigments, protein content, sugars, ascorbic acid and nitrate reductase activity were also enhanced when compared to untreated seedlings. There was also noticeable increase in number of clusters/plant, number of flowers/clusters, pod weight, pod length and number of seeds per pod. Higher concentrations (above 1.5%) were found to show inhibitive effect

Biofertilizing Efficiency of Brown and Green Algae on Growth, Biochemical and Yield Parameters of Cyamopsis tetragonolaba (L.) Taub.

The effect of liquid extracts of marine algae Sargassum wightii and Ulva lactuca when applied as soil drench to cluster bean plant increased the growth, biochemical and yield of the plant. Liquid extracts of Sargassum wightii (1.5%) and Ulva lactuca (1.0%) was found to have maximum influence on growth parameters viz., shoot length, root length, total fresh and dry weight, leaf area and moisture content. Further, there was a significant increase in biochemical parameters such as photosynthetic pigments, protein content, amino acids, reducing sugar, ascorbic acid, nitrate reductase activity. Similarly, enhancement in yield parameters such as number of pods per plant, pod weight, pod length and number of seeds per pod were also observed. Higher concentrations of both algal extracts were found to show inhibitive effect on all above parameters studied

Newspaper advertising for public relations practitioners during the Malaya era 1957-1963

The very first recruitment for a public relations practitioner in Malaysia was encountered in 1948 and was advertised by the federal government of the British Colony in Malaya. This paper examines the subsequent advertisements after Malaya sought independence from the British colonial government. A total of eleven recruitment advertisements were found before the formation of Malaysia on the 16th September 1963. This paper outlines the advertisers, the titles of positions, as well as their qualifications and duties. The results show that the job requirement mainly came from the federal and local governments. Generally, the duties were related to information services and some specific responsibilities

Keberkesanan penggunaan opsite dalam penjagaan tusukan lntravena pada pesakit neonat di wad Unit Rawatan lntenslf Neonat (NICU), Hospital Unlversiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), Kubang Kerian, Kelantan

Latarbelakang: Septik neonat adalah berhubungkait dengan morbiditi dan mortaliti yang sangat tinggi. Penggunaan opsite adalah merupakan satu perawatan asas kejururawatan bagi menjamin keselesaan dan kesejahteraan neonat terutamanya yang mempunyai tusukan intravena bagi mengelak daripada kejadian infeksi serta mengurangkan kadar perkembangan septik neonat. Kesukarannya adalah disebabkan ciri - ciri klinikal yang lemah dan tidak spesifik. Objektif: 1. kenalpasti keberkesanan penggunaan opsite dalam penjagaan tusukan intravena pada neonat baru lahir di wad NICU, HUSM. 2. kenalpasti jumlah kes kejadian infeksi berkaitan dengan penggunaan tusukan intravena pada neonat baru lahir di wad NICU, HUSM. Metadologi: Corak kajian telah digunakan adalah 'Randomized Control Trial'. Dua ratus lima puluh bayi baru lahir telah masuk ke wad NICU di HUSM pada bulan Ogos hingga November 2002 telah diambil sebagai data kajian. Sampeldikumpul dengan mengikut cara 'Block Random'. Sampel dibahagikan kepada 2 kumpulan iaitu sebanyak 125 pesakit neonat dengan menggunakan opsite dan 125 pesakit neonat tanpa menggunakan opsite dalam penjagaan tusukan intravena. Demi menganalisa data kaedah 'Chi Square' dan 'Multiple Logistic Regression' telah digunakan dengan bantuan SPSS 1 0.0 mana kala P<0.005. Keputusan: Penggunaan opsite dalam penjagaan tusukan intravena pada pesakit neonat di NICU adalah berkesan (P<0.001 ). Sebanyak 5.6o/o (n = 125) yang menggunakan opsite, mendapat infeksi berbanding sampel yang tidak menggunakan opsite, 28.8°/o (n = 125) mendapat infeksi. Sebanyak 40% (n=6/ 15) dalam kumpulan dengan penggunaan opsite berbanding 41 o/o ( n=27/66) sampel tanpa penggunaan opsite yang menggunakan ventilator mendapat infeksi. Manakala bayi pramatang pula 4.9o/o (n=5/23) dalam kumpulan penggunaan opsite berbanding 28.2°/o (n=20/36) mendapat infeksi. Walau bagaimanapun dengan menggunakan kaedah 'Statistical Methods' 'Multiple Logistic Regression', penggunaan opsite adalah signifikan bagi bayi yang menggunakan ventilator dan juga bayi pramatang kerana penggunaan tanpa opsite menjadi pembolehubah be bas (independent variable). Kesimpulan: Secara Kesimpulannya, memang tidak dapat dinafikan lagi bahawa penggunaan opsite adalah amat berkesan dan berefektif dalam penjagaan tusukan intravena pada pesakit neonat di NICU

A psychologist-led educational intervention results in a sustained reduction in neonatal intensive care unit infections

Even though in the corporateworld psychological science has been widely used, the formal use of evidence-based psychology in important areas of clinical medicine has been scanty at best. It was the aim of this study to determine the efficacy of a psychologist-led 2-week nurse educator training on the infection rate in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Materials and methods: In 2007, six senior neonatal nurses underwent a training course focusing on the retrieval of evidence and knowledge of psychological principles that would allow them to share the evidence in such a way that evidence is effectively brought into practice.The course was led by a psychologist.The nurses created and delivered their own teaching modules, all focused on infection control. The rates of bacteremia, 2 years prior to intervention were analyzed and compared with the rate following the intervention for 3 years

What information and the extent of information research participants need in informed consent forms: a multi-country survey

Background: The use of lengthy, detailed, and complex informed consent forms (ICFs) is of paramount concern in biomedical research as it may not truly promote the rights and interests of research participants. The extent of information in ICFs has been the subject of debates for decades; however, no clear guidance is given. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the perspectives of research participants about the type and extent of information they need when they are invited to participate in biomedical research. Methods: This multi-center, cross-sectional, descriptive survey was conducted at 54 study sites in seven Asia-Pacific countries. A modified Likert-scale questionnaire was used to determine the importance of each element in the ICF among research participants of a biomedical study, with an anchored rating scale from 1 (not important) to 5 (very important). Results: Of the 2484 questionnaires distributed, 2113 (85.1%) were returned. The majority of respondents considered most elements required in the ICF to be \u27moderately important\u27 to \u27very important\u27 for their decision making (mean score, ranging from 3.58 to 4.47). Major foreseeable risk, direct benefit, and common adverse effects of the intervention were considered to be of most concerned elements in the ICF (mean score = 4.47, 4.47, and 4.45, respectively). Conclusions: Research participants would like to be informed of the ICF elements required by ethical guidelines and regulations; however, the importance of each element varied, e.g., risk and benefit associated with research participants were considered to be more important than the general nature or technical details of research. Using a participant-oriented approach by providing more details of the participant-interested elements while avoiding unnecessarily lengthy details of other less important elements would enhance the quality of the ICF