Competent Health Care Research Articles

Knowledge and Attitude on Neonatal Resuscitation Among Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This study assesses nursing students' knowledge and attitudes toward neonatal resuscitation. This cross-sectional study was conducted at a nursing college in June 2024. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Data on knowledge and attitudes toward neonatal resuscitation were collected using self-administered web-based questionnaires. Statistical analyses were used to examine the comparisons, correlations, and predictors, including t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation tests, and binomial logistic regression. Statistical analyses showed that 45.2% of nursing students had moderate knowledge, 39% had good knowledge, and all exhibited positive attitudes. BSc nursing students, those with prior neonatal resuscitation training, and those who had witnessed or performed resuscitation had significantly higher knowledge (p ≤.001). III-year Diploma students, those aged 22-23, and students with 6-10 days of NICU/labor room posting also had higher knowledge (p ≤ .001, p ≤ .005). Additionally, BSc students and those with prior training displayed significantly more positive attitudes (p ≤ .001). A moderate positive correlation was found between knowledge and attitude, with key predictors being labor room posting duration for knowledge and exam marks for attitude. This study highlights the need for improved neonatal resuscitation education and training of nursing students to improve outcomes and reduce mortality rates among newborns. To ensure effective newborn care, educational programs can be designed to target specific areas such as clinical exposure and resuscitation training. Comprehensive training initiatives aligned with international guidelines are vital for developing proficient neonatal resuscitation practices. Such proactive approaches can help build a cohort of competent healthcare professionals who can deliver timely and effective interventions, thereby ensuring the well-being of newborns.

Perceiving Greater Ageism in Barriers to Mental Healthcare Relates to Poorer Mental Health for Older Adults

ABSTRACT Objectives Older adults underutilize mental healthcare, and ageism as a potential barrier has been under-researched. As ageism comes both from external sources and is internalized by older adults, we examined the prevalence of external and internalized ageist barriers to help-seeking and how depressive and anxiety symptoms differed based on how strongly older adults endorsed these ageist barriers. Methods A sample of 247 older adults completed measures online to assess barriers to mental healthcare (BMHSS-R), depressive symptoms (CES-D), and anxiety symptoms (GAD-7). Results Barriers representing internalized ageist stereotypes about older adult mental health were endorsed more frequently than external ageist barriers. Older adults endorsing ageist barriers to care reported significantly more depressive and anxiety symptoms than those not endorsing these barriers. Conclusions Ageism, particularly internalized beliefs that poor mental health is typical in older adulthood, was reflected in older adults’ perceptions of barriers to seeking mental healthcare. Both internalized and external ageist barriers to care negatively influence well-being. Clinical implication To support older adult mental health, clinicians should dispel inaccurate, ageist stereotypes about older adult mental health internalized by their clients and work to increase and then communicate their openness and ability to provide competent mental healthcare to older adults.

Investigating feasibility of clinical validation of repeat homecare prescriptions by an accredited checking technician (ACT) at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (STH)

Abstract Introduction The Hackett report (Hackett, 2011) recommended that all NHS homecare prescriptions are clinically validated by a pharmacist prior to transfer to homecare delivery providers. The recent RPS professional standards for homecare evolved this, such that the validation may be undertaken by any competent healthcare professional (Mulford, 2024). Other regional Trusts have standard operating procedures (SOP) facilitating repeat (defined as a continuation of previous treatment, dose, frequency and formulation) homecare prescription validation by Accredited Pharmacy Technicians (ACT). In 2023, of 4979 of 5790 (86%) dermatology and rheumatology homecare prescriptions were repeats. Validation of these represents a significant workload for pharmacists, whilst not optimising their clinical expertise. Aim We aimed to assess the clinical risk and patient safety concerns associated with validation of repeat homecare prescriptions by ACTs, as supported by new RPS standards. Methods (including an ethical approval statement) The ACT screened repeat prescriptions in accordance with the STH clinical validation SOP for a 6-week period, between April and May 2023. Anonymised data from all prescriptions was recorded by the ACT, including time taken, number and nature of errors identified. In this study, errors were defined as any omission or discrepancy relating to demographic, clinical or pharmaceutical information. The pharmacist undertook a blinded second validation of each repeat prescription checked by the ACT and findings were compared. The study did not require ethical approval as ACT validation was an additional step and all prescriptions were subsequently validated by the pharmacist before dispensing , meaning there was no deviation to standard practice. Results 613 prescriptions were screened, of which 529 (86.3%) were repeats. A total of 33 errors were identified on 33 prescriptions by both the ACT and the pharmacist. The same errors were flagged by both. These errors were categorised as clinical 27 (82%), demographic 3 (9%), and pharmaceutical 3 (9%). Discussion and Conclusion (including study limitations) There were no additional errors identified by the clinical pharmacist, showing there was no added benefit from a pharmacist check. The implication is for improved skill mix, more rational and effective use of staffing resources and further development of the ACT role. Freeing pharmacist time to focus on prescribing or other clinical duties could have additional benefits for patients. It should be noted that all homecare prescriptions are generated in Microsoft Word templates, meaning that the utilisation of an electronic prescribing system capable of pre-filling data into fields has the potential to reduce the instances of clerical errors. 15 of the 33 errors (45%) could be rectified by the ACT without seeking input from the prescriber. Limitations Not all prescriptions in the 6-week study period could be included due to staff availability; those flagged as clinically urgent were processed outside the project to avoid delay.

Medical students‘ leadership competence in health care: development of a self-assessment scale

BackgroundMedical leadership plays an increasing role already in early career stages. Undergraduate medical students in the transition to postgraduate education feel not well prepared for their leadership roles. While leadership curricula have been developed, instruments for students’ self-assessment of leadership competences as part of their professional development are still missing. The aim of our study was to develop a self-assessment scale for undergraduate medical students’ leadership competences.MethodsThe medical leadership competence scale (MeLeCoS) for undergraduate medical students was developed in twelve steps. For item generation, we employed the Medical Leadership Competence Framework (MLCF), which is also used as a framework for many leadership curricula and includes five leadership domains for three fields of education: undergraduate education, postgraduate education, and continuing practice. In a pretest, 67 items were tested with n = 88 undergraduate medical students. For content validation we performed group discussions with a total of 17 students. After item reduction a test-version with 45 items and a 5-point Likert scale (1: ‘never’, 2: ‘rarely’, 3: ‘sometimes’, 4: ‘often’, 5: ‘always’) was used in a test-sample of final-year students (n = 129). Descriptive statistics and factor analyses were performed.ResultsThe final version of the MeLeCoS includes 37 items and the scale’s Cronbach’s alpha was 0.87. Six factors could be identified and two of them, respectively, represent leadership aspects from the following three areas: (1) the medical students themselves, (2) the interrelation of the medical students with a healthcare organisation regarding general management and improvement, and (3) general leadership aspects of medical students within undergraduate medical studies and the healthcare system. The overall mean of the MeLeCoS was 3.50 ± 0.39. Factor 2 (‘Demonstrating responsible behaviour and shaping relations’) reached the highest mean (4,36 ± 0.37) and factor 5 (‘Promoting improvement and innovation in undergraduate medical education’ the lowest (1.91 ± 0.87).ConclusionsThe medical leadership competence self-assessment scale (MeLeCoS) is a reliable instrument for undergraduate medical students’ self-assessment of leadership competence with good content validity. It could be used for students’ self-reflection on leadership competences in addition to rater-based assessments in leadership curricula and for longitudinal development of students’ professional identity.

Recognition and Management of Postpartum Hemorrhage

Abstract Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is an obstetric emergency and refers to excessive blood loss after birth. Loss of blood volume and oxygen-carrying capacity may lead to maternal hypovolemia and hypotension resulting in tissue hypoxia, the onset of anaerobic metabolism, and multiorgan failure. If timely and appropriate action is not taken, cardiac arrest and maternal death may occur. If the amount of blood loss exceeds 500 mL following a vaginal birth or 1000 mL during or following a cesarean section, it is termed PPH. Similar to any other surgical hemorrhage, PPH is classified into primary PPH (occurs within 24 hours of birth) or secondary PPH (between 24 hours and 12 weeks postpartum). PPH is a major contributor to maternal deaths worldwide, and it is estimated that a person dies because of PPH approximately every 5 minutes. Therefore, measures should be directed at prevention and early detection of PPH with prompt management. The prevalence of PPH varies globally and is influenced by location, socioeconomic factors, and the availability and quality of health care. The World Health Organization reported that PPH accounts for a quarter of global maternal deaths. The Mothers and Babies Reducing Risks through Audits and Confidential Enquiries report from the United Kingdom (2023) highlighted that despite rare mortality due to hemorrhage, the number of people dying of obstetric hemorrhage is not decreasing, particularly among people with abnormally invasive placentation. Additionally, substandard care was found to be responsible for more than 50% of deaths due to PPH in the United Kingdom. Therefore, it is vital that adequate healthcare infrastructure, trained and competent healthcare professionals, and immediate access to resources, interventions, and multidisciplinary teams are essential both in well-resourced and resource-restrained healthcare systems. Healthcare professionals must identify the potential risk factors for PPH and initiate preventive measures whenever possible. Additionally, they must respond swiftly if PPH occurs and ensure a multidisciplinary, multilayered approach for a synchronized response to optimize outcomes. This review article emphasizes the etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of PPH based on current scientific evidence as well as international best practice recommendations.

Evaluation of public's knowledge, attitude and experiences towards the generic medications in building healthcare policy.

The increasing cost of prescription drugs has high concern and associated with medication nonadherence and adverse health outcomes. The use of generic prescription drugs by the patients depends on if recommended by competent healthcare providers. Generic medicines, which are cheaper and bioequivalent to brand-name drugs, offer an opportunity to reduce healthcare expenditures of Saudi Arabia's healthcare system as per the Vision 2030 plan. Therefore, the current study was conducted to assess the population awareness, attitude and perception towards the generic medications particularly those locally manufactured in Saudi Arabia. We managed a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study and included indices like demographic sections, knowledge of generic medications, perception of generic medication use, and previous experience. Data was collected over 12 weeks from February 2022 to April 2022 using an online survey tool. A study of 462 participants found that the majority were male (54.97%), young (55.4%), with a graduate or post-graduate degree (73.5%) and employed (43.29%). The majority reported good health, with 75.5% reporting good health. The study found significant differences in knowledge about generic drugs, their country of origin, and their benefits and utility. Most participants had positive attitudes towards generic medications, with 45% believing they are as effective as those from other countries. The study also revealed a significant difference in participants' experience and usage of medications particularly satisfaction to health outcome. Enhancing healthcare professionals' perceptions of generics can positively influence patient/consumer opinions and trust in generic medicines. Patients' high trust in prescribing physicians also influences these opinions, as their opinions can influence patient/consumer opinions.

Conceptualizing healthcare professionals’ relational competence in mental healthcare: An integrative review

IntroductionThe relationship between patients and mental health professionals is the cornerstone of all mental health treatment, and good patient-professional relationships are associated with several positive therapeutic outcomes for patients with mental health challenges. Mental health professionals’ relational competence is essential for high-quality services in mental healthcare. There is currently no unified understanding of the concept of relational competence. This study seeks to address this gap by exploring how relational competence is conceptualized within the context of mental healthcare. The research question was: How is relational competence described in the research literature within the context of mental healthcare? MethodsAn integrative review was conducted with systematic searches in the databases PsycInfo, Ovid Medline, Embase, CINAHL, ERIC, Academic Search Elite, IDUN, and Svemed+, spanning from January 2012 to October 2023, as well as hand searches in the reference lists of the included studies. A thematic synthesis was carried out based on the results in the included studies. ResultsOut of 2476 scientific studies screened, 30 were included, employing a variety of research methodologies to explore relational competence within mental healthcare. Four themes were found to describe relational competence in mental healthcare: having the ability to self-reflect and self-regulate, having a genuine interest in understanding the patient, engaging in reciprocal interaction with the patient, and meeting the patient so that they feel acknowledged. Each theme describes a central and important part of relational competence, but fully developed relational competence must be understood as a whole in which all the themes are present. ConclusionRelational competence in mental healthcare incorporates all the identified components. Each theme complements the others and contributes to the construction of a strong therapeutic relationship between patients and mental health professionals. To provide the best possible care for mentally ill patients, healthcare professionals must embrace and integrate these elements into their practice.

Developing healthcare language model embedding spaces

Pre-trained Large Language Models (LLMs) have revolutionised Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks, but often struggle when applied to specialised domains such as healthcare. The traditional approach of pre-training on large datasets followed by task-specific fine-tuning is resource-intensive and poorly aligned with the constraints of many healthcare settings. This presents a significant challenge for deploying LLM-based NLP solutions in medical contexts, where data privacy, computational resources, and domain-specific language pose unique obstacles.This study aims to develop and evaluate efficient methods for adapting smaller LLMs to healthcare-specific datasets and tasks. We seek to identify pre-training approaches that can effectively instil healthcare competency in compact LLMs under tight computational budgets, a crucial capability for responsible and sustainable deployment in local healthcare settings.We explore three specialised pre-training methods to adapt smaller LLMs to different healthcare datasets: traditional Masked Language modelling (MLM), Deep Contrastive Learning for Unsupervised Textual Representations (DeCLUTR), and a novel approach utilising metadata categories from healthcare settings. These methods are assessed across multiple healthcare datasets, with a focus on downstream document classification tasks. We evaluate the performance of the resulting LLMs through classification accuracy and analysis of the derived embedding spaces.Contrastively trained models consistently outperform other approaches on classification tasks, delivering strong performance with limited labelled data and fewer model parameter updates. While our novel metadata-based pre-training does not further improve classifications across datasets, it yields interesting embedding cluster separability. Importantly, all domain-adapted LLMs outperform their publicly available, general-purpose base models, validating the importance of domain specialisation.This research demonstrates the efficacy of specialised pre-training methods in adapting compact LLMs to healthcare tasks, even under resource constraints. We provide guidelines for pre-training specialised healthcare LLMs and motivate continued inquiry into contrastive objectives. Our findings underscore the potential of these approaches for aligning small LLMs with privacy-sensitive medical tasks, offering a path toward more efficient and responsible NLP deployment in healthcare settings. This work contributes to the broader goal of making advanced NLP techniques accessible and effective in specialised domains, particularly where resource limitations and data sensitivity are significant concerns.

Improving health outcomes in Cameroon through competency-based curricula and stakeholder engagement in accreditation

This review article explores the accreditation process for health personnel training in Cameroon, emphasizing its critical role in ensuring quality education and improving healthcare delivery. It begins with an overview of the current state of health education institutions and regulatory mechanisms, highlighting the need for robust national guidelines for accreditation. The review examines the importance of autonomous councils for each health specialty, emphasizing their role in establishing specialized standards, monitoring compliance, and promoting ethical values in training. It also discusses the historical context and evolution of accreditation, identifying past limitations and the necessity for updated standards. The strengths and challenges of the proposed guidelines are analyzed, focusing on their potential impact on the competence of health professionals. Comparative assessments with successful accreditation systems in other African nations, such as Nigeria and Ghana, provide valuable insights into best practices. The perspectives of various stakeholders, including government agencies, educational institutions, and healthcare providers, are examined. The article concludes with recommendations for enhancing accreditation processes, including capacity building and continuous stakeholder engagement, ultimately supporting the development of a competent healthcare workforce aligned with national health goals.

Leadership opportunities to mitigate challenges and barriers of precision health

Abstract Background Precision health, encompassing personalized and proactive health solutions, aims to address this gap by integrating genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. However, challenges persist in its integration, necessitating new healthcare competencies, particularly in leadership, to expedite the transition. Our goal is to identify barriers and solutions for the implementation of precision health and build a core curriculum of leadership competencies to mitigate challenges and barriers for the implementation of precision health. Methods A systematic literature review of qualitative primary studies on barriers and facilitators to precision health implementation was conducted. Data extracted from included articles were analyzed thematically, adapting leadership competencies outlined in the CanMEDS Physician Competency Framework. This approach identified key leadership traits crucial for precision health implementation. Results 51 articles meeting inclusion criteria yielded 985 barriers and facilitators. Thematic analysis identified 9 primary leadership competencies essential for precision health implementation: application of quality improvement science (30%); fostering a culture of patient safety in data use (10%); advocacy for innovative data management (4%); resource allocation advocacy (9%); evidence-based cost management (4%); driving practice change (8%); prioritization and time management (11%); and optimization of healthcare workforce practices (14%). Discussion The synthesized leadership competencies provide a useful framework for addressing barriers and fostering precision health implementation among healthcare professionals. The high representation of competency related to quality improvement science is emblematic of how cultural elements specific to leadership and management in medicine could represent a strategic asset to foster the implementation of innovative solutions, like precision health, in healthcare. Key messages • Leadership skills are a crucial element in the curriculum of health professionals to support the implementation of precision health in clinical practice. • Incorporating elements of ‘quality improvement science’ in the healthcare professionals education emerged as essential to foster precision health implementation.

Development of Leadership Skills in Medical Education: Protocol for a Scoping Review.

Leadership is recognized as an essential competency in health care and science, being central for professionals to face health challenges. Few physicians feel prepared to serve as leaders in the health care environment, and few receive training in the leadership skills needed to be successful. Teaching leadership skills together with extensive, longitudinal, clinical education in an authentic and nurturing environment can effectively develop students for leadership in medicine. Studies on the subject still do not show the best way to implement it in medical education, and an updated review is necessary. The aim of this study is to identify the types of available evidence on the teaching of leadership skills in undergraduate courses in the health area, analyze them, determine knowledge gaps, and disseminate the research results. This is a scoping review that will consider studies on leadership skills in medical and health undergraduate courses. Primary studies published in English, Spanish, and Portuguese since 2019 will be considered. The search will be performed in 8 databases, and reference lists will be searched for additional studies. Duplicates will be removed, and 2 independent reviewers will examine the titles, abstracts, and full texts of the selected studies. Data extraction will be performed using a tool developed by the researchers. The scoping review is currently in progress. The preliminary database search has been completed, yielding a total of 1213 articles across multiple databases. The next stages, including deduplication, title and abstract screening, and full-text review, are scheduled to be completed by December 2024. Data extraction and analysis are expected to be finalized by March 2025, with the final report anticipated to be ready for submission by June 2025. This scoping review on leadership in the medical curriculum can significantly contribute to the literature by organizing and synthesizing the available evidence on teaching leadership skills in undergraduate courses in the health area. Furthermore, by analyzing evidence and identifying knowledge gaps, the study can provide valuable insights to develop more efficient and comprehensive medical education programs, thus preparing students to take on leadership roles in the complex environment of health care. Open Science Framework YEXKB; https://osf.io/yexkb. PRR1-10.2196/62810.

Artificial Intelligence And Service Flexibility In Healthcare: Exploring the Nexus

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize healthcare by enabling the development of more personalized, efficient, and effective medical services. One aspect of AI competence in healthcare that has received significant attention is the ability to respond rapidly to the patients' dynamic needs while injecting more flexibility into the system. This research explores the nexus between AI and service flexibility in healthcare. The qualitative study was carried out to examine the flexibility perspectives of AI-enabled service deliveries in healthcare. The findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of the facets of service flexibility in healthcare that AI could enable. The results would guide better coordination and management of care and the ability to make more informed decisions about treatment options. The nexus between AI and service flexibility in healthcare would sketch the new paradigms of patient value creation and evidence-based practices, which is an immediate need of healthcare organizations across the globe.

Understanding Nursing Students' Competency in Working with Culturally Diverse Populations: A Palestinian Perspective.

Understanding cultural competency is essential for providing competent, culturally sensitive care for improving health outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine nursing students' competency in working with culturally diverse populations. A cross-sectional design was conducted among 243 nursing students during their internship. The Cultural Competence Assessment Scale and a perception of student competency scale were used. The study revealed that nursing students hold a high level of behavioral competence and awareness, with mean scores of 4.99 ± 0.84 and 4.77 ± 0.52, respectively. Nursing students' cultural competency behavior was significantly predicted by resident location and cultural awareness, as revealed by multivariable regression analysis. Nurses must deliver culturally competent health care to individuals from a variety of backgrounds. It is critical to implement efficient interventions, including focused educational programs, aimed at improving students' readiness to offer equitable and culturally sensitive care to various patient populations.

Cultural Competency in Dental Practice: Navigating the Experiences and Perspectives of Dentists in South Punjab, Pakistan.

Introduction Cultural competence in healthcare embraces the principles of equal access and nondiscriminatory services in healthcare delivery. Dentists as significant healthcare professionals should definitely have the skills needed to diagnose and treat patients' conditions, but it is crucial to also address nontechnical skills such as cross-cultural communication, the ability to empathize, and inclusive-mindedness. Globally, cultural competency training has been included in healthcare educational programs; however, national practices reportedly have revolved around patients' clinical competencies and thus entailed overlooking the cultural dimensions of dental education that include diverse sociocultural factors that influence how dental practices are taught, learned, and delivered. These dimensions encompass elements such as language, communication styles, attitudes toward healthcare, and culturally specific oral health beliefs and behaviors. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the experiences and perspectives of dentists practicing in South Punjab regarding cultural competency. Methodology The study employed a qualitative phenomenological approach. Data was collected through purposive sampling techniques utilizing semistructured interview guides. The participants recruited were licensed dentists practicing in dental institutions in South Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 18 dentists were recruited in the study. The interviews were focused on the different aspects of cultural competency by exploring the perspectives of dentists. Thematic analysis was carried out utilizing the Bran and Clarkes framework to categorize data into key themes and subthemes utilizing inductive coding. Results The study revealed that dentists lack awareness and understanding of cultural competency; they also faced significant problems due to limited cultural proficiency while dealing with diverse patients. Major challenges included inadequate training, communication barriers, and cultural bias in dentists while dealing with such diverse populations. Patients recognized the benefits of cultural competency and highlighted facilitators like institution support, peer support, mentorship support, and patient trust.Participants suggested incorporating cultural competency in dentistry curricula, continuous professional development, and community outreach programs for the development of cultural competency among dentists. Conclusions The study highlighted perspectives and experiences of dentists regarding cultural competency. The findings demonstrated key problems due to limited or lack of cultural proficiency that included communication and language barriers and unconscious cultural bias among dentists. The study also highlighted facilitators of cultural competency like institutional facilitation, mentoring opportunities from peers and seniors, and patient trust. Facilitating cultural competency among dentists may result in improved patient satisfaction, enhanced patient care, and an increase in compliance, hence overall enhancing the quality of care.

Characteristics of advanced practice nurses’ clinical competence in primary healthcare settings: a scoping review protocol

Objective: This scoping review aims to identify the clinical competency characteristics, in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitudes, of advanced practice nurses in primary care settings. Introduction: Although much has been written about the competencies of advanced practice nurses, more detail about the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that inform their clinical competency in primary health care needs to be ascertained. This will promote the development, implementation, and evaluation of advanced nursing practice in contexts where it is unavailable. Inclusion criteria: Studies that address the clinical competency characteristics of advanced practice nurses in primary health care settings will be considered for inclusion. Methods: This review will be conducted according to JBI methodology for scoping reviews. A comprehensive search will be conducted in PubMed, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Web of Science, Scopus, Virtual Health Library (VHL), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Embase (Elsevier), Science Direct (Elsevier), Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar for primary and secondary qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies on the topic of relevance. Gray literature will be searched in DART-E, TESES CAPES, CAUL (Australian Digital Theses), and Theses Canada Editorials. Letters, editorials, commentaries, conference abstracts, and documents published by advanced practice nurses’ associations will also be considered for inclusion. Two independent reviewers will screen the studies at title and abstract and full text. The same reviewers will extract relevant data using an instrument developed by the reviewers. These data will be presented in a narrative synthesis to facilitate the analysis of the evidence found. Review registration: Open Science Framework https://osf.io/tnrjz/

Exploring the Challenges and Needs of Arab Patients for Arabic Communication in Malaysian Healthcare Public Relations

Arabic communication is fundamental particularly for the Malaysian healthcare industry that handles the raising number of Arab patients coming to Malaysia to seek healthcare treatment. However, studies showed that most Arab patients are unable to speak other than their mother tongue language which is Arabic language, and they are very attached to their unique culture, which makes them prefer specialized services at healthcare centers. Thus, this research aims at acquiring the challenges faced by Arab patients and their utmost needs toward Arabic communication aspects to be addressed by healthcare personnel while attending them. This qualitative research employed semi-structured interview using needs analysis theory by Hutchinson and Waters (1987) toward 6 Arab patients at 5 different selected healthcare centers in Klang valley. The results demonstrated that the informants faced communication problems with limited understanding of formal Arabic including management and promotional issues. In addressing these problems, informants indicated their needs toward a competent healthcare public relations personnel who are able to assist them in their communication issues especially related to translation and interpretation, as well as knowledgeable in Arabic dialects and culture to boost effective communication. Good handling of Arabic communication with Arab patients has the potential to expedite the overall processes and procedures at all levels of healthcare management and hinder unprecedented problems throughout the entire process.

Exploring influencing factors to clinical leadership development: a qualitative study with healthcare professionals in Flemish nursing homes

BackgroundNursing homes face a critical need for competent healthcare professionals to deliver high-quality care. Focusing on clinical leadership is crucial for equipping healthcare professionals with the skills necessary to manage complex care needs, collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary teams, and improve care quality in nursing homes. Developing clinical leadership fosters professional growth and enhances healthcare professionals’ ability to tackle the challenges unique to the nursing home environment. However, the concept of clinical leadership in nursing homes remains poorly defined and investigated. This study aimed to explore and define influencing factors for the development of clinical leadership within healthcare professionals in nursing homes.MethodsA qualitative study was conducted in Flanders, Belgium, using semi-structured focus group interviews (n = 5) with healthcare professionals (n = 41), including nurse assistants, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, psychologists, and gerontologists. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, analysed and interpretated by using a thematic analysis based on descriptive phenomenology.ResultsClinical leadership development within healthcare professionals’ hinges on four pivotal themes: (1) Cultivating an empowering working environment that fosters open feedback, encourages peer learning, and champions a stimulating learning climate. (2) Nurturing a supportive leadership style in formal leaders that exemplifies role modeling, accessibility, and a coaching approach. (3) Elevating well-developed professional identity through targeted training, experience, and a talent-oriented work approach. (4) Fostering team dynamics marked by commitment, collaboration, support, and trust.ConclusionsThe study’s findings on the influencing factors for clinical leadership development should be actively applied in nursing homes and guide the creation of targeted training programs and leadership development initiatives. Awareness of these factors are crucial to optimise and to support the development and implementation of clinical leadership in nursing homes in an attempt to reduce the workforce shortages.

“Examining the Incorporation of Islamic Values in Concept Mapping and Curriculum Design for Medical Education: A Holistic Perspective”

Medical education is an ever-evolving realm, continuously striving for innovative methods to improve learning outcomes and nurture competent healthcare practitioners. Concept mapping has emerged as a valuable tool in this drive, aiding in the organization and synthesis of intricate information. This review delves into the infusion of Islamic teachings into concept map teaching and curriculum development within medical education. By drawing on Islamic principles related to knowledge acquisition, ethics, and comprehensive healthcare, this examination offers strategies for integrating Islamic perspectives into concept mapbased teaching approaches. Through harmonizing educational practices with Islamic ethos, medical educators can cultivate an environment that is culturally attuned and ethically rooted, fostering the development of healthcare professionals who embody compassion and integrity in serving their communities. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol. 23 No. 04 October’24 Page : 984-992

An ICT-enabled community oriented primary care intervention in mining communities during COVID-19 (2019–2022): perceived changes in the role and place of community health workers

BackgroundThis is a study of service provider perceptions of the place, role and practices of CHWs in a four-year, large-scale private sector funded, public service ICT-enabled COPC intervention with rural and remote mining communities. Like all South African communities, apart from large mining house employees and some contractors, most people use available public healthcare services and private traditional as well as limited allopathic private sector providers. In addition to the limitations of facility centred primary healthcare and a fragmented health care system, the many negative health effects of mining on the communities, go unattended.MethodsThis is a rapid, qualitative pragmatic study. Using site and participation convenience sampling, 37 semi-structured individual or group interviews were conducted with 57 stakeholders from 38 of the 135 intervention PHC facilities. Using a data driven, inductive approach, the results were analysed thematically in terms of perceived changes in the role and place of CHWs.ResultsCHWs registered 42 490 households and captured the demographic and social profiles as well as the health status of over 154 910 individuals using AitaHealth™. These data provided healthcare professionals and managers with knowledge about community demographics, at-risk groups and vulnerable individuals. The intervention changed the locational focus of CHW practice and expanded their scope of work and competencies in household comprehensive health education, advice and care. It led to a growth in community and professional confidence in CHWs as trusted members of mining community PHC teams and to more focused and efficient clinic work.ConclusionThis ICT-enabled COPC intervention adopted a comprehensive approach to healthcare delivery that started by including CHWs in PHC teams and locating them in communities. Inclusive and systematic continuous learning, clinically-led CHW service support and ICT-enabled information technology engendered trust in CHWs as competent PHC members, and grew community confidence in them and the PHC system as a whole. Although health, care and other professionals and workers valued the changes the intervention brought to their work as well as people’s lives in underserved and vulnerable mining communities, its sustainability is contingent on the vagaries of political will and financial commitment.

Disparate Digital Literacy Levels of Nursing Manager and Staff, Specifically in Nursing Informatics Competencies and Their Causes: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The digitalization of healthcare is developing quickly. Every care provider needs to be up-to-date on this technology. The purpose of this research was to identify the digital literacy of nursing staff and nurse managers. A cross-sectional study assessed nurses' digital literacy, specifically with regard to nursing informatics competencies in hospitals, primary healthcare, and clinics. The study sample included 100 nurses and 83 nurse managers. Researchers applied a modified questionnaire on nurses' informatics competencies from TIGER Nursing Informatics, with a validity range of 0.497-0.897 and a reliability value of 0.975. Participants showed an acceptable level of computer literacy, although their scores were below 80%. Their scores were unrelated to workplace, duration and type of technology used, or gender. Nursing informatics competencies correlated significantly with age and work experience (p = 0.001). Age correlated negatively with technical computer skills but positively with competence in the implementation of healthcare. There was a positive link with a nurse's position and education level, indicating that nurses with more education acquire higher levels of informatics competencies than those with less education. Additionally, those in higher positions tended to possess more advanced digital competence. Nurse managers play a significant role in training nursing staff members to enhance their informatics competencies. This study's findings underscore the need to raise staff members' informatics competencies by providing additional training.