Adequate Equipment Research Articles

Editorial Management Sindonews.com in Determining News Worth Publishing

The media are currently faced with demands to increase selectivity and creativity in the presentation of journalistic products, especially in choosing news that is worthy of airing in order to meet the desires, interests and demands of the audience in the midst of increasingly fierce media competition. This research aims to examine editorial management at SINDOnews.com in determining the right news, including the process of planning, organizing, implementing, and supervising as well as factors that support and hinder it. This research uses a qualitative approach to understand the phenomenon holistically through data collection in the form of written words and language obtained from interviews with main and supporting informants and documentation. The results show that news search planning is carried out through editorial meetings, organizing through coordination in WhatsApp groups, implementation starts from news material distribution, writing, editing in verification groups, and supervision through quality and quantity evaluations. Supporting factors are the completeness of equipment and qualified human resources, while the inhibiting factor is the difficulty in obtaining confirmation information from sources. The implications of this research show that editorial management runs in accordance with POAC theory and existing journalistic theory, with supporting factors such as adequate equipment and human resources and challenges in the form of obstacles in obtaining confirmation from the main source, which sometimes requires alternative sources.

RURAL BANDITRY AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIA (2017-2022): A STUDY OF OYO AND ONDO STATES

Government in an ideal society strives to promptly crush security challenges like banditry with a view to safeguarding human rights of the people but regrettably the reverse is the case in Nigeria. This study investigated the effect of rural banditry on human rights in Oyo and Ondo States, Nigeria. The study adopted descriptive survey research design and quantitative method using self-structured questionnaire to collect data. A total of 400 respondents were sampled adopting stratified random sampling technique while ANOVA analysis was used to test the research hypotheses of the study. The study revealed that rural banditry activities violated the freedom of movement, rights to privacy, property, human dignity, liberty and security of life, among other civil and political rights of the people in Oyo and Ondo States. It also disclosed that rural banditry grossly violated the freedom of religion, rights to education, property as well as social and cultural rights of the people in Oyo and Ondo States. The study concluded that rural banditry activities like kidnapping, robbery, village raids, hostage and ransom taking, maiming and murder, among others severely impacted on the rights of people in both Oyo and Ondo States. The study recommended that government should establish special court to try and swiftly deal with the cases of banditry while Amotekun security outfit, which was established to confront the menace should be empowered through intensive training and supply of adequate and modern weapons and equipment.

Foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract in children: algorithm of management and choice of instruments for endoscopic removal

BACKGROUND: A foreign body (FB) in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) may require either emergent removal or careful observation till its natural coming out. The effectiveness of endoscopic procedure (EP) in pediatrics depends on adequate medical knowledge and medical equipment. Not uncommon, endoscopists and surgeons from adult medical centers remove FB in children. Over the past decades, EP in the GIT has become the safest and most successful technique for FB diagnosis and removal. Up to now, there is no algorithm for managing and removing FB in children, or it does not always meet needs in clinical practice. To assess and choose the most optimal endoscopic equipment and instrumental accessories regarding child’s age, FB type and its harmful effects is still an important issue. AIM: To improve a management algorithm and selection of optimal equipment to ensure timely diagnostics and successful endoscopic removal of FBs from GIT in children. METHODS: A retrospective three-center analysis of children’s medical histories with suspected FBs in GIT from 2017 to 2020. The following parameters were analysed: clinical, X-ray and endoscopic diagnostic techniques depending on patient's age, FB location, its type and radiopacity, time before its removal, as well as type and effectiveness of endoscopic instrument, duration of endoscopic procedure, its effectiveness and complications, if any. RESULTS: 1173 children were taken in the study (boys n=676, girls n=497,) average age 3.5±3.3, (0–17 y.o.). FB diagnosis was confirmed in 1008 (100%) patients; endoscopy was performed in 756 (75%) cases; endoscopic removal — in 751 out of 756 cases. Surgeries were made to three children with giant trichobezoars and to two children with magnet objects which were complicated by perforation in one case and by intestinal obstruction in the other one. The performed retrospective analysis of children’s medical histories with suspected GIT FBs allowed to modify the algorithm of multidisciplinary approach to the management and endoscopic removal of swallowed objects. Examination by an ENT specialist and a pediatric surgeon was mandatory at the reception department. The pediatric surgeon formulated indications for X-ray examination in two projections. The confirmed fact of FB swallowing and X-ray findings could be indicators for CT scanning. After FB presence has been confirmed, the patient is jointly consulted by a pediatric surgeon, anesthesiologist and endoscopist so as to determine indications and time interval for removing a swallowed object endoscopically. Endoscopic instruments — net, rat tooth, forceps, loop and basket — turned out to be the most universal ones for removing four FB types, with the best average time of the procedure. There were no complications related to FB endoscopic removal. CONCLUSION: The proposed algorithm modification in child’s management and removal of GIT FB, the optimal choice of endoscopic equipment and manipulation accessories depending on patient’s age, FB location, type and its harm are key points to its successful and effective FB removal in children.

Dysphonia in children

Abstract Dysphonia is a frequent symptom in paediatric patients and it has a prevalence between 6 - 24%. In young patients, dysphonia has a direct importance because it impairs their communicative behaviour, their psychological status and also their social life. The most diagnosed voice pathologies in children are vocal nodules followed by vocal cord cysts, infectious and inflammatory causes, sulcus vocalis, laryngeal membranes, iatrogenic vocal cord paralysis, neurological causes, psychogenic factors, traumatic or irritative factors or, less commonly, laryngeal neoplasms. A correct diagnosis of dysphonia in paediatric patients is important for learning, voice training and their psychological development. Children with dysphonia have to be assessed with adequate equipment. It is recommended to use tools that are appropriate to the tolerance and cooperation of the patients and allow to have a good visualization of the vocal folds. Suitable preventive methods, early diagnosis, appropriate treatment of voice disorders should be taken into consideration in these cases. In this article, some of the most frequent causes of dysphonia in paediatric patients and their treatment options in order to achieve a proper voice are reviewed.

National STEM Education Framework: Teachers’ Perspectives on the 2015-2022 Curriculum Cycle

Throughout the world, nations are busy investing in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to prepare innovative minds that can spearhead the development and sustainable growth of their economies. Zimbabwe’s participation in the global economy is premised on the preference for STEM education system. The introduction of the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) in Zimbabwe meant a shift in the general aims and objectives of the education system. The transformation meant a move from an academic oriented and content-focused curriculum to one that is skills-based, giving prominence to continuous assessment over final examinations. To explore classroom practitioners’ perceptions of the first cycle of the CBC, 20 purposively selected STEM teachers participated in the study. A qualitative research approach and case study design were adopted as study methodology. Thematically analysed data were collected through focus group interviews with participants. The study focused on support systems available for STEM education in secondary schools and how the absence of the national framework affects its implementation. The study found that there were limited support systems for STEM education as some schools did not have adequate facilities and equipment such as science laboratories, apparatus, science consumables, computer laboratories, computer hardware and software among others. It came out from the study that the absence of national framework had negative effect on the implementation of STEM education in secondary schools. The study concluded that though the secondary schools experienced constraints in implementing STEM education there were noticeable pockets of good practices in some schools, for example, learners graduating with competences for life skills. The study recommended that the schools should engage stakeholders for support in provision of required resources. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should expedite the development of a national framework for the effective implementation of STEM education.

Adherence to infection prevention practices and associated factors among healthcare workers in Northeastern Ethiopia, following the Northern Ethiopia conflict.

In resource-limited areas, especially in conflict-affected settings, managing the risk of hospital-acquired infections is difficult due to the destruction of essential facilities in healthcare settings. The study aimed to assess adherence to Infection prevention practices and associated factors among healthcare workers in Northeastern Ethiopia following the Northern Ethiopia conflict. A facility-based cross-sectional study was done with 408 healthcare workers. The survey data was collected using a structured questionnaire based on published articles. Data entry and analysis was done using Epi-Data version 4.6 and SPSS version 25.0, respectively. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the association between dependent and outcome variables, with a cut-off p value 0.05 at 95% confidence interval with a p-value less than 0.05 and a 95% confidence interval for determining factors associated with adherence to infection prevention practices among study participants. The study included 408 healthcare workers with a response rate of 96.7%. The majority of participants were women 206 (50.5%), married 250 (61.3%), Orthodox followers 211 (51.7%), and educational status of master holder and above with a master's degree or higher 177 (43.4%). Slightly more than half, 53.7% (219) of the respondents demonstrated safe infection prevention practices. Respondents who received training on infection prevention practices (AOR = 2.662, 95% CI: 1.361, 5.120) had an active infection prevention committee (AOR = 2.203, 95% CI: 1.359, 3.572), use infection prevention guidelines in working departments (AOR = 2.090, 95% CI: 1.013, 4.312), and access to adequate personal protective equipment (AOR = 2.773, 95% CI: 1.560, 4.929) were factors significantly associated with adherence to infection prevention practices. Overall, only half of the respondents practiced safe infection prevention practices. Receive training on infection prevention guidelines, presence of active infection prevention committee and working guidelines, and the availability of personal protective equipment were factors of infection prevention. Hence, essential facilities like Personal protective equipment, working guidelines should be supplied by donors.

Predictors of seropositivity to SARS-CoV-2 among employees at a large urban medical center

BackgroundBefore SARS-CoV-2 vaccination availability, medical center employees were at high risk of COVID-19. However, risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection in medical center employees, both healthcare and non-healthcare workers, are poorly understood.MethodsFrom September-December 2020, free IgG antibody testing was offered to all employees at a large urban medical center. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire on work and non-work related risk factors for COVID-19 infection.ResultsSARS-CoV-2 seropositivity was found in 4.7%. Seropositivity was associated with close contact with COVID-19 cases with or without the use of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), (OR 3.1 [95% CI 1.4–6.9] and OR 4.7 [95% CI 2.0–11.0] respectively), never wearing a mask outside of work (OR 10.1 [95% CI 1.9–57]), and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander race (OR 6.3 95% CI (1.6–25)].ConclusionsAmong workers in a large urban medical center, SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity was associated with work-related COVID-19 close contacts and low mask use outside of work, suggesting that non-workplace close contacts are also relevant routes of COVID-19 spread among healthcare workers.

Barriers and facilitators to primary care for people living with HIV and diabetes in Harare.

People living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and comorbid diabetes mellitus (DM) face significant challenges owing to the complex interplay between these chronic conditions and the need for comprehensive and integrated care. Service availability and readiness for primary care are essential for the health of individuals and populations. This study aimed to explore barriers and facilitators to the provision of care to the patients with HIV and T2DM comorbidity. The study was conducted at Primary health centres in Harare, Zimbabwe. A mixed-methods design was applied. An audit of primary care facilities identified that there was adequate infrastructure and equipment for HIV and T2DM diagnosis and treatment. However, there are gaps in the availability of essential medicines and supplies, such as test strips for blood glucose monitoring. The assessment also showed that the centres had a chronic shortage of healthcare providers, including doctors, nurses and counsellors, and there was a need for additional training and support for healthcare providers in the management of HIV and T2DM. The study concludes that the delivery of health services to patients with HIV and T2DM at primary care centres in Harare, Zimbabwe, faces significant challenges. Suggestions included improved resource allocation and multisectoral collaboration to improve the delivery of healthcare services.Contribution:The research contributes insight into disparities between urban and rural primary care facilities in providing services, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to bridge gaps and enhance care quality.

Effects of visit restriction in the COVID-19 pandemic: Experiences and perceptions of intensive care nurses.

The visit restrictions imposed as a result of COVID-19 precluded the entrance of the patient's family into the confines of the intensive care unit. This study evaluated the experiences of intensive care nurses (ICNs) regarding COVID-19 visit restrictions and their opinions on these restrictions. From May 2023 to July 2023, semi-structured interviews with 15 ICNs from intensive care units in a tertiary public hospital in Türkiye were conducted. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. Reporting of the study followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist. The analysis revealed two main themes, 'widespread negative impacts of visit restrictions' and 'adaptive strategies to the visitation ban', and seven sub-themes supporting the main themes. Nurses perceived that the visit restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic had a severe negative effect on patients, their relatives, themselves and the care environment. They also did not support visit restriction in future pandemics. The COVID-19 visitation policy weakened the involvement of family members in patient care and created serious challenges in the intensive care setting. The study revealed an urgent need for patient-centred, family-sensitive and consistently applied protocols in future pandemics. In future pandemics, strategies such as the benefit-benefit ratio of the visit, the provision and use of adequate personal protective equipment, and vaccination requirements should be considered in visiting decisions of patients hospitalized because of infection. Participation of nurses responsible for patient care in decisions regarding visitor practices should be supported.

Role of Laparoscopy in Reproductive Age Group Women with Gynecological Problems in a Tertiary Medical College

Background Laparoscopy has been a revolution in gynecological surgery as it is safe and minimally invasive. It can be used as a diagnostic as well as treatment modality for different gynecological problems like Chronic pelvic pain, adnexal cyst, ectopic pregnancy, Pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility.MethodsThis study was carried out at College of Medical Sciences-Teaching Hospital from April 2022 to March 2023 in 105 women. All the women undergoing laparoscopic surgeries were analyzed for indications, intraoperative findings and interventions.ResultsThe mean±SD of age of women was 30.34±7.73 years, most were in age group 26-35 years. The most common indications for Laparoscopy were for Adnexal cyst (74.28%), Chronic Pelvic Pain (14.28%) and Infertility (11.42%). The most common findings according to site were Ovarian pathology (48.60 %) followed by peritoneal pathology (22.9 %), Tubal pathology (17.14%) and normal findings (10.50%). In ovarian - Dermoid cyst (31.37 %), in tubal - ectopic pregnancy (55.56%), in peritoneal-Adhesions (45.83%) were the most common finding. In laparoscopic interventions, 26.70% had cystectomy, 14.3 % had salpingectomy and 13.3 % had Sterilization. Conclusions Laparoscopy as a modality for diagnosis and treatment of gynecological problems has been well established in recent times. It’s been a choice of surgery because of its reduce postoperative pain, shorter hospital stay, faster recovery and minimal scar. However, adequate advanced training and equipment are needed to perform skillful laparoscopic surgeries.

Agro-Processing Value Chains Mapping and Technology Needs Assessment for Nyeri County, Kenya

A sectoral value chain mapping of the County Government of Nyeri, Kenya was initiated and implemented with regard to agro-processing of various forms of plant resources: food crops, textile/natural products, honey/animal feeds/ bio-energy/ICT, environment & biotechnology, essential oils, engineering services and Blue Economy. In this case, the following value-chain processes were assessed: Tea, Coffee; Oil crops; Banana & Dairy products with the support of service providers and prototypic environments. It also looked into value-addition practices and other cross-cutting factors. The cross-sectional study uncovered distinctions and issues including variability in the power supply, absence of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), minimal value addition, existence of counterfeit inputs, and unsuitable equipment. Recommendations include provision of standby power supply, provision of standard operating procedures, potential innovation in value addition, procurement of adequate equipment, and formulation of measures concerning genuine farm inputs. Therefore, by providing an enabling environment and putting into practice the strategies articulated in the study, sustainable agricultural-based growth and hence economic development in Nyeri County will be inevitably achieved under the Kenya Vision 2030.

Factor Affecting Work Efficiency of Pick Tower Department Employees in Lotus Distribution Center, Khon Kaen, Thailand

The purpose of this study is to Factor Affecting Work Efficiency of Pick Tower Department Employees in Lotus Distribution Center Khon Kaen. The Sample is Pick Tower Department Employees in Lotus Distribution Center, Khon Kaen. The instrument used was a questionnaire consisting of 80 people by accidental sampling. The average of Item-Objective Congruence Index (IOC) was 0.78 and the Reliability index was 0.83. The statistics used for data analysis were percentage, mean, standard deviation and Stepwise Multiple Regression statistics. The findings disclosed as follows: (1) Motivating elements in terms of job responsibilities, supervisors grant employees autonomy and confidence in carrying out their duties, which has an impact on work productivity. (2) The policy and administration supporting factors consist of an organization-wide executive meeting where policies and work practices are explained, as well as employee participation in operation planning. With respect to the conditions of employment, A secure workplace exists. Orderly and orderly Convenient for business Having adequate and suitable equipment required to perform the task will have an impact on the task's efficacy with the significance level .05.

Challenges in rescuing snakes to protect human lives and promote snake conservation in Tamil Nadu, India.

Human-snake conflicts are common worldwide, often resulting in snakebites. Snakebite envenoming causes over 125,000 deaths and 400,000 permanent disabilities worldwide every year. India alone accounts for an average of ~58,000 annual snakebite-induced deaths. As human developments rapidly expand into suburban and rural areas, snakes are being displaced and incidences of residents finding snakes within their dwellings are increasing. Most people have an innate fear of snakes, compounded by centuries of negative influence from culture and mythology manifesting in people often attempting to kill snakes. Snake rescuers are volunteers who remove and relocate snakes to safe areas. This is a risky job that poses potentially fatal implications if bitten. These volunteers mostly receive no financial compensation for their time or transportation costs, but they choose to do it for their love of snakes, conservation, and for the altruistic nature of helping others. Snake rescuers often receive no formal training and are unfunded resulting in removing snakes improperly without adequate safety equipment or the required skill set to safely complete the task. Therefore, it is critical to determine their challenges and requirements to promote the safe rescue of snakes while protecting human lives. In this study, we developed an online questionnaire and interviewed 152 snake rescuers in Tamil Nadu, India following written informed consent to determine their challenges and needs for rescuing snakes safely. The results demonstrate that most rescuers are males, and they conduct snake rescues for varying lengths of time. They mostly receive no formal training and are bitten by snakes. They spend their own money on the purchase of snake-handling equipment and on treatments if bitten or injured during a rescue. The rescuers highlighted the urgent need for formal training, safety equipment and standard protocols for rescuing snakes in Tamil Nadu. Overall, this study demonstrates that snake rescuing should be appropriately regulated by the authorities, in particular the Wildlife Division of State Forest Departments in India, and formal training along with necessary equipment, medical insurance and appropriate recognition should be provided to them to safely remove snakes from human dwellings and manage the safety of both snakes and humans. They can also act as educators to disseminate information about the preventive and first aid measures for snakebites as well as the ecological importance of snakes.

The Profile of the Italian Centers for Cognitive Disorders and Dementia in the Context of New Drugs in Alzheimer's Disease.

The wait for the upcoming disease-modifying therapies (DMT) for Alzheimer's disease in Europe is raising questions about the preparedness of national healthcare systems to conduct accurate diagnoses and effective prescriptions. In this article, we focus on the current situation in Italy. The primary goal is to propose a profile of the Italian Centers for Cognitive Disorders and Dementias (CCDDs) that could be taken into consideration by regional and autonomous provincial authorities when deciding on the prescribing centers for DMT. Based on responses to a national survey on CCDDs in Italy, we identified the CCDDs that meet the requirements for effective prescription: 1) Multidisciplinary team; 2) Minimum Core Test for the neuropsychological assessment; 3) PET, CSF, and Brain MRI assessments. Univariate and multivariate comparisons were conducted between CCDDs that met the criteria and the others. Only 10.4% of CCDDs met the requirements for effective DMT prescription, mainly located in Northern Italy. They are also characterized by longer opening hours, a higher number of professionals, a university location, and a higher frequency of conducting genetic tests, and could potentially result in prescribing centers. The findings suggest that the Italian national healthcare system may benefit from further enhancements to facilitate the effective prescription of DMTs. This could involve initiatives to reduce fragmentation, ensure adequate resources and equipment, and secure sufficient funding to support this aspect of healthcare delivery.

Analysis of the Effect of Quay Container Crane Available on Dwelling Time at Jakarta International Container Terminal

The efficiency of loading and unloading dwelling time at the port has been done a lot. The problem at PT JICT is that there has been a decrease in throughput for the last three years, this has an effect on operational performance. operational performance is a representation of the achievement of all targets, thus the company always aims to improve its operational performance. Another problem is that the terminal's operational equipment has begun to be obsolete, which hinders the loading and unloading operation time, the lack of operational equipment that supports the loading and unloading process. The operational equipment studied is the Quay Container Crane which is seen from the available condition. All of these problems will have an impact on dwelling time at PT JICT which can affect operational performance. This research is expected to provide recommendations to PT Jakarta International Container Terminal to prepare adequate operational equipment so that the resulting dwelling time is known. This research method uses a dynamic system model and validation test with behavior pattern test. The results of the dynamic system model validation obtained dwelling time between 2.79 - 4.56 days, mean error of 3% and standard deviation error of 11%. Maintenance of quay container cranes has an influence on unloading productivity which has an impact on dwelling time. Based on 60 data, the quay container crane available variable is seen based on quartile values consisting of quartile 1 (Q1), quartile 2 (Q2) and quartile 3 (Q3). In the quay container crane available variable, the dwelling time value in quartile one is 1.34 days, quartile two is 1.47 and quartile three is 1.51 and the dwelling time value in quartile one is 14 units, quartile two is 12 units and quartile three is 10 units.

Secure Healthcare Data Storage and Transmission: A Review of Current Technologies and Future Directions

The development of websites, applications, and the first social networks profoundly altered everyone's life and became the catalyst for advancement on a global scale. The days of immovable points, phones, and printing presses are long gone. But is everything really as perfect as it looks? Perhaps the most contentious thing in history is progress. We now have the freedom to express our ideas without fear, connect with individuals around the globe, and access a seemingly limitless amount of knowledge thanks to the Internet. But as time goes on, concerns about the cloudlessness of virtual existence become more and more prevalent; we have been captured by things that do not exist in reality. Apart from the well-known hazards like terrorism and global warming, the growth of the Internet has given rise to entirely unknown and novel perils that have infiltrated our life. We refer to this phenomena as "cybercrime". Any form of criminal activity carried out virtually is referred to as cybercrime. Ten to twenty years ago, this phenomena was known only to specialised specialists. IT industry, and it is currently a worldwide issue. Although everyone and the IT sector receive adequate security measures and equipment, cybercrime is nevertheless increasing at a very rapid pace in parallel. There are several security problems and cyberthreats in the modern world. With new technology emerging daily, we can predict major issues in the road. In this work a Secure Healthcare Data Storage and Transmission in WAN area is discussed.

Patient Perceptions of Weight Stigma Experiences in Healthcare: A Qualitative Analysis.

Weight stigma is the social devaluation and denigration of individuals because of their excess body weight, resulting in poorer physical and mental health and healthcare avoidance. Attribution Theory and Goffman's theory of spoiled identity provided a general overarching framework for understanding weight stigma experiences. Our purpose was to explore weight stigma experiences from a broad range of perspectives emphasizing identities typically excluded in the weight stigma literature. We conducted a qualitative descriptive study with data drawn from 73 substantive narrative comments from participants who responded to a larger survey. Analysis developed five themes: Working on weight, Not being overweight, Lack of help and empathy, Exposure and embarrassment and Positive experiences. Individuals who would be clinically assessed as overweight, especially men, often did not identify with having a weight problem and found the framing of personal responsibility for weight empowering. Participants with larger body sizes more often attributed embarrassment and shame about weight to treatment in the clinical setting. Older participants were more likely to have positive experiences. The findings suggest ongoing tension between the framing of weight as a personal responsibility as opposed to a multifactorial condition with many uncontrollable aspects. Gender, age and body size shaped respondent perspectives, with some young male respondents finding empowerment through perceived personal control of weight. The healthcare system perpetuates weight stigma through lack of adequate equipment and excessively weight-centric medical counselling. Recommending a healthy lifestyle to patients without support or personalized medical assessment may perpetuate weight stigma and associated detrimental health outcomes. Patients with obesity and overweight were integral to this study, providing comments for our qualitative analyses.

The problematic aspects of medical care support of fishermen in geographical segments of the Northern Sea Way

The problems of occupational injuries and morbidity are one of actual directions of scientific actually. According to the International Labor Organization, accidents, cardiovascular, infectious and cancer diseases are of original cause ones. Besides, sectorial characteristics of professional activity affect level of morbidity and mortality. The article reveals difficulties of medical care support of fishermen when performing professional functions in fisheries in regions of the Northern Sea Way in view of critical shortage of medical personnel and lacking of adequate medical equipment. The practical recommendations to resolve mentioned problems are proposed.

The zero responder: a definition and report of current literature.

The term 'zero responder' was initially devised in 2010 to describe those passing by or unharmed in a mass casualty incident, who provide life-saving care for injured persons before qualified professionals arrive. This review aims to determine how the literature defines the role of the zero responder and to explore how they can be better integrated into the emergency response. Current definitions of the zero responder in a medical setting were found through a literature search of several databases and online libraries using defined search terms. Additionally, a manual search of citations in included articles was performed to yield more results. In total, 16 papers defining the zero responder were included. These definitions were evaluated, and a revised definition was suggested to clarify the role in a medical setting relating to mass casualty incidents. The role of the zero responder can be facilitated through authority recognition and adequate equipment provision. Familiarisation with the term and role of zero responders among ambulance services is essential for effective collaboration. Further research and clarity on the integration of these two groups is necessary to facilitate effective and safe working between them.

Oxygen delivery and monitoring in neonatal intensive care units in Mexico in 2011 and in 2023: an observational longitudinal study

BackgroundRetinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of avoidable blindness in children, particularly in Latin America, where hyperoxia is a significant risk factor. This study evaluated resource availability and use for administering and monitoring supplemental oxygen in Mexico.MethodsIn 2011, an observational study in which 32 government neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across Mexico were visited. Data collected included occupancy, staffing levels, and equipment to deliver and monitor supplemental oxygen. Preterm infants receiving oxygen were observed. In 2023, 13 NICUs were revisited, and similar data collected. Staffing levels were benchmarked against Argentinian and US recommendations.ResultsIn 2011, only 38% of NICUs had adequate medical and staffing levels to meet recommended cot-to-staff ratios for all shifts. Staffing ratios were worse during weekends and at night than during weekdays. Only 25.5% of cots had blenders, and 80.1% had saturation monitors. 153 infants were observed 87% of whom were being monitored. Upper and lower oxygen saturations were ≥ 96% in 53%, and ≤ 89% in 8%, respectively. Alarm settings were inadequate, as 38% and 32% of upper and lower alarms were switched off and 16% and 53% were incorrectly set, respectively. In the 13 NICUs with data from 2011 and 2023, cot-to-staff ratios deteriorated over time, and in 2023 no unit had recommended ratios for all shifts. Equipment provision did not change, with similar proportions of babies in oxygen being monitored (79% 2011; 75% 2023). Rates of hyperoxia decreased slightly from 54% in 2011 to 49% in 2023. More upper alarms were set (46% 2011; 75% 2023), but a higher proportion were incorrectly set (52% 2011; 68% 2023).ConclusionsBetween 2011 and 2023, cot-to-staff ratios worsened, and equipment for safe oxygen delivery and monitoring remained insufficient. Despite available monitoring equipment, oxygen saturations often exceeded recommended levels, and alarms were frequently not set or incorrectly configured. Urgent improvements are needed in healthcare workforce numbers and practices, along with ensuring adequate equipment for safe oxygen delivery.