International Practice Standards Research Articles

Challenges in International Convention on the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Compliance: A case study of the South African Maritime Education and Training System

Maritime education and training (MET) has been instrumental in the development of seafarers in South Africa and internationally. As a result, different MET systems are used to not only produce eligible maritime professionals but to ensure that they comply with the requirements of the International Convention on the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) 1978, as amended in Manila. Some of the challenges in MET prove not to be exclusive but common to some maritime countries. As such, this study aims to explore South Africa’s unique approach to MET rather than the conventional approach of having higher education institutions dedicated specifically to maritime education and maritime training. This has created the need to analyse how the current MET system delivers training in compliance with the minimum standards of the convention. This paper therefore analyses how the STCW Convention and Code is embedded in the MET system in South Africa, and identifies the existing challenges in meeting the requirements of the convention, as well as identifying opportunities for improvement. The identification of challenges and opportunities is investigated by means of desktop research, reviewing existing literature, a document analyses on the academic and technical (vocational) framework, and a review of existing practice and benchmarking this against international practice standards (STCW). This paper proposes a framework that could contribute to the improvement of the current MET system in line with the requirements of the STCW 1978 as amended.

The Global Ruling of Local Crisis Intervention: An Institutional Ethnography of Anti-Violence Work in Kyrgyzstan.

This article analyzes contradictory practices carried out in Kyrgyzstani crisis centers for victims of gender violence resulting in women-clients failing to obtain the protection they seek. These problematic dynamics are shaped by a global apparatus on women's human rights protection and international standards of practice. Crisis center professionals perform the final activation of this ruling apparatus through textual work driven not by the women's needs but by the goal of bringing local actions into accord with the "legal framework" organized and expressed by the national anti-violence law and the government's need to report on it to international treaty bodies.

Introduction of family-based treatment to Japan with adaptations to optimize the cultural acceptability and advance current traditional treatments of adolescent anorexia nervosa.

Given the lack of clear consensus on effective treatment models for adolescent anorexia nervosa in Japan, treatment programs offered to this population vary widely between treatment facilities with limited testing of outcomes. Importantly, families have traditionally been left out of the core treatment process, as they are commonly viewed as being powerless in renourishing their child. The purpose of this commentary was to report the authors' preliminary efforts to introduce and implement family-based treatment (FBT) in Japan so that, on par with international standards of practice, FBT may become the first-line treatment option for Japanese families. This commentary will describe the systemic and cultural barriers which posed as challenges in introducing FBT to Japan in its manualized standard format and how these were addressed by introducing FBT during the patient's hospital admission and by assigning the father with a role which resembles the traditional gender role within the Japanese family culture. Authors have thus far observed that these adaptations led to increased accessibility of FBT and improved outcomes such as reduced number of hospitalizations and shorter time taken to reach 85-90% EBW. Further considerations for the broad dissemination and implementation of FBT in Japan are also presented.

Can health impact assessment be conducted on the political platforms of presidential election candidates?

Health impact assessment (HIA) is defined as a method by which a policy, program or project may be judged as to its potential effects on the health of a population in order to mitigate negative impacts and strengthen the positive ones. During the 2017 French presidential elections, health promotion actors decided to conduct an HIA on the political platforms of the five main candidates. The assessment of each political platform was conducted by 7 evaluators and reviewed by 35 health promotion experts. Then, a comparative analysis of the platforms was led on 3 specific topics. This HIA was conducted in accordance with the international standards of practice. Within all of the 5 political platforms, the proposals related to Environmental and energy policy, and to Agricultural policy were the ones with widely positive impacts on the determinants of health. Concerning all of the other policy proposals, their respective impacts and affected populations broadly change from one platform to another. Due to its political object, this HIA had to deal with methodological challenges such as platform instability, uncertainty over the genuine implementation of measures as well as the importance of the underlying platform values. Nonetheless, such an implementation of the HIA process on the political platforms of candidates running for an important position is interesting because it represents an opportunity to look at the platforms with fresh eyes and enriches the advocacy to take public health into account in the policy making processes and tries to operationalize the concept of health in all policies.

Current Status and Future Suggestions for Improving the Pharm. D Curriculum towards Clinical Pharmacy Practice in Pakistan.

Objectives & Background: Good curriculum is reflected as the backbone for standard universities to develop competitive professionals having great potential. Pharmacy education in Pakistan has gone through the same developmental stages as in other countries, but is still striving for improvement. In the present study, we want (i) to know the opinion on whether the current pharmacy curriculum requires any improvement in order to meet the training needs of pharmacy professionals regarding clinical knowledge and pharmacy practice; and (ii) to present some humble suggestions to decision-making authorities in order to improve it with respect to patient-focused programs (PFP). Methods: The study was conducted in two sessions. In first session, a questionnaire was distributed to pharmacy students of eight public/private sector universities of Karachi (N = 354) offering Pharm. D degrees. The second session dealt with the pharmacy teachers, deans, and practicing pharmacists in health care facilities (who are in any ways also related to academia), in order to take their opinions on and suggestions for the development of a better Pharm. D curriculum (N = 135). Results: Our results showed that 75.2% of respondents agree that the Pharm. D curriculum does not meet the international standards of practice, and 88.4% of respondents support the addition of more clinical aspects than industrial ones, as Pharm. D could be both clinically and industrially oriented, according to the needs of the Pakistani people. Furthermore, 80.2% of respondents are of the view that an apprenticeship should be included in last two years, while 88.4% demand a ‘paid residency program’ to facilitate the hospital, clinical and compounding areas of pharmacy. In addition, we also received a number of verbal suggestions for improving the Pharm. D curriculum being followed in Pakistan. Discussion & Conclusions: We conclude that our Pharm. D curriculum needs additions in terms of clinical practice by providing residencies and electives in health care settings. Accordingly, the need for a clinically oriented curriculum is highlighted in Pakistan, keeping in mind the continuing importance of the industrial viewpoint. Various studies have criticized the pharmacy curriculum in Pakistan in the past. Conversely, we suggest some changes in the curriculum, as change is always needed for a better tomorrow.

Risks of Related Parties in Transition Economy—An Audit Approach

This paper aims at improving audit practices, at least, for our national audit practitioners. Such possibilities are discussed as case study regarding an audit of a public entity as a related party (relationship & transactions) with a private company. This reveals a fraud risk by periodical re-negotiating of significant contracts combined with internal controls deficiency. In order to avoid and remove such bad practices, the Romanian financial auditors, fraud examiners, taxation consultants and even legal advisers, need rigorous learning and professional development and adequate evaluation frameworks, combining in a competent responsible manner quantitative and qualitative evaluation made by a peer-review schema. Exclusive quantitative approaches are not adequate for a correct evaluation. An efficient evaluation must involve human specialists, including financial auditor’s colleagues. The results for entire professional body may result in higher quality judgments and a good assimilation; not only good practice international standards, but even entire experience of practitioners in this field was recommended. Emphasizing of professional skepticism arises with enough experience.

Assessment of growth status in Saudi hospitals

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine the quality and sustainability of dietetic practice in the scope of anthropometry for adolescents at Jeddah hospitals care setting.Design/methodology/approach– An evaluation survey to define and critic dietetic practice concerning anthropometric assessment for adolescent group in Jeddah governmental and private operating hospitals with bed capacity of more than 150 beds and has at least four employed dietitians.Findings– Only 10 percent of dietitians in Jeddah hospitals are members with the National Saudi Dietetic Association (SDA). Hospitals were mostly following international Standards of Practice (SOP) for anthropometry (60 percent), compared to national standards (10 percent). SOP is not unified or governed by the national organization body. Regularly (80 percent) of the practicing dietitians identify their individual scope of practice, the use of growth charts and reference data in assessing the growth status of their young clients. Similarly to other international countries, sustainability and resilience to all aspects of nutrition and dietetics practice should be ensured and maintained by SDA when guiding and standardizing all practices.Originality/value– The study highlights the importance of standardizing the practice of anthropometric assessment among adolescent group. The study is also a call for the SDA to emphasize its role in governing and defining guidelines in all scopes of dietetics practice.

Practice of clinical forensic medicine in Sri Lanka: Does it need a new era?

Clinical forensic medicine is a sub-specialty of forensic medicine and is intimately associated with the justice system of a country. Practice of clinical forensic medicine is evolving, but deviates from one jurisdiction to another. Most English-speaking countries practice clinical forensic medicine and forensic pathology separately while most non-English-speaking countries practice forensic medicine which includes clinical forensic medicine and forensic pathology. Unlike the practice of forensic pathology, several countries have informal arrangements to deal with forensic patients and there are no international standards of practice or training in this discipline. Besides, this is rarely a topic of discussion. In the adversarial justice system in Sri Lanka, the designated Government Medical Officers practice both clinical forensic medicine and forensic pathology. Practice of clinical forensic medicine, and its teaching and training in Sri Lanka depicts unique features. However, this system has not undergone a significant revision for many decades. In this communication, the existing legal framework, current procedure of practice, examination for drunkenness, investigations, structure of referrals, reports, subsequent legal procedures, undergraduate, in-service, and postgraduate training are discussed with suggestions for reforms.