Teaching effective communication through e-Learning

To meet the needs of a globalized world, a university curriculum needs to address theoretical and practical skills which emphasise versatility, adaptability and flexibility for a more creative workforce, adaptive in knowledge and well-equipped with a range of skills to actively contribute to the new economy. These skills include people management, problem analysis, communication skills, as well as technical skills for presentation, aspects of delivery and modes of enquiry. The greatest challenge faced by SIM University (UniSIM), Singapore’s only university for working adults, is how to respond innovatively to the demand for new and dynamic skills competencies,lifelong learning and e-technologies. In recognition of this demand, UniSIM employs an eclectic pedagogical approach in delivering its courses such as the university core module entitled Effective Communication which uses the “blended learning” model, defined as "the effective combination of different modes of delivery, models of teaching and styles of learning" (Procter, 2003). This paper examines the development process of this course and its blended learning approach which combines modern technology using interactive learning on e-platforms such as Blackboard with traditional methods using textbooks, face-to-face lectures and tutorials to enable working adults to optimize their learning experience at the tertiary level

Faculty Development in a Flexible Learning Context

AbstractIt is an acknowledged fact that universities must ensure the provision of supportive mechanisms to assist faculty members to remain updated and to be as productive as possible in order to maintain the quality of learning. Recognizing this essential reality, institutions world-wide have responded to the challenge by establishing a range of faculty development programmes with the common goal being the development and growth of the potential of their teaching resources by using them in creative ways. The provision of faculty development in flexible learning contexts for working adults which rely largely upon associate or part-time faculty members represents an even bigger challenge. A flexible learning mode, combined with a comprehensive integration of IT and aspects of virtual learning, sets a high premium on the exploitation and expansion of media and technology to strengthen the teaching/learning experience and to help students to learn at their own pace. Hence, a crucial function of the faculty support mechanisms set up in such institutions is to help academic staff members to provide quality learning by utilizing technology to facilitate delivery and to integrate appropriate and productive forms of communication with their students. Using the Singapore SIM University (UniSIM) as a backdrop for this study in faculty development, this paper aims to explore how institutional faculty support mechanisms have been and are being developed to ensure a rewarding teaching-learning context

Implementation of AMBA AHB protocol using verilog HDL

Advanced Microcontroller Bus Architecture (AMBA) is a series of bus protocols provided by ARM. These include AHB, APB and ASB. AMBA provides an on-chip communication standard for these buses to be used in high performance microcontrollers. In this paper we have implemented the AMBA AHB (Advanced High-Performance Bus) which is used for high performance transfers among different modules of the microcontroller. AHB supports efficient connection of processor, on chip memory, DMA and off chip external memories. AMBA AHB system bus supports multiple bus masters and slaves. The design is implemented using Verilog HDL and simulated using ModelSim 6.4a. Synthesis for the design is done using Xilinx ISE 14.4

Nifedipine versus nitroglycerin for acute tocolysis in preterm labour: a randomised controlled trial

Background: To compare the safety & efficacy of oral nifedipine with transdermal nitroglycerin in the inhibition of preterm labour.Methods: This study included 84 women in preterm labour, randomly divided into two groups, 43 receiving oral nifedipine and 41, transdermal nitroglycerin (NTG). Patients in preterm labour with a single gestation, between the 26th and the 34th week and no contraindication for tocolysis were selected. Women with fetal malformation and medical or obstetric diseases were excluded. The variables analyzed were: delay in delivery for 48 hours, 7 days or more than 7 days, period of gestation at delivery, side effect profile of drugs & neonatal outcomes.Results: Mean prolongation of pregnancy with NTG (29.04 days) was similar to that of nifedipine (34.46 days). Nifedipine was significantly more successful in prolonging pregnancy beyond 48 hours, especially in women with advanced cervical dilatation (>3 cm). Failure of acute tocolysis, defined as delivery within 48 hours, was significantly more common with NTG (31.7 %) as compared to nifedipine (11.6 %). Headache was significantly higher in the NTG group (41.5 %) compared to nifedipine group (4.7 %). The neonatal outcomes in terms of the mean birth weight, incidence of low birth weight and very low birth weight babies, need and duration of neonatal intensive care was similar in both groups.Conclusions: Oral nifedipine is a safe and effective tocolytic with a lower failure rate and better side effect profile as compared with transdermal nitroglycerin

Validating an Information Booklet to Promote Wellness in Families Having Children with Birth Defects

Having a child with a birth defect impacts the whole family. Parents of children who have birth defects face unique challenges. They want to understand various measures that can prevent birth defects in the future preganncy. One of the challenges parents face is the communication with healthcare professionals. In gynecology and pediatrics OPDs, parents who have children with birth defects have many queries regarding diagnosis, treatment options available, etc. Doctors are not in a position to separately counsel each and every patient. Hence many queries remain unanswered due to lack of sufficient doctor-patient consultation. Keeping in view these points, a booklet has been developed for facilitating counseling of the parents of babies with birth defects. The booklet covers all the aspects that parents must know to understand risk factors, mechanism, the impact of birth defect in the life of children as well as family, causes of birth defects, diagnosis, management, preventive aspects, etc. To validate its content, feedback and comments of experts in the field of gynecology, pediatrics, nursing and public health were taken. The booklet was scored in the domains of its content (mean score 7.65), layout (mean score 7.45), size (7.7), etc. We hope this booklet will help parents to increase their current knowledge and relieve their anxiety related to various queries

Vaginal delivery in a patient with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis: a case report

Heart disease complicates about 1-4% of all pregnancies of which valvular heart disease is the commonest cause. In developing countries, congenital heart diseases are commonly first detected during pregnancy. Most women do well during pregnancy but severe mitral stenosis or severe aortic stenosis are high-risk conditions that can cause significant morbidity and mortality. Unlike asymptomatic severe mitral stenosis, asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis is mWHO category 3. There is no consensus on the mode of delivery in patients with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis. Here we describe a case of successful vaginal delivery in a woman with severe aortic stenosis. As the patient was asymptomatic and ejection fraction was preserved, a joint decision for vaginal delivery was taken along with the cardiology team. The patient was induced and delivered with operative vaginal delivery. This case shows that vaginal delivery could be a viable option in patients with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis given continuous haemodynamic monitoring can be provided

A study on outcome of pregnancy of unknown location

Background: Pregnancies of unknown location (PUL) are becoming more common as women presenting to early pregnancy assessment units when a pregnancy test comes positive but there is no evidence of an intrauterine pregnancy. The objective of the present retrospective study was to find out the outcome of women with pregnancy of unknown location presenting to a tertiary hospital in Northern Ireland.Methods: This retrospective analytic study used medical record data between July 2019 and December 2021 from the Altnagelvin Area Hospital of Northern Ireland. TVUS was considered to diagnose the PUL and thereafter beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin (β-hCG) level was monitored as per institutional protocol. Expectant management was carried out until the pregnancy outcome was finalised. Using Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 26, all collected data were analysed using the multinomial logistic regression.Results: For the analysis among the 63 participants, 25.4% were primi gravida and 38.1% presented with 4-5 weeks of gestation. Pain abdomen and vaginal bleeding was represented by 20.6% and 52.4% respectively. Confirmed ectopic pregnancy was observed among 4.8% and was surgically managed. Also, persistent PUL was 7.9% and these cases were successfully managed by Methotrexate.Conclusions: The large proportion will be biochemical pregnancy or intrauterine pregnancies, with a tiny fraction of ectopic pregnancies. Early detection of ectopic pregnancy is most challenging part among the women presented with PUL category

Clinical profile and outcome of patients with placenta previa: a study at a tertiary care referral institute in Northern India

Background: The aim of this study was to determine clinical profile, evaluate our antenatal and intraoperative management and see the maternal and perinatal outcome in patients with placenta previa.Methods: A prospective study was carried out in 130 women with placenta previa in the Department of Gynecology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India between Jan 2015–April 2016. The profile of these patients was recorded in a predesigned proforma and maternal and perinatal outcome analyzed in detail.Results: One third (46/130) of the patients with placenta previa had a history of previous caesarian section, 27% had previous uterine curettage and 82% were multiparous.18% were asymptomatic placenta previa whereas 82% had one or more bleeding episodes. Expectant management was given to 67% patients after first bleeding episode. Majority (92/130) of patients required emergency cesarean section. Due to invasive placentation, 25 patients required cesarean hysterectomy. Ninety percent patients required delivery at ≤37 weeks and neonatal outcome improved with increasing gestation as expected.Conclusions: Reduction in cesarean rate is the major key factor for decreasing the incidence of placenta previa as, as well as placenta accreta and other associated complications as there were no patients diagnosed to have placenta accreta when placenta previa was present without any previous cesarean scar. In cases of invasive placenta, performing a classical CS, not trying to remove the placenta and proceeding directly to hysterectomy resulted in reduced blood loss. Neonatal outcome as well as maternal outcome is best when cesarean is done between 36-37 weeks

Influence of hospital policy on partograph use in tertiary care facilities in India: a cross sectional survey

Background: Partograph is an effective, but underutilized tool for monitoring labour. This study examined the influence of hospital policy on the knowledge, attitude, practice and skills of doctors towards partograph plotting.Methods: A cross-sectional survey among doctors posted in labour rooms of tertiary care public teaching hospitals of India was carried out, using self-administered questionnaire to assess knowledge, attitude and practice; and labour case scenarios were provided to assess partograph plotting skills. Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test were employed to test the significance of association between knowledge, attitude, practice and skills of 150 doctors working in hospitals with (n=3) and without (n=2) policy of routine partograph plotting.Results: The majority of doctors in both groups had correct knowledge about different partograph components. However, doctors working in hospitals with a policy of partograph use, demonstrated significantly better skills using case scenarios for plotting partographs (p<0.01), and a positive attitude towards plotting partograph and its use as a decision support tool (p=0.000) as compared to doctors working in hospitals without a routine partograph plotting policy.Conclusions: Hospital policy of routine partograph plotting may positively influence utilization of partograph in tertiary care public hospitals in India