House Officers Research Articles

Management of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Obstetric Doctors in Benghazi, Libya

Abstract Introduction Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) adversely affects the mother and fetus. Its diagnosis and management are of great importance to prevent complications. Mothers with GDM are at great risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and metabolic changes can persist for 3 years postdelivery. We assessed the knowledge and practice of obstetricians working at Benghazi Medical Centre (BMC) regarding gestational diabetes. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the obstetric department of BMC; we included all postgraduate doctors in July 2021 in the study. The questionnaire included demographic data and questions related to knowledge regarding the definition of GDM, diagnosis, and complications to the mother and fetus. It also included practices toward GDM, including screening, management, follow-up, and postpartum screening for diabetes. Results The total number of doctors who agreed to participate was 102, and the response rate was 72.9%. The mean age of the participants was 35.4 ± 7.2 years; most of the studied group were females 97 (95.1%), 76 (74.5%) were senior house officers, 16 (15.7%) were mid-grades, and 10 (9.8%) were seniors. Most working obstetricians, 76 (74.5%), had less than 10 years of experience. One hundred (98%) participants heard about GDM, and only 39 (38.2%) correctly defined GDM. Regarding the threshold for fasting glucose to diagnose GDM, only 11 (10.8%) gave a right answer of 92 mg/dL. Most participants had a good knowledge of GDM risk factors and complications. Regarding follow-up, only 35 (34.3%) participants provided the correct answer, and only 27 (26.5%) mentioned insulin as the medical treatment of choice. Conclusion Although most of our studied group had contact with GDM patients, most needed basic knowledge regarding definition, diagnosis, and screening. Different opinions regarding diagnostic thresholds and management practices were observed. We recommended the establishment of a gestational diabetes clinic with the cooperation of endocrinologists and obstetricians, as well as local guidelines.

Awareness of the Green Dentistry Concept among Dental Professionals in Tertiary Care Dental Hospital, Rawalpindi

Objective: To assess awareness of green dentistry among graduates, postgraduates and general dentistsStudy Design: Descriptive Cross-sectional.Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry (AFID)Rawalpindi, Pakistan from August 2022 to October 2022.Methods: Based on a pre-validated survey questionnaire comprising of 20 close-ended questions assessing theawareness regarding green dentistry. Male and female respondents consisting of General dentists, graduates,postgraduate and house officers, and practitioners of AFID who gave consent were included in the study. Thesample size was calculated using the WHO calculator and 332 respondents were recruited and thequestionnaire was distributed, responses were then analyzed using SPSS version 22 and the p-value < 0.05 wasconsidered significant.Results: Out of the 332 participants 148 were post-graduates, 109 were Graduates, 35 were consultants and 40were general dentists with the age range of 25 to 50 years. 248 participants were females and 84 were malesand 100% response rate was observed. Postgraduates (47%) were more aware of the eco-friendly dentistryconcept the difference was found statistically significant (p-value <0.000).Conclusion: Most of the respondents were aware of the green dentistry concept, those who had littleknowledge were accepting the concept and were enthusiastic to inculcate these practices in their practices. How to cite this: Bano V, Amin E, Maqbool S, Hassan SA, Baber A, Urooj R. Awareness of Green Dentistry Concept among Dental Professionals. Life and Science. 2024; 5(2): 251-258. doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.418

Assessing current handover practices in surgery: A survey of non-consultant hospital doctors in Ireland

BackgroundHandovers of care are potentially hazardous moments in the patient journey and can lead to harm if conducted poorly. Through a national survey of surgical doctors in Ireland, this paper assesses contemporary surgical handover practices and evaluates barriers and facilitators of effective handover. MethodsAfter ethical approval and pre-testing with a representative sample, a cross-sectional, online survey was distributed to non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) working in the Republic of Ireland. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining data using triangulation design. Main findingsA total of 201 responses were received (18.5%). Most participants were senior house officers or senior registrars (49.7% and 37.3%). Most people (85.1%) reported that information received during handover was missing or incorrect at least some of the time. One-third of respondents reported that a near-miss had occurred as a result of handover within the past three months, and handover-related errors resulted in minor (16.9%), moderate (4.9%), or major (1.5%) harm. Only 11.4% had received any formal training. Reported barriers to handover included negative attitudes, a lack of institutional support, and competing clinical activities. Facilitators included process standardisation, improved access to resources, and staff engagement. ConclusionsSurgical NCHDs working in Irish hospitals reported poor compliance with international best practice for handover and identified potential harms. Process standardisation, appropriate staff training, and the provision of necessary handover-related resources is required at a national level to address this significant patient safety concern.

Comparing the Impact of Workload on the Mental Health of House Officers at Public and Private Hospitals of Peshawar

Healthcare environments place a high priority on the mental health of medical personnel, especially house officers. Objective: To compare the impact of workload on the mental health of house officers at public and private hospitals of Peshawar. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional design was used to gather data from 164 house officers at four major hospitals in Peshawar, Pakistan (Khyber Teaching Hospital, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Kuwait Teaching Hospital, and Northwest General Hospital). In order to investigate the relationships between workload and mental health, data gathered from October 2023 to February 2024 via a standardized questionnaire on demographics, mental health, and workload was analyzed using descriptive statistics as well as inferential tests like chi-square and t-tests. Results: Out of 164 hospital patients, 29.7% had ages between 26 and 28. Among them 41.8% were female and 57.6% were male. Surgery (44.8%) and Medicine (54.5%) were the departments' representatives, while General Surgery (34.5%), Medicine (36.4%), Eye (15.2%), and ENT (13.3%) were the wards. The mean scores were (public: 30.69, private: 28.76; p-value.345), patient distribution (public: 11-40, private: 0-40; p-value 0.008), shift distribution (public: 0-15, private: 0-10), and self-reported concentration levels (p-value 0.051) showed significant differences between public and private hospitals. However, there was no discernible fluctuation in the strain levels (p-value = 0.658). Conclusions: House officers in Peshawar need special assistance from all sectors because of their tremendous responsibilities, particularly in public hospitals.

Knowledge of Practicing Students and Dental Surgeons Regarding Anti- coagulation Therapy of Patients Undergoing Dental Extractions

Introduction: Dentists are still confused about whether to stop anticoagulants during extractions or to practice local hemostatic measures and closely monitor patients' international normalized ratios (INR) levels. Aims & Objectives: To determine and analyze the level of knowledge of practicing students and dental surgeons regarding anticoagulation therapy of patients undergoing dental extractions. Place and Duration of Study: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among dentists and dental students in a teaching dental hospital (Islamabad Dental Hospital) for 5 months between August to December 2021. Material & Method: There were a total of 127 participants including BDS students, house officers, postgraduate trainees, and faculty members of all dental clinical departments who responded to the printed questionnaire. A convenience sampling technique was used to gather the data. After encoding, the data was input into SPSS version 22. For qualitative variables, mean and standard deviation were computed, whereas for quantitative variables, frequencies and percentages were determined., p.value? 0.05 was considered significant. The findings were displayed as tables, charts, and figures. Results: Out of 127 participants, 63.7% (n=81/127) were in favor of consultation with the patient's physician before dental extractions whereas 59% (n=75/127) considered discontinuation of aspirin seven days before extractions. Different international normalized ratio (INR) levels were considered for different medical conditions by 78.7% (n=100/127) while 49.6% (n=63/127) of the participants believed that warfarin should be replaced with low molecular weight heparin before dental extractions. 79% of participants knew the antidote of heparin. Postoperative clot formation was not checked by 25.2% (n=32/127), and 87.4% (n=111/127) gave both verbal and written instructions after dental extractions. Conclusion: It is concluded that there is a good level of awareness and implementation of guidance among dental practitioners. Further research and training programs are advised to enhance the knowledge among dental practitioners and to upgrade the standard protocols for treating patients with anticoagulation therapy.

Bedside critical care training: A quasi-experimental study in the paediatric emergency department of a referral hospital in Nigeria.

There is a need for critical care services outside intensive care units (ICUs), especially in emergency departments (EDs). However, there is a paucity of skilled manpower for ED critical care or emergency critical care (ECC) in resource-limited settings. To evaluate the impact of bedside training on emergency critical care practices of clinical staff. This was a quasi-experimental study using a pretest - post-test design in a paediatric ED. The intervention was a six-week structured bedside training on bubble continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) and mechanical ventilation. Participants' actual ECC practices pre and post training were evaluated, including their perceived proficiency on an uncalibrated 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS). Descriptive and inferential analyses were done; p<0.05 was considered significant. A total of 35 clinical staff participated in the training, comprising 9 (24.3%) paediatric registrars, 12 (32.5%) senior registrars, 10 (27.0%) nurses, 4 (10.8%) house officers and 2 (5.4%) paediatric consultants. The male:female ratio of the participants was 1:1.6, and their mean (SD) age was 33.24 (6.30 years. Participants' understanding of testing the CPAP circuit, connecting the patient and weaning significantly improved following training (p=0.004). Their capacity to select appropriate HFNC parameters improved (p=0.013). They performed more endotracheal intubations in the post-training period (p=0.001). Their pretest-post-test proficiency in mechanical ventilation increased on VAS (mean scores 45.26+31.99 v. 63.26+22.26; p=0.038). Also, there was a significant increase in their perceived proficiency in paediatric analgesia/sedation (30.83+29.86 v. 49.83+23.90; p=0.029). Short-term bedside critical care training enhanced the self-reported competency of paediatric ED staff. There is a need for on-the-job ECC training and retraining of clinical staff in our setting. Paediatric emergency department clinical staff desire hands-on critical care training in developing settings. Bedside training improves the knowledge and skills of nursing staff in non-invasive ventilation. Bedside training also builds the capacity of medical staff in invasive ventilation in the emergency department. Overall, short-term bedside training enhances the clinical knowledge and self-reported critical care practice of clinical staff in Children's Emergency Room.

Smart housing adaptations register with user matching functionalities for different mobility categories for the social housing sector

PurposeThe lack of a proper register to store, match and display information on the adapted property has led to a waste of resources and prolonged delays in matching the disabled and elderly people with appropriate properties. This paper presents the development of a Housing Adaptations Register with user-matching functionalities for different mobility categories. The developed system accurately captures and documents adapted home information to facilitate the automated matching of disabled/aged applicants needing an adapted home with suitable property using banding, mobility and suitability index.Design/methodology/approachA theoretical review was conducted to identify parameters and develop adaptations register construct. A survey questionnaire approach to rate the 111 parameters in the register as either moderate, desirable or essential before system development and application. The system development relied on DSS modelling to support data-driven decision-making based on the decision table method to represent property information for implementing the decision process. The system is validated through a workshop, four brainstorming sessions and three focus group exercises.FindingsDevelopment of a choice-based system that enables the housing officers or the Housing Adaptations Register coordinators to know the level of adaptation to properties and match properties quickly with the applicants based on their mobility status. The merits of the automated system include the development of a register to capture in real-time adapted home information to facilitate the automated matching of disabled/aged applicants. A “choice-based” system that can map and suggest a property that can easily be adapted and upgraded from one mobility band to the other.Practical implicationsThe development of a housing adaptation register helps social housing landlords to have a real-time register to match, map and upgrade properties for the most vulnerable people in our society. It saves time and money for the housing associations and the local authorities through stable tenancy for adapted homes. Potentially, it will promote the independence of aged and disabled people and can reduce their dependence on social and healthcare services.Originality/valueThis system provides the local authorities with objective and practical tools that may be used to assess, score, prioritise and select qualified people for appropriate accommodation based on their needs and mobility status. It will provide a record of properties adapted with their features and ensure that matching and eligibility decisions are consistent and uniform.

TO WHAT EXTENT DOES SPIRITUALITY IN THE WORKPLACE AFFECT MEANINGFULNESS IN WORK? SELF-TRANSCENDENCE AND PERSON-ORGANIZATION FIT AS MEDIATOR

The goal of this research was to investigate and analyze the relationship between spirituality in the workplace and self-transcendence, Person-Organization Fit, and achieving meaningful work (Meaningful Work). This study's population consisted of employees of the Public Works and Public Housing Office of Bengkulu Province, with a planned sample size of 258 respondents using the census method. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is used in this study to test construct validity (convergent validity and discriminant validity) and reliability. Then, using SmartPLS 3.0, an explanation of statistical descriptions related to respondent profiles, hypothesis testing with path analysis, and testing of indirect effects are provided. According to the study's findings, spirituality in the workplace can increase a person's compatibility with their organization and self-transcendence. However, spirituality at work cannot increase work meaning. Meaning at work cannot be increased by self-transcendence, despite the fact that P-O fit can increase meaning at work. Self-transcendence cannot mediate the relationship between spirituality at work and increasing meaningfulness at work in the mediating relationship. This is inversely proportional to the P-O fit, which can act as a bridge between the influence of spirituality at work and meaningfulness at work.

The Future Career Choices of Pre-Registered House Officers and House Surgeons: a Multicenter Study

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to determine the future preferences of house officers when choosing a medical speciality. METHODOLOGY The cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June 2023 at three teaching hospitals in Abbottabad. 250 participants were selected as the study sample. The data was collected from house officers on a predesigned, self-structured written questionnaire. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 21. RESULTSOf 250 individuals, 224 met inclusive criteria; 65% (146) were male and 35% (78) were female. The mean age was 25 years ±1.01. The first preference of the house officer was medicine (44% (100), the second was surgery (31.5%) (70), and the third was obstetrics and gynaecology. Among medicine specialities, only 0.9% (02) opt endocrinology and gastroenterology, while among surgical specialities, 0.4% (01) opt urology and 0.9% (02) opt neurosurgery. 150 individuals (70%) planned residency in the future, among whom 47% (106) set a caveat for residency abroad. The most favourite place abroad was the UK, with 42% (45/106). 180 house officers (80%) are satisfied with their academic abilities. CONCLUSION The study revealed that house officers have no awareness of new specialities and are least interested in specialities like endocrinology, gastroenterology, neurosurgery, and urology. In contrast, no influence was noted toward specialities like haematology, public health and community medicine. Most students are satisfied with their medical education but plan to do their residency abroad.

Cat owners do not provide more reliable weight estimates for cats compared with veterinary professionals in an emergency setting.

The aim of the present study was to assess the accuracy of weight estimation in cats provided by pet owners, veterinary technicians, house officers (interns and residents) and attending clinicians in an emergency room (ER). An additional objective was to determine whether carrying the cat contributed to a more accurate weight estimate. A total of 72 cats presented to an ER and were enrolled in the study. Pet owners, veterinary technicians, house officers and attending clinicians were asked to record the cats' estimated weights on individual data collection cards. The actual weights of the cats were then obtained and compared with participants' estimations. There were no significant differences between weight estimates provided by pet owners, veterinary technicians, house officers and attending clinicians. Similarly, neither the length of experience of the veterinary staff nor carrying the cat had an effect on the provision of a more accurate weight estimate. Pet owners are no better at weight estimation of cats in the ER setting compared with veterinary professionals. Carrying the cat did not improve the accuracy of weight estimation among veterinary professionals. The mean cat weight of 4.9 kg could be used as an average cat weight in an emergency situation for an adult cat.

House Officers and Junior Residents’ formal and informal learning experience during their practical year compared to the national competency framework, a qualitative study

House Officers and Junior Residents’ formal and informal learning experience during their practical year compared to the national competency framework, a qualitative study

Exploring sleep duration and clinical reasoning process in resident physicians: a thematic analysis.

Connecting resident physician work hours and sleep deprivation to adverse outcomes has been difficult. Our study explores clinical reasoning rather than outcomes. Diagnostic errors are a leading cause of medical error and may result from deficits in clinical reasoning. We used simulated cases to explore relationships between sleep duration and diagnostic reasoning. Residents were recruited for a 2-month study (inpatient/outpatient). Each participant's sleep was tracked (sleep diary/actigraphy). At the end of each month, residents watched 2 brief simulated clinical encounters and performed "think alouds" of their clinical reasoning. In each session, 1 video was straightforward and the other video contained distracting contextual factors. Sessions were recorded, transcribed, and interpreted. We conducted a thematic analysis using a constant comparative approach. Themes were compared based on sleep duration and contextual factors. Residents (n = 17) slept more during outpatient compared with inpatient months (450.5 ± 7.13 vs 425.6 ± 10.78 hours, P = .02). We found the following diagnostic reasoning themes: uncertainty, disorganized knowledge, error, semantic incompetence, emotional content, and organized knowledge. Themes reflecting suboptimal clinical reasoning (disorganized knowledge, error, semantic incompetence, uncertainty) were observed more in cases with contextual factors (distractors). "Think alouds" from cases with contextual factors following sleep restriction had a greater number of themes concerning for problematic diagnostic reasoning. Residents obtained significantly more sleep during outpatient compared with inpatient months. Several negative clinical reasoning themes emerged with less sleep combined with cases containing contextual distractors. Our findings reinforce the importance of adequate sleep and supervision in house officers, particularly in cases with distracting elements. Collen J, Durning S, Berk J, Mang J, Alcover K, Jung E. Exploring sleep duration and clinical reasoning process in resident physicians: a thematic analysis. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024;20(8):1279-1289.

A Benchmark Survey of the Delivery of Clinical Education in Small-Animal Primary-Care Clinical Programs Among Member Institutions of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges

While primary-care clinical rotations are well established and have been incorporated into veterinary colleges over the past 50 years, standardization of teaching small-animal primary care across veterinary colleges is unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore and document variations and similarities in the delivery of small-animal primary-care clinical education curricula among member programs of the American Association of Veterinary Medicine Colleges (AAVMC). A comprehensive, 114-question online survey was conducted, comprised of seven sections, including Rotation Logistics; House Officers; Procedures performed; Rounds; Spectrum of Care; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Assessment; Leadership roles; and Research. Of the 52 AAVMC institutions worldwide at the time of the survey, 69% (36/52) of programs responded, of which 86% (31/36) met inclusion criteria and were retained for analysis. Results revealed primary-care services report seeing a mean of 75.84 cases per week (median 70, range 20–180, SD 37.34, n = 29), which serve as educational experiences for veterinary students rotating through the service, including the practice of hands-on clinical skills (including surgical procedures), discussing “flexible treatment care options” with clients, and actively leading cases. Length and size of a primary-care rotation varied with a mean duration of 3 weeks (median 2, range 2–12, SD 2.02, n = 29) and mean of 10 students (median 8.5, range 5–36, SD 5.87, n = 28) per rotation. This study highlights the current state of primary-care veterinary clinical education and provides descriptive data that might serve as a basis to guide future development of primary-care curricula across clinical programs.

The Influence of Compensation, Competency, and Work Environment on Employee Performance with Work Engagement as a Moderating Variable at DPRKPP of Surabaya

This study aims to determine and analyze the effect of compensation (X1), Competence (X2), Work Environment (X3) and The Work Engagement (Z) on Employee performance (Y) of honorary employees at The Surabaya Public Housing, Settlement Area, and Land Services Office in 2023. The research population was 202 honorary employees of The Surabaya Public Housing, Settlement Area, and Land Services Office in 2023. This study uses aquantitative approach to analyze variables. This study uses primary data collected by distributing questionnaires. Based on the Slovin formula, a sample of 135 people was taken with a sampling technique using simple random sampling. The data analysis technique uses Partial Least Square with SmartPLS 3.0. The research results show that compensation has aneffect on employee performance. Competency has an effect on employee performance. The work environment has an effect on employee performance. The work engagement has aneffect on employee performance.

Analisis Pemenuhan Kebutuhan Ruang Terbuka Hijau Kota Medan

This research aims to analyze the area and percentage of green open space in Medan city, formulate the direction of recommendations and strategies to meet the needs of public green open space. This research is descriptive in nature using quantitative methods. The primary data of the research was obtained from 40 respondents consisting of the Medan City Environment Office, the Housing and Settlement Office of Cipta Karya and Spatial Planning and the Community. The results showed that green open space in Medan City has an area of 11642.90 Ha or 41.35% of the overall total in Medan City and there are 14 sub-districts that do not meet the established green open space requirements. The implication of this research contributes to the importance of urban planning practices. Strategies to increase the provision of green open space in Medan City can be achieved by applying a combination of intensification and extensification measures in the development of green open space.

Symmetrical peripheral gangrene: A rare case with unpredictable presentation and tragic outcome

Symmetrical peripheral gangrene (SPG) is a rare condition characterized by acute ischemic damage in multiple extremities without any obstruction or vasculitis in the supplying vessels. It commonly affects the toes, hands, scrotum, and earlobes, increasing the risk of limb amputation and significantly impacting the patient’s quality of life. The underlying vascular injury mechanism is disseminated intravascular coagulation, and SPG can manifest unpredictably in conditions associated with septic shock, low output states, vasospastic conditions, myeloproliferative disorders, or hyper viscosity syndrome. In this case study, a 19-year-old woman presented with bluish-black blisters on her feet and legs, accompanied by pain. The blisters gradually increased in size and burst, resulting in a watery discharge tinged with blood. Despite various investigations and treatments involving multiple departments, the patient ultimately succumbed to septic shock and passed away on June 13, 2023, as confirmed by a house officer and a senior resident.

Medical Trainees Abroad: Neglected Human Rights Considerations.

Medical trainees (applicants, students, and house officers) often engage in global health initiatives to enhance their own education through research and patient care. These endeavors may concomitantly prove of value to host nations in filling unmet clinical needs. At present, healthcare institutions generally focus on the safety of the trainee and the welfare of potential patients and research subjects when sanctioning such programs. The American medical community has historically afforded less consideration to the ethics of engagement by trainees from the United States in nations known for serious human rights transgressions. This essay examines the ethics of such endeavors and argues for increased consideration of these broader considerations when trainees engage in global health work abroad.

Challenges faced by final year dental students and house officers while performing endodontic treatment.

Objective: To identify the challenges faced by final year dental students and house officers while performing endodontic treatment. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Setting: Multicenter study. Setting: Involving Dental Colleges of Twin Cities Dental Hospitals of Islamabad and Rawalpindi including Islamabad Dental Hospital, Islamic International Dental Hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry, Rawal Institute of Health Sciences and Margalla Institute of Health Sciences. Period: June 2023 to December 2023. Material &amp; Methods: This cross sectional descriptive study was conducted on 263 participants. The inclusion criteria was final year dental students and house officers who had completed their mandatory rotation in endodontics department and performed root canal treatment with conventional methods. A structured questionnaire consisting of five sections containing patient management, access opening, working length determination, cleaning and shaping procedure and obturation was constructed. Google forms were sent to the participants after sample size was calculated with WHO calculator. Data was analyzed through Google forms. Results: The current study shows that majority of the participants faced difficulties in the patient management and obturation procedure. The overall most common difficulty encountered was rubber dam application (44.1%) followed by accessory GP bending during obturation (42%), apex locator use (39.4%), and canal orifice location (39.8%). Conclusion: The students and house officers are facing multiple difficulties in performing root canal treatment independently. Therefore there is a need to focus more on the training of students and house officers in their endodontic department rotation.

Can you name that tablet? A cross-sectional study on recognition of common urology medications.

Clinicians frequently rely on patients to accurately tell them what prescription medications and doses they are taking in outpatient visits. This information is essential to monitor the efficacy of a medication and to determine any adverse interactions. This study aimed to assess urologist and urology trainee's visual recognition of common urology medications. An online survey was distributed to urologists and urology trainees in Ireland. Images of 11 commonly prescribed urological medications were presented with free text options for answering. Information was gathered on respondent's role and experience. Data was analysed using STATA version 17. The survey had a 90% response rate from 50 distributions. Respondents' roles were consultant (31.1%), specialist registrar (33.3%), registrar (22.2%), senior house officer (11.1%) and intern (2.2%). Forty six percenthad more than six years urology experience. Average rate of correct responses was 39.4% ± 23.9. The most accurate group were consultants (46.1% ± 22.1), followed by specialist registrars (41.2% ± 24.9), registrars (39.1% ± 26.8), senior house officers (21.8% ± 10.4) and interns (9.1% ± 0). The most and least recognised medications were sildenafil (Viagra©) (84.4%) and fesoterodine (Toviaz©) (11.1%), respectively. Just 28.9% of respondents had previously handled any of the medications listed. Patients often do not reliably know their own medications other than to describe them or show an unpackaged tablet. Prescribing safety is paramount to ensuring patient safety and reducing the risk of adverse drug reactions. This study shows that even experienced clinicians do not recognise the medications they regularly prescribe, and decisions should not be made without accurate medication reconciliation.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Use of Local Anaesthetics Among Non-Anaesthesia Healthcare Professionals at Mulago National Referral Hospital.

Local anaesthetics (LA) are commonly used in dental and surgical emergency wards by both anaesthesia professionals and non-anaesthesia professionals. Anecdotal evidence shows that non-anaesthesia health-care professionals do not monitor vital signs during the use of local anaesthesia, and there are no standard hospital guidelines on the use of LA and management of LA toxicity by non-anaesthesia professionals. This study sought to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding local anaesthetic use among non-anaesthesia health-care professionals at Mulago National Referral Hospital. This was a cross-sectional study that utilized a quantitative research approach. The sample size of the study was 43 non-anaesthesia healthcare professionals from the casualty and surgical outpatient wards and Mulago dental ward. Data was collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using STATA 15. Overall, 66.67% of the Specialist, 76.47% of the senior house officers, 100% of medical officers, and 80% of the clinical orthopedic house officers had unsatisfactory levels of knowledge in Mulago casualty and surgical outpatient wards. 20% of the specialist and 16.67% of the senior house officers had unsatisfactory levels of knowledge in Mulago dental ward. 87.5% of the non-anaesthesia health-care professionals do not give a test dose on a routine basis in Mulago casualty and surgical outpatient wards. A total of 63.64% of the non-anaesthesia healthcare professionals in Mulago dental ward do not sterilize the site of injection. Non-anaesthesia health-care professionals had unsatisfactory levels of knowledge, somewhat good practices, and negative attitudes toward LA use.